EC Acts Against Spain to Stop Cepsa Refinery Pollution

The European Commission has reopened infringement proceedings against Spain over "intolerable air pollution" from the CEPSA oil refinery, according to Gibraltar MEP Neil Parish who met the EC Environment Commissioner, Stavros Dimas earlier this week.

In a surprise move, the Dimas told Parish that the Commission was reopening infringement proceedings against the Spanish government for breaching the EU's Air Quality Directive 1999.. Spain's reported hourly concentration levels exceed almost three times the EU limit

Parish also presented the Commissioner with an almost 14,000 strong petition of local residents organised by "La Plataforma por El Estudio Epidemiologico", calling for health studies to be carried out to assess the impact of CEPSA pollution on Rock residents.

Parish, who  has been actively involved in the campaign to ensure the

refinery's emissions do not violate European environmental law, is calling on the European Union to get more involved in cracking down on emissions that many scientists say are responsible for increased incidences of cancer, asthma, thyroid problems and leukemias in the nearby communities.

"I am pleased the European Commission has entered the first stages of legal proceedings against Spain for these massive breaches of air quality," Parish said after the meeting with Dimas. "This legal action will hopefully focus the minds of theSpanish government, and encourage them to force CEPSA into taking  action to reduce pollution.

"The quality of our air is not a Spain versus Gibraltar issue. It affects all of us, and so the EU needs to act against polluters."