Brussels, 20/11/2009 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 20 November, the European Commission sent a reasoned opinion to Greece for failure to communicate in good time the measures for transposition into national law of the directive on surveillance and control of transfers of radioactive waste and waste nuclear fuel. The deadline for transposing the text was set at 25 December 2008. The directive, which replaces Directive 92/3 Euratom, extends a prior authorisation and control system for the crossborder transfer of radioactive waste, in order to ensure health protection for the population and workers and avoid smuggling of such waste. It extends its scope to waste fuel, namely nuclear fuel used in a nuclear installation. The directive improves and simplifies the existing authorisation procedure and allows destination or transit countries to be informed of transfers of radioactive waste or waste fuel towards or through their territory. (E.H./transl.jl)