Brussels says that the Cepsa refinery complies with EU environment regulations

CAMPO DE GIBRALTAR (Agencies) The European Commission announced recently that it had not detected any infraction of European Law regarding the oil refinery belonging to the Cepsa Group in San Roque. The subject was raised by several environmental lobbies at the EU's Petition Commission, saying that the company is investing to improve or minimize pollution from the plant. "There is more investment planned over the next few years," stated a spokesperson for the Commission, but recognized that there had been "certain deficiencies. It is clear, however, that the operator has acted to minimise problems regarding power supply, which in the past have caused higher pollution levels at the plant, so the Commission cannot say that there is little or no compliance at present.">Despite the above, Brussels is waiting for a definitive report from the auditors commissioned by the Junta de Andalucía regarding compliance.

Nevertheless, the Petitions Commission has agreed to keep open the files presented by the Plataforma por el Estudio Epidemiológico en el Campo de Gibraltar and in Gibraltar (two separate instances), which requests a joint study on public health and mortality in the area. The acting President of the Petitions Commission, MEP Willy Meyer (Spain, IU-LV) said that the files would stay open awaiting responses from the Governments of Spain and Gibraltar.