WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3514/97 by Hiltrud BREYER to the Commission. Biological Warfare Using Genetically Engineered Micro- organisms
Date: 1997-10-29
Institutions: BREYER, European Parliament
Subjects: EU control, Iraq, biological weapon, chemical weapon, export, genetically modified organism, international security, microorganism, scientific research, vaccine













EUR-Lex - 91997E3514 - EN






Avis juridique important




|



91997E3514

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3514/97 by Hiltrud BREYER to the Commission. Biological Warfare Using Genetically Engineered Micro- organisms  


Official Journal C 134 , 30/04/1998 P. 0170 





WRITTEN QUESTION P-3514/97 by Hiltrud Breyer (V) to the Commission (29 October 1997)Subject: Biological Warfare Using Genetically Engineered Micro-organismsThe International Committee of the Red Cross and the World Medical Association have both expressed their serious concerns that genetically engineered micro-organisms are being produced for use as biological weapons. There are persistent reports of these having been used in the Gulf War.1. Has the European Community at any time funded any research, either directly or indirectly, into such uses?2. Has the European Community at any time funded any research, either directly or indirectly, into the production of vaccines or antidotes against any such genetically engineered biological weapons?3. Has any Member State of the European Community at any time exported biological materials to Iraq that could be used, or converted for use, as biological weapons?4. Is the Commission aware of any evidence of any use of genetically engineered micro-organisms by any of the forces active in the Gulf War? If so, will it publish this evidence?Answer given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission (19 November 1997)1., 2. and 4. No.3. It is in the public domain that Iraq misused, including in the biological field, dual-use goods and technologies which had been exported until 1990 for legitimate purposes by some companies based in certain Member States. After the Gulf war, Member States reviewed and considerably improved their national dual-use export controls systems. On 19 December 1994, on the basis of a Commission proposal of August 1992 ((OJ C 253, 30.9.1992. )), the Council adopted a system of export controls on dual-use goods. On the one hand there is a common foreign and security policy (CFSP) joint action and on the other there is Regulation (EC) No 3381/94 setting up a Community regime for the control of exports of dual-use goods ((OJ L 367, 31.12.1994. )) based on Article 113 of the EC Treaty. The system has been implemented since 1 July 1995. Annex 1 contains a common list of dual-use goods, which are subject to control when exported from the Community. It includes biological and toxin agents. Genetically engineered micro-organisms are covered by the control system.Furthermore the Commission recalls that all Member States are parties to the 1972 convention on the prohibition of the development, production and stockpiling of bacteriological (biological) and toxin weapons and on their destruction. On 25 June 1996, the Council defined common position 96/408/CFSP on that subject. The aim is to strengthen compliance with the international non-proliferation system by promoting the universality of the convention and working for the successful conclusion of the negotiations on a legally binding and effective verification regime no later than in 1998. The Commission strongly supports that common position.