• Environment WWF takes to Brussels the new irrigation plan of the PP with Doñana

The European Commission has warned the Government that it will sanction Spain for the possible harmful effects of the proposal of the PP and Vox to expand irrigation in the Doñana environment, which it considers a "flagrant violation" of the judgment of the European Court of Justice.

The Director General of Environment of the European Commission, Florika Fink-Hooijer, has sent a letter to the Spanish Government to explain and clarify within a maximum period of one month how they have made sure that the irrigation improvement plan in the Northern Crown of Doñana will not produce harmful consequences in the protected areas of the park.

He recalls, as reported by Cadena Ser, that already in January 2022 he transmitted to the Spanish authorities his "concern and stupefaction" about the risk that a similar proposal posed for the execution of the judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union, which "remains unfulfilled".

Florika Fink-Hooijer defends measures such as increased control and inspection to ensure the closure and sealing of all illegal wells that persist in the vicinity of the park and even proposes to finance, through the Recovery and Resililience mechanism, projects for the digitalization and measurement of water abstractions in Doñana.

"If the processing of this proposal prospers in the terms that have been announced, it would be producing a flagrant violation of the provisions of the judgment of the Court of Justice," he says in the letter.

It warns, in this regard, that the Commission would take into consideration the "adoption of all necessary measures, including the lodging of a new action before the Court of Justice in which it would request the imposition of financial penalties".

In addition, it urges to execute the judgment of the Court of Justice of June 2021 to protect the natural values of Doñana and maintains that the approval of the Popular Party bill of March 3, "would significantly aggravate the situation of the bodies of water and the protected areas of Doñana".

The EU also argues that the continued overexploitation of the aquifer "seriously threatens" the viability of the economic activity of the region, especially irrigated crops.

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