92002E2222

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2222/02

by Nuala Ahern (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(23 July 2002)

Subject: Commissioner de Loyola's calls for new nuclear plants in the EU

Is it sensible for Commissioner de Loyola to call so publicly, as she has done this year, for new nuclear plants to be built in the EU, and indeed in the applicant countries, when Euratom's inspectorate is evidently operating with insufficient staff to implement properly the safeguards and security requirements for the current nuclear plants?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(23 September 2002)

Euratom safeguards applies to all civil nuclear materials in the Union. Safeguards on these materials are applied according to established Commission's goals and objectives, commensurate with the strategic value of the material concerned and independent of the Member State on which territory the materials are processed or stored. The Commission will therefore attribute the necessary resources to implement safeguards in the installations (existing or those to be built) of the applicant countries on their accession to the Union.

The Commission has recently reaffirmed its position on nuclear energy in the Final Report on the Green Paper Towards a European Strategy for the security of energy supply(1) adopted by the College on 26th of June 2002.

The Honourable Member may also wish to refer to the oral question H-0287/02(2) on these issues.

(1) COM(2002) 321 final.

(2) Written reply, 14.05.2002.