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European Governance in nuclear issues
Decommissioning of Nuclear Installations Transport of Radioactive Material |
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OverviewRegardless of the future trends in the nuclear sector, existing nuclear installations must continue to be operated at a high level of safety and radioactive waste and stocks of spent fuel must be managed in a safe and environmentally sound manner. At the end of their operating lives, nuclear facilities must be decommissioned in accordance with agreed safe practice, and high standards are required in the transport of radioactive materials. There is a growing EU perspective on all these activities, which also considers the situation in the EU Candidate Countries. The protection of the public and the workforce from the harmful effects of ionising radiation forms the basis on which these broader issues of safety and waste management are developed. This issue of radiation protection is one in which the Commission has traditionally an important role to play, and its responsibilities also extend to many practices and situations outside the nuclear power sector such as use of radiation for medical purposes and exposure from environmental sources. The legal basis for the majority of these activities is provided by the EURATOM Treaty (see main menu - Legislation). Under this Treaty, important European Commission services have also been established in the fields of non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and supply of nuclear fuel (see main menu - Nuclear Safeguards and EURATOM Supply Agency). However, with the nuclear industry currently supplying one-third of the EU's electricity, the subject of nuclear energy is also part of a much wider debate on the security of future energy supplies in the EU, competitiveness, the single energy market, state aids and greenhouse gas emissions. For insights into these and other issues, refer to:
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