EN Official Journal of the European Union C 51/1

COMMISSION OPINION

of 20 February 2013

relating to the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste arising from the Solid Waste Management and Storage Facility, located on the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant site in Lithuania

(Only the Lithuanian text is authentic)

2013/C 51/01

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 27 June 2012, the European Commission received from the Lithuanian Government, in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty, General Data relating to the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste arising from the Solid Waste Management and Storage Facility.

On the basis of these data and additional information requested by the Commission on 16 July 2012 and on 9 September 2012 and provided by the Lithuanian authorities on 6 September 2012 and on 13 November 2012, and following consultation with the Group of Experts, the Commission has drawn up the following opinion.

1. The distance between the site and the nearest border with another Member State, in this case Latvia, is 9 km. The next nearest Member State is Poland at some 250 km. Belarus, as a neighbouring country, is at a distance of 6 km.

2. Under normal operating conditions, the discharges of liquid and gaseous radioactive effluents are not liable to cause exposure to the population in another Member State or in a neighbouring third country that is significant from the point of view of health.

3. Secondary solid radioactive waste will be transferred to the appropriate waste treatment or disposal facilities present on the Ignalina site.

4. In the event of unplanned releases of radioactive effluents, that may follow an accident of the type and magnitude considered in the General Data, the doses likely to be received by the population in another Member State or a neighbouring third country would not be significant from the point of view of health.

In conclusion, the Commission is of the opinion that the implementation of the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste in whatever form, arising from the Solid Waste Management and Storage Facility, located on the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant site in Lithuania, both in normal operation and in the event of an accident of the type and magnitude considered in the General Data, is not liable to result in a radioactive contamination, significant from the point of view of health, of the water, soil or airspace of another Member State or a neighbouring third country.

Done at Brussels, 20 February 2013. For the Commission Günther OETTINGER 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, Directive 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.