COMMISSION OPINION

of 8 October 2020

relating to the modified plan for the disposal of radioactive waste arising from the dismantling of the Berkeley Power Station, located in the United Kingdom

(Only the English text is authentic)

(2020/C 335/01)

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 7 May 2018 the European Commission received from the Government of the United Kingdom, in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty, General Data relating to the modified plan for the disposal of radioactive waste (2) arising from the dismantling of the Berkeley Power Station.

On the basis of these data and additional information requested by the Commission on 17 May 2018 and on 19 July 2018 and provided by the United Kingdom authorities on 26 June 2018 and on 26 June 2020, 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 France, ca. 220 km.

2. The planned modifications concern an increase of the authorised discharge limit for airborne radioactive effluents (in respect of which the Commission issued its initial Article 37 Opinion in the year 2002) due to the new planned decommissioning activities of the Berkeley Power Station.

3. Under normal operating conditions the planned modifications are not liable to cause an exposure of the population of another Member State that would be significant from the point of view of health, in respect of the dose limit laid down in the Basic Safety Standards Directive.

4. In the event of unplanned releases of radioactive effluents which may follow the accidents of the type and magnitude considered in the modified plan, the doses likely to be received by the population of another Member State would not be significant from the point of view of health, in respect of the reference levels laid down in the Basic Safety Standards Directive (3).

In conclusion, the Commission is of the opinion that the implementation of the modified plan for the disposal of radioactive waste in whatever form from the dismantling of the Berkeley Power Station, sited at Berkeley in Gloucestershire, England, United Kingdom, both in normal operation and in the event of the accidents of the type and magnitude considered in the General Data, 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 Basic Safety Standards Directive.

Done at Brussels, 8 October 2020. For the Commission Kadri SIMSON 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, as amended by Directive 2014/52/EU; to 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 to Directive 2000/60/EC establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy.

(2) The disposal of radioactive waste in the meaning of point 1 of Commission Recommendation 2010/635/Euratom of 11 October 2010 on the application of Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty (OJ L 279, 23.10.2010, p. 36).

(3) 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 (OJ L 13, 17.1.2014, p. 1).