WRITTEN QUESTION E-2737/01 by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Extremely tall buildings and measures to reduce their vulnerability in the event of fire, explosion or aircraft collision.
Date: 2001-10-05
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European standard, building, building safety, earthquake, fire, safety standard, terrorism

C 93 E/182

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.4.2002

However, because of its geographical location and potential marine and economic resources Tunisia could
be one of the few Mediterranean countries potentially interested in a bilateral agreement with the
Community. The Community is ready to explore possible potential developments in bilateral fisheries
cooperation with the Tunisian authorities. At the same time, it is interested in expanding its fisheries
cooperation in the Mediterranean Sea. In this regard it is working with the Tunisian administration on the
reform and improvement of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM), which is the
only regional organisation in the Mediterranean that could develop a multilateral framework for the
management of fisheries resources in the area and contribute to reinforcing international cooperation
between Mediterranean Basin countries.

(1) SEC(2000) 1943.

(2002/C 93 E/217)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2737/01

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(5 October 2001)

Subject: Extremely tall buildings and measures to reduce their vulnerability in the event of fire, explosion

or aircraft collision

1.
Is the Commission aware that, not only in New York but in other parts of the world too, particularly
in such European cities as Rotterdam and Frankfurt am Main, buildings have been constructed in recent
decades which are well over 50 or 100 metres tall, and that large businesses in particular believe that it
will be conducive to their prestige if they constantly succeed in breaking national, continental and world
records for the height of buildings?

2.
Can the Commission confirm that, as the height of buildings increases, not only does the danger
grow that such buildings will be singled out for attack on account of their fame and vulnerability but
disasters may also occur because of unintentional aircraft collisions, the lack of adequate escape routes in
the event of fire or explosion, or collapse, either as a result of earthquakes or because of fatigue in ageing
materials of modern types such as steel and concrete which were not used in previous centuries and whose
long-term reliability has therefore yet to be confirmed?

3.

How many buildings 150 m tall or taller now exist in the 15 EU Member States?

Does the Commission consider it desirable to adopt minimum European safety standards for tall

4.
buildings?

5. Would it be desirable to limit the height of buildings in Europe in the interests of safety, bearing in
mind the vulnerability of tall buildings, for example to 50, 100 or at most 150 m, so that buildings cannot
easily fall prey to attacks or other disasters?

6.

How will the Commission help to increase safety, as referred to in questions 4 and 5?

(2002/C 93 E/218)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2738/01

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(5 October 2001)

Subject: Extremely tall, vulnerable buildings and standards for their supporting structures and demolition

1.
Can the Commission confirm that, in the towers of the World Trade Center in New York which was
destroyed on 11 September 2001, stability was not provided in the customary manner by a core
containing stairwells and lift shafts but that steel columns in the outside walls were designed to support
concrete floors, and that such floors may become detached due to distortion caused by heat, damage to the
outside walls or overloading and may consequently collapse on top of one another?