C 65 E/56 Official Journal of the European Union EN 13.3.2004 Further information can be obtained from the following authorities: Ministero delle Politiche Agricole e Forestali Direzione genrale Pesca e Acquacoltura Viale dell’Arte, 16 00144 Roma Tel. +39 06 59084203 Fax +39 06 59084818 e-mail: [email protected] Contatto: Giovanni Granato Regione Lazio Direzione generale Sviluppo Agricolo e Mondo Rurale Area Pesca Via Rosa Raimondi Garibaldi, 7 00147 Roma Tel +39 06 51684286 Fax +39 06 51683872 e-mail: [email protected] Contatto: A. Brunori Regione Marche Servizio Attività Ittiche, Commercio, Caccia e Pesca soprtiva Via Tiziano, 44 60125 Ancona Tel +39 071 8063730 Fax +39 071 8063055 e-mail: [email protected] Contatto: Oriano Meconi Regione Toscana Servizio Sviluppo Agricolo e Rurale, Caccia e Pesca Via di Novoli, 26 50127 Firenze Tel +39 055 4383712 Fax +39 055 4385090 e-mail: [email protected] Contatto: Giovanni Guarneri (1) Commission Regulation (EC) No 366/2001 of 22 February 2001 laying down detailed rules for implementing the measures provided for in Council Regulation (EC) No 2792/1999, OJ L 55, 24.2.2001. (2004/C 65 E/057) WRITTEN QUESTION P-0901/03 by James Fitzsimons (UEN) to the Commission (17 March 2003) Subject: Devices for filtering radon gas from groundwater sources As the Commission is aware, naturally occurring radioactive gas can be found in groundwater. However, it is not clear how to filter out radon from the water. Is the Commission aware of this problem and does it know of ways or devices to filter out such gas? Answer given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission (10 April 2003) The Commission is aware of the problem of naturally occurring radon in groundwater sources, in particular when this water is used for drinking water. Commission Recommendation 2001/928/Euratom recommends that above a concentration of 100 Bq/l for public water supplies consideration be given to remedial action. 13.3.2004 EN Official Journal of the European Union C 65 E/57 A research project, Tenawa, on this particular problem was executed under the Nuclear Fission Safety (Euratom) programme. The overall objective of this project, which ended in 1999, was to study various removal methods and commercially available equipment and study their ability to remove natural nuclides from drinking water. The project studied a number of techniques such as aeration, granular activated carbon, ion exchange, and membrane technology. Some of these techniques achieved an efficiency above 99 % for the removal of radon. Further details on this project may be found at the projects web site: (http://iwga-sig.boku.ac.at/project/tenawa/tenawa1_e.htm) Under the Fifth Framework Programme, a currently running research project, Radwat, funded by the sub- programme Environment and Sustainable Development under the CRAFT scheme, is focused on developing an innovative radon measuring and monitoring system for use in groundwater. This two-year project will end in February 2004. (2004/C 65 E/058) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0920/03 by Antonio Tajani (PPE-DE) and Gerardo Galeote Quecedo (PPE-DE) to the Commission (24 March 2003) Subject: Release by the Netherlands authorities of Mullah Krekar Is the Commission aware that the Netherlands authorities have released Mullah Krekar, leader of the international Islamic organisation Ansar al-Islam? Is the Commission aware that Mullah Krekar, who was arrested at Amsterdam airport after being expelled from Iran is currently in Norway where he has refugee status? Is the Commission aware that the terrorist organisation headed by Mullah Krekar is said to have produced and tested chemical and biological weapons, including ricin, a lethal toxin for which there is currently no vaccine? What action will the Commission take to counteract Mullah Krekar’s activities and prevent him from ever entering the European Union, thereby ensuring that in future he is unable to move around within the EU as he did in the years leading up to his arrest? What action will the Commission take to ensure that Norway keeps a watchful eye on the activities of Mullah Krekar’s and his organisation, which seems to be recruiting many of the Al-Qa’ida members who escaped from Afghanistan? Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission (28 May 2003) The Commission is aware of Mr Krekar’s case. Following an amendment by the United Nations’ Sanctions Committee on 24 February 2003, Commission Regulation (EC) No 350/2003 of 25 February 2003 amending Council Regulation (EC) No 881/2002 (1), has included Ansar al-Islam in the list of ‘Legal persons, groups and entities’ to whom the freezing of funds and economic resources shall apply. Article 96 of Schengen Convention (2) provides for the possibility to prevent third country nationals from entering the territory of the Member States by issuing an alert on them in the Schengen Information System (SIS). This type of alerts to be introduced by a Member State must in principle be enforced by all 13 Member States which have fully implemented the Schengen acquis, or by States that have been associated with it, as Norway and Iceland have. The decision to issue an alert based on Article 96 of the Schengen Convention may be based on the fact that the third country national poses a threat to public policy or public security..