The resolution reflects an increasingly outspoken position from the European Parliament on the issue of uranium weapons. It begins with a call for EU member states to submit reports on DU to the UN Secretary General in line with last year's General Assembly resolution and classifies DU along with cluster bombs and landmines as inhumane. In response to the wealth of new information on DU's threat to health, it then requests that the European Council and Commission launch studies into areas where DU has been used.

It then calls for a halt to the deployment of military and civilian personnel in areas where DU has been used and urges member states to provide information on DU hazards to service personnel and civilian organisations.

The resolution goes on to request that an environmental inventory recording the use of uranium weapons is set up and that a financial mechanism is put in place for victim assistance in contaminated areas.

EU and NATO member states are finally urged to impose a moratorium on DU's use and to redouble efforts that may lead to a global ban. Moreover it calls on the EU to take a lead in working towards this goal if a link is made between uranium weapons and ill health is proved.

The resolution was proposed by the Greens/European Free Alliance. ICBUW acted in an advisory role during the drafting of the text.

 http://www.bandepleteduranium.org/en/a/181.html

The outcome of the final vote:

Total votes 521.

In favour: 491
Against: 18
Abstentions: 12


RESOLUTION

tabled by:

- Els De Groen, Caroline Lucas and Angelika Beer - on behalf of the Green/EFA Group

- on behalf of PSE

- on behalf of PPE

- on behalf of ALDE

- on behalf of GUE/NGL

- on behalf of UEN

P6_TA-PROV(2008)0233

Global treaty to ban uranium weapons

PE 401.545

European Parliament resolution of 22 May 2008 on (depleted) uranium weapons and their effect on human health and the environment – towards a global ban on the use of such weapons

The European Parliament,

– having regard to its previous resolutions on the harmful effects of the use of uranium (including depleted uranium) in conventional weapons,

– having regard to the UN Secretary-General's speech on the occasion of the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict (6 November 2002),

– having regard to UN General Assembly resolution A/RES/62/30, adopted on 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 and their implications for civilian populations,

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,

D. whereas the last few years have seen great advances in terms of understanding the environmental and health hazards posed by depleted uranium, and whereas it is high time that this was reflected in international military standards, as they develop,

E. whereas the use of depleted uranium in warfare runs counter to the basic rules and principles enshrined in written and customary international, humanitarian and environmental law,

1. Urges the Member States to adhere to paragraph 1 of the above-mentioned UN resolution and to submit a report with their views on the effects of the use of armaments and ammunition containing depleted uranium;

2. Recommends that the EU High Representative include in the forthcoming revised version of the European Security Strategy the need to give serious thought to the future utility of unguided munitions, as well as cluster bombs, mines and other weapons of indiscriminate effect, such as depleted uranium weapons;

3. Requests the Council and the Commission to commission scientific studies into the use of depleted uranium in all regions where European and international military and civilian personnel have been deployed;

4. Urges Member States, within the framework of future operations, not to use depleted uranium weapons in European Security and Defence Policy operations and not to deploy 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;

5. Urges Member States, the Council and the Commission to provide full information to their military and civilian personnel on mission, as well as to their professional organisations, about the probability that depleted uranium has been or might be used in their region of operations, and to take sufficient protective measures;

6. 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 that could assist victims and their relatives as well as for clean-up operations in the affected areas, should a negative effect on human health and the environment be confirmed;

7. Strongly reiterates its call on all Member States and NATO countries to impose a moratorium on the use of depleted uranium weapons and to redouble efforts towards a global ban, as well as systematically to halt production and procurement of this type of weaponry;

8. Calls on the Member States and the Council to take the lead in working – through the UN or through a 'coalition of the willing' – towards an international treaty establishing a ban on the development, production, stockpiling, transfer, testing and use of uranium weapons as well as the destruction or recycling of existing stocks, should there be conclusive scientific evidence of harm caused by such weapons;

9. 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 and the United Nations Environmental Programme, the European Organisation of Military Associations, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the World Health Organization.