B4-1303, 1319, 1320 and 1321/95

Resolution on the statement of the Commission on nuclear tests

The European Parliament,

- having regard to its previous resolutions on the moratorium on nuclear tests and more specifically its resolution of 20 September 1995 on the resumption of nuclear tests by France ((Minutes of that Sitting, Part II, Item 1.)),

- having regard to Chapter III of the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community,

- having regard to the evidence given to Parliament's public hearing on nuclear tests, held on 16 and 17 October 1995, and in particular the summary of the report drawn up by the Commission's monitoring team in French Polynesia,

- having regard to the statement by the President of the Commission, and the debate which followed,

A. noting that the Commission has stated that the French authorities have provided the information requested concerning the conditions under which the tests took place and the possible effects on the health of the population and workers concerned,

1. Reiterates its strong opposition to all nuclear tests and its total support for the conclusion by the end of 1996 of a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), and recalls in this regard the undertakings made by the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom and France to sign, before the end of 1996, a treaty banning all nuclear tests (zero option); welcomes the fact that the Commission has also unanimously decided to work for this policy;

2. Condemns the continuation of nuclear tests by the Chinese Government;

3. Condemns the decision of the French President to authorize the second nuclear test despite the continuing protests, and urges him to cancel the other planned nuclear tests;

4. Takes the view that nuclear tests put at risk the ratification of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and appeals to the European Union to be a driving force in the implementation of the zero option policy by adopting a joint action to this end under Article J.3 of the Treaty on European Union;

5. Insists that it is the duty of every Member State bound by the EC Treaty to seek 'an ever closer Union of the peoples of Europe', and by the EU Treaty to develop a common foreign and security policy, to consult all other Member States before it embarks on actions which, as the Commission has stated, fall under the Euratom Treaty, in particular Article 34 thereof;

6. Notes the fact that the Commission unanimously considers that these nuclear tests do not harm the health of the population and workers concerned and welcomes the Commission's undertaking to provide Parliament with all that information, but points out that the Commission's verification mission was not allowed to inspect certain monitoring facilities in the area concerned; instructs its appropriate committees to investigate the information provided and to report their findings;

7. Is surprised by the fact that the risks of destabilisation of the volcanic structure of the Mururoa atoll have not been sufficiently assessed, and by the lack of information on the long-term consequences of the nuclear testing for the environment, the health and the safety of the people in the area; asks the French Government to install health and environmental monitoring facilities, and expresses its disquiet regarding possible negative effects on the economic development of the Pacific countries, notably in the tourist sector;

8. Shares the Commission's view that the Euratom Treaty, and in particular Articles 34, 35 and 36, is in principle applicable to nuclear tests carried out by Member States of the Union, that Article 34 applies to military experiments and that nuclear tests can be viewed as 'particularly dangerous experiments' within the meaning of this Article;

9. Regrets the fact that the Commission was not able to deliver its opinion on the applicability of Article 34 of the Euratom Treaty before the nuclear testing started;

10. Calls on the French Government to collect and register the necessary data in order to enable the Commission and Parliament to assess the long-term consequences of the nuclear testing in French Polynesia for the environment, the health and the safety of the people, subject to international verification;

11. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the President of the French Republic, the Commission, the Council, the governments and parliaments of the Member States and the governments of the United States, Russia and China.