B4-1115, 1117, 1124, 1159 and 1179/95

Resolution on forest fires in the Canary Islands, Minorca and Tarragona

The European Parliament,

A.having regard to the very serious forest fires which have occurred: on the island of Minorca at the end of August 1995, which was caused by lightning; in the Canary Islands, where in July 1995 alone fires destroyed an area of over 1000 hectares on the island of Tenerife; and in the Sierra de Cardó (Tarragona), affecting the municipalities of Perelló, Rasquera, Tibenys and Tortosa,

B.whereas the loss of pine and holm-oak woods in the devastated area in the Mercadal district, regarded as one of the 'green lungs' of the island of Minorca, is difficult to assess; whereas the same applies to the destructive impact of the fire that broke out on Mount Esperanza (Santa Cruz de Tenerife),

C.whereas, because Minorca is an island, the ecological consequences of the fire there will be considerable and more complex,

D.whereas the Sierra de Cardó is a designated area of outstanding natural beauty because of its flora and fauna, and the matter thus concerns the plan to develop rural tourism and improve navigability of the Ebro,

E.whereas the persistent drought constitutes a particularly high risk factor,

F.whereas Protocol 15 to the EC Treaty states that the Community cohesion funds will apply to environmental projects as well as the trans-European networks,

G.whereas Declaration 26 attached to the Treaty on European Union provides for special consideration to be given to the outermost regions of the Community on account of their remote or island nature,

1.Expresses its utmost sympathy with the victims of these disasters and calls on the Commission to grant emergency special financial aid to the municipalities affected by the fires;

2.Calls on the Commission to set up special brigades, in the context of civil protection, to provide coordinated and effective support to complement the necessarily limited resources available for fire protection in the Community's island regions; also calls on the Commission to consider the possibility of carrying out studies aimed at preserving the forests in the regions of the Union most vulnerable to forest fires;

3.Calls on the Commission and Council to use all possible economic measures, pursuant to Regulation 2158/92, to assist regeneration and reafforestation in the areas damaged by the fires;

4.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Presidency-in-Office of the Council, the Commission, the governments of the Member States, the Regional Government of the Canary Islands, the Regional Government of Catalonia, the Minorca Island Council and the councils of the municipalities referred to in this resolution.