WRITTEN QUESTION E-1992/03 by José Ribeiro e Castro (UEN) to the Commission. Europe and terrorism.
Date: 2003-06-16
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Union, European political cooperation, European security, competence of the Member States, cooperation policy, public safety, terrorism

C 70 E/70

Official Journal of the European Union

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20.3.2004

The Commission would like insurance professionals to become involved quickly. It should also be pointed
out that the IASB will present its draft interim standard for insurance for public consultation in July 2003.
The purpose of the standard is to facilitate the transition by insurance companies to IAS on 1 January
2005 by granting them a number of exemptions.

(2004/C 70 E/073)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1992/03

by José Ribeiro e Castro (UEN) to the Commission

(16 June 2003)

Subject: Europe and terrorism

According to reports in the newspapers Corriere della Sera (Italy) and Diário de Notícias (Portugal), the
Saudi Arabian Ambassador to the United States of America, Prince Bandar, has warned the media that
‘something big’ is being prepared in Saudi Arabia or the United States, expressing fears that a large-scale
terrorist attack is being planned.

The same reports mention a number of European countries (Italy, Belgium, United Kingdom, Netherlands,
Sweden, Norway, Germany and France) where sleeping cells belonging to organisations linked to al-Qa’ida
are reported to be ready to join groups of mujahedin already in North America awaiting the signal to
launch the attack.

The Commission:

(cid:1) Does it have any information on these facts and can it confirm the fears expressed by the Saudi

Ambassador to the US?

(cid:1) Can it confirm the presence or suspected presence of al-Qa’ida cells or associates on the territory of

EU Member States?

(cid:1) What information does it have on Islamic fundamentalist terrorist activity on the territory of EU

Member States?

(cid:1) What information does it have on the activities of al-Qa’ida or its associates in North Africa and the

Middle East?

(cid:1) In what way is the Commission cooperating or is it prepared to cooperate with the countries of North

Africa and the Middle East in the fight against international terrorism?

(cid:1) What measures has it taken or will it take in response to this threat?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(31 July 2003)

The Commission follows developments concerning all forms of terrorism closely. It remains concerned
about the serious threats which international terrorism continues to pose to the Union.

Within the Union the fight against terrorism is first of all the responsibility of the Member States, in
particular their security,
intelligence and police services. At general policy level Member States and
Commission co-operate actively in order to improve the Union’s overall effectiveness in the fight against
terrorism in line with Article 29 of the Treaty on European Union.

The Commission is, therefore, not well placed to provide concrete information on the activities of
international terrorist groups on the territory of the Member States. Similarly, the Commission can only
play a small part in assessing the threat from terrorist attacks to European citizen’s safety and to European
interests more generally, whether those threats are internal or external to the Union. This is a task for all

20.3.2004

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Official Journal of the European Union

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It is an
Member States as well as for the Presidency and the Secretary General/High Representative.
ongoing task which, by its nature, is not in the public domain. The same is true for measures that have
been or may be taken in response to any terrorist threat.

However, the European response to terrorism goes wider than assessing the threat. The underlying factors
which contribute to terrorism have also to be considered. Here the Commission can play a more
substantive role. The Commission believes that the Union should use all the instruments at its disposal:
development, trade, justice and home affairs policy and other aspects of the Barcelona process, as well as
measures in the security field in order to combat the phenomenon of terrorism. It is not a task that will be
completed overnight. But a concerted (cid:1) and comprehensive (cid:1) European approach is essential for us to
have any chance of success.

(2004/C 70 E/074)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2000/03

by Jan Dhaene (PSE)
and Patricia McKenna (Verts/ALE) to the Council

(16 June 2003)

Subject: Radioactive discharges from Sellafield

The ‘Fisheries Section Committee’ of the International Transport Federation (ITF) has called on North Sea
states to demand that the UK stop radioactive discharges from Sellafield. Several national transport unions
have adopted this request. The problem is not limited to the UK; Cogéma in La Hague causes widespread
radioactive pollution of the local environment.

One of the isotopes that concerns the ITF the most is Technetium-99 (Tc99). This isotope is discharged
into the Irish Sea, although it is technically possible for it to be filtered out and collected before the waste
water is discharged in to the sea.

1.
Is the Council aware of the threat to the maritime environment connected with the discharge of
radioactive waste from plants such as Sellafield and, in particular, to fish and shellfish and the consumers
thereof.

Is the Council aware of the impact on fishermen and other crew on board vessels which frequently

2.
fish these areas close to the pollution source (Sellafield and La Hague)?

3. What is the Council’s view of the ITF proposal that the Technetium-99 should be filtered out of the
waste water from Sellafield and La Hague?

Reply

(8 December 2003)

The Council is in a general way concerned about nuclear safety and radiation protection.

As the Honourable Member will know, Sellafield is supposed to operate in accordance with Community
law, in particular:

(cid:1) Articles 33, 35 and 37 of the Euratom Treaty;

(cid:1) Commission Recommendation 1999/829/Euratom of 6 December 1999 on the application of

Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty;

(cid:1) Council Directive 96/29/Euratom laying down basic safety standards for the protection of the health
of workers and the general public against the dangers arising from ionizing radiations, which provides
the basic obligations to be complied with;