Question to the EC: Complaint by the municipality of Oliveira do Hospital concerning the exploitation of mineral deposits in Boa Vista (central Portugal)

See Francisco Guerreiro’s question to the European Commission and the written answer on the complaint by the municipality of Oliveira do Hospital concerning the exploitation of mineral deposits in Boa Vista (central Portugal).

Subject: Complaint by the municipality of Oliveira do Hospital concerning the exploitation of mineral deposits in Boa Vista (central Portugal)         

On 30 May 2019, the Municipality of Oliveira do Hospital unanimously agreed to lodge a formal complaint(1) against notice 6518/2019(2) of 9/4 issued by the Directorate-General for Energy and Geology. According to the notice, the Australian company Fortescue Metals Group Exploration Pty Ltd has requested the rights to search for and exploit deposits of gold, silver, lead, zinc, copper, lithium, tungstate and tin in the Boa Vista area of central Portugal. 

The municipality of Oliveira do Hospital is opposed to:

—        The exploitation of and search for any mineral deposits, in the interests of preserving the region’s human, natural and cultural resources;

—        Exploitation in urban areas, rural communities and scattered construction zones, in the interests of protecting the health and well-being of the inhabitants and the built environment;

—        The mineral exploitation of the soil in the National Agricultural Reserve, in the interests of maintaining sustainable development and agricultural activity based on the preservation of natural resources and of promoting the competitiveness of rural territories;

—        Exploitation of the National Ecological Reserve, in the interests of protecting natural resources and safeguarding the biophysical systems and processes associated with the hydrological cycle of the earth, which provide environmental goods and services essential for the preservation of the environment and the development of human activities.

Will the Commission support this complaint?

(1)       https://www.cm-oliveiradohospital.pt/index.php/municipio/item/1786-reclamacao-do-municipio-de-oliveira-do-hospital-ao-pedido-de-atribuicao-de-direitos-de-prospecao-e-pesquisa-de-depositos-minerais-para-a-area-denominada-boa-vista?fbclid=IwAR2Wkehxn_GwpwTDIvjYtPe8FlpB3BPtuvF0k_YSlrG_xHo_-ks81woxmUg

(2) https://dre.pt/application/file/a/122057007

Answer in writing

The Commission promotes the sustainable development of mining activities that reconciles environmental protection, social concerns and the competitiveness of the industry. While industrial and extractive activities may involve risks for the environment and human health, proper implementation of existing EU rules (such as the directives on environmental impact assessment, the conservation of natural habitats, the protection of groundwater or the management of waste from extractive industries) contributes to preventing risks and to mitigating detrimental impacts in case they occur. The primary responsibility to ensure implementation lies with Member States.

The information provided by the Honourable Member does not provide evidence for a breach of Union law. It would therefore be inappropriate for the Commission to intervene at this stage.

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