WRITTEN QUESTION E-1724/00 by Armando Cossutta (GUE/NGL) and Lucio Manisco (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Chernobyl disaster and Belarus.
Date: 2000-05-31
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Belarus, Ukraine, common foreign and security policy, environmental cooperation, health aid, nuclear accident

20.2.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 53 E/181

(2001/C 53 E/235)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1724/00

by Armando Cossutta (GUE/NGL) and
Lucio Manisco (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(31 May 2000)

Subject: Chernobyl disaster and Belarus

The silence of the local authorities, the passage of fourteen years and the drastic reduction in aid from the
EU and the international community, which has given priority to the emergency in the Ukraine, have
exacerbated the catastrophic effects of the Chernobyl disaster across the whole of Belarus, which absorbed
70 % of the radioactive fallout from the nuclear reactor in the days following the explosion. The number of
children with chronic disorders (cid:129) mainly thyroid cancer (cid:129) has risen from 10 % to 22 %, or 500 000 cases,
while a total of 2 million people are subject to permanent medical supervision in relation to disorders of
their endocrine or digestive systems, blood or kidneys due to radiation damage. In the region of Stolin
alone, such disorders have increased by 240 % among adults and 320 % among children.

The medical authorities estimate that, in the 3678 towns affected, the health crisis will peak in 2010, while
the catastrophe has already caused a loss of US $200 billion to the economy of Belarus. Yet the European
Union has suspended or failed to renew, for reasons connected with its internal reorganisation, almost all
the aid provided by ECHO.

1. What urgent action does the Commission intend to take to alleviate or prevent any further and
catastrophic escalation of the health and environmental crisis in Belarus?

2. What emergency measures does the Commission intend to take, under or independently of ECHO
and the TACIS programme, to assist the people of Belarus and strengthen the country(cid:146)s existing medical
and health structures?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(26 June 2000)

The Commission is aware that the disaster continues to have grave consequences for the present and
future of the people of Belarus.

It is for this reason that the Commission played a full part in the international aid operation, primarily
through the European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO). Community humanitarian aid has not
been affected by the deterioration in relations between the European Union and Belarus since the end of
1996, and the Council specifically decided in 1997 not to suspend this type of assistance. Between 1993
and 1999 the Commission provided over € 6 million in Chernobyl-related humanitarian aid to Belarus
mainly to the treatment of thyroid cancer. There as been funding under TACIS through a nuclear safety
programme, funding of therapy for thyroid cancer, through the LIEN programme with local NGOs, and
the Interstate programme is analysing ways of minimising the environmental and medical impact of the
disaster and building the institutional capacity required.

It has not always been easy to supply Community aid. The Belarus authorities have systematically
underestimated the consequences of the disaster for domestic policy reasons and have therefore not given
an adequate national response to problems at all levels (information, evacuation of people from the areas
concerned, medical care, help for families) and this has meant that people are now returning to the most
contaminated areas because they have no other way of surviving. Community aid has also run into
administrative obstacles, in particular getting medical equipment and products through customs at the
border.

The Commission is closely monitoring the situation. It is still providing aid to the Belarus population and
to medical and health care structures. This year it is planning to provide food aid and medical aid to the
elderly, disabled and families. The TACIS programme is still not intended to provide humanitarian aid and
is, furthermore, not authorised to finance infrastructure projects. The Commission is, however, planning
projects with NGOs on health issues arising from the Chernobyl disaster within the limits of the TACIS
Regulation.

C 53 E/182

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.2.2001

is to analyse in depth the reasons for the worsening health and
What must be done, however,
environmental crisis in Belarus. It should be remembered that it is the Belarus people, and in particular
the most disadvantaged sections of the population, which are suffering the effects of a general deteriora-
tion of society and the economy, including medical and health care and social protection. The current
political regime in Belarus does not facilitate cooperation with international humanitarian organisations.
The Belarus authorities must be reminded of their basic responsibilities in this area, not only as regards the
political choices which are having a deleterious impact on the population in isolating Belarus from the
international community but also as regards appropriate management of the aftermath of the Chernobyl
disaster.

(2001/C 53 E/236)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1729/00

by Ioannis Souladakis (PSE), Ulpu Iivari (PSE) and
Michel Rocard (PSE) to the Commission

(31 May 2000)

Subject: Safeguarding of European music copyright in the United States

According to existing legislation in the United States, restaurants, bars and similar enterprises in the
country are exempted from paying copyright fees on music played at their premises. Consequently,
European music played at these enterprises loses its share of copyright payments. Recently, the WTO
accused the USA of violating the international copyright standards on music. To date, no measures have
been taken in the United States to correct the situation. Therefore, European music production still loses a
large amount of income.

What measures will the Commission take to safeguard the rights of European music played in the
aforementioned enterprises in the United States?

Answer given by Mr Lamy on behalf of the Commission

(6 July 2000)

The Honourable Members refer to Section 110 (5) of the Copyright Act of the United States, which
permits, under certain conditions, the playing of music from radio and television stations in public places,
such as bars, shops, and restaurants without the payment of a royalty fee.

Following a complaint lodged by the Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO) under the trade barriers
regulation (Council Regulation (EC) No 3286/94 of 22 December 1994 laying down Community
the common commercial policy in order to ensure the exercise of the
procedures in the field of
Community(cid:146)s rights under international trade rules, in particular those established under the auspices of
the World Trade Organisation (WTO) (1)), the Community and its Member States initiated,
in January
1999, proceedings against the United States under the dispute settlement understanding of the WTO on
the basis of the incompatibility of Section 110 US Copyright Act with the provisions of the WTO
agreement on trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights (TRIPs).

On 15 June 2000, the WTO Panel issued its report on this matter. It confirms that Section 110(5) is, to a
large extent, incompatible with the WTO TRIPs agreement. The United States may still appeal this report.
The Commission will ensure that the United States implement this report fully and in time to the benefit
of Community operators.

(1) OJ L 349, 31.12.1994.