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COUNCIL RESOLUTION

OF 18 FEBRUARY 1980

ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A COMMUNITY PLAN OF ACTION IN THE FIELD OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES ,

HAVING REGARD TO THE TREATY ESTABLISHING THE EUROPEAN ATOMIC ENERGY COMMUNITY ,

HAVING REGARD TO THE DRAFT RESOLUTION SUBMITTED BY THE COMMISSION ,

WHEREAS THE COMMISSION HAS SUBMITTED TO THE COUNCIL A COMMUNICATION ON A COMMUNITY PLAN OF ACTION IN THE FIELD OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE ;

WHEREAS THE DEVELOPMENT OF NUCLEAR ENERGY IS INTENDED TO ENABLE THE COMMUNITY TO MEET AN INCREASING PROPORTION OF ITS ELECTRICAL ENERGY NEEDS WHILE AT THE SAME TIME ENSURING AVAILABILITY OF SUPPLIES AS A RESULT OF DIVERSIFICATION OF ITS SOURCES OF FUEL ;

WHEREAS THE FORESEEABLE GROWTH IN THE GENERATION OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY BY NUCLEAR MEANS DURING THE COMING DECADES WILL INVOLVE CORRESPONDING WASTE PRODUCTION ;

WHEREAS THIS GROWTH MUST BE ACHIEVED IN STRICT COMPLIANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF INDUSTRIAL AND PUBLIC SAFETY AND OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ;

WHEREAS TO THIS END THE MANAGEMENT AND STORAGE OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE MUST BE CARRIED OUT UNDER OPTIMUM CONDITIONS ;

WHEREAS THE COUNCIL HAS ALREADY APPROVED COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMMES AND RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES CURRENTLY IN PROGRESS IN THE FIELD OF MANAGEMENT AND STORAGE OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE ;

WHEREAS , HOWEVER , THE PROBLEMS RAISED BY RADIOACTIVE WASTE CONSTITUTE A COMBINATION OF QUESTIONS INVOLVING THE PERFECTING OF EXISTING TECHNOLOGIES AND QUESTIONS OF A LEGAL , ADMINISTRATIVE , FINANCIAL AND SOCIAL NATURE WHICH MUST BE RESOLVED IN ONE AND THE SAME CONTEXT ;

WHEREAS CURRENT COMMUNITY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT WORK MUST THEREFORE BE SUPPLEMENTED IN THE MANNER PROVIDED FOR BELOW ;

WHEREAS , FINALLY , COLLABORATION WITH THIRD COUNTRIES AND ORGANIZATIONS IN THE FIELD OF MANAGEMENT AND STORAGE OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE COULD BENEFIT FROM AN EXPANSION OF COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES ,

APPROVES THE PLAN OF ACTION WHICH FORMS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THIS RESOLUTION ,

NOTES THAT THE COMMISSION WILL PUT FORWARD APPROPRIATE PROPOSALS FOR PUTTING THIS PLAN INTO EFFECT .

ANNEX

COMMUNITY PLAN OF ACTION IN THE FIELD OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE

THE PLAN REFERS TO THE PROBLEMS POSED BY RADIOACTIVE WASTE FROM NUCLEAR INSTALLATIONS AND IN PARTICULAR THOSE CONCERNING THE MANAGEMENT AND STORAGE OF HIGH-ACTIVITY AND/OR LONG-LIFE WASTE .

IT RUNS FROM 1980 TO 1992 AND IS REVIEWABLE EVERY THREE YEARS .

IT IS BASED IN THE FIRST INSTANCE ON THE FOLLOWING FIVE POINTS :

1 . CONTINUOUS ANALYSIS OF THE SITUATION WITH A VIEW TO ADOPTION OF THE NECESSARY SOLUTIONS

THE FOLLOWING SHOULD BE DRAWN UP :

( A ) A LIST OF THE TECHNIQUES AVAILABLE AND OF INSTALLATIONS ALREADY IN EXISTENCE OR PLANNED BY THE MEMBER STATES FOR THE PROCESSING AND CONDITIONING OF WASTE WITH A VIEW TO ITS POSSIBLE TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE , TOGETHER WITH AN INDICATION OF THE EARLIEST DATES ON WHICH THESE TECHNIQUES CAN BE APPLIED ;

( B ) A LIST OF THE TECHNOLOGICAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT WORK ON THE STORAGE OF WASTE WHICH THE MEMBER STATES AND THE COMMUNITY INTEND TO CARRY OUT , AND A LIST OF THE STORAGE INSTALLATIONS WHICH THE MEMBER STATES INTEND TO CONSTRUCT AND PUT INTO SERVICE , HAVING REGARD TO THE NATURE OF THE PRODUCTS TO BE STORED , TOGETHER , WHERE APPLICABLE , WITH THE RELEVANT TIMETABLE ;

( C ) FOR THE VARIOUS CATEGORIES OF WASTE , A LIST OF THE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES WHICH HAVE BEEN DEFINED OR ARE TO BE DEFINED IN THE MEMBER STATES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SAFETY RULES APPLICABLE IN EACH MEMBER STATE , THE TIMETABLES ACCORDING TO WHICH THESE PRACTICES SHOULD BECOME APPLICABLE AND AN ANALYSIS OF THESE TIMETABLES IN THE LIGHT OF THE DATES FOR THE APPLICATION OF THE TECHNIQUES REFERRED TO IN ( A ) ;

( D ) SINCE THE FOREGOING IS NOT SPECIFICALLY CONCERNED WITH PERMANENT STORAGE , ALSO AN INVENTORY OF THE PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES DESIGNED TO MAKE POSSIBLE THE PERMANENT STORAGE OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE AND , AS FAR AS POSSIBLE , THE ESTIMATED IMPLEMENTATION DATES AND AN ANALYSIS OF THESE ESTIMATES IN THE LIGHT OF ( A ) , ( B ) AND ( C ) .

THE INFORMATION AND RESULTS OBTAINED FROM THE WORK REFERRED TO ABOVE WILL BE USED TO KEEP THE COMMUNITY AND THE MEMBER STATES CONSTANTLY UP TO DATE ON WORK AND ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE MANAGEMENT AND STORAGE OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE , HAVING REGARD TO NUCLEAR PROGRAMME REQUIREMENTS .

2 . EXAMINATION AT COMMUNITY LEVEL OF MEASURES WHICH COULD ENSURE THE LONG-TERM OR PERMANENT STORAGE OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE UNDER OPTIMUM CONDITIONS

THE INTENSIFICATION AND EXTENSION TO ALL NATIONAL PROGRAMMES FOR THE STUDY AND ESTABLISHMENT OF LONG-TERM OR PERMANENT STORAGE SITES OF THE PRESENT ARRANGEMENTS FOR EXISTING CONCERTED ACTION AND EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION THROUGH THE CURRENT COMMUNITY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME .

STUDY , IN DUE COURSE , OF THE TECHNICAL OPTIONS AND