WRITTEN QUESTION P-1904/02 by Avril Doyle (PPE-DE) to the Commission. MOX shipment from Japan to UK.
Date: 2002-06-25
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Japan, United Kingdom, competence of the Member States, international transport, nuclear fuel, transport of dangerous goods, transport safety

C 277 E/252

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

14.11.2002

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(23 July 2002)

The Commission is grateful to the Honourable Member for submitting information about the state of
implementation of Directive 2000/59/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 27 November 2000, on
port reception facilities for ship-generated waste and cargo residues, and in particular its Article 8 on fee
systems for ship-generated waste.

the
The Commission has not yet
implementation of this Directive, the deadline for implementing measures being 28 December 2002. By
this date, the Commission will carefully analyse the implementing legislation of all Member States. The
mechanism adopted to ensure compliance with the principles listed in Article 8 on fee system will
naturally form an important part of this analysis.

received official communication from Member States about

The Commission’s undertaking to make an additional assessment of the fee system within three years, as
provided for in paragraph 4 of Article 8, will not affect the obligation of Member States to comply with the
criteria and principles of Article 8 as from 28 December 2002.

(2002/C 277 E/279)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1904/02

by Avril Doyle (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(25 June 2002)

Subject: MOX shipment from Japan to UK

Is the Commission satisfied that adequate security measures are in place for the returned MOX shipment
from Japan to the UK port of Barrow-in-Furness due in August/September 2002?

Would the Commission detail what the security measures are and whether all necessary safeguards are in
place to protect European territory and European waters?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(17 July 2002)

The Commission has neither the responsibility nor the legal powers to evaluate the security arrangements
adopted for the return shipment of the mixed oxide (MOX) fuel to the United Kingdom.

The Office of Civil Nuclear Security (OCNS) in the United Kingdom is responsible for the regulation by
civil nuclear operators for the secure transport of ‘sensitive categories’ of nuclear material. In this context,
the Office is the British designated national authority under the Convention on the Physical Protection of
Nuclear Material, for shipments to and from overseas destinations.

Specifically concerning the return shipment of the MOX fuel from Japan, this falls directly under the
regulatory control of the OCNS. The Office reviewed all the security arrangement, in particular in the
context of the terrorist attack last September 2001 in the United States. These security arrangements were
also reviewed by the United States and Japanese regulatory authorities. All the security authorities are
satisfied that the security arrangements are ‘amply robust to deal with any potential threat’.

According to the information available to the Commission, security measures in place seem adequate.
Nevertheless, the attention of the Honourable Member is drawn to the Convention on Physical Protection
of Nuclear Material and, in particular, the paragraph concerning confidentiality of information concerning
security measures.