WRITTEN QUESTION E-1466/02 by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission. Jim Currie.
Date: 2002-05-27
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU environmental policy, European official, confidentiality, duties of civil servants, political morality, regulations for civil servants

C 28 E/110

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

6.2.2003

(2003/C 28 E/123)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1466/02

by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission

(27 May 2002)

Subject: Jim Currie

Further to the answer given by Mr Kinnock on 19 April 2002 to Written Question P-0825/02 (1), will the
Commission state the outcome of its examination as to whether the former Director-General of DG
Environment will be in a position to comply with the relevant provisions of the Staff Regulations in
joining the Board of British Nuclear Fuels Ltd?

(1) OJ C 205 E, 29.8.2002, p. 221.

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(5 July 2002)

As announced in May 2001 the Commission has reviewed the case of Mr James Currie, formally Director
General of DG Environment, and concluded that he may take up a post as a non-executive director of
BNFL, for which he was nominated by the UK Government. The relevant Commission authorities took
account of the fact that more than a year has elapsed since Mr Currie had any responsibilities for nuclear
safety matters, and the fact that Mr Currie has stated in writing that he was not in possession of any
information in written, electronic or any other form which could be deemed to be confidential or
politically sensitive in the area of radioprotection.

Mr Currie made a written commitment that, as non-executive board member, he will avoid involvement in
any executive decision making or lobbying. He has also given 3 undertakings which the Commission
required as conditions to be placed upon his appointment. Consequently, Mr Currie will not use or
transmit any confidential or politically sensitive information relating to nuclear safety or radioprotection to
which he would have had access while he was Director-General of Directorate General Environment; will
abstain from being in any way involved in matters related to the infringement procedure opened by the
Commission with respect to British Nuclear Fuels activities; will not start his activity with BNFL before
1 November 2002.

(2003/C 28 E/124)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1489/02

by Marie Isler Béguin (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(29 May 2002)

Subject: TINA, ISPA and environmental directives in the candidate countries

In 1996 the Commission decided on a process of assessing transport infrastructure needs (TINA), approved
the following year, the aim of which was to coordinate, in the light of ongoing environmental concern,
transport network integration in an enlarged Union in both conceptual and development terms.

The Instrument for Structural Policies for Pre-accession (ISPA), proposed as part of Agenda 2000, is a
financial instrument designed to facilitate incorporation of the Community acquis in the environment and
transport fields which focuses on the principle of rectifying environmental damage at source.

Concerns have been raised as to the potential impact, when EU enlargement takes place, of the transport
infrastructure network (TINA) on areas of central and eastern Europe protected by the birds and habitats
directives.