Italy taken to task over nuclear safety programme
The European Commission has referred Italy to the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg because it feels that Italy has not effectively implemented the strict Euratom legislation on protecting the public in the event of a radiological emergency. The Commission believes that the Italian legislation does not give the general public sufficient advanced information on emergency plans. 'When preparing for radiological emergencies, providing the general public with advance information plays a decisive role in minimising the health effects in the event of a radiological accident,' reads a Commission statement. The Euratom legislation was set down in 1989 (89/618/Euratom - listing measures to protect the public against ionising radiation) and 1996 (96/29/Euratom - listing measures to protect the public against radiological emergency). The matter came to the attention of the European Commission after Italy passed its own legislation for reacting to radiological emergencies. A Commission release states that: 'Italian legislation does not comply with Euratom rules on the preparation of emergency plans and the prior information that must be provided to the general public in preparation for a radiological emergency.' The European Commission found that: 'the Italian Republic has not adopted all the necessary measures to comply with European legislation on preparation for radiological emergencies.' The Euratom treaty is one of the cornerstones of the European Union, ratified in the 1958 Treaty of Rome. 'The existence of a complete set of national rules is essential to ensure a high level of protection for the general public against the effects of ionising radiation,' reads the Commission's statement.
Countries
Italy