WRITTEN QUESTION E-3105/02

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(29 October 2002)

Subject: Export of radioactive waste from EU countries as an important source of income for Serbia during and after the Milosevic period

1. Is the Commission aware of the reports made by the Serbian citizens Nada Ajdacic, Bozidor Bogdanovic and Ilic Sibin that EU Member States have been exporting nuclear waste to Serbia since 1989 or even earlier, and that this trade in radioactive waste was even the main source of foreign earnings during the Milosevic regime as EUR 1 500 per kilo was paid?

2. Is the Commission also aware that these imports were and are being arranged through the Serbian company Eastpoint, owned by Zoran Drakulic, which cooperates with Marc Rich, an oil and metals dealer, whose speciality was to arrange trade with isolated States such as South Africa at the time of apartheid and Iran under the ayatollahs?

3. Did it come to the Commission's attention in any way that during the period in which trade with and transport to Serbia was restricted, the importation of radioactive material nonetheless took place via the Montenegrin harbour of Bar, from where the consignments continued by train to the Danube and subsequently along the Romanian border by water to Kladovo at the Iron Gate dam, and that the then mayor of Kladovo, Mr Sibin, refused to accept a consignment of nuclear waste from a German firm but the consignment went through despite his opposition?

4. Are these exports from the EU area based on agreements between companies or between governments? Which bodies in the EU should have tried to prevent such consignments? Why did this not happen?

5. Why did these consignments, which pose a threat to public health and the environment and were intended to keep a criminal regime in power, continue after the fall of Milosevic in October 2000?

6. What is the Commission doing to bring this trade to an end as soon as possible?

Joint answerto Written Questions E-3105/02 and E-3106/02given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(21 January 2003)

From the context it would seem that the origin of the radioactive waste stems from copper mining, which may occasionally give rise to residues with enhanced concentrations of naturally occurring radionuclides materials (NORM). NORM materials have been regulated within the Euratom framework of basic safety standards since 1996(1).

In addition, the shipment of radioactive waste between Member States as well as into and out of the Community is addressed by Council Directive 92/3/Euratom(2). This Directive has introduced a system for the administrative supervision and control of such shipments.

In conformity with Article 18 of this Directive, the Commission has prepared periodic reports(3) on the application in the Member States of this Directive. These reports to the European Parliament, the Council and the Economic and Social Committee are based on the information provided by Member States on the implementation of the Directive and the situation regarding shipments within their respective territory.

As regards exports out of the Community, the authorisation procedure, the administrative supervision and control by the competent authorities of the Member States of origin and the country of destination are laid down in Articles 11 and 12 of the Directive.

No shipments of radioactive waste from Member States to Serbia have been reported to the Commission.

In the absence of precise indications as to the origin of the materials and of any notification of shipments of radioactive waste to Serbia, the Commission cannot take any specific action at this moment.

However, the Commission has written to the Member States to obtain more information.

(1) Council Directive of 13 May 1996 laying down basic safety standards for the health protection of the general public and workers against the dangers of ionizing radiation, OJ L 159, 29.6.1996, p. 1.

(2) OJ L 35, 12.2.1992.

(3) COM(2001) 270 final, COM(98) 778 final and COM(95) 192 final.