TheCommission:
1. Isitawareofthisseriousomission?2. What action does it intend to take toensure that Italyimplementsthe legislation on preventive
informationofthepopulationingoodanddueform,giventhatthirteenyearshaveelapsedsincetheadoptionofDirective89/618?
3. DoesitnotconsideritdesirabletocallontheItaliangovernmenttosuspendallnewnuclearactivities
untilithascompliedwithitsobligationsregardingprevention?
(1) OJL357,7.12.1989,p.31.
AnswergivenbyMrsdePalacioonbehalfoftheCommission
(9September2003)
CouncilDirective89/618/Euratomof27November1989oninformingthegeneralpublicabouthealth
protectionmeasurestobeappliedandstepstobetakenintheeventofaradiologicalemergencywastransposedintoItalianlawbyChapter10(‘nuclearemergencysituation’)ofLegislativeDecreeNo230of17March1995.
Implementationofthegeneralrulesonpreventivepublicinformationwasmadeconditionalupontwo
decreesbeingadoptedbytheMinisterforHealth(Articles133and134oftheLegislativeDecree).Thefirstofthesewastosetupastandingcommitteetoestablishboththecontentsofthepreventiveinformationandhowitistobedisseminated,whilethesecondwastodesignatetheauthoritiesresponsibleinteraliaforsupplyingtheinformation.Withmorespecificregardtothelegalframeworkforemergencyplanningrelatingtooperationstotransportradioactivematerials,Article125oftheLegislativeDecreestipulatesthatadecreeistospecifyhowandwhensuchplanningistooperate.
TheCommissioncanassuretheHonourableMembersthatitintendstocheckwiththeItalianauthorities
thattheimplementingdecreesreferredtoinArticles125,133and134haveindeedbeenadoptedandwhatmeasureshavebeentakenintheparticularcontextofoperationstotransportradioactivematerials.
(2004/C58E/156) WRITTENQUESTIONP-2174/03
byFrançoiseGrossetête(PPE-DE)totheCommission
(25June2003)
Subject:Measurestocombatclimatechange
In view of the leading role played by the European Union in combating climate change, can the
Commission explain the differential between the Community and US appropriations allocated to the
programmeconcerningtheuseofhydrogen(cf.theHydrogenAct)?
HowdoestheCommissionenvisageitsapproachtothisAmericanpolicyandtheproblemswhichmay
affectcompetitioninthemoreorlesslongterm?
AnswergivenbyMrBusquinonbehalfoftheCommission
(25July2003)
The challenge of climate change has many facets, which are addressed through different Community
instrumentsthatarepartofacommonpolicy.Withinthe6thCommunityFrameworkProgrammeforResearch,TechnologyDevelopmentandDemonstration(RTD)(2002-2006),abudgetofEUR2120millionisallocatedtoresearchon‘Sustainabledevelopment,globalchangeandecosystems’,mostofwhichwillC58E/140 EN6.3.2004 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
contribute to combating climate change. Within this budget, EUR810 million will be devoted to
‘SustainableEnergySystems’(SES).HydrogenandFuelCellsaretwomainprioritiesofSESbutenergyefficiency, renewable energy sources, alternative motor fuels, carbon dioxide (CO
2) capture and
sequestrationareotherimportantcomponentsofresearchrelatedtoclimatechange.
In Europe, total public expenditure in the field of hydrogen and fuel cells is estimated at some
EUR150millionperyear(UnionandMemberStates).TheUnitedStates(US)federalbudgetisaboutEUR300millionperyearoverthenextfiveyearssubjecttoSenateapproval.Abetterco-ordinationoftheEuropeanandnationalprogrammesinaEuropeanResearchAreawouldresultinabettercost-benefit
impact.TheUSprogrammeonaHydrogenEconomydrawsmoreonfossilfuels,whileresearch and
demonstrationactivitiesintheUnionemphasiseRenewableEnergySources.
TheCommissionintendstosetupaTechnologyPlatforminvolvingmajorUnionstakeholdersinorderto
maintainasharedlong-termvisionandtoelaborateaStrategicResearchAgendaandDeploymentStrategy.Thismechanismisexpectedtoprovideaconsistentstrategicframeworkforpublic/privatepartnershipsandraiseoverallinvestmentsinEuropeforbothRTDfundinganddeploymentinitiatives.Atthesametime,theUSandtheUnionarediscussingthecreationofInternationalPartnershipstoco-operateinordertoacceleratethedevelopmentofthehydrogeneconomy.
(2004/C58E/157) WRITTENQUESTIONE-2189/03
byCristianaMuscardini(UEN)totheCommission
(2July2003)
Subject:Jointimmigrationmanagement
TheplanstosetupaEuropeanborderpoliceforcehavetodatenotmetwithanadequateresponse.Inthe
meantimeillegalimmigration,whichisincreasinglyassumingtheproportionsofabiblicalexodus,iscontinuingtotakeitstragiccourse,withtheattendanttollofinnocentvictimsandcrimes.Thehopesofthosewhofleetheircountriesarebeingexploitedinanignobleandintolerableway.
1. DoestheCommissionbelievethatitshouldproposetotheCouncilthatprovisionbemadeforcloser
cooperationamongtheMemberStates,enablingthemtolaydowncommonrulestodealwithillegalimmigration?
2. DoesitthinkthatitwouldbeusefulforagreementstobenegotiatedbetweentheUnionandthe
countriesfromwhich populationsare fleeing, theaimbeing todrawupeconomicandhumanitarianmeasuresandcombatthecriminalactivitiesofpeoplesmugglers,whoalmostinvariablyusemeansoftransportthatcannotguaranteethepassengers’safety?
3. Willitcallonthegovernmentstoacceleratetheproceduresfordefiningpoliticalrefugeestatusand
adoptingcommonstandards?
4. Canitsupplyfiguresontheimmigrantswhosestatushasalreadybeenorisintheprocessofbeing
putinorderandspecifythenumberofimmigrantswhicheachMemberStateintendstoaccepteveryyear,onapermanentortemporarybasis,tomeetthedemandforlabour?
5. What studyopportunities are being offered toyoung people fromthe lessdeveloped countries,
bearinginmindnotleastParliament’sproposalsonaidtohelpthemre-entertheworldofworkintheircountriesoforigin?6.3.2004EN C58E/141 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion