WRITTEN QUESTION P-3858/02 by María Valenciano Martínez-Orozco (PSE) to the Commission. Treatment of waste from the Prestige accident.
Date: 2003-01-06
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU environmental policy, Galicia, accidental pollution, air quality, application of EU law, hazardous waste, public health, waste disposal, waste recycling

C 222 E/118

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

18.9.2003

(2003/C 222 E/137)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3840/02

by Olivier Dupuis (NI) to the Commission

(9 January 2003)

Subject: Evidence of the existence of concentration camps in North Korea

The existence of concentration camps (cid:1) forced labour camps (cid:1) in North Korea, about which there was
talk for a long time, but which had never been confirmed by non-North Korean witnesses, has been
proved by satellite images which the Far Eastern Economic Review published after obtaining them from a
commercial satellite imagery provider.

The images were recognised as showing the Haengyong concentration and labour camp by a former
prison guard, Ahn Myong Chol, who defected to South Korea in 1994.

The South Koreans and American intelligence sources had long encouraged the rumour that they had
satellite photographs of the camps in their possession, but the supposed evidence was never published.

Does the Commission have the same kind of satellite images or has it been informed by one of the
Member States in possession of similar evidence about the existence of concentration camps in North
Korea? Does the Commission have any information about the existence of other concentration camps in
North Korea which could be proven by satellite images? When does the Commission expect to forward to
the relevant European Parliament committee the satellite images or any other evidence of the existence of
concentration camps in North Korea and what political
initiatives does it intend to take vis-à-vis the
Pyongyang government to induce it to close all the concentration camps immediately and release all the
prisoners without delay?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(29 January 2003)

The Commission has received reports from various international human rights organisations, in particular
Amnesty International, alleging the existence of concentration camps in the Democratic Peoples Republic
of Korea (DPRK). Nevertheless, the Commission has not received any satellite images proving the existence
of such camps.

The human rights situation in the DPRK remains of major concern to the Union and is therefore being
followed very closely. Human rights issues, including the possible existence of concentration camps, are
systematically raised during regular political contacts with the North Korean authorities. The last occasion
was in June 2002 in Pyongyang.

The Commission can assure the Honourable Member that it will continue to monitor closely the human
rights situation in the DPRK and will raise human rights concerns in its contacts with the DPRK
authorities.

(2003/C 222 E/138)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3858/02

by María Valenciano Martínez-Orozco (PSE) to the Commission

Subject: Treatment of waste from the Prestige accident

(6 January 2003)

The company Protección Medioambiental (PMA), which has already been sanctioned for environmental
offences by the Galician Government on several occasions, is the main firm responsible for managing the
tonnes of waste fuel oil collected every day along the Galician coast following the serious accident
involving the Prestige. PMA stores the fuel collected in large tanks before recycling it by manufacturing
filler bricks for the construction industry.

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Official Journal of the European Union

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Some ecological and local residents’ groups have already expressed their concern at this method of dealing
with the fuel collected, since the furnaces used to manufacture the bricks are producing large columns of
strong-smelling and probably toxic smoke which could affect neighbouring communities if it is not
properly treated.

Can the Commission guarantee that activities linked to processing fuel from the Prestige are being carried
out in accordance with the rules laid down by Community legislation for such cases?

What action will the Commission take to guarantee that waste from the Prestige is managed properly, in a
way which will not pose fresh risks to the environment in the form of atmospheric pollution, or any threat
to the health of people living nearby?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(11 February 2003)

From the perspective of Community legislation on waste management, it is important to underline that
Council Directive 75/442/EEC of 15 July 1975 on waste, as amended (1) stipulates a number of key
obligations for Member States in connection with the management of waste, which includes materials that
have been spilled, lost or have undergone other mishap (2) such as the fuel oil from the Prestige oil tanker.

Specifically, Article 4 requires Member States to take the necessary measures to ensure that waste is
recovered or disposed of without endangering human health and without using processes or methods
which could harm the environment. In particular, this must be done without risk to water, air, soil and
plants and animals, without causing a nuisance through noise or odours and without adversely affecting
the countryside or places of special interest. In addition, Member States are specifically required under that
provision to take the necessary measures to prohibit the abandonment, dumping or uncontrolled disposal
of waste. Furthermore, Articles 9 and 10 specify that waste disposal and recovery operators must obtain a
permit from the relevant national competent authority. In addition to Directive 75/442/EEC, Member
States must also comply with the provisions set out in Council Directive 1999/31/EC of 26 April 1999 on
the landfill of waste (3) and Council Directive 91/689/EEC of 12 December 1991 on hazardous waste (4)
which includes discarded heavy fuel oil (5). Individual Member States are responsible for implementing
these Community obligations.

The Commission is not aware of grounds to suggest that methods used to deal with the fuel oil from the
Prestige in Galicia are in contravention of Community rules. However, if the Honourable Member or any
other person has any grounds to consider that specific Community obligations have been infringed, it is
open to them to file a formal complaint with the Commission. Under Article 211 EC, the Commission has
the duty to ensure that the provisions of the European Community Treaty and the measures taken by its
institutions are applied.

(1) OJ L 194, 25.7.1975, as amended by Council Directive 91/156/EEC (cid:1) OJ L 78, 26.3.1991 and Commission

Decision 96/350/EC (cid:1) OJ L 135, 6.6.1996.

(2) See entry Q4 of Annex I to Directive 75/442/EEC, as amended.
(3) OJ L 182, 16.7.1999.
(4) OJ L 377, 31.12.1991.
(5) See hazardous waste entry ‘13 07 01* fuel oil and diesel’ in Commission Decision 2000/532/EC of 3 May 2000 (cid:1)
OJ L 226, 6.9.2000 (cid:1) as amended by Commission Decision 2001/119/EC of 22 January 2001 (cid:1) OJ L 47,
16.2.2001 (cid:1) which provides a consolidated Community list of wastes.

(2003/C 222 E/139)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3866/02

by Pasqualina Napoletano (PSE) to the Commission

(10 January 2003)

Subject: Appointments to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction

On 12 April 2002 Dr Carlo Perucci, then a member of the EMCDDA Scientific Committee, was informed
by the Italian Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs that he was being relieved of his duties as of April
2002.