The proceedings of the injunction promoted by the PALP - Platform Algarve Livre de Petróleo were suspended for three months today, announced that platform that brings together nearly two dozen associations and movements for the protection of the environment.
In practice, according to a statement from the PALP, this means that, "until there is a decision by the court on this injunction, all work off the Costa Vicentina, whether prospecting or preparatory to it, is suspended."
This suspension took place "by proposal of all parties, taking into account the entry of new information", namely, that given by the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) that initiated the process of "submission decision to EIA [Environmental Impact Assessment ] of the projects submitted to a case-by-case analysis", as stipulated in Decree-Law No. 152-B/2017 of 11 December.
"After the decision of the APA on whether or not there will be an EIA, it will be known what direction the process will follow," adds the PALP.
According to the work plan previously published by the concessionaire ENI-GALP, the research drilling off the Costa Vicentina would be carried out in the second quarter of 2018.
PALP adds that "we will continue to fight for the drilling of the ENI-GALP consortium planned for the sea in front of Aljezur not to be carried out".
Because, recalls the Platform, «each one of the signed contracts is a single act that includes all phases (research, prospecting, development and production), so this activity should be carried out from the beginning».
The PALP concludes by saying that it will also continue “to fight for the termination of the contracts in force and for the repeal of Decree-Law No. 109/94, of 26 April, in order to prevent the attribution of new concessions”.
Yesterday, after a meeting in Loulé, 11 mayors, five business associations in the Algarve, close to two dozen environmental associations and anti-oil movements, as well as public figures signed and released a joint declaration against the prospecting and exploitation of hydrocarbons in Portugal, with special focus on the exploration well that the ENI/GALP consortium is preparing to drill off Aljezur.
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