WRITTEN QUESTION E-0330/02 by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Pollution of the Aegean by Turkish ship-breaker.
Date: 2002-02-12
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU relations, Greece, Türkiye, ecology movement, environmental protection, export of waste, hazardous waste, industrial pollution, marine pollution, public health, public order

26.2.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 51 E/1

I

(Information)

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

WRITTEN QUESTIONS WITH ANSWER

(2004/C 51 E/001)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0330/02

by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(12 February 2002)

Subject: Pollution of the Aegean by Turkish ship-breaker

(edition of
in the authoritative English-language newspaper
According to a report
20-26 January 2002), 17 members of Greenpeace were arrested in mid-January by the Turkish police
whilst protesting against the pollution created by a ship-breaking yard in Izmir. Greenpeace claims that
hazardous toxic substances are released during the process of ship-breaking, polluting the waters of the
Aegean and endangering the health of the local Turkish population and numerous Community nationals,
i.e. the inhabitants of the Greek islands in the vicinity.

‘New Europe’

Is the Commission aware of the above incident? What action will the Commission take to safeguard the
health of the Greek inhabitants of the Aegean islands and the Turkish coastal population? What is its view
of the Turkish Government’s actions in arresting environmentalists belonging to the biggest environmental
organisation in the world who were protesting against
the Greek
archipelago? What are the official explanations given by the Turkish officials with whom the Commission
has frequent contact for this undemocratic act by the security forces of their country?

the pollution of

the waters of

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(5 April 2002)

The Commission was informed about the incident in the Aegean Sea.

For the Aegean Sea as for elsewhere, the Commission will look into the problem of export by Member
States of ships for scrap containing hazardous substances. This is the main concern. At least 50 % of the
ships being scrapped in Turkey come from Community operators. The ship industry should remove
hazardous substances from ships prior to their export.

The legal situation inside the Community as regards the export of ships for scrap containing hazardous
substances is as follows: Export of waste out of the Community is governed by Council Regulation (EEC)
No 259/93/EEC of 1 February 1993 on the supervision and control of shipments of waste within, into and
out of the Community (1), hereafter the ‘Shipment Regulation’, as amended. The Shipment Regulation
transposes inter alia the provisions of the Basel Convention, including its ban on export of hazardous
waste from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to non-OECD countries.
The Basel export-ban is not legally binding and in force internationally yet, but is however implemented
and legally binding for the Member States.

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Official Journal of the European Union

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26.2.2004

It is the opinion of the Commission that ships destined for dismantling are to be considered waste and also
a hazardous waste if not emptied of cargo and other hazardous materials. In accordance with the Basel
Convention export ban, Community law bans the export out of the Community of ships destined for
disposal and of ships destined for recovery to non-OECD countries if they are hazardous. Possible exports
of ships destined for dismantling not falling under any ban (destined for recovery and non-hazardous) are
still subject to control requirements and Community rules generally require that the recovery treatment in
the country of destination must be environmentally sound.

The situation as regards Turkey is the following:Turkey became a party of the ‘Basel Convention on the
control of transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and their disposal’ on 20 December 1994.
Through the Turkish ‘Regulation to control hazardous wastes’ (27.08.1995 No 22387) based on this
Convention, Turkey banned the import of all kinds of hazardous waste in 1995. Turkey has adequate
national legislation related to ship breaking to protect the environment and to ensure occupational health
and safety. However, in practice, enforcement of the Turkish legislation needs to be strengthened. This
clarifies why ships containing hazardous substances are still scrapped in Turkey.

The Commission is preparing a Maríne Strategy, which will cover all the seas surrounding the Union,
including the Aegean See. This strategy will guide the Member States in the protection of the marine
environment. It is their responsibility, for example through strict enforcement of the Shipment Regulation.
The environmental protection of the Aegean Sea is also part of a bilateral agreement between Greece and
Turkey.

The reason for Greenpeace demonstrators’ arrest is that it was a non-authorised demonstration. The
demonstrators are released. Though the Commission would like to see freedom of demonstration in
Turkey based on Community standards, this incident does not appear to have been anti-democratic.

(1) OJ L 30, 6.2.1993.

(2004/C 51 E/002)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0361/02

by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission

(14 February 2002)

Subject: Democratisation in the Seychelles

The Seychelles remain a paradise for drug trafficking and money laundering, and the regime in place since
1976 is guilty of abuses of human rights.

What steps will the Commission take, under the auspices of the Cotonou Agreement and the EU’s stated
objectives on human rights and democracy, to support the process of democratisation in the Seychelles?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(12 March 2002)

The Community’s relations with African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) States, as defined in the Cotonou
Agreement, are based on respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. In formal terms, present-day
Seychelles is a democratic country, even if it is true that the level of state control is high.

As an expression of the Community’s commitment to democratic principles, co-operation with Seychelles
under the 9th European Development Fund (EDF) will
for the development and
consolidation of non-state entities through a capacity-building programme for civil society.

include support

The Commissioner in charge of Development, recently visited Seychelles, where he emphasised to
Government representatives the importance attached to the development of non-state entities, and of good