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3 . 12 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 327/1 I (Information) EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT WRITTEN QUESTIONS WITH ANSWER WRITTEN QUESTION No 1649/91 4 . Is any action due to be taken on Parliament's resolution by the following members : Paul Lannoye, Solange Fernex, of 16 March 1989, paragraphs 43 and 44 of which are Claudia Roth, Herman Verbeek, Virginio Bettini, aimed at imposing strict controls on the possible Eva-Maria Quistorp, Didier Anger and military applications of genetic engineering ? Gianfranco Amendola ( V ) 5 . What action does the Commission intend to take to to the Commission of the, European Communities monitor and, where necessary, restrict or ban the use (25 July 1991 ) within the territory of the Community of products and ( 93/C 327/01 technology which could be used for military purposes ? (!) OJ No L 50, 22 . 2 . 1989 , p. 1 . Subject: Initiatives by the Commission to restrict arms proliferation The events in the Middle East have once again highlighted Answer given by Mr Van den Broek the problem of the proliferation of nuclear , chemical and on behalf of the Commission bacteriological weapons . Iraq is not an isolated case , and (22 September 1993) international treaties and conventions have so far failed to curb generalized proliferation which constitutes a major threat to international security. With reference to the November 1991 answer to question No 1650/91 in the context of European Political Cooperation, the Commission can now provide Several European States bear considerable responsibility in Honourable Members with further information on this area, which is a reason why the Community should take developments relating to nuclear and chemical weapons effective action without delay, pending revision of such non-proliferation measures . treaties and conventions . As to the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons , the Member 1 . Has not the time come for the Community as a body to States, in the context of a meeting of the States adhering to sign the nuclear non-proliferation treaty ? the Nuclear Supplier Guidelines ( Warsaw, April 3 , 1992 ), adopted a policy on full scope safeguards as a condition of 2 . Does the revision of the Euratom Treaty include any future nuclear supplies . This implies that transfer of nuclear plans to strengthen controls on the sale of nuclear facilities, equipment components, material and technology, technology ? as referred to in the export trigger list of the guidelines ( INFCIRC/254 ), shall only be authorized to a non-nuclear weapon State if that State has brought into force an 3 . Is Council Regulation ( EEC ) No 428/89 ( 1 ) on the agreement with the IAEA requiring the application of export of certain chemical products to be amended so safeguards on all source and special fissile material in its that, in particular, the list of products subject to prior current and future peaceful nuclear activities . Exceptions authorization is extended and the regulation itself made are only possible if a transfer is deemed essential for the safe applicable to the technology and 'know-how' which operation of existing facilities to which safeguards are would enable chemical weapons to be manufactured ? applied . No C 327/2 Official Journal of the European Communities 3 . 12 . 93 At the 1993 plenary meeting in Lucerne ( from 30 March to strict verification procedures . Chemical-weapons 1 April ), the Group endorsed a proposal for an amendment disarmament will take as long as ten years and will be to the Guidelines to incorporate the requirement of extremely costly — perhaps more so than Start . The full-scope safeguards as a condition of supply in the official Member States all signed the convention, subject to document INFCIRC 1254 . It again called on nuclear declarations safeguarding their obligations as members of supplier countries which have not yet adopted such a policy the Community, and hope , as does the Community itself, to do so as soon as possible . that many more countries will follow suit ( there are already 138 signatories ). During the Warsaw meeting, the adherents to the Guidelines decided to adopt the so-called Nuclear Related Dual Use At Community level, the Commission's comprehensive July Export Control Regime ( INFCIRC/254/Revision I, Part 2 ). 1992 proposal on export controls on dual-use goods and This regime comprises a set of guidelines for the export of technologies goes further than the proposal ( dated nuclear related dual-use equipment . 