On Tuesday 18 February, the Council of the EU approved the draft EU Regulation updating the application of Euratom safeguards, repealing the previous Regulation (Euratom) 302/2005 on the supervision of nuclear material established under the Euratom Treaty (see EUROPE 13440/36).
The amendments focus on reducing the administrative burden and a more gradual approach to declaration requirements based on “the strategic value of the material, rules on facilities holding small quantities of nuclear material and electronic declaration”.
The revision is also based on the introduction of nuclear control measures at an early stage in the planning and design of facilities, and rules on the disposal of spent fuel and radioactive waste.
The EU Council’s approval paves the way for the formal adoption of the new rules by the European Commission, which will also draw up guidelines for operators and evaluate the application of the new rules ten years after their entry into force.
The revised rules will come into force twenty days after publication of the regulation in the Official Journal of the EU. (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)