WRITTEN QUESTION P-0901/03 by James Fitzsimons (UEN) to the Commission. Devices for filtering radon gas from groundwater sources.
Date: 2003-03-17
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: consumer protection, food safety, freshwater, radioactive pollution, rare gas, research project, water treatment

C 65 E/56

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

13.3.2004

Further information can be obtained from the following authorities:

(cid:1) Ministero delle Politiche Agricole e Forestali
Direzione genrale Pesca e Acquacoltura
Viale dell’Arte, 16
00144 (cid:1) Roma
Tel. +39 06 59084203
Fax +39 06 59084818
e-mail: pesca-dr@politicheagricole.it
Contatto: Giovanni Granato

(cid:1) Regione Lazio

Direzione generale Sviluppo Agricolo e Mondo Rurale (cid:1) Area Pesca
Via Rosa Raimondi Garibaldi, 7
00147 (cid:1) Roma
Tel +39 06 51684286
Fax +39 06 51683872
e-mail: abrunori@regione.lazio.it
Contatto: A. Brunori

(cid:1) Regione Marche

Servizio Attività Ittiche, Commercio, Caccia e Pesca soprtiva
Via Tiziano, 44
60125 (cid:1) Ancona
Tel +39 071 8063730
Fax +39 071 8063055
e-mail: uriano.meconi@regione.marche.it
Contatto: Oriano Meconi

(cid:1) Regione Toscana

Servizio Sviluppo Agricolo e Rurale, Caccia e Pesca
Via di Novoli, 26
50127 (cid:1) Firenze
Tel +39 055 4383712
Fax +39 055 4385090
e-mail: g.guarneri@mail.regione.toscana.it
Contatto: Giovanni Guarneri

(1) Commission Regulation (EC) No 366/2001 of 22 February 2001 laying down detailed rules for implementing the

measures provided for in Council Regulation (EC) No 2792/1999, OJ L 55, 24.2.2001.

(2004/C 65 E/057)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0901/03

by James Fitzsimons (UEN) to the Commission

(17 March 2003)

Subject: Devices for filtering radon gas from groundwater sources

As the Commission is aware, naturally occurring radioactive gas can be found in groundwater. However, it
is not clear how to filter out radon from the water. Is the Commission aware of this problem and does it
know of ways or devices to filter out such gas?

Answer given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission

(10 April 2003)

The Commission is aware of the problem of naturally occurring radon in groundwater sources,
in
particular when this water is used for drinking water. Commission Recommendation 2001/928/Euratom
recommends that above a concentration of 100 Bq/l for public water supplies consideration be given to
remedial action.

13.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 65 E/57

A research project, Tenawa, on this particular problem was executed under the Nuclear Fission Safety
(Euratom) programme. The overall objective of this project, which ended in 1999, was to study various
removal methods and commercially available equipment and study their ability to remove natural nuclides
from drinking water. The project studied a number of techniques such as aeration, granular activated
carbon, ion exchange, and membrane technology. Some of these techniques achieved an efficiency above
99 % for the removal of radon. Further details on this project may be found at the projects web site:
(http://iwga-sig.boku.ac.at/project/tenawa/tenawa1_e.htm)

Under the Fifth Framework Programme, a currently running research project, Radwat, funded by the sub-
is focused on
programme Environment and Sustainable Development under
developing an innovative radon measuring and monitoring system for use in groundwater. This two-year
project will end in February 2004.

the CRAFT scheme,

(2004/C 65 E/058)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0920/03

by Antonio Tajani (PPE-DE)
and Gerardo Galeote Quecedo (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Release by the Netherlands authorities of Mullah Krekar

(24 March 2003)

Is the Commission aware that the Netherlands authorities have released Mullah Krekar,
international Islamic organisation Ansar al-Islam?

leader of the

Is the Commission aware that Mullah Krekar, who was arrested at Amsterdam airport after being expelled
from Iran is currently in Norway where he has refugee status?

Is the Commission aware that the terrorist organisation headed by Mullah Krekar is said to have produced
and tested chemical and biological weapons, including ricin, a lethal toxin for which there is currently no
vaccine?

What action will the Commission take to counteract Mullah Krekar’s activities and prevent him from ever
entering the European Union, thereby ensuring that in future he is unable to move around within the EU
as he did in the years leading up to his arrest?

What action will the Commission take to ensure that Norway keeps a watchful eye on the activities of
Mullah Krekar’s and his organisation, which seems to be recruiting many of the Al-Qa’ida members who
escaped from Afghanistan?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(28 May 2003)

The Commission is aware of Mr Krekar’s case.

Following an amendment by the United Nations’ Sanctions Committee on 24 February 2003, Commission
Regulation (EC) No 350/2003 of 25 February 2003 amending Council Regulation (EC) No 881/2002 (1),
has included Ansar al-Islam in the list of ‘Legal persons, groups and entities’ to whom the freezing of funds
and economic resources shall apply.

Article 96 of Schengen Convention (2) provides for the possibility to prevent third country nationals from
entering the territory of the Member States by issuing an alert on them in the Schengen Information
System (SIS). This type of alerts to be introduced by a Member State must in principle be enforced by all
13 Member States which have fully implemented the Schengen acquis, or by States that have been
associated with it, as Norway and Iceland have. The decision to issue an alert based on Article 96 of the
Schengen Convention may be based on the fact that the third country national poses a threat to public
policy or public security.