Brussels, 11/06/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 11 June, the committee of member states' permanent representatives to the EU (Coreper) took note of the agreement on the revised nuclear safety directive reached on 28 May by the EU28 experts on atomic safety issues. This agreement follows the European Parliament's positive advisory opinion given in early April (see EUROPE 11053) and it is still to be formally approved at ministerial level. The new text will enter into force 20 days after its publication in the Official Journal of the EU, and the member states will have three years to transpose it into national legislation.
Developed in the light of the Fukushima disaster in March 2011, and at the request of the European Council, the new text will amend Directive 2009/71/Euratom in order to set EU-wide nuclear safety objectives aiming to limit the consequences of a potential nuclear accident and to cover the lifecycle of nuclear installations (choice of site, design, construction, commissioning, operation and de-commissioning) - including on-site emergency preparedness and response.
One of the main objectives of the new text is the obligation for peer reviews - every six years, starting from 2017 - of the safety of nuclear installations, in line with the stress tests of nuclear power plants in Europe carried out by the national nuclear safety authorities in cooperation with European regulators' group on safety (ERGEG) in 2011-2012.
The directive also strengthens the independence and role of the national nuclear safety authorities. As the consequences of a nuclear accident are not contained within national borders, the new text encourages close cooperation and coordination, as well as the exchange of information between the safety authorities of the member states situated in the neighbourhood of any nuclear plant where an accident takes place.
In addition, the revised directive strengthens transparency on nuclear safety issues. The arrangements on the information to be provided to the public are set out as regards the type of information to provide, and the public will be able to participate in the relevant stages of the decision-making process on nuclear installations - in line with the national framework and taking account of the different national systems.
The member states will have to organise periodic self-assessments of their national framework and their relevant safety authorities at least every ten years. They will also have to request an international peer review of the relevant segments of their national framework and their competent authorities.
The member states will have to submit a first report to the European Commission on the implementation of the revised directive by 22 July 2014 at the latest, and then another by 22 July 2020. (EH)