19 March 1990 ) for an amendment to the Council Regulation of 20 February 1989 on exports of certain chemicals , in that it contains a single provision for all the At the subsequent Lucerne meeting, the Members noted that products identified by the 'Australian group' and provides a the regime became effective on 1 January 1993 . They more satisfactory Community framework for controls . pledged their full cooperation to ensure its successful implementation . These measures correspond to the guidelines laid down at The 1991 proposals made by the Community and its the European Council meeting in Lisbon in June 1992 for Member States to the IAEA to improve the effectiveness , the development of the common foreign and security policy efficiency and credibility of the international safeguards in 'areas open to joint action', further specified by the regime have received due consideration . Council on 7 December of that year, which include 'control of the transfer of military technology'. At the moment the framework for such measures remains the Luxembourg In several meetings this year, the Board of Governors European Council meeting's goal of 'harmonization of expressed its resolve to take all appropriate measures that national policies' on exports and export controls . could lead to a more effective safeguards system . Two such measures taken up were : — universal reporting of exports, imports and inventories of nuclear material; and — universal reporting of exports and imports of certain equipment and non-nuclear material . WRITTEN QUESTION No 2919/91 by Mrs Cristiana Muscardini ( NI ) Pending further consideration by the Board , it was concluded that States willing to do so might provide the to the Commission of the European Communities Agency, on a voluntary basis, with the relevant (19 December 1991 ) information . 93/C 327/02 Also , action has been started by the IAEA to secure the early provision of design information . Subject: Protection of the Italian cultural heritage The Community and its Member States are now taking the necessary steps to be able to provide the Agency with the In view of the Italian Government's scandalous lack of information required . concern for Italy's artistic heritage ( in the last ten years over 100 000 works of art, including paintings, sculptures , coins and archaelogical finds have disappeared; in 1990 almost In the meantime, the Geneva Conference of Disarmament 400 works of art disappeared from state museums and a succeeded in September 1992 in concluding a similar number from other public museums; 2 200 rare chemical-weapons ban convention subsequently submitted objects were stolen from churches and convents and almost for approval by the 47th UN General Assembly and signed 6 000 from private collections ), does the Commission not in Paris on 13 January 1993 . The convention is due to come consider a directive should be issued without delay requiring into force in 1995 ; it is non-discriminatory and contains museums to install systems for the prevention of theft and 3 . 12 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 327/3 fire ? Does the Commission not also consider that this currently holding consultations with the relevant national directive should require artistic objects to be catalogued and authorities so that once the Treaty on European Union information to be made available to museum visitors ( including Article 128 on culture ) comes into force, a ( neither of which is done in Italy, where cataloguing was communication can be drawn up on the cultural started in the 1930s but was interrupted during the war and heritage . has never been carried out systematically ? Does it not consider that it should issue a 'moral ' condemnation of the In the context of the completion of the single market and the Italian Government for its culpable neglect of an artistic and abolition of internal border checks, moreover the Council cultural heritage which reflects the history and traditions of has adopted a regulation on the export of cultural goods not only Italy, but of Europe as a whole ? ( Regulation ( EEC ) No 3911/92 of 9 December 1992 ) and a directive on the return of cultural goods unlawfully removed from the territory of a Member State ( Directive 93/7/EEC of 15 March 1993 ). Answer given by Mr Pinheiro These measures , which set out to reconcile the fundamental on behalf of the Commission principle of the free movement of goods with that of the protection of 'national treasures', supplement national (2 August 1993) safeguards and thus afford new and additional protection for cultural goods within the Community . The role of the Commission in protecting and safeguarding In this specific context, cooperation between the competent the cultural heritage is clearly defined , notably in the authorities of the Member States may also be expected to conclusions of the Council and the Ministers for Culture of play an increasingly important role . 12 November 1992 on the 'guidelines for Community cultural action'. (!) COM(92 ) 149 final . Once ratified , Article 128 of the Treaty on European Union will serve to consolidate this role , which is to promote cooperation between Member States and , where appropriate , to support and supplement the action they take , whilst acknowledging the preponderant role played by WRITTEN QUESTION No 179/92 the Member States and the subsidiary nature of Community by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( S ) action in this sphere . to the Commission of the European Communities (10 February 1992) It should be stressed , however, that Article 128 gives the ( 93/C 327/03 ) Community no powers to initiate the harmonization of Member States' laws and regulations in this area .