Report by Adega (Association for the Environmental Defence of Galicia): lapsed application to Augas de Galicia for a water permit for a large-scale cellulose plant by Altri

Subject: Report by Adega (Association for the Environmental Defence of Galicia): lapsed application to Augas de Galicia for a water permit for a large-scale cellulose plant by Altri

Following a press leak indicating that the Galician Government had received a positive report from the technicians of the public water company, Augas de Galicia, regarding the establishment of a large-scale celullose plant by Altri in Palas de Rei, the Association for the Environmental Defence of Galicia (Adega) published valuable information showing that such an assessment and authorisation could not take place, as neither the deadline nor the procedural requirements were met.

Adega cites Article 116(5) of the Regulation on Public Water Resources (RDPH), which lays down a maximum period of 18 months for the competent authority to reach a decision on an application for a water permit. Adega therefore calls on Augas de Galicia to reject the application and to close the case on the grounds that it is out of time and form.

There have been procedural shortcomings regarding the waer permit (E-001704/2024), a boycotting of the debate in the Committee on Petitions of the European Parliament at the request of the Galician Government (E-000604/2025), leaks by vested interests in order to promote the project...

In light of the above:

Will the Commission take an interest in the irregular procedure that the Galician government is set to follow in an attempt to establish Altri’s large-scale cellulose plant, which would breach EU regulations if the project goes ahead?

Submitted: 19.2.2025

Answer given by Ms Roswall on behalf of the European Commission

(4 April 2025)

As the Commission stated in its reply to Written Question E-001598/2024, it appears from the information provided by the Honourable Member that the environmental impact assessment (EIA) procedure — pursuant to the EIA Directive (1) — concerning the project at issue is currently underway and that the project has not received development consent at this point. Consequently, it is not possible to verify compliance with the applicable EU law provisions at this stage.

The Commission expects the responsible regional authorities to conduct a robust environmental impact assessment, taking account of all relevant environment objectives and, if needed, with adequate mitigation measures to ensure that the project complies with applicable legislation, particularly the Nature Directives (2) and the Water Framework Directive (3).

However, the deadlines and some other aspects of the procedure are regulated by Spanish legislation and the Commission is unable to intervene in that respect.

Finally, it should be recalled that Member States are primarily responsible to ensure compliance with EU law. In line with its strategic approach on enforcement action (4), which focuses on cases of systemic non-compliance, the Commission considers that the means of redress available under national legislation are the most appropriate mechanism to address individual cases of possible non-compliance, such as the issue raised by the Honourable Member.

However, in its role as guardian of the Treaties, the Commission will continue monitoring the situation and may decide to take appropriate action when needed.

1 ∙ ⸱ Directive 2011/92/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 2011 on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private

projects on the environment. OJ L 26, 28.1.2012, p. 1-21, as amended by Directive 2014/52/EU of 16 April 2014 — OJ L 124, 25.4.2014, p. 1-18. 2 ∙ ⸱ Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora, OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7-50 and Directive 2009/147/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 on the conservation of wild birds (Codified version), OJ L 20, 26.1.2010, p. 7-25. 3 ∙ ⸱

Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy, OJ L 327, 22.12.2000, p. 1-73. 4 ∙ ⸱

As set out in the communication of 19 January 2017 (EU law: Better results through better application — C/2016/8600, OJ C 18, 19.1.2017, p. 10-20) and in the communication of 13 October 2022 COM(2022) 518 final — Enforcing EU law for a Europe that delivers.