WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2060/97 by Pierre BERNARD-REYMOND to the Commission. Radioactivity in the Hautes-Alpes and Alpes- Maritimes
Date: 1997-06-16
Institutions: BERNARD-REYMOND, European Parliament
Subjects: Rhône-Alpes, health control, ionising radiation, mushroom-growing, nature reserve, radioactive pollution, radioactivity, soil pollution

10. 2. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 45/151

Given  the  sectoral  nature  of  the  aid  and  the  fact  that  it  has  been  granted  to  sensitive  sectors  in  crisis,  the
Commission cannot regard the aid as being compatible with the common market under the guidelines on aid to
employment (1).

Following its decision, the French authorities announced their intention of notifying to the Commission a new
plan  for  reducing  social  security  contributions.  The  Commission  is  waiting  to  hear  from  the  new  French
Government what its position on the matter is.

Apart  from  the  experimental  measures  to  reduce  social  security  contributions  which  were  introduced  by  the
Italian authorities to promote production and employment in the footwear industry and which were the subject of
a negative final decision by it (2), the Commission is unaware of any measures of this kind that may have been
introduced in Member States in the sectors referred to by the Honourable Member. Similarly, its attention has not
been drawn to similar measures from which the sectors in question might have benefited in third countries.

(1)  OJ C 334, 12.12.1995.
(2)  OJ L 231, 12.9.1996.

(98/C 45/198)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2060/97

by Pierre Bernard-Reymond (PPE) to the Commission

(16 June 1997)

Subject: Radioactivity in the Hautes-Alpes and Alpes-Maritimes

The  CRII-RAD  claims  it  has  detected  abnormally  high  levels  of  radioactivity  in  the  nature  reserves  of
Mercantour (Alpes-Maritimes) and Ecrins (Hautes-Alpes) in France.

Does the Commission have legal competence in this matter and can it provide any information on the subject?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission

(3 July 1997)

The Commission is aware of the (cid:145)Commission de recherche et d(cid:146)information inde·pendante sur la radio activite·(cid:146)
(CRII-RAD) findings of elevated levels of radioactive contamination in the areas mentioned by the Honourable
Member.

Under the terms of the Community basic safety standards on protection from the hazards of ionizing radiation
(Directive 96/29/Euratom) (1), it is the responsibility of the Member States to ensure that Community obligations
are respected. The Commission’s role is limited to that of guardian of the treaty and it would only intervene when
it has evidence of a failure of a Member State to meet such obligations.

In the present case the CRII RAD found evidence of elevated levels of radioactive contamination in soil and in
mushrooms.  However,  the  evaluation  of  the  consequent  exposure  of  the  population  is  not  straightforward,
depending as it does on the lifestyle of individuals in the region. Consequently the levels of soil contamination
measured are insufficient to demonstrate to the Commission any breach of Community requirements. As regards
mushrooms the limit of 600 becquerel per kilogramme of radioactive caesium applies to commercial imports of
certain agricultural products from third countries. The presence of higher levels in Community produce does not
in itself breach Community requirements.

(1)  OJ L 159, 29.6.1996.