WRITTEN QUESTION E-2216/03 by Marco Pannella (NI), Maurizio Turco (NI),Marco Cappato (NI), Benedetto Della Vedova (NI),Gianfranco Dell'Alba (NI) and Olivier Dupuis (NI) to the Commission. Arrest of twelve members of an evangelical church in China.
Date: 2003-07-02
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: China, EU relations, freedom of religious beliefs, government violence, religious discrimination

27.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 78 E/93

Joint answer to
Written Questions E-2207/03 and P-2440/03
given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(12 September 2003)

The present Community legislation does not provide for a limit to the amount of water that can be added
to poultrymeat preparations and poultrymeat products. On the other hand, the fraudulent practice of not
indicating in the label the artificial increase of the weight of meat by the addition of proteins and water
should be strictly controlled and any fraud prosecuted by the competent authority in the Member State.
The Commission has been alerted already and consideration is being given to the possibility of
emphasising the water content on the labelling of meat preparations. Moreover, the Commission is also
studying the possibility of developing standards to limit the amount of water that can be added to such
products.

Any possible future initiative by the Commission in this area will take into full account the need to respect
the World Trade Organisation /Technical Barries to Trade (WTO/TBT) obligations.

The indication of all ingredients used in the manufacture of any foodstuff, and still present in the finished
product,
is compulsory according to Directive 2000/13/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of
20 March 2000 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the labelling,
presentation and advertising of foodstuffs (1). Also the use of animal proteins in feed for livestock is well
regulated within the Union and indication of different feed materials will be compulsory when labelling
feed for livestock as from 6 November 2003.

(1) OJ L 109, 6.5.2000.

(2004/C 78 E/0093)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2216/03

by Marco Pannella (NI), Maurizio Turco (NI),
Marco Cappato (NI), Benedetto Della Vedova (NI),
Gianfranco Dell’Alba (NI) and Olivier Dupuis (NI) to the Commission

Subject: Arrest of twelve members of an evangelical church in China

(2 July 2003)

Twelve members of an evangelical church have been arrested and eight of them are liable to be detained in
labour camps if the court finds them guilty of ‘disseminating feudal superstitions’. The church is not
recognised by the Beijing authorities and has been out of operation since 6 June 2003, after Chinese police
broke into four private houses where religious ceremonies were being held. The authorities responsible for
supervision of religious organisations have justified the arrests on the grounds that the accused were
‘visiting villages twice a week, spreading superstitious beliefs there and requesting donations from already
impoverished local inhabitants’.

The persons arrested are liable to be sent to labour camps merely for manifesting their religion through
teaching, practice, worship and observance, in accordance with Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights.

The Commission:

(cid:1) Does it have more detailed information on the fate of these twelve Chinese citizens?

(cid:1) How will it monitor their trial and safeguard their right to a defence?

(cid:1) Will it convey a message to the Beijing authorities strongly condemning this incident, stressing that it
is totally contrary to the principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to make
the full enjoyment of the right to religious freedom subject to state authorisation and to prevent
religious ceremonies from being conducted in private homes?

C 78 E/94

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

27.3.2004

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(31 July 2003)

The Commission has no further details on the situation of the 12 members of the Evangelical Church and
will endeavour to obtain information. Through the EU-China bilateral dialogue on human rights the EU
regularly raises the issue of freedom of religion and faith and will certainly address the matter of these
citizens arrested for practising their faith. Should a trial be held, the EU will consider the most appropriate
means to monitor it and ensure that it takes place in satisfactory conditions.

(2004/C 78 E/0094)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2221/03

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

Subject: Situation of the High Flux Reactor in Petten

(2 July 2003)

According to a report in the 18 June 2003 edition of ‘De Volkskrant’, Europe wants to abandon the
nuclear reactor in Petten. The European Union, the owner of the High Flux Reactor (HFR) wants to
abandon as soon as possible its authorisation for the reactor which is actually operated by NRG (Nuclear
Research and Consultancy Group). The transfer has to be completed by the end of 2003.

The Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment’s transfer documents dated 15 May 2003
(see http://www.vrom.nl/pagina.html?id=2686) set out three options (a Netherlands company becomes the
owner of the reactor, a Netherlands company becomes the owner of the authorisation to operate the
reactor, the authorisation remains with the Joint Research Centre) which are currently under review.

Over the last two years, the operation of and the situation pertaining to the HFR have regularly been the
subject of concern and disquiet on the part of politicians, the media and the general public. It is alleged
that the safety culture is becoming worse, that cracks have appeared in the reactor vessel, that the concrete
is decaying and that the reactor might explode.

To what extent is the European Commission prepared to abandon its current ownership rights?

On what grounds?

Given the problems with the safety culture and the alleged technical shortcomings, would it not be better
for the European Commission to continue to supervise the HFR?

Answer given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission

(7 August 2003)

The Commission is neither considering a transfer of ownership of the high flux reactor (HFR), nor
abandoning its involvement in the use of the HFR for research purposes.

The Commission does, however, intend to put in place a different set up for the chain of responsibility for
the safety of the reactor. Therefore,
it has indicated since autumn of 2002, to the competent Dutch
authority, that the HFR licence should be transferred to NRG, the current operator of the reactor.

The Commission is of the opinion that safety can potentially be improved by introducing shorter lines of
communication, providing clearer accountabilities and simplifying and reducing organisational interfaces.
In February (cid:1) March 2002 an audit was performed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on
the safety culture at the HFR in Petten. One of the IAEA suggestions made in the final report of the audit
was to transfer the operational licence from the Commission to the operator, i.e. NRG.