Brussels, 05/11/2002 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission is expected to adopt on Wednesday the "package" of proposals on nuclear safety submitted by the Commissioner with responsibility for energy, Loyola de Palacio, and aimed at giving the EU binding standards applicable to the applicant countries as well. According to well informed sources, "there were not any major differences of views" between the Heads of Cabinet meeting last week, which suggests that the proposals on the following questions will be approved: (1) safety standards and decommissioning funds; (2) management of radioactive waste; (3) agreement with Russia on supplying fissionable material to the applicant states. The Commissioner will later present a specific communication on the transport of radioactive material, possibly accompanied by legislative proposals.
Community standards on nuclear safety and decommissioning fund: Mrs de Palacio wishes to set into place common standards inspired by those of the International Atomic Energy Agency and Member States' standards. On the basis of these proposals, the Council, after having consulted Parliament and acting by qualified majority, would fix basic standards. A "corpus" of minimum standards would be operational at the time of enlargement, but would evolve over time. The Member States would have to report regularly on measures taken. In addition, Member State experts would be charged with checking how the authorities control their systems (and not with controlling nuclear installations on the ground), which would enable the Commission to keep track of Member States' conduct and, if need be, to issue recommendations or impose penalties. Every two years, the Commission will publish a report on the state of nuclear safety in the EU. As for the decommissioning funds proposed, the Commissioner considers that it is the responsibility of nuclear installations operators to constitute such funds, and not the States. The Commission would also report on the funds and could take the measures needed in abnormal situations.
Management of radioactive waste: While favouring research on waste management technologies, Mrs de Palacio considers that permanent deep land disposal is the best solution, particularly for the most dangerous waste. She would like to see the EU Member States adopt programmes for deep land disposal and that authorisation decisions for the choice of storage sites be taken in 2008 at the latest (the sites must be operational in 2018 for highly radioactive waste and in 2013 for low-level radioactive waste).
Supplying applicant states with fissionable material: this proposal is aimed at obtaining a negotiating brief with Russia to settle the sensitive question of supplying the applicant states with fissionable material (see Europe of 13 September, page 9).