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(2004/C 65 E/101)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1758/03

by María Sornosa Martínez (PSE) to the Commission

(20 May 2003)

Subject:   Need for epidemiological studies on the health impact of the spillage from the ‘Prestige’

It is now some months since the onset of the environmental disaster triggered by the sinking of the ‘Prestige’, and yet from a public health standpoint no information has been made public on the levels of internal contamination of the people affected. No measurements have been taken of blood or urine concentrations of the toxic compounds contained in or released by the spilled fuel oil, which means that vital time is being lost with regard to obtaining information on the effects of the spillage on the local population.

However, although it has already been possible to assess at a glance the wide range of immediate health impacts (e.g. numerous cases of conjunctivitis, headaches, nausea and respiratory problems) on people who have come into direct or indirect contact with fuel oil from the ‘Prestige’, nothing is known about the effects that may appear in the future owing to chronic exposure to these potentially toxic compounds.

Greenpeace Spain has published a report entitled ‘The impact of the spillage from the “Prestige” on human health and public health’ in association with the Instituto Municipal de Investigación Médica and the Autonomous University of Barcelona, which proposes that a two-stage investigation be conducted to establish the short-term and long-term effects of this pollution incident on the population.

Under the Treaties it is within the Community's powers to promote health by means of Community action programmes and by encouraging studies aimed at obtaining data for health indicators and epidemiological monitoring and control.

Has the Commission in the past promoted any type of study relating to the short-term and long-term effects of oil pollution incidents on human health?

Will it heed the calls made in the report by Greenpeace Spain and promote studies into the consequences of the ‘Prestige’ incident?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(19 June 2003)

Referring to the question of the Honourable Member on the existence of Community Action Programmes to study health effects of environmental factors, the Commission is pleased to inform her that the Parliament and the Council adopted, under Decision 1296/1999/EC (1), a programme of Community action on pollution-related diseases in the context of the action in the field of public health (1999-2001).

None of the projects funded under this programme refers to studies on health effects due to fuel contamination as these effects are well documented scientifically and have already been used as a scientific basis for the development of the environmental and safety at work legislation in the domain.

If the Committee members of the new public health action programme adopted on 23 September 2002 (2) (Decision No 1786/2002/EC) consider long-term health effects of fuel contamination as a priority area, the Commission would include it under the priority actions of the work programme 2004.

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(1)  Decision No 1296/1999/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 1999 adopting a programme of Community action on pollution-related diseases in the context of the framework for action in the field of public health, OJ L 155, 22.6.1999.

(2)  Decision No 1786/2002/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 23 September 2002 adopting a programme of Community action in the field of public health, OJ L 271, 9.10.2002.

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