WRITTEN QUESTION E-2170/03 by Monica Frassoni (Verts/ALE), Lucio Manisco (GUE/NGL)and Luigi Vinci (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Failure of the Italian government to implement Directive 89/618/Euratom (radiological.
Date: 2003-06-30
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: dissemination of information, environmental risk prevention, national implementing measure, nuclear safety, public safety, radioactivity

6.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 58 E/139

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(30 July 2003)

Many elements influence the price of a ship, and shipyards may take into account various aspects such as
order situation, relations with important customers, raw material, productivity improvement etc. when
setting the price. Moreover, price and financing conditions of individual orders are business secrets.
Furthermore, it is difficult for the Commission to comment on a press article.

However, it can be noted that the ship referred to in the question by the Honourable Member appears to
be very similar to a ship previously built by the same shipyard for the same owner, which would imply
significantly reduced development costs.

Nevertheless, it needs also to be underlined that if a particularly low price of a ship is linked to illegal
subsidies, this may create distortions in the internal market. While the elements provided in the referred
article are not sufficient to conclude that any irregularities have taken place, the Commission takes careful
note of the concerns raised by the Honourable Member. The Commission will continue to keep the
Community shipbuilding market under close review.

(2004/C 58 E/155)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2170/03

by Monica Frassoni (Verts/ALE), Lucio Manisco (GUE/NGL)
and Luigi Vinci (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(30 June 2003)

Subject: Failure of the Italian government to implement Directive 89/618/Euratom (radiological

Council Directive 89/618/Euratom of 27 November 1989 (1) on informing the general public about health
protection measures to be applied and steps to be taken in the event of a radiological emergency states the
following in its Article 5:

1. Member States shall ensure that the population likely to be affected in the event of a radiological
emergency is given information about the health protection measures applicable to it and about the
action it should take in the event of such an emergency.

2.

The information supplied shall at least include the elements set out in Annex I.

This information shall be communicated to the population referred to in paragraph 1 without

3.
any request being made.

The Italian government incorporated the directive by means of Legislative Decree No 230 of 17 March
1995, but made its implementation partly conditional on the appearance of further legislation which has
not materialised to date.

In practice, no preventive information has been supplied to those likely to be affected in the event of a
radiological emergency. This has recently been confirmed by the local representatives of the Italian
government in Vercelli.

This failure to provide preventive information is quite unjustifiably increasing the risks attached to such
emergencies: the public is not properly prepared and is therefore not in a position to take the appropriate
measures.

This failure to act on Italian territory runs counter to the spirit of the intervention plans for nuclear
emergencies, as has been made clear following accidents at several nuclear power stations and others
occurring with the transport of highly radioactive substances (cid:1) as with the measures now under way to
transfer part of the irradiated nuclear fuel from the Saluggia nuclear storage plant (Vicenza, Italy) to the
Sellafield treatment plant in the UK.

C 58 E/140

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

6.3.2004

The Commission:

1.

Is it aware of this serious omission?

2. What action does it intend to take to ensure that Italy implements the legislation on preventive
information of the population in good and due form, given that thirteen years have elapsed since the
adoption of Directive 89/618?

3. Does it not consider it desirable to call on the Italian government to suspend all new nuclear activities

until it has complied with its obligations regarding prevention?

(1) OJ L 357, 7.12.1989, p. 31.

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(9 September 2003)

Council Directive 89/618/Euratom of 27 November 1989 on informing the general public about health
protection measures to be applied and steps to be taken in the event of a radiological emergency was
transposed into Italian law by Chapter 10 (‘nuclear emergency situation’) of Legislative Decree No 230 of
17 March 1995.

Implementation of the general rules on preventive public information was made conditional upon two
decrees being adopted by the Minister for Health (Articles 133 and 134 of the Legislative Decree). The first
of these was to set up a standing committee to establish both the contents of the preventive information
and how it is to be disseminated, while the second was to designate the authorities responsible inter alia
for supplying the information. With more specific regard to the legal framework for emergency planning
relating to operations to transport radioactive materials, Article 125 of the Legislative Decree stipulates
that a decree is to specify how and when such planning is to operate.

The Commission can assure the Honourable Members that it intends to check with the Italian authorities
that the implementing decrees referred to in Articles 125, 133 and 134 have indeed been adopted and
what measures have been taken in the particular context of operations to transport radioactive materials.

(2004/C 58 E/156)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2174/03

by Françoise Grossetête (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(25 June 2003)

Subject: Measures to combat climate change

In view of the leading role played by the European Union in combating climate change, can the
Commission explain the differential between the Community and US appropriations allocated to the
programme concerning the use of hydrogen (cf. the Hydrogen Act)?

How does the Commission envisage its approach to this American policy and the problems which may
affect competition in the more or less long term?

Answer given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission

(25 July 2003)

The challenge of climate change has many facets, which are addressed through different Community
instruments that are part of a common policy. Within the 6th Community Framework Programme for
Research, Technology Development and Demonstration (RTD) (2002-2006), a budget of EUR 2 120 million
is allocated to research on ‘Sustainable development, global change and ecosystems’, most of which will