WRITTEN QUESTION E-0429/01 by Raffaele Lombardo (PPE-DE) to the Council. Effective and timely action to ascertain and combat the effects of the use of uranium- and plutonium-enriched projectiles.
Date: 2001-02-20
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: environmental protection, exchange of information, health policy, nuclear weapon, public health

C 340 E/28

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.12.2001

control measures required for the implementation of Council Decision 2000/766/EC concerning certain
protection measures with regard to transmissible spongiform encephalopathies and the feeding of animal
protein (1) requires documentary checks and tests to be carried out on feed materials and compound
feedingstuffs throughout the production and distribution chain to ensure compliance with this prohibition.

There is no Community financing foreseen to monitor the ban on sale and use of feeds containing animal
proteins.

(1) OJ L 2, 5.1.2001.

(2001/C 340 E/034)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0429/01

by Raffaele Lombardo (PPE-DE) to the Council

(20 February 2001)

Subject: Effective and timely action to ascertain and combat the effects of the use of uranium- and

plutonium-enriched projectiles

In view of the strong sense of loyalty shown by the countries belonging to NATO and their genuine shared
support for the ideas, aims and principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter to which they are all
committed, and given the recent alarm caused by unanswered questions surrounding the death of a number
European soldiers who had taken part in peace-keeping operations in the former Yugoslavia, can the
Council say:

(cid:129) whether it considers it necessary,

transparency and full
cooperation, to find out from the relevant NATO authorities, as a matter of urgency, exactly where
uranium- and plutonium-enriched explosive projectiles were used, as well as to ask for the full
disclosure of the technical data relating to the manufacture of such weapons;

in accordance with the principles of

(cid:129) whether it intends actively to support the holding of an international inquiry into the use of and the
effects of deadly weapons of this sort, in view of the expert evidence provided by specialised UN
bodies and various regional organisations;

(cid:129) whether it considers it necessary to impose a strict moratorium on the use of uranium-enriched
projectiles, as called for by the European Parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of
Europe, until such time as scientists have cleared up the doubts that exist about the harm they cause
or established that they do in fact pose a danger to human health;

(cid:129) whether it intends to extend the remit of such an inquiry to include the effects of the attacks on and
industrial sites during bombing missions which led to the release into the

the destruction of
environment of numerous toxic substances;

(cid:129) whether it is prepared to undertake a timely and detailed epidemiological survey of the civilian

population and the military personnel who have been exposed to radiation;

(cid:129) whether it is prepared to clean up the environments which have been contaminated, starting with

grazing land and water resources in the areas affected?

Reply

(10 July 2001)

During the discussion on the occasion of the meeting of the Council (General Affairs) of 22 January 2001,
Ministers called for full transparency and open exchange of information between the authorities of the
Member States, as well as with other organisations investigating the use of depleted uranium in munitions.
There was general agreement that in the first instance it was for NATO, as the institution organising crisis
management in Balkans, to assemble the information from participants on the use of depleted uranium, on
the locations of troops and on medical data.

4.12.2001

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 340 E/29

The Council, on 9 April 2001 had an exchange of views on the issue of depleted uranium munitions in
the light of scientific evidence compiled by various international organisations.

At the end of this exchange of views, the President summarised the discussion thus:

(cid:129) The Council notes the work by various international organisations (UNEP, WHO, NATO, Ad hoc
Group of experts set up by the Commission) on the possible health and environmental impact of
exposure to depleted uranium in ammunition used in the Balkans.

(cid:129) In these detailed and objective examinations, there exists no scientific evidence to link the use of
depleted uranium with various illnesses suffered in the population or among those who served in
conflict areas.

(cid:129) However, due to the apparent health and environmental problems in the region the Council should
remain committed to following possible further investigations closely and re-examining the issue if
appropriate at a future stage.

(cid:129) The Commission is already addressing some of the environmental problems in the regions through
ongoing projects. The Council encourages the Commission to take into account findings from the
reports on depleted uranium, as well as the overall situation concerning environment and health
issues, as the Commission draws up new country strategy papers for all the countries in the Western
Balkans.

(2001/C 340 E/035)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0444/01

by Cecilia Malmstr(cid:246)m (ELDR) to the Council

(14 February 2001)

Subject: Human rights in China

Since the invasion of Tibet in 1949, the communist regime in China has been guilty of extensive violations
of human rights. More than a million people have been executed in the effort to stifle dissent and occupy
Tibet. In recent years, the violations have intensified and the situation in Tibet is now reminiscent of the
period during the cultural revolution of the 60s and 70s.

As the repression in Tibet takes place, the Chinese regime has also escalated its persecution of the
practitioners of Falun Gong. The government looks uneasily on a movement which in the space of a few
years has grown bigger than the communist party, though it has no political ambitions. Innocent people
are thrown into jail, others are persecuted and many have been killed in the Chinese Government(cid:146)s raids
on the Falun Gong.

The EU(cid:146)s relations with China have for a number of years been based on (cid:145)critical dialogue(cid:146). Nevertheless,
China continues to commit violations of the most basic human rights. No opposition is allowed and
anyone trying to point out alternatives to the communist dictatorship is severely punished. There are no
signs of any improvement in democracy or freedom of expression. The EU and its Member States maintain
contact with China at several levels. Unfortunately, however, human rights issues have not been given
a position of prominence in the talks which take place. In previous years, in the UN Commission on
Human Rights in Geneva,
the EU Member States have elected not to support a resolution against
repression in China.

In the light of developments in China, does the Council consider that the EU should review its policy of
(cid:145)critical dialogue(cid:146) with that country and thereby take the initiative this year for a resolution condemning
China(cid:146)s violations of human rights in the UN Commission on Human Rights?