Brussels, 26/04/2016 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 26 April, the 30th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident (former USSR, Ukraine), the European Commission stated that the EU was “at the forefront” of international assistance and solidarity to make the site environmentally safe and to attenuate the socio-economic impact of the disaster.
“The Chernobyl accident on 26 April 1986 caused devastation and suffering on a large scale. Lives were tragically lost; families were uprooted. Even now, 30 years later, people in Ukraine, Belarus and other affected countries continue to struggle with the long-term health and environmental consequences of the disaster. This human dimension of the disaster remains in our minds”, say High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, and European Commissioners Maros Sefcovic (Energy Union), Johannes Hahn (Neighbourhood) and Neven Mimica (International Cooperation) in a joint statement.
With €730 million committed to assistance projects dealing mainly with the safety of the site, but also with socio-economic projects to improve living conditions outside the Chernobyl exclusive zone (following an initiative of the European Parliament, the Commission states), the EU is at the forefront of international efforts to manage the consequences of the Chernobyl accident.
On Monday 25 April, the Commission announced new funding of €20 million (out of the €45 million pledged by the G7 and EU in April 2015) as part of the funds managed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to decommission reactors 1 and 3 safely.
Of the €730 million so far committed by the EU for Chernobyl, €550 million has been allocated to nuclear safety projects (€470 million of which has been allocated through international funds and €80 million directly implemented by the Commission). With an envelope of €430 million, the EU is the top contributor to the project making the site of the current shelter over Chernobyl's destroyed reactor 4 stable and environmentally safe.
In addition, €100 million has been allocated to research projects, €65 million to electricity production support projects and €15 million to social projects. “The European Union will continue to work with Ukraine, the EBRD, G7 countries and other international donors to ensure that the projects are brought to a successful conclusion”, the Commission states. (Original version in French by Emmanuel Hagry)