MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
14.5.2008
pursuant to Rule 108(5) of the Rules of Procedure
by Stefano Zappalà, Karl von Wogau, Urszula Gacek and Jana Hybášková
on behalf of the PPE-DE Group
on depleted uranium weapons
B6‑0223/2008
European Parliament resolution on depleted uranium weapons
The European Parliament,
– having regard to its previous resolutions on the harmful effects of the use of uranium (including depleted uranium) in conventional ammunition,
– having regard to the UN Secretary-General's speech of 6 November 2002 on the occasion of the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict,
– having regard to the UN General Assembly resolution of 5 December 2007 highlighting serious health concerns about the use of depleted uranium weapons,
– having regard to Rule 108(5) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas (depleted) uranium has been widely used in modern warfare, both as ammunition against hardened targets in rural and urban environments and as hardened armoured protection against missile and artillery attacks,
B. whereas, ever since its use by the allied forces in the first war against Iraq, there have been serious concerns about the radiological and chemical toxicity of the fine uranium particles produced when such weapons impact on hard targets; whereas concerns have also been expressed about the contamination of soil and groundwater by expended rounds that have missed their targets,
C. whereas, despite the fact that scientific research has so far been unable to find conclusive evidence of harm, there are numerous testimonies as to the harmful and often deadly effects on both military personnel and civilians,
1. Urges the Member States to adhere to paragraph 1 of the UN resolution adopted on 5 December 2007 and to submit a report with their views on the effects of the use of armaments and ammunition containing depleted uranium;
2. Requests the Council and Commission to commission scientific studies about the use of depleted uranium in all regions where European military and civilian personnel have been deployed within the framework of ESDP missions;
3. Urges Member States to avoid to the greatest possible extent the use of depleted uranium weapons in ESDP operations as well as the deployment of military and civilian personnel in regions where no guarantee can be given to the effect that depleted uranium has not been or will not be used;
4. Urges the Member States, the Council and the Commission to provide full information to their military and civilian personnel on mission about the probability that depleted uranium has been or might be used in their region of operations, and to take sufficient protective measures;
5. Calls on the Member States, the Council and the Commission to establish an environmental inventory of depleted uranium-contaminated areas (including testing ranges) and to provide full support – including financial support – for projects to assist victims and their relatives as well as for clean-up operations in the affected areas;
6. Calls on all EU Member States and NATO countries to draw the appropriate conclusions should scientific research find conclusive evidence of harm caused by such weapons;
7. Calls on the Member States and the Council to take the lead – should such evidence be forthcoming – in working towards an international treaty, through the UN or through a 'coalition of the willing', to establish a ban on the development, production, stockpiling, transfer, testing and use of uranium weapons as well as the destruction or recycling of existing stocks;
8. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, NATO and the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, the UN, the International Red Cross and the World Health Organisation.