Brussels, 05/10/2012 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament, which is excluded de facto from most decisions taken by the Euratom Treaty on the nuclear option, nonetheless has its word to say in the debate on safety, given the all-powerful national regulators, for greater transparency to the advantage of citizens.
After publication of the results of stress tests on the EU's nuclear power plants, the chairperson of the European Parliament's energy committee, Amalia Sartori (EPP, Italy), hopes to provide impetus for continued debates on safety within the only democratically elected Community body. “This subject is very sensitive and several member states have reviewed their nuclear policy in the light of the current events. The debate will go on since political choices in this field are not easy”, she commented on Thursday 4 October. The energy committee is to carefully examine the recommendations of the European Commission, updated that same day, which reveal that, although a high level of reactor safety norms has been confirmed, there is still room for improvement (see EUROPE 10703). It will also carefully follow the impact of the results on the ongoing and forthcoming EU legislation in the field of nuclear safety, Sartori said.
In this respect, speaking through the voice of Pilar Del Castillo of Spain and Romana Jordan of Romania, the Christian Democrats Group (EPP) calls for revision of the 2009 directive on safety saying: “In light of the Commission's report, the legal framework has to be reinforced, as well as the self-organisation of the EU's nuclear energy sector”. The aim is to place emphasis on transparency, cooperation between regulators and with ENSREG. The revised directive should, on the basis of the stress tests, “include ambitious but reasonable minimum standards. This should include provisions such as on-site emergency preparedness and response, strong and independent regulatory bodies”, they explain.
On the side of the European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR), Konrad Szymanski of Poland said: “Lessons must be learnt from the EU's stress tests of nuclear facilities across the bloc, but the exercise must not be used to promote one EU member state's political agenda against nuclear power”. He went on to stress: “Commissioner Oettinger is responsible for energy policy across all 27 EU countries. It would be extremely disappointing if this became an exercise in forcing Germany's position on nuclear energy down the throats of other countries”.
The Socialists & Democrats (S&D) recommend phasing out atomic power on which the Commission must work in close coordination with national governments, but “phasing out must not mean neglecting maintenance during the life of a plant”, said Teresa Riera Madurell of Spain.
On the side of the ecologists, Michèle Rivasi of France calls for safety to be brought within the scope of European competence, saying (our translation): “We must go beyond national prerogatives as radioactive clouds know no borders and threaten all European countries. Pro-nuclear nationalism has come back at top speed and is waking up the old demons of the past in favour of a nuclear state. However, the irresponsibility of over-complacent states must not be to the detriment of the protection of the European population”. (EH/transl.jl)