WRITTEN QUESTION E-1010/01 by Jorge Hernández Mollar (PPE-DE) to the Commission. EU support for Spain's finest woodlands.
Date: 2001-03-30
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU environmental policy, Spain, forest, nature reserve, sustainable development

4.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 340 E/145

As for the Torre Inserraglio residential complex (within the proposed Site of Community Importance
IT9150024), no information is given on the date of construction or on its size. No information is given on
the habitats or species likely to be affected by it. A cement slipway for boats is not covered by Directive
85/337/EEC, as amended. On the basis of the information given by the Honourable Member, with
reference to the Torre Inserraglio residential complex, no evidence of a breach of Directives 92/43/EEC or
85/337/EEC, as modified, can be presumed.

Should the Commission be informed of relevant evidence that Community law is being breached in the
specific case,
it would not hesitate, as the guardian of the EC Treaty, to take all necessary measures,
including infringement procedures under Article 226 (ex Article 169) of the EC Treaty, in order to ensure
the observance of relevant Community law.

(1) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985.
(2) OJ L 73, 14.3.1997.

(2001/C 340 E/162)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1010/01

by Jorge HernÆndez Mollar (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: EU support for Spain(cid:146)s finest woodlands

(30 March 2001)

The Los Alcornocales park, which is situated between the provinces of CÆdiz and MÆlaga, has been voted
Spain(cid:146)s finest woodlands because it contains an abundance of flora which is more typical of a tropical
climate than of a Mediterranean one, according to a poll of scientists and environmental specialists.

The park in question, a 170 000-hectare protected area with Natural Park status awarded in 1989 (cid:129) is
home to the largest and finest collection of cork trees anywhere in Europe.

In view of the responsibility which the European Union may have in this area, could the Commission
explain how it
the park and in the implementation of
environmental-improvement programmes within its boundaries? What action does the Commission intend
to take in future in order to include the park within the scope of the Community initiatives designed to
benefit Europe(cid:146)s major natural parks?

is involved both in the conservation of

Answer given by Mrs Wallstr(cid:246)m on behalf of the Commission

(6 June 2001)

to the
Spain has proposed the site called (cid:145)Alcornocales(cid:146) as Site of Community Importance (SCI)
Natura 2000 Network according to Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of
natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (1) (hereafter Habitats Directive). It has also been proposed as
Special Protected Areas for birds (SPA) according to article 4 of Council Directive 79/409/CEE of 2 April
1979, on the conservation of wild birds (2) (hereafter Birds Directive).

This vast extension (17 000 km2) of very well conserved land in the South of Spain hosts at least 21
Annex I bird species of the Birds Directive, some of them very threatened species. In this site there are 26
habitat types present of which five are priority habitats type identified by the Habitats Directive for special
attention. It is remarkable that 36 % of its total territory is covered by Quercus suber (cork tree) forest. This
forest, with all its associated species, is one of the most important Mediterranean forests in Europe.

The philosophy of Natura 2000 Network is to ensure that human activities are sustainable and not
damaging to the conservation objectives for which the sites have been designated.

C 340 E/146

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.12.2001

Habitats Directive obliges to the Member States (cid:145)to take appropriate steps to avoid, in the special areas of
conservation, the deterioration of natural habitats and the habitats of species as well as disturbance of the
species for which the areas have been designated, in so far as such disturbance could be significant in
relation to the objectives of this Directive(cid:146) (article 6.2).

Sustainable management of forests, which concern this area and to which Spain is engaged under the
decisions of the third ministerial Conference on the protection of forests in Europe (held in 1999) means
that there is an obligation to protect biological diversity and landscapes and ensure renewable forestry
resources.

(1) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992.
(2) OJ L 103, 25.4.1979.

(2001/C 340 E/163)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1013/01

by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(30 March 2001)

Subject: European digital literacy plan

In 2003, over 1,5 million jobs in new information technologies may remain unfilled. In order to prevent
future shortages (and to alleviate current ones), all the EU Member States should make strenuous efforts to
consolidate digital literacy in order to prevent what would constitute one of the major constraints on
European economic development from arising.

In order to achieve a level of digital literacy which is comparable to the current level in the USA, the
European Union will have to do its utmost to meet a challenge which it cannot ignore.

What has the Commission to say regarding the support which private initiatives may expect from relevant
literacy
Community policy, which has an essential role to play in promoting and encouraging digital
amongst the largest possible number of working people in order to relieve the current (and,
in all
probability, future) shortage of skilled workers in the new information-technology sector?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(18 June 2001)

The public-private partnership in promoting the teaching of new technologies is, in the Commission(cid:146)s
view, a very important issue.

With this in mind, the Honourable Member should refer to the Commission(cid:146)s answer to Mr Naranjo
Escobar(cid:146)s Written Question E-605/01 (1).

One example of the Commission(cid:146)s commitment is the eLearning Summit (La Hulpe, 10/11 May 2001 (2)),
organised at the initiative of leading companies in the multimedia and information and communication
technology (ICT) sectors (IBM, Cisco Systems, Nokia, SanomaWSOY, SmartForce) in collaboration with the
Commission. This included debates which brought together the public and private sectors with a view to
developing a strategic programme of new models of public and private partnership to help develop
eLearning.

The eLearning action plan is in line with the eEurope action plan, one of the latter(cid:146)s priorities being to
invest in people and knowledge. Progress made at national level in meeting the eEurope education and
training objectives is monitored, and most of the objectives must be met by the end of 2002. This