EN Official Journal of the European Union C 362/1

COMMISSION OPINION

of 29 October 2015

relating to the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste arising from decommissioning stages III and IV of the Bohunice A-1 Nuclear Power Plant, located in the Slovak Republic

(only the Slovak text is authentic)

(2015/C 362/01)

The assessment below is carried out under the provisions of the Euratom Treaty, without prejudice to any additional assessments to be carried out under the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and the obligations stemming from it and from secondary legislation (1).

On 30 March 2015, the European Commission received from the Government of the Slovak Republic, in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty, General Data relating to the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste arising from decommissioning stages III and IV of the Bohunice A-1 Nuclear Power Plant.

On the basis of these data and additional information requested by the Commission on 30 April 2015 and provided by the Slovak authorities on 10 June 2015, and following consultation with the Group of Experts, the Commission has drawn up the following opinion:

1. The distance between the plant and the nearest point on the territory of another Member State, in this case the Czech Republic is 38 km. The Austrian and Hungarian borders are at distances of 55 km and 62 km respectively.

2. During normal decommissioning conditions, the discharges of liquid and gaseous radioactive effluents are not liable to cause an exposure of the population in another Member State that would be significant from the point of view of health, in respect of the dose limit laid down in the new Basic Safety Standards (Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom (2)).

3. Very low-level and low-level solid radioactive waste will be temporarily stored on-site before their transfer to the licensed National Radioactive Waste Repository situated at Mochovce in Slovakia. Medium to high-level solid radioactive waste will be stored on site until a national repository becomes available.

4. Non-radioactive solid waste or residual materials in compliance with clearance levels will be released from regulatory control for disposal as conventional waste or for reuse or recycling. This should be done in compliance with the criteria laid down in the new Basic Safety Standards (Directive 2013/59/Euratom).

5. In the event of unplanned releases of radioactive effluents that may follow the accidents of the type and magnitude considered in the General Data, the doses likely to be received by the population in another Member State would not be significant from the point of view of health, in respect of the reference levels laid down in the new Basic Safety Standards (Directive 2013/59/Euratom).

In conclusion, the Commission is of the opinion that, both in normal operation and in the event of the accidents of the type and magnitude considered in the General Data, the implementation of the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste arising from decommissioning stages III and IV of the Bohunice A-1 nuclear power plant in the Slovak Republic, is not liable to result in radioactive contamination, significant from the point of view of health, of the water, soil or airspace of another Member State, in respect of the provisions laid down in the new Basic Safety Standards (Directive 2013/59/Euratom).

Done at Brussels, 29 October 2015. For the Commission Miguel ARIAS CAÑETE Member of the Commission

(1) For instance, under the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, environmental aspects should be further assessed. Indicatively, the Commission would like to draw attention to the provisions of Directive 2011/92/EU on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment, 2001/42/EC on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment, as well as to Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora and Directive 2000/60/EC establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy.

(2) Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom of 5 December 2013 laying down basic safety standards for protection against the dangers arising from exposure to ionising radiation, and repealing Directives 89/618/Euratom, 90/641/Euratom, 96/29/Euratom, 97/43/Euratom and 2003/122/Euratom (OJ L 13, 17.1.2014, p. 1).