WRITTEN QUESTION E-0777/01 by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission. Uranium contamination.
Date: 2001-03-13
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Kosovo, disease prevention, medical device, medical diagnosis, military personnel, radioactive pollution, war damage

18.9.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 261 E/193

(2001/C 261 E/219)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0764/01

by Ioannis Mar(cid:237)nos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(13 March 2001)

Subject: Silk production in the EU

The mulberry tree which is indispensable for breeding silkworms and developing silk production grows in
an area in the Mediterranean countries of the Union. France, Italy, Greece, Spain and Portugal have a
notable production of cocoons, an activity which constitutes a substantial source of income for farmers
and those employed in the silk industry. Total annual production in the Union is estimated at 60 tonnes of
dried cocoons which yield some 20 tonnes of silk thread.

The EU(cid:146)s total silk product needs could be met by cultivating 100 000 hectares of mulberry trees,
employing some 100 000 households: this would lead to a reduction in unemployment and boost the
incomes of farmers in Europe whose numbers are steadily declining.
It should be pointed out that
production of silk thread in the EU lags far behind requirements and the EU is obliged to import raw
materials from Asia (Vietnam, for instance) and Africa (Zambia, for instance), even though it could very
easily produce the silk needed on its territory.

Will the Commission say whether its services have recently drawn up a study on the problems facing
sericulture and the silk industry in the Union and, if so, what conclusions it reached? Will it also say
whether there is any prospect of the production of European silkworm eggs so as to make the Union self-
sufficient, solve the problem of dependence on third countries and offer a prospect of development to
border regions, such as Thrace, where production is ailing, leading to further unemployment and a fall in
producers(cid:146) incomes?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(26 April 2001)

The Commission has not recently studied the problems of European sericulture and the Community silk
industry.

Silkworm rearing in Greece, Italy and in lesser degree Spain and France accounts for a minute proportion
of the Community(cid:146)s agricultural activity and of world sericulture. But in some regions, notably Thrace,
Veneto and Marche, it is of significance and the skills involved merit preservation.

Accordingly to enable the operators concerned to plan their activities in the longer term the Council has
decided, on a Commission proposal as part of the 2000/2001 price package, to prolong the Community
aid on boxes of silkworm eggs.

(2001/C 261 E/220)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0777/01

by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission

(13 March 2001)

Subject: Uranium contamination

The question issue of the use of depleted uranium during the Kosovo war has rightly alarmed the public,
who are fearful that possible contamination may have caused an increase in irreversible diseases.

Medical authorities in various countries are performing health tests on military and civilian personnel who
operated in the areas affected by depleted uranium bombs, but have found it difficult to determine whether
they were contaminated or not.

C 261 E/194

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.9.2001

According to press reports a company known as (cid:145)Nuclear Manufactures (cid:129) New Technologies and
Advanced Services, located in Bosco Marengo (Alessandria Province), has in its possession two examples
of an instrument known as(cid:146)total body(cid:146), which is able to measure the amount of uranium present the a
human body.

In the light of this, will the Commission say:

(cid:129) Whether it is aware of the existence of this instrument?

(cid:129) Whether it thinks it should be used to carry out tests on soldiers who took part in the NATO
campaigns in Bosnia and Kosovo or who are still in the Balkans, in order to find out for certain
whether uranium contamination occurred and on what scale?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(8 May 2001)

The instruments mentioned by the Honourable Member are presumably (cid:145)body counters(cid:146), which are used
for the control of the incorporation of radioactive matter by the human body. There are many of these
instruments in use in different Member States, but the Commission has no specific information on the
ones in Bosco Marengo.

A body counter may in particular cases not be suitable to determine the quantity of radionuclides present
in the human body.

The soldiers who were in the Balkans are thought to have adsorbed only very small amounts of depleted
uranium. Depleted uranium itself emits alpha radiation which is not detectable, and the low energy gamma
rays emitted by decay products are attenuated by the body tissue. In addition, the body rapidly eliminates
most of the absorbed uranium. As a consequence, it seems that the absorption of depleted uranium by the
soldiers may not be detectable by this technique, and other methods (bio-assay) may be preferred.

The question of whether or not to conduct tests on soldiers who served in the Balkans is a matter for
Member States, not the Commission.

(2001/C 261 E/221)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0782/01

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(7 March 2001)

Subject: Safety in ports

In a communiquØ issued on 21 February 2001, the Greek Union of Merchant Mar(cid:237)ne Masters (PEPEN)
points out that in many Greek ports, there are shallow waters, incorrect signalling of reefs and uncharted
sandbanks, dilapidated jetties,
lack of port
terminals and a total absence of passenger facilities, creating serious problems for safe shipping.

lack of mooring bollards, poorly illuminated lighthouses,

Problems of this kind have been identified in 31 Greek ports, including Piraeus, Heraklion, Rethymnon,
Samos, Paros, etc. where passenger traffic is intense, especially during the summer months. Following the
inclusion of many port development schemes in Community programmes, a number of infrastructure
projects have been carried out but the shortcomings persist as those projects have only covered the
minimum requirements.

In the light of the recent accidents in Europe, safety must be the paramount objective of Community
activity in the shipping sector. Can the Commission, therefore, say to what extent Greek ports have the
necessary infrastructure, whether they meet the required safety standards and whether the projects to be
funded under the 3rd CSF have been selected?