Brussels, 25/06/2009 (Agence Europe) - The adoption by the Council of the EU on Thursday 25 June 2009 of the revised nuclear safety directive (unveiled by the European Commission at the end of 2008, see EUROPE 9782, amended by the European Parliament in April 2009, see EUROPE 9889, and backed by the European Economic and Social Committee in June 2009, see EUROPE 9924) is a major step for achieving a common legal framework and a strong safety culture in Europe, making the EU the first major regional nuclear actor to provide binding legal force to the main international nuclear safety standards, namely the Safety Fundamentals established by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the obligations resulting from the 2006 Convention on Nuclear Safety, and the underlying obligations under the Nuclear Safety Convention signed in 1996 under the aegis of the IAEA. The EU27 has the largest number of nuclear power plants in the world and a number of Member States are planning investment or life-time extensions of nuclear power plants and there is therefore a need for a common approach to guarantee the highest level of nuclear safety by establishing binding rules with regard to the safety of nuclear plants. The revised nuclear safety directive requires Member States to introduce and continually improve their nuclear safety systems. It also boosts the role and independence of national regulatory authorities, confirming that the prime responsibility for nuclear safety is in the hands of the holders of licences. The directive obliges Member States to encourage a high level of openness about regulatory action and to ensure regular, independent monitoring of nuclear safety. "Nuclear safety is an absolute priority for the EU. This Nuclear Safety Directive brings legal certainty by clarifying responsibilities and provides increased guarantees to the public as required by EU citizens. It sets binding principles for enhancing nuclear safety to protect workers and the general public, as well as the environment. Continuous development of nuclear safety is a responsibility not just for Europe, but for the world; not simply for us but also for coming generations”, commented EU Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs in a press release. (E.H. trans fl)