Council adopts Decision on Nuclear Safety
The Council of the European Union has announced a Decision (1999/25/Euratom) adopting a multiannual programme of actions in the nuclear sector. This relates to the safe transport of radioactive materials and to safeguards and industrial cooperation, to promote certain aspects of the safety of nuclear installations in the countries currently participating in the TACIS programme. The desire to promote safeguards for the issue of nuclear materials and a high degree of safety is one of the fundamental objectives of Community energy actions in the nuclear field. These are priority areas for the enlargement of the European Union. The Decision has been adopted within the multiannual framework for actions in the energy sector. It is a specific programme of actions in the nuclear sector relating to the safe transport of radioactive materials, and to safeguards and industrial cooperation to promote certain aspects of the safety of nuclear installations in countries participating in the TACIS programme. This will now be referred to as 'SURE', and will be implemented between 1998 to 2002. In addition to the priority objectives listed in Article 1(2) of the Decision 1999/21/EC, Euratom, the objectives of the SURE programme will be: - To review, and if necessary, harmonise safety practice in the transport of radioactive materials in the Community; - To help to establish, in countries participating in the TACIS programme, an effective and reliable system of safeguards through cooperation measures; - To promote industrial cooperation and cooperation among regulatory bodies with those countries, and the exchange of know-how within the nuclear industry to help them achieve high safety standards that are consistent with internationally recognised principles of nuclear safety for nuclear equipment and installations. The financial reference amount for the implementation of the SURE programme shall be ECU 9 million. Of this amount ECU 3.6m is for the period 1998 to 1999. The SURE programme will be open to participation by associated central and east European countries in accordance with the conditions, including financial provisions, laid down in the additional protocols to the Association agreements, or in the Association agreements themselves relating to participation in Community programmes. The SURE programme will also be open to participation from Cyprus.