# CE2004088EN.01007301.xml

| 8.4.2004 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | CE 88/73 |
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8.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CE 88/73

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(2004/C 88 E/0080)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2223/03

by Paulo Casaca (PSE) to the Commission

(2 July 2003)

Subject:   Secret European Union agreements with third parties on nuclear power

Subject:

According to the ‘European Voice’ of 12 June 2003, last week the Council approved a secret agreement with China on nuclear power. The same newspaper also reports that the agreement will rule out the use of nuclear installations to construct weapons of mass destruction.

Can the Commission confirm whether it is aware of the existence of this agreement?

Can it make this agreement public or explain why it will not do so?

Can it explain how it is possible to ensure that an agreement of this kind will not have implications as regards the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction?

Can it establish that no similar agreement has been concluded with Iran?

Can it supply the minutes of the meetings which it held with leading figures from the Iranian regime as part of the ‘constructive dialogue’ on energy?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(7 August 2003)

(7 August 2003)

There is no secret agreement on nuclear energy with either China or with Iran.

The Council adopted on 11 June 2003 negotiation directives for a future Euratom-China agreement. This agreement will be focused on research and its main objective should be to facilitate Chinese research institutions to have an access to the 6th Euratom Framework Programme (FP6) similar to the one they have to the overall 6th Framework Programme (EC FP6). The Chinese have always indicated that they are interested only in a research agreement and this view is shared by Members States who unanimously approved the directives.

There is no Euratom-Iran agreement and there is no draft for negotiation directives for such an agreement. Nevertheless, the Commission would like to recall that Iran is party to the Non-Proliferation Treaty and that there is a full scope Safeguards Agreement between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which entered into force on 15 May 1974. For the time being, there is no Additional Protocol on strengthening safeguards between Iran and the IAEA.

The Commission is negotiating a Trade and Co-operation Agreement with Iran linked to parallel negotiations on an Agreement on political dialogue and fight against terrorism. These negotiations could lead to the first contractual agreement between the EU and the Islamic Republic, and could pave the way for closer economic and political ties. The EU pursues a comprehensive dialogue approach in its relations with Iran, covering bilateral, regional and global issues, including matters of human rights, terrorism and non-proliferation.

Since 1999, the Commission has been discussing non-nuclear energy issues in a high-level working group. Detailed information on the last meeting of the EU-Iran energy working group in October 2002 is available at the web-site of the Commission (1).

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(1)  http://europa.eu.int/comm/energy_transport/en/enlarg_2_en.html

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