The European Parliament has deemed admissible a petition concerning projects located within the perimeter of the OIN Plaine du Var “Eco-Vallée” in the Alpes Maritimes department.
The European EELV representatives Sandrine Bélier and Michèle Rivasi supported the referral to the Petitions Committee by associations that have been involved for years with the issues of the OIN Plaine du Var (1) and by EELV representatives Annabelle Jaeger and Mari-Luz Hernandez-Nicaise.
It has no effect other than allowing the European Commission to investigate and report back to the members of the Petitions Committee. The procedure usually takes more than three months. The authors of the referral will be heard by the Commission.
No current operations are blocked. It will be up to this European investigation commission to determine if the grievances highlighted are such that they require changes to the overall project.
Seized of the case in May 2013 by the collective of associations, the European deputies deemed the petition and its supplements concerning all fifteen affected municipalities admissible.
The Petitions Committee has tasked the European Commission with conducting an investigation into the numerous irregularities pointed out by the petitioners.
The referral specifically focused on violations of European legislation regarding biodiversity and water in projects whose environmental impacts have not been evaluated comprehensively.
The EELV representatives welcome this decision. According to Annabelle Jaeger and Marie-Luz Hernandez-Nicaise: “While this admissibility is good news, we await the hearing of associations and representatives by the Petitions Committee and the European Commission’s investigation report. The Lower Var Valley is a site within the Natura 2000 network of major ecological importance, both for its floristic and faunistic biodiversity and its high heritage value, as well as its role as a key component of the blue and green framework. Similarly, the Var Valley has an exceptional water resource: its river with its major bed and aquifers supplying drinking water to 600,000 people in the department.
We are determined to demonstrate that the projects do not comply with the prevailing legislation. French citizens have the right to be protected by European law, and we will ensure this”
