EURATOM TREATY: EUROPEAN COMMISSIONERS DEMAND STOP TO FRENCH NUCLEAR TESTS

BRUSSELS, Wednesday 6 September, 1995 --Welcoming today's European Union Commission call for a stay on French nuclear testing, Greenpeace today urged all European Governments to use the breathing space it should provide to reach an urgent agreement with France to halt any further tests.

Less than 12 hours after France detonated its first nuclear test at Moruroa Atoll, the European Commission has asked France to provide more information on the impact of testing and it wants this before any further test. Using Article 34 of the EURATOM Treaty, the Commission has requested that France supply detailed information on planned health and safety measures before giving its consent to France.

Speaking from a Greenpeace vigil outside the Commission's headquarters in Brussels, Louise Gale of Greenpeace's European Unit said: "Greenpeace welcomes the Commission's recognition of its responsibility to protect the environment from the effects of French nuclear tests.

"France must act responsibly and abide by the Commission's request to suspend its testing programme," said Gale.

"This decision gives the vital opportunity for other European Governments to meet with France and find a way to help France terminate its testing programme," Gale said.

"Everyone knows these tests are technically unnecessary, " Gale said. "The world can't wait for lengthy negotiations -- governments should now secure an urgent political accord with the French to halt the tests before the ongoing negotiations of a treaty to ban all nuclear tests are finalised."

Greenpeace activists maintained a vigil outside the European Commission headquarters before the decision.

Protests are continuing around the globe following the first French test detonated at 11.39am (local time, Moruroa). This morning, Greenpeace protests are being staged in Australia, Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Italy, Ireland, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, Ukraine and USA.

For more information contact: Louise Gale at the Greenpeace European Unit ++32 2 280 1400
Simon Carroll, Greenpeace International political unit ++31 20 523 6288 or 6211
or Desley Mather, Greenpeace Communications ++44 171 833 0600

* Notes to Editors

1. The EURATOM Treaty (the Treaty establishing European Atomic Energy Community) is one of the founding Treaties of the European Community and was signed in 1957.

2. Article 34 EURATOM obliges France to give the European Commission information on the additional health and safety measures in place for "particularly dangerous experiments", and obliges the Commission to give its opinion on these measures before such experiments are carried out, and its prior approval where the effects of such experiments are likely to affect the territories of other Member States, e.g. Pitcairn Island, under UK jurisdiction.

3. Article 35 EURATOM gives the European Commission the right to inspect nuclear facilities to verify the operation and efficiency of their monitoring of radioactivity levels on the air, water and soil, and to ensure compliance with basic health and safety standards to protect the health of workers and general public.

4. Article 148 EURATOM means that if the Commission fails to take a decision on Article 34 EURATOM, a Member State or the European Parliament could take the Commission to the European Court of Justice.

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