At present, it addresses issues of health and safety, including radiation protection, safety of nuclear installations, management of radioactive waste, investment, promotion of research, nuclear common market, supplies, safeguards and international relations. As regards the nuclear sector, the White Paper refers to supply problems, safeguards and shipments of nuclear waste. Particular attention should be given to the completion of a compatible legislative framework with regard to emergency oil stocks, and to the development of a credible plan for the investments required in this area. In this connection, Slovakia should establish an appropriate and efficient regulatory mechanism to carry out the functions defined in the internal energy market directives. Measures have been taken to establish such a mechanism.
Work needs to be continued to remove price distortions.
Preparatory measures are being taken to restructure the Slovak electricity and gas sectors to prepare for the implementation of the EC gas and electricity directives. The privatisation plan for the State-owned gas company SPP has been adopted, and plans are being drawn up for the national electricity company SE, the national oil company, Transpetrol, and the distribution sector. The measures, which will enter into force in January 2001, will allow certain end-users to choose their electricity supplier with a view to opening the electricity market. In the gas sector, however, no decisions have yet been taken on the opening of the internal market. No particular progress can be reported with regard to energy efficiency, which remains low, and little progress has been made concerning security of supply.