Failure to assess polluting substances in the Altri cellulose project, and consent of the Galician and Spanish Governments

Question for written answer E-001389/2024
to the Commission
Rule 144
Ana Miranda Paz (Verts/ALE)

The recent ruling handed down by the Court of Justice of the European Union on 25 June 2024 states: 'Directive 2010/75 must be interpreted as meaning that, for the purposes of granting or reconsidering a permit to operate an installation under that directive, the competent authority must take into account, in addition to the polluting substances that are foreseeable having regard to the nature and type of industrial activity concerned, all those polluting substances which are the subject of emissions scientifically recognised as harmful which are liable to be emitted from the installation concerned, including those generated by that activity which were not assessed during the initial authorisation procedure for that installation'.

The Portuguese firm Altri is in breach of that directive as the project submitted does not assess all of the polluting substances. The Spanish state is required to verify that prior assessment of the impact of the activity of the installation concerned ‒ on both the environment and human health ‒ forms an integral part of the procedures for granting and reconsidering a permit to operate the installation under that directive. That has not been done.

Can the Commission ask the Member State for information on this serious case of non-compliance?

Submitted: 19.7.2024