WRITTEN QUESTION E-2768/01 by Jonas Sjöstedt (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Final disposal of nuclear waste.
Date: 2001-10-09
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU policy, free movement of goods, radioactive waste, single market, storage of waste, transport of dangerous goods, waste management

4.7.2002

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 160 E/39

knitted men’s suits, dolls’ clothing and woven hosiery; not exactly high volume products. On what clothing
products have import quotas been phased out since the end of 1997, when the situation was as described
above?

Answer given by Mr Lamy on behalf of the Commission

(15 November 2001)

The World Trade Organisation (WTO) Agreement on Textiles and Clothing (‘ATC’) provides for the
integration of the textiles and clothing sector into General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994
by a staged process of integration, namely a minimum of 16 % of the volume of 1 190 imports on
1 January 1995, 17 % on 1 January 1998, 18 % on 1 January 2002 and the remainder on 1 January 2005.
Any quotas maintained on products that are integrated must be removed and thus, by 1 January 2005, the
whole sector will fall under GATT rules and disciplines and all quotas will have been removed. The ATC
does not affect quotas maintained in respect of non-WTO Members.

To date the Community has removed quotas on 12 categories of product affecting five WTO Members,
being those products included in the second stage of integration to which the Honourable Member refers.
The products covered included: handkerchiefs, wool, narrow woven fabrics, crocheted clothing accessories,
tights, swimwear, women’s crocheted suits, ski suits, corsets, tents, coated fabrics and camping goods.

In addition, from 1 January 2002, as part of its third stage integration programme under the ATC, the
Community will remove quotas on a further 11 product categories affecting nine WTO Members. These
quotas cover gloves, underwear, anoraks, pyjamas and night-dresses, skirts, woven pile fabrics, woven
synthetic fabrics and fibres of various kinds, baby clothes and tracksuits.

Further, as a result of the accession of China and Taiwan to the WTO, a further 32 quotas applied to
China and 15 applied to Taiwan will be removed.

The Community is also committed to improved market access by way of bilateral negotiations under
negotiating directives given by the Council of Ministers to the Commission on 9 November 2000. To date
the Community agreed a Memorandum of Understanding on market access with Sri Lanka and is in the
process of finalising a similar agreement with Pakistan.

(2002/C 160 E/044)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2768/01

by Jonas Sjöstedt (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(9 October 2001)

Subject: Final disposal of nuclear waste

What progress has been made in the discussions on sharing facilities between several Member States?
Agreements of this nature are normal in the USA where groups of States combine and share the costs of
disposal of radioactive waste. But there is no such arrangement between EU Member States at present. The
sole exception is that Belgium has an agreement with Luxembourg for the final disposal of the latter’s
nuclear waste. Concentrating final disposal in a few countries would undoubtedly be cheaper than if every
country disposed of its own waste. No Member State today can fill its disposal facilities with national
waste.

Opinion is divided on the question whether the import and export of nuclear waste is in conflict with
national law. France, Sweden, the United Kingdom and Finland have all adopted legislation restricting the
import and export of nuclear waste and radioactive material, but the issue is whether it is not in simple
legal terms subject to the free movement of persons, services and goods on the EC internal market. If

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4.7.2002

nuclear waste is bought and sold it will fall under the internal market and hence the EC legislation. This
has not yet been tested. Since the disposal of waste itself falls within the sphere of the individual
governments, the Commission cannot direct any country to accept waste.

Does the Commission consider that the question of whether freedom of movement should apply to
nuclear waste in the internal market is still open? Could the Commission imagine intervening in this
matter despite its political sensitiveness?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(29 January 2002)

The different kinds of radioactive waste are categorised in accordance with their activity and lifetime. With
regard to short-lived low-level waste, the most abundant type, there does not seem to be much advantage
in having storage facilities common to several Member States since such facilities are available nationally
and joint operations would involve a major increase in transport. They might be a useful option in the
case of high-level waste, but there is no consensus on the matter in the Member States.

The movement of radioactive waste is subject to the rules of the internal market and to Council Directive
92/3/Euratom of 3 February 1992 on the supervision and control of shipments of radioactive waste
between Member States and into and out of the Community (1). The safety rules for the transport of
radioactive materials laid down by the International Atomic Energy Agency and transposed into national
law also apply. The movement of radioactive waste is, in addition, subject to the International Convention
on the safety of spent fuel management and the safety of radioactive waste management, currently being
ratified by the Community and the Member States.

The Commission has always called upon the Member States for solidarity with regard to the long-term
storage of radioactive waste and has encouraged Community self-sufficiency in it (cf Fourth Report from
the Commission on the present situation and prospects for radioactive waste management in the European
Union (2)). Member States producing large amounts of radioactive waste should be able to store it on their
own territory. They are also free to promote regional solutions on their own initiative. However, it is
unlikely that the Community will be able to force a Member State to accept waste produced in another
Member State.

(1) OJ L 35, 12.2.1992.
(2) COM(98) 799 final.

(2002/C 160 E/045)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2772/01

by Jonas Sjöstedt (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(9 October 2001)

Subject: Tax-free trade and EU diplomats

The decision to abolish tax-free sales in the EU has taken in 1991. During its accession negotiations
Finland asked for tax-free ferry traffic until 2005. It did not get it, but did get an exemption for Åland.
Åland’s exemption from VAT and excise duties applies indefinitely under Finland’s accession treaty. Seven
out of 15 Member States obtained exemptions to allow tax-free sales to continue, but not Sweden.