Article
1968 Nuclear crash: MEPs consider petition on aftermath
Petitions - 09-05-2007 - 13:54
Just some of the petitions Parliament receives
On a cold and windy Sunday in January 1968, a US bomber with nuclear weapons crashed near Thule Air base in North-West Greenland. Locals and US personnel from the base ran to the crash site to see if there was anything they could do. Jeffry Carswell was one person who helped clear up the debris from the crash. He later developed cancer and holds that the Danish government did not sufficiently deal with the consequences of the crash. His petition asking for redress will be debated by MEPs today.
This is a highly unusual case. In 1968 Greenland was part of Denmark and Copenhagen was 5 years away from membership of the then European Community - it joined in 1973. Moreover, after achieving home rule in 1979 from Denmark, Greenland eventually voted to leave the EEC in 1985.
The unusual nature of the case - and the questions it raises about responsibility - is one of the reasons Parliament's Petitions committee has invoked the sparingly-used Rule 192. This rule allows a report on a petition to be submitted to the whole House.
"Consequences which nuclear accidents have for ordinary citizens"
Parliament's rapporteur on the issue is British Liberal MEP Diana Wallis. Speaking ahead of the debate on Wednesday she said the issue is much wider than Greenland and Denmark as it is about "the consequences which nuclear accidents have for ordinary citizens. It raises questions of principle and has implications for many citizens across Europe". She went on to say that "the report (on Mr Carswell petition) sends a firm but careful message to all Member States that health and safety considerations of individual citizens must be paramount in such situations".
A key legal aspect is the applicability - or not - of the Euratom Treaty. Denmark was not a signatory to the treaty in '68 and has therefore refused to recognise its applicability. MEPs on the Petitions Committee disagree with this analysis.
Right of petition since Maastricht
The Treaty on the European Union (Maastricht) has since 1993 given EU citizens the right to petition the European Parliament to raise concerns regarding the activities and policies of the European Union. Last year alone Parliament's Petition's Committee received over 1000 such petitions.
When petitions are received the Committee hears all the relevant evidence before reaching a decision. They can press the European Commission or individual countries to take action on a specific case or areas. If sufficiently convinced, the Commission can instigate legal proceedings at the European Court of Justice - the result of which will be legally binding. MEPs cans also pass resolutions to show their political support for a petitioner. After the debate this Wednesday evening MEPs will vote on a resolution on Thursday concerning Mr Carswell's petition.
As mentioned, the use of rule 192 and the involvement of the whole House are rare since the Petitions Committee usually deals with these issues. In this Parliamentary term (since 2004) it has only been used twice; in 2005 the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the application of building legislation under Valencian Land Law in Spain, following a petition submitted to the EP. Another such case happened the same year, when the EP adopted a resolution on the confiscation of automobiles by the Greek authorities.
REF.: 20070507STO06334