WRITTEN QUESTION E-2221/03 by Alexander de Roo (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Situation of the High Flux Reactor in Petten.
Date: 2003-07-02
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Joint Research Centre, Netherlands, decommissioning of power stations, nuclear policy, nuclear reactor, nuclear safety, patents licence

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.

27.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 78 E/95

For what concerns the safety culture, an action plan was designed after the IAEA audit and agreed with the
Dutch authority, which also regularly monitors the progresses on this issue. The action plan will be
completed in time, i.e. by the end of 2003.

For what concerns defect indications in a weld of the reactor vessel, this issue is subject of a very detailed
plan of action strictly followed by the Dutch authority and by independent experts.

For what concerns alleged technical shortcomings like that the concrete is decaying the Dutch authority
has controlled and confirmed unfounded these allegations after appropriate inspections and extended
analysis reviewed by independent bodies.

Finally, the allegation that the reactor might explode was the subject of a thorough analysis reviewed by
the Dutch authority and submitted to an independent panel of international experts. The conclusions were
that the reactor cannot explode and these conclusions were forwarded to the Dutch Parliament by the
State Secretary of Environment in January 2003.

(2004/C 78 E/0095)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2236/03

by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Disastrous environmental situation in Greece

(7 July 2003)

According to a report published and compiled by the Greek National Environmental Centre on the so-
called ‘sustainability indicators’, the level of unmonitored waste disposal is particularly high in Greece in
comparison with other EU countries and amounts to 40 %, while the report describes the recovery of
useful materials as very low.

With regard to reforestation, it has been calculated that in Greece each year areas of 10 000 to 130 000
hectares are burnt, of which scarcely 1 500 hectares are replanted (figures from 2000), whereas in 1990
4 500 hectares were replanted.

The report also points out that the use of water and fertilisers is increasing faster than the added value of
land cultivated is farmed by organic
the agricultural products produced, while only 1 % of the total
growers.

With reference to water, the report stresses that excessive pumping from underground aquifers has
doubled in comparison with 1990 and covers over 40 % of total demand, giving rise to concerns over the
future adequacy of the water supply, particularly in view of the delays being experienced in Greece in the
construction of infrastructure projects in the water sector.

What are the data on fires and the level of reforestation, and on levels of unmonitored waste disposal in
the other EU countries? What is the proportion of organic growers in the other Member States of the
Union? Is the Commission concerned, and what approaches has it made to the Greek authorities in respect
of excessive pumping from underground aquifers in Greece and the deforestation of Greek forests, which
has been particularly marked over the last 20 years in Greece?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(31 July 2003)

The Commission has long recognised the environmental importance of forests and the fact that they can
be severely damaged by forest fires, particularly in Southern Europe.