WRITTEN QUESTION E-2440/01 by Mogens Camre (UEN) to the Commission. Research into slurry separation and urban sludge treatment plants.
Date: 2001-09-11
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU programme, exchange of information, groundwater, organic fertiliser, prevention of pollution, research and development, sewage sludge

C 93 E/132

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.4.2002

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(15 October 2001)

The Commission has reflected on how to take account of the law modifying the Netherlands Civil Code to
recognise marriage between same sex couples. Following consultations within its services, the Commission
has given instructions that the marriage of an official recognised under the amended Dutch Civil Code
should be treated in the same way as any other marriage recognised in a Member State.

The Commission has also invited the Parliament and the other Institutions to take similar action in relation
to their officials.

The Commission obviously has no power to impose the recognition of such marriages, or related residence
permits, on a Member State and that is the reality whether partners originate from a Member State or from
elsewhere.

(2002/C 93 E/157)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2440/01

by Mogens Camre (UEN) to the Commission

(11 September 2001)

Subject: Research into slurry separation and urban sludge treatment plants

Intensive stockfarming in the EU causes a wide range of environmental problems, in particular pollution of
ground water, lakes, rivers and the sea.

These problems can be resolved through the use of new technology, which can undoubtedly be improved
and made cheaper by intensifying research.

Will the Commission say what research projects in respect of slurry separation plants, biogas plants and
other urban sludge hygienisation plants are receiving EU support, and what results have been achieved?

Answer given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission

(31 October 2001)

The research projects in respect to farm livestock slurries were dealing intensively with anaerobic digestion
processes during the 70’s and 80’s. At present
these improved techniques, combined with biogas
production and sustainable use, are considered mature and should integrate technical, economic and
regulatory considerations.

The strategies, technologies and management practises for sewage sludge are addressed specifically by a
priority of the Community’s Fifth Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development
(RTD) (FP5) under the Environment Sustainable Development research programme (EESD), Key action
‘Waste management and water quality’ (KA1). The research projects should focus on minimisation of
sludge production and improvement of their quality by pollutants identification and interception at their
source. The expected results will allow a safety and publicly acceptable targeted use in agriculture.

Selected research projects on this subject are sent direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliaments’s
Secretariat.

The results of completed projects and additional information on these projects can be found on the Cordis
database: http://dbs.cordis.lu/search/en/simple/EN_PROJ_simple.html and http://www.ad-nett.org.

18.4.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 93 E/133

The LIFE-Environment programme, examples of selected and supported demonstration activities on the
subject are sent direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliament’s Secretariat.

Additional information on LIFE projects supported by the DG Environment can be obtained from http://
www.europa.eu.int/comm/life/home.htm.

(2002/C 93 E/158)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2441/01

by Hiltrud Breyer (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(11 September 2001)

Subject: Garching FRM-II research reactor

Under the RERTR programme the Belgian BR-2 nuclear research reactor at Mol
is scheduled to be
converted in 2006 from using weapons-grade highly enriched uranium (HEU) to low-enriched uranium as
fuel. The operators of the BR-2 have currently ordered 32 kilograms of weapons-grade highly enriched
uranium as fuel in the US on the grounds that fuel supplies would last only to 2004.

The highly-respected US Nuclear Control Institute (NCI) has however calculated that the fuel supplies in
the BR-2 will last out until and even well beyond the time the reactor is converted in 2006.

The additional batch of HEU would create a surplus of weapons-grade uranium in Europe.

1.

Is the Commission aware of this situation?

Has the Commission been informed of the intended purpose of the surplus of weapons-grade highly

2.
enriched uranium?

3.
Can the possibility be ruled out that the surplus will be passed on to other European research
reactors and in particular to the new German FRM II research reactor which under the Schumer
Amendment the US is refusing to supply with weapons-grade HEU?

4.
Is the Commission aware that this supply of HEU for reactors not supplied by the USA would
circumvent the international RERTR programme and, avoiding US controls, make weapons-grade material
available as fuel for other research reactors in Europe?

5. What does the Commission intend to do to prevent such potential illegal HEU procurement for
Europe?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(23 October 2001)

The Commission D through the Supply Agency D has knowledge of the facts referred to, as well as of the
position held by NCI, which is a United States (US) based non-governmental organisation. The Belgian user
has submitted to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission a detailed justification for the quantities it intends
to order. There is no possibility that the material is diverted to other uses than those permitted by the
conditions of supply as determined by the US authorities. No material supplied by the United States to a
European user can escape the controls applicable; all material would be subject to the nuclear co-operation
agreement between the United States and Euratom. Measures to prevent illegal supplies are in place since
long, i.e. the Commission and the Supply Agency D in implementing the provisions of the Euratom Treaty
D assure that no illegal supply to research reactors or diversion to illegal use of highly enriched uranium
takes place.