Brussels, 25/08/2004 (Agence Europe) - In a declaration published on Wednesday, the European Commission deeply regretted the reported opening to navigation of the initial part of the Bystroye canal between the River Danube and the Black Sea. The canal route goes through a specially protected UNESCO World Heritage area in the Danube Delta which is also subject to the international Ramsar Convention on the protection of wetlands. The Commission had already expressed their serious concerns during the recent EU-Ukraine Summit of 8 July through Commission President Romano Prodi and External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten. The Commission again repeated its position "and would welcome receiving reassurances from the Ukrainian Government confirming its intention not to proceed further with this project pending preparation of a proper Environmental Impact Assessment to international standards, including the appropriate public consultation and an evaluation of the transboundary impact".