Motion for a resolution - B5-0894/2000Motion for a resolution
B5-0894/2000

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

7 December 2000

further to Oral Questions B5‑0554/2000 and B5‑0555/2000
pursuant to Rule 42(5) of the Rules of Procedure
by Gerardo Galeote Quecedo and Edward H.C. McMillan-Scott
on behalf of the PPE-DE Group
on the British nuclear submarine in Gibraltar

Procedure : 2000/2644(RSP)
Document stages in plenary
Document selected :  
B5-0894/2000
Texts tabled :
B5-0894/2000
Debates :
Votes :
Texts adopted :

B5‑0894/2000

European Parliament resolution on the British nuclear submarine in Gibraltar

The European Parliament,

A.  whereas the British military nuclear submarine 'Tireless' entered the port of Gibraltar in May this year, for repair, after suffering what has been described as a 'small crack in a cooling pipe near its nuclear reactor',

B.  whereas there are Community rules on the protection of the general public from ionising radiation,

C.  whereas the Commission has written to the United Kingdom government requesting appropriate information on the conditions under which the submarine is being repaired,

D.  whereas the Spanish and British authorities are in close contact to ensure a permanent follow-up of the situation and of the repairs being carried out,

1.  Appreciates the concerns of the surrounding population at the situation and points out that the incident also touches the crew-members and their families;

2.  Considers that keeping the population informed is of the utmost importance, not only in objective terms and for objective reasons, but also because of public sensitivity in nuclear matters, however small the amount of nuclear material involved;

3.  Calls upon the Commission to inform the European Parliament of the answers given by the United Kingdom government to its request for information and to state its view on the applicability to this case of Directives 96/29/Euratom (Article 50) and 89/618/Euratom (Article 5), together with 92/3/Euratom in the event of shipment of radioactively-contaminated water;

4.  Requests the Commission to play its part, in conjunction with the Governments of the United Kingdom and Spain in the search for the safest solution for the repair of this submarine, while keeping the general public informed and reassured;

5.  Calls upon the Commission to keep the European Parliament fully informed of the steps taken to ensure that Community obligations in this case are respected;

6.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the governments and Parliaments of the Member States, and of the applicant states.