WRITTEN QUESTION E-1433/02 by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Major shortcomings in the implementation of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology's research budget.
Date: 2002-05-23
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, Spain, Structural Funds, research budget, research policy

5.12.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 301 E/145

(2002/C 301 E/156)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1433/02

by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(23 May 2002)

Subject: Major shortcomings in the implementation of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology’s

research budget

The Spanish Government has informed the Spanish Parliament
the Ministry of Science and
Technology failed to pay out 70 % of the budgetary allocations for research projects in 2001. Were these
projects possibly co-funded by the European Union? If so, what measures does the Commission intend to
take to demand that the Spanish Government meet its commitments?

that

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(25 June 2002)

The information provided by the Honourable Member is insufficient to determine which projects might
have received Community part-finance under the Structural Funds. The Commission would therefore ask
him to specify them more clearly.

In any case, all assistance part-financed by these Funds is thoroughly monitored by the Commission to
ensure that it is implemented in accordance with the rules and in a satisfactory way. The ways in which
this is done include meetings of
the Monitoring Committees, annual meetings with the managing
authorities and consideration of the annual implementing reports.

(2002/C 301 E/157)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1440/02

by Mario Mantovani (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: The problem of radioactive waste on the Ispra site

(15 May 2002)

In the answer to the question to the Commission tabled on 4 February 2000 concerning radioactive waste
at the JRC in Ispra (written question E-0217/00 (1)) the Commissioner for Research, Mr Busquin, said that
the waste was stored appropriately and monitored by instruments and that the Commission had decided,
in agreement with the Italian authorities, to review these conditions.

Following this review, what information and findings does the Commission have at its disposal? What
reassurance can be given to those living in the environs, who are in a constant state of anxiety because of
the possible risks caused by the shortcomings in the disposal and management of the waste generated by
the nuclear plant?

What is to be the final destination of the waste? Furthermore, has the final storage location of the waste in
question been decided? If so, is it possible to learn the details?

(1) OJ C 330 E, 21.11.2000, p. 104.

Answer given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission

(14 June 2002)

The management of nuclear installations, as envisaged in Article 8 of the Euratom Treaty makes the
Commission responsible throughout the life of a facility until it is de-licensed. Therefore, to comply with
national and Community legislation, the Joint Research Center (JRC)
is required to decommission its
shutdown nuclear installations and manage the associated waste. The nuclear decommissioning and waste
management programme of the JRC, spanning a period of about two decades, has the ultimate objective to
reach the so-called stage 3 (i.e. a status which allows re-use of the land and of the buildings), as
recommended by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).