Overview

European Nuclear Energy Forum

Public consultations

Nuclear Safety

European Governance in nuclear issues

Radioactive Waste

Decommissioning of Nuclear Installations

Radiation Protection

Transport of Radioactive Material

Nuclear Safeguards

EURATOM Supply Agency

Publications and Reports

Legislation

Legislation

EURATOM Treaty

The Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC or EURATOM Treaty) is one of the founding treaties of the European Union. The Treaty was originally drafted in the 1950s and addresses the issues in the field of nuclear power that were relevant at that time. These include radiation protection of the work force and the public (Chapter III), the supply of nuclear fissile materials for the developing nuclear power sector (Chapter VI), the safeguarding of this nuclear fissile materials to prevent it from being used for unauthorised military purposes (Chapter VII) and general aspects such as research and dissemination of information. Under the provisions of the EURATOM Treaty, the European Commission acquired the status of a supranational regulatory authority in three areas: radiation protection, supply of nuclear fissile materials and nuclear safeguards. Of these, the former has clear relevance to the operation of all facilities handling radioactive substances, whether they are nuclear power plants, radioactive waste storages / disposal facilities or institutions outside the nuclear power sector such as research centres and hospitals. In all these facilities, certain EU-wide norms of limiting radiation exposure must be respected. However, the EURATOM Treaty makes little or no specific mention of aspects such as operational safety of nuclear power plants and radioactive waste storages or disposal facilities (i.e. criteria or norms to be respected, during either design or operation of these facilities). This may have been because at the time the Treaty was drawn up, these were not major concerns. As a result, regulatory activities in these areas have developed along national lines under the responsibility of national authorities. International organisations such as the IAEA and, to a lesser extent, the OECD/NEA have, through their efforts, resulted in a certain standardisation at the qualitative level of the design, operational and maintenance aspects of these nuclear installations. Several international conventions have helped to establish a culture of best practice amongst the Member States of these organisations (which include all the EU Member States).

The current proposals by the Commission in the area of nuclear safety will reconcile this arbitrary distinction between safety in the broad sense and health protection of the public and the workforce.