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Working Document of the Commission Services
 7 September 1999
 

A Northern Dimension for the policies of the Union: 
An inventory of current activities 
 

5. Nuclear safety 

In 1998, the Commission adopted a Communication to the Council and the European Parliament on nuclear sector related activities for the applicant countries of Central and Eastern Europe and the New Independent States. Its aim is to define new orientations of Community activities in this field in order to make them more effective, seen in the overall context of the need to achieve sustainable energy sector reform in the partner countries based on sound economic, financial and environmental criteria, where assistance of the Union will continue in close cooperation with other international donors. The problems associated with radioactive wastes in North-West Russia are acute, and a cause for widespread concern, particularly in the neighbouring Scandinavian countries. The proposal for the new (“ex-TACIS”) regulation makes an explicit reference to the North- West Region, and to the management of radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel from ice breakers and sub-marines. 

Objectives Improvement of the safety culture in all nuclear safety activities: nuclear power plant and installations and the control and accountancy of nuclear materials (for preventing illicit traffic in nuclear materials), research cooperation, preparatory steps towards remediation to the situation created by radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel, Regulatory Authorities. 

Agreements · Nuclear Safety Account Agreement (Lithuania) · Nuclear Safety Account Agreement (Russia) · Russia has yet to ratify the Vienna Convention on Nuclear Liability, which will create the basis for future cooperation between EU and Russian industry. Final confirmation and approval of two agreements for Euratom-Russian cooperation on nuclear safety and on thermonuclear fusion is still outstanding. As an intermediate measure, a Memorandum of Understanding on Civil Nuclear Liability, specifically covering activities undertaken under the TACIS Programme, has been signed with the Russian Federation in 1995. · The Commission is presently preparing a request for mandate in order to take part in the negotiation of the "Multilateral Nuclear Environmental Programme for the Russian Federation" (MNEPR). This agreement should aim at harmonising the liability coverage for companies from various donors areas. It should be noted that many donors have already bilateral agreement on liability, tax exemption, audits, but there is a need for ensuring that any donor will be adequately covered. 

Cooperation The Commission has been active in this area since 1991, principally through the TACIS programme, and (since 1994) through the Commission’s department for “Environment” (DG XI) cooperation programme. Specific areas of involvement include: North-West Russia · A number of projects (total budget 5 MECU) on various aspects of radioactive waste management (interim storage, transport, disposal, overall management structure) in the region, including the establishment of an inventory of such waste on the Kola peninsula, assistance with the elaboration of a coherent radioactive waste policy and institutional support for its implementation. Another project aiming at drafting conceptual design for a repository for the radioactive waste was successfully implemented at Radon Sosnovy Bor. The construction of a cementation facility for radioactive waste at the Sorsnovy Bor Nuclear Power Plant is underway; · Development and licensing of a concrete and metal flask for the storage/transport of (damaged) spent fuel from icebreakers. The cost of this project (0.75 MECU) is shared with Norway and the US. The US are currently seeking to further develop this project and to involve other donors. · Participation (1.2 MECU) in the "Lepse" project (with Norway, France and NEFCO). This project is suffering delays due to lack of adequate liability provision for some donors. · On-site assistance to the Kola Nuclear Power Plant (totalling some 20 MECU since 1992). · On site assistance to the Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant (totalling about 19.8 MECU since 1992). In addition some cooperation was implemented between the Commission’s department for “Energy” (DG XVII) and Leningrad NPP on the control and accountancy of nuclear materials.
Agreements · Nuclear Safety Account Agreement (Lithuania) · Nuclear Safety Account Agreement (Russia) · Russia has yet to ratify the Vienna Convention on Nuclear Liability, which will create the basis for future cooperation between EU and Russian industry. Final confirmation and approval of two agreements for Euratom-Russian cooperation on nuclear safety and on thermonuclear fusion is still outstanding. As an intermediate measure, a Memorandum of Understanding on Civil Nuclear Liability, specifically covering activities undertaken under the TACIS Programme, has been signed with the Russian Federation in 1995. 
· The Commission is presently preparing a request for mandate in order to take part in the negotiation of the "Multilateral Nuclear Environmental Programme for the Russian Federation" (MNEPR). This agreement should aim at harmonising the liability coverage for companies from various donors areas. It should be noted that many donors have already bilateral agreement on liability, tax exemption, audits, but there is a need for ensuring that any donor will be adequately covered. 

Cooperation The Commission has been active in this area since 1991, principally through the TACIS programme, and (since 1994) through the Commission’s department for “Environment” (DG XI) cooperation programme. Specific areas of involvement include: North-West Russia 

· A number of projects (total budget 5 MECU) on various aspects of radioactive waste management (interim storage, transport, disposal, overall management structure) in the region, including the establishment of an inventory of such waste on the Kola peninsula, assistance with the elaboration of a coherent radioactive waste policy and institutional support for its implementation. Another project aiming at drafting conceptual design for a repository for the radioactive waste was successfully implemented at Radon Sosnovy Bor. The construction of a cementation facility for radioactive waste at the Sorsnovy Bor Nuclear Power Plant is underway; 
· Development and licensing of a concrete and metal flask for the storage/transport of (damaged) spent fuel from icebreakers. The cost of this project (0.75 MECU) is shared with Norway and the US. The US are currently seeking to further develop this project and to involve other donors. 
· Participation (1.2 MECU) in the "Lepse" project (with Norway, France and NEFCO). This project is suffering delays due to lack of adequate liability provision for some donors. 
· On-site assistance to the Kola Nuclear Power Plant (totalling some 20 MECU since 1992). 
· On site assistance to the Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant (totalling about 19.8 MECU since 1992). In addition some cooperation was implemented between the Commission’s department for “Energy” (DG XVII) and Leningrad NPP on the control and accountancy of nuclear materials.