WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2832/97 by Nuala AHERN to the Commission. Agreement between the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), approved by the WHO Assembly on 28 May 1959
Date: 1997-09-01
Institutions: AHERN, European Parliament
Subjects: International Atomic Energy Agency, World Health Organisation, cooperation agreement, health policy, nuclear safety, public health, radiation protection

16. 4. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 117/75

(98/C 117/95)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2832/97

by Nuala Ahern (V) to the Commission

(1 September 1997)

Subject: Agreement  between  the  World  Health  Organization  (WHO)  and  the  International  Atomic  Energy

Agency (IAEA), approved by the WHO Assembly on 28 May 1959

Does  the  EU  have  particular  relations  with,  or  a  role  in,  the  World  Health  Organization  (WHO)  or  the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) outside those of the Member States, and does the EU contribute any
funds to these organizations?

Is the Commission aware of the Agreement between the WHO and the IAEA, approved by the WHO Assembly
on 28 May 1959, which has the effect of restricting the activities of the WHO in relation to projects connected
with nuclear matters? Article 3: (cid:145)Whenever either organization proposes to initiate a programme or activity on a
subject in which the other organization has or may have a substantial interest, the first party shall consult the
other with a view to adjusting the matter by mutual agreement.(cid:146)

Surely in the interest of global and EU health, WHO should have the freedom to investigate any matter and in any
manner it so chooses, especially on nuclear matters (where the Commission has a particular responsibility to EU
citizens) without being beholden to an Agency whose mandate is to promote that same energy source, as citizens(cid:146)
health must be the overriding interest, and would the Commission agree to support or encourage either directly,
or through Member States, a revocation or appropriate revision of the said agreement?

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan on behalf of the Commission

(15 October 1997)

In  respect  of  relations  between  the  Community  and  the  International  Atomic  Energy  Agency  (IAEA),
the Community  has  an  important  role  in  the  areas  of  safeguards,  research  and  safety.  For  example  the
Community is party to three agreements between IAEA and Member States (INFCIRC 193, 263, 290) and has a
framework cooperation agreement with the IAEA signed in 1975. The Community co-organises and contributes
occasionally to the cofinancing of certain IAEA activities, in particular in the area of nuclear and radiological
safety. As for the World Health Organisation (WHO), though the Community funds none of its activities, it is
sometimes involved as a subcontractor in Commission projects, especially in the humanitarian sphere.

The 1959 Agreement between the WHO and the IAEA has been published (INFCIRC 20). It must be emphasised
that it is not for the Commission to intervene in relations between two international organisations.

However, the Agreement clearly states that the two organisations (cid:145)will act in close cooperation with each other
and will consult each other regularly in regard to matters of common interest(cid:146) and that this should take place
(cid:145)without prejudice to the right of the World Health Organisation to concern itself with promoting, developing,
assisting and co-ordinating international health work(cid:146). Thus, as is evident from the text, the Agreement simply
seeks to avoid duplication of effort and to ensure collaboration on matters of mutual interest. An example of such
collaboration  is  the  (cid:145)Basic  Safety  Standards(cid:146),  jointly  sponsored  by  the  IAEA  and  WHO  ›  together  with  the
International Labour Organisation (ILO), the Panamerican Health Organisation (PAHO) and the Organisation for
Economic Cooperation and Development-Nuclear Energy Agency (OECD/NEA).

(98/C 117/96)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2839/97

by Hiltrud Breyer (V) to the Council

(1 September 1997)

Subject: Temelin nuclear power station in the Czech Republic

In  Temelin,  in  the  Czech  Republic  near  the  Austrian  border,  two  pressurized-water  nuclear  reactors
(type-VVER-1000) are currently under construction. Their completion has been plagued by enormous technical,