Brussels, 26/11/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 26 November, the European Commission presented a revised proposal for a directive setting up a Community framework for nuclear safety. This defines basic obligations and general principles for the safety of nuclear installations in the EU while enhancing the role of national regulatory bodies. Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs declared: “This directive will benefit EU citizens by improving their safety and giving them legal certainty. Member states will have a common reference framework for their respective national nuclear safety systems and retain the right to apply more stringent rules if required”.
So far, there has only been limited standardisation of safety requirements between member states. The objective of the proposal is to achieve, maintain and continuously improve nuclear safety and its regulation in the Community and to enhance the role of the regulatory bodies. Its scope of application is the design, siting, construction, maintenance, operation and decommissioning of nuclear installations, for which consideration of safety is required under the legislative and regulatory framework of the member state concerned. The right of each member state to use nuclear energy or not in its energy mix is recognised and fully respected as part of the subsidiarity principle.
The proposal, which replaces and updates the one tabled in September 2004, is based on the obligations of the Convention on Nuclear Safety (CNS) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Safety Fundamentals. The proposal foresees that the Commission present a report to the Council on progress made with the implementation of this directive, accompanied, if appropriate, by legislative proposals. The draft proposal is available in English at: (http: //ec.europa.eu/energy/nuclear/safety/doc/2008_nuclear_ safety_directive_proposal_council_proposal_euratom.pdf). (O.L./transl.rh)