WRITTEN QUESTION P-0117/02 by Jillian Evans (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Transport of radioactive material within EU Member States.
Date: 2002-01-23
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: health legislation, ionising radiation, nuclear accident, public health, rail transport, transport of dangerous goods

C 172 E/144

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.7.2002

(2002/C 172 E/149)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0107/02

by Christopher Heaton-Harris (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(21 January 2002)

Subject: Subsidy to Railtrack

On 29 November 2001, the UK Government asked for subsidy exemption for financial support to
Railtrack in administration.

To what value has this subsidy exemption been agreed and for what declaration is this exemption allowed?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(22 February 2002)

Railtrack Plc was, as the Honourable Member may know, put into Administration on 7 October 2001.
Following the Administration Order the British Government notified to the Commission that it had put in
place funding arrangements to ensure that the railway continues to run safely and normally until the
transfer of Railtrack’s licensed rail activities out of Administration as a going concern.

These arrangements, which purpose it is to rescue Railtrack’s business pending the outcome of the
Administration procedure, has been examined by the Commission in the light of
the Community
Guidelines on state aid for rescuing and restructuring firms in difficulty. In its decision of 13 February
2002, the Commission concluded that the UK Government’s arrangements for rescuing Railtrack plc in
Administration fulfills the criteria laid down in these Guidelines and decided to authorise the aid made
available for an initial period of 6 months. In addition, and due to the exceptional circumstances in this
particular case, the Commission also decided to authorise an extension of the initial period with 6 further
months. Accordingly, the Commission authorised the UK Government to make available an amount of up
to € 8,78 billion for the period 7 October 2001-30 September 2002 in the form of
loans and or
guarantees.

(2002/C 172 E/150)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0117/02

by Jillian Evans (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(23 January 2002)

Subject: Transport of radioactive material within EU Member States

Can the Commission list incidents in which trains in the Member States carrying radioactive material have
been involved in (a) accidents (b) safety-related incidents in each of the last five years, indicating the date
and the location of each incident, what EU guidelines there are to follow should an accident involving the
transportation of radioactive material occur, and what information a Member State is expected to give the
Commission and the public were any such incidents to occur on its railways?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(21 February 2002)

Council Decision 87/600/Euratom of 14 December 1987 on Community arrangements for the early
exchange of information in the event of a radiological emergency (1) and Council Directive 89/618/Eura-
tom of 27 November 1989, on informing the general public about health protection measures to be
applied and steps to be taken in the event of a radiological emergency (2) are of application for the
transport of radioactive material both for the information of the Commission and of the public.

18.7.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 172 E/145

The Commission has not received during the last five years any information on accident or safety related
incident during transport by train of radioactive material, from which a significant release of radioactive
material has occurred.

Council Directive 96/29/Euratom of 13 May 1996, laying down basic safety standards for the protection
of the health of workers and the general public against the dangers arising from ionising radiation (3) sets
the EU guidelines to follow when an accident involving the transportation of radioactive material occur.

According to this Directive, each Member State shall also make provision for the immediate notification to
its competent authority by the undertaking responsible for the practices involved of any radiological
emergency occurring in its territory. The Member State shall establish relations to obtain co-operation with
any other Member State or third country, which may be involved. Each Member State shall ensure that the
provision is made for intervention related to reduce or stop the radiation and emission of radionuclides, to
reduce the exposure and transfer of radioactive substances to individuals and to organise the treatment of
victims.

(1) OJ L 371, 30.12.1987.
(2) OJ L 357, 7.12.1989.
(3) OJ L 159, 29.6.1996.

(2002/C 172 E/151)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0122/02

by Eluned Morgan (PSE) to the Commission

(29 January 2002)

Subject: Foot and mouth disease

Can the Commission give an indication of how much money will be paid to the British government in
compensation for foot and mouth disease? What is the percentage of the compensation that the EU will be
expected to pay, and what control mechanisms are in place to ensure fraud will not occur?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(26 March 2002)

Council Decision 90/424/EEC of 26 June 1990, on expenditure in the veterinary field (1) states in its
Article 11 that under certain conditions, the Member State concerned shall obtain a financial contribution
from the Community equal to 60 % of the costs incurred by the Member State in:

(a)

compensating owners for the slaughter and destruction of animals, the destruction of milk, the
cleaning and disinfecting of holdings, the destruction of contaminated feeding stuffs and, where it
cannot be disinfected, the destruction of contaminated equipment;

(b)

the transport of carcasses to processing plants;

(c) any other measures which are essential for the eradication of the outbreak of the disease (if defined by

the Commission).

Under Commission Decision 2001/654 of 16 August 2001 concerning a financial contribution towards
the eradication of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in the United Kingdom in 2001 (2), the United Kingdom
may obtain financial assistance for the adequate compensation of owners for the compulsory slaughter of
their animals relating to the outbreak which occurred until 30 June 2001. In that Decision,
‘adequate
compensation’ is defined as the value the animals had immediately before they became affected. This
decision also mentions that, pending completion of checks by the Commission, a first advance of € 355
million could be paid.

The total amount of the Community financial contribution will depend inter alia on the supporting
documentation submitted by the United Kingdom, and the results of the controls and inspections carried
out by the Commission.