Europe Gets Tough on Nuclear Safety

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--The European Union (E.U.) is cracking down on nuclear power plant safety by endorsing the Nuclear Safety Directive, which gives E.U. regulators the power to legally enforce safety measures in member states.

The decision by the Council of the Nuclear Safety Directive makes the E.U. the first major nuclear region to provide a binding legal framework for the Safety Fundamentals established by the International Atomic Energy Agency (Vienna, Austria) and the obligations resulting from the Convention on Nuclear Safety. The move is seen as a major step toward making nuclear power safer throughout the region, especially as the E.U. expands membership to former Soviet countries that operate older nuclear reactors with poor safety records. The E.U. derives about 30% of its power from nuclear sources and has the largest number of nuclear power plants in the world.

The legal backing for safety comes as member states such as the U.K. are planning new nuclear builds and while many others are seeking to extend the life of older nuclear plants in order to meet growing electricity demand, improve security of the power supply and tackle climate change. The new Nuclear Safety Directive aims to set out a common approach to guarantee the highest level of nuclear safety using binding rules for nuclear installations.

"This Nuclear Safety Directive sets binding principles for enhancing nuclear safety to protect workers and the general public, as well as the environment," said European Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs. "Nuclear safety is an absolute priority for the E.U. This Nuclear Safety Directive brings legal certainty by clarifying responsibilities and provides increased guarantees to the public as required by E.U. citizens. ...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."

The Directive requires member states to set up and continuously improve national nuclear safety frameworks. The directive is designed to be absorbed into national regulatory authorities and reinforces the principle that the prime responsibility for safety lies with the nuclear-licence holders.

The European Atomic Forum (Foratom) (Brussels, Belgium), the trade association representing the European nuclear industry, voiced its support for the new Nuclear Safety Directive. Foratom's Director General, Santiago San Antonio, said, "Safety has always been and will always remain our industry's primary consideration. We welcome the adoption of the Directive, which is a significant step forward in the development of nuclear energy in Europe."

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