WRITTEN QUESTION E-3255/03 by Marie Isler Béguin (Verts/ALE)and Yves Piétrasanta (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Respect for rights and justice following the Bhopal tragedy in India.
Date: 2003-11-03
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: India, environmental liability, environmental risk prevention, industrial pollution, right to justice, the EU's international role, toxic substance

27.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 78 E/243

(2004/C 78 E/0245)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3255/03

by Marie Isler Béguin (Verts/ALE)
and Yves Piétrasanta (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(3 November 2003)

Subject: Respect for rights and justice following the Bhopal tragedy in India

The industrial disaster at the Union Carbide (UC) factory in Bhopal (India) in December 1984 led to the
release of 40 tonnes of toxic substances into the air, causing 20 000 deaths and poisoning half a million
people.

The management of UC pursued a policy of miserly restrictions on safety equipment, training and staffing.
In addition, withholding of information by UC management on the nature and toxicity of the chemicals
released into the atmosphere at the time of the explosion hampered decisions on evacuation and urgent
medical intervention.

The lasting and unyielding legacy of this contamination of the environment has been serious illness for
120 000 people, and there are around 10 deaths every month.

The UC management’s strategy of dodging legal action took a further turn in 2001 when the company
merged with the industrial group Dow.

Does the martyred earth at Bhopal not encourage the Commission to mobilise as a matter of urgency all
the means available to it and to Member States to put a stop to such environmental, health and medical
disasters and to provide epidemiological care for the population forced to live in the area affected?

Will the scandalous denial of justice following this industrial tragedy encourage the Commission to
commit itself, on the basis of its prerogatives and of those of Member States, to re-establishing victims’
rights, compensating them and prosecuting those responsible for this disaster, making public the causes as
well as Union Carbide’s environmental track record and failings in terms of the environment in its
activities throughout the world?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(5 December 2003)

The Commission is deeply concerned about the humanitarian, ecological and medical consequences of the
Bhopal gas tragedy in India. The Commission is an active donor in India and plans to contribute to an
India-wide programme for disaster preparedness and mitigation. While this programme will mainly focus
on natural disasters, it will be targeting Community based emergency plans that should help the country to
better face disasters as and when they occur.

The Commission is also supporting a large number of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), some of
which are dealing with national human rights issues and public interest litigation.

It is also worth emphasising that, since Bhopal, the Government of India has put in place more stringent
environmental legislation.

The Commission is engaged in a dialogue on environmental issues with the Government of India and a
high-level working group with representatives from both sides meets on a regular basis to monitor
progress.

The Commission can therefore assure the Honourable Members that it follows the Bhopal tragedy as well
as other issues related to the regulatory framework and environmental concerns closely in its cooperation
activities with India.