WRITTEN QUESTION E-0423/00 by Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou (PPE-DE) to the Council. Respect for human rights in EU foreign policy.
Date: 2000-02-17
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Africa, EU relations, common foreign and security policy, cooperation policy, diplomatic relations, human rights, summit meeting

C 330 E/156

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

21.11.2000

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(3 April 2000)

Not being in possession of all the details of the Korean Air Boeing 747 accident in Essex, United Kingdom,
in December 1999, the Commission recently enquired into this matter at the request of Parliament(cid:146)s
Committee on Petitions.

The enquiry confirmed that depleted uranium was indeed used, in the past, in the construction of aircraft,
including the Boeing 747, on account of its high density. This practice was abandoned in 1981, and
uranium has gradually been replaced by other metals.

It is true that aircraft containing depleted uranium remain in service, but the enquiry carried out by the
Dutch authorities following the El Al Boeing accident on 4 October 1992 near Amsterdam showed that
the likelihood of an accident involving one of these aircraft having a harmful effect on public health was
negligible.

Community law contains no provisions excluding the use of depleted uranium in aircraft construction. The
findings of the abovementioned enquiry confirmed that there is no need, given our current level of
knowledge, for the few aircraft still containing depleted uranium to be banned from use.

(2000/C 330 E/177)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0423/00

by Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou (PPE-DE) to the Council

Subject: Respect for human rights in EU foreign policy

(17 February 2000)

The Europe-Africa summit conference will provide an excellent opportunity for promoting a rapproche-
ment,
furthering mutual understanding and establishing new ties of cooperation between the two
continents.

The European Union must insist on the adoption of an agenda which includes the principles of democracy
and respect for human rights.

What subjects does the Council propose should be included in the agenda of this summit conference? Does
it intend to include equality of treatment of men and women and the protection of children and
compliance with the International Convention on the Rights of the Child?

Reply

(2 May 2000)

The Council shares the Honourable Member(cid:146)s view that the Africa-Europe Summit to take place in Cairo
on 3 and 4 April 2000 will provide an excellent opportunity, at the threshold of the new century, to
establish a strategic partnership between the Member States of the European Union and the States of the
African continent, a partnership which will be based on the historical heritage which unites us and on our
common interest in promoting peace, democracy, human rights, development and the eradication of
poverty.

The subjects for debate by the Heads of State or Government attending the summit have been agreed
jointly by the European Union and its African partners. They range over the fields of politics, economics
and development. The European Union attaches particular importance to the political dialogue with its
African partners, which will include in-depth discussion of the promotion of democracy and human rights,
including the subjects to which the Honourable Member refers.