WRITTEN QUESTION E-2191/00 by Isidoro Sánchez García (ELDR) to the Commission. Assessment of the attitude adopted by Mr Chris Patten, Commissioner, with regard to Mr Javier Solana.
Date: 2000-07-03
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Commission, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, interinstitutional relations (EU)

C 103 E/84

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

3.4.2001

(2001/C 103 E/090)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2191/00

by Isidoro SÆnchez Garc(cid:237)a (ELDR) to the Commission

(3 July 2000)

Subject: Assessment of the attitude adopted by Mr Chris Patten, Commissioner, with regard to Mr Javier

Solana

How does the Commission assess the attitude adopted by Mr Chris Patten, Commissioner, in his relations
with Mr Javier Solana, the Council Secretary-General and the Community figure responsible for the EU(cid:146)s
foreign and security policy?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(28 July 2000)

The Member of the Commission in charge of external relations has repeatedly emphasised that he works
extremely well with the High Representative, Javier Solana. Their joint reports to successive European
Councils on the Western Balkans illustrate this cooperative spirit. The Commissioner and the High
Representative have the shared objective of strengthening the common foreign and security policy (CFSP).

Many advances were made in CFSP in the Treaty on European Union and the Amsterdam Treaty. The
Commission is fully associated with both the foreign and security policy aspects of CFSP. It will assume in
full its obligations under the Treaty to contribute to a coherent and ambitious policy of the Union. This
needs to draw on relevant Community instruments as well as the CFSP itself. To this end, the Commis-
sioner will continue to work closely with the High Representative for CFSP.

(2001/C 103 E/091)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2194/00

by Mar(cid:237)a Sornosa Mart(cid:237)nez (PSE) to the Commission

(3 July 2000)

Subject: Construction of a multi-cinema complex in Puerto del Grau (Castell(cid:243)n, Spain)

A special plan which has been drawn up by the Castell(cid:243)n port authority as the basis for a number of
commercial properties to be built in the area known as Muelle de Costa is currently undergoing final
approval. However, neighbourhood organisations (in particular (cid:145)Mediterr(cid:224)nia(cid:146), a neighbourhood and
cultural association based in Grau de Castell(cid:243)) have reported that the project includes the construction
(not made clear in the special plan) of a huge multi-cinema complex which,
together with other
commercial premises, will occupy an area of 7 200 square metres and reach a height of 13 metres.
If such buildings were constructed the town of Castell(cid:243)n would be virtually closed off from the sea and the
whole project would have a major impact on the landscape.

Local people have also reported various risks to public health connected with the planned location of the
multi-cinema complex, particularly in view of the fact that trains carrying hazardous substances would
travel along a railway line only a few yards away from the leisure complex.

In view of the fact that paragraph 8(b) of Annex 1 of Directive 97/11/EC (1) (85/337/EC revised) includes
trading ports and piers for loading and unloading amongst
to
environmental
in view of the major impact
which the project will have on the landscape around the town of Castell(cid:243)n, a statutory environmental
impact assessment should have been carried out, as provided for in the above-mentioned Directive 97/11/
EC, in particular in the amended Article 3 thereof which refers to direct and indirect effects on landscape?

impact assessment, does the Commission not think that,

the installations which are subject