Wind farms in the Aegean

Priority question for written answer  P-002265/2021
to the Commission
Rule 138
Jutta Paulus (Verts/ALE)

According to media reports[1], wind farms are being planned and built on the Greek islands in the Aegean Sea in violation of the Aarhus Convention and without proper public consultation and without the involvement of local parliaments. In addition, construction work is taking place on Natura 2000 sites without the requisite environmental impact assessments having first been carried out. Local residents and conservationists are reporting massive damage to flora and fauna. The fact that defective wind turbines have simply been abandoned suggests that no provision has been made for dismantling wind farms.

• 1.Can the Commission say whether the requisite environmental impact assessments were carried out prior to authorisation being granted for the construction of wind turbines on Natura 2000 sites?
• 2.Have the competent environmental and nature conservation authorities imposed conditions on the operation of the wind farms, and how is compliance checked and enforced?
• 3.How will the Commission ensure that in future wind farms in the Aegean are constructed in a manner consistent with the Aarhus Convention and the Natura 2000 Directive?

• [1] https://www.ardmediathek.de/video/weltspiegel/weltspiegel-reportage-schatten-unter-der-sonne-windkraft-in-der-gaeis/das-erste/Y3JpZDovL2Rhc2Vyc3RlLmRlL3dlbHRzcGllZ2VsLzI2YzMxYWU1LWRjNTMtNDNkOS1iYzJlLTdkNGZjM2ZjNjYxYQ/