WRITTEN QUESTION E-2185/03 by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Dismantling of old ships under hazardous conditions using underpaid labour, with associated releases of toxic material, on the coasts of South Asia.
Date: 2003-06-30
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: International Maritime Organisation, South Asia, export of waste, hazardous waste, international convention, international standard, toxic substance, vessel

C 51 E/220

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

26.2.2004

the inclusion of governance related training activities into all co-operation projects will contribute to
strengthen Vietnam’s overall governance and human rights commitments.

The Commission’s overall policy towards Vietnam is to encourage and support progress on human rights
and democratisation, and to rise concerns where abuses occur or where a deterioration in the situation
becomes evident. The Commission works closely with the Member States to monitor human rights
developments in the country supporting démarches to the Government of Vietnam on human rights
issues, including those pertaining to the situation of Persons of Concern. The Commission’s Delegation in
Hanoi, together with the diplomatic missions of the Member States, will continue to follow closely the
human rights situation in Vietnam and take appropriate action.

(2004/C 51 E/240)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2185/03

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(30 June 2003)

Subject: Dismantling of old ships under hazardous conditions using underpaid labour, with associated

releases of toxic material, on the coasts of South Asia

1.
Is the Commission aware that the dismantling of old ships is increasingly being relocated to the
coasts of India, Bangladesh and Pakistan, where the operations are often carried out in an amateurish
fashion without protection of labourers, producing not only 95 % steel but also 5 % toxic substances,
including asbestos and PCBs and in many cases also oil and gas residues?

2.
Is the Commission aware that as a result of such methods beaches are being irreparably polluted, the
traditional sources of livelihood for farmers and fishermen in the vicinity of the scrapyards are being
permanently destroyed and many of the workers, who earn only EUR 2 per day, become victims of
accidents, some of them fatal?

Does the Commission anticipate a further increase in this hazardous method of dismantling ships, as
3.
many single-hulled tankers will be decommissioned over the next years and the extremely low wages and
lack of safety precautions will induce many businesses to take their rustbuckets to the coasts of South
Asia?

Can the Commission confirm that the current practices contravene the existing legislation, namely

4.
the Basle Convention, which is intended to prevent exports of toxic waste?

5. Will the Commission,
inter alia on the occasion of the meeting of the International Maritime
Organisation (IMO) in July 2003, promote measures to genuinely help put an end to these exports of toxic
materials and waste as soon as possible?

(2004/C 51 E/241)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2290/03

by Alexander de Roo (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

Subject: Export and dismantling of toxic ships

(11 July 2003)

The current export of toxic ships from European owners to the shipbreaking beaches of Asia (India,
Bangladesh and Pakistan) needs to be improved under international rules.

Is the Commission aware of the ongoing export of hazardous substances on board vessels to Asia?