WRITTEN QUESTION E-3262/02

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(19 November 2002)

Subject: Increase in the extent of the area where groundwater is seriously polluted as a result of bombardments around the town of Pancevo on the Danube in Serbia

1. Is the Commission aware that, as a result of the series of bombardments of the industrial town of Panèevo, on the Danube in Serbia north-east of Belgrade, in April 1999, chemical and petrochemical plants were damaged or destroyed and that oil and chemicals leaked into the ground as a result?

2. Is the Commission furthermore aware that, since the time of the leaks referred to in paragraph 1, worrying changes have occurred in the health of people and animals, taking the form both of a higher incidence of various types of cancer (lung cancer, skin cancer and leukaemia) and of reproductive problems (miscarriages)?

3. Does the Commission consider it adequate that, although the soil has been studied in recent years with support from various sources, ranging from the municipalities of Amsterdam and Zaanstad in the Netherlands to the United Nations, and a number of measures have been taken to clean up the industrial sites concerned, the relevant work is now being terminated despite the fact that the serious pollution of groundwater outside the sites persists and is now spreading ever wider?

4. Is it right to accept lasting and ever wider pollution of groundwater with dangerous substances near the River Danube, which will affect not only Serbia but also the Iron Gate (Derdap, Portile de Fier) reservoir on the border with Romania and the downstream applicant countries Romania and Bulgaria?

5. What will the Commission do to ensure that the remaining pollution of groundwater around Panèevo is completely eliminated, so that it cannot continue to spread?

Source: Netwerk (TV programme), TV Nederland 1, 3 November 2002.

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(17 December 2002)

The Commission is aware of the situation in Panèevo in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) referred to by the Honourable Member, and that there were problems in the area even before the NATO bombing. The Commission is, however, unable to comment on the accuracy of the claims made by the television programme on the health problems in the town.

The Commission would also not wish to pass comment on the actions undertaken by other bilateral donors, particularly as it is unaware of the reasons behind such alleged decisions.

As the problem referred to is situated in a third country, ultimate responsibility for dealing with it lies with that country. However, the Commission does examine the possibility to use its external assistance to address priorities identified by the beneficiary countries, within the limitations of available resources. In this context, the Commission is supporting the ongoing preparation of a Local Environmental Action Plan for Panèevo through the FRY package of the CARDS assistance programme. This plan will reflect on a realistic financial framework for implementation of the most urgent environmental protection measures.

Through the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River the Commission is also working to pursue river basin management in accordance with the principles of the Community Water Framework Directive(1), for the countries that lie within the Danube catchment area.

(1) Directive 2000/60/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy OJ L 327, 22.12.2000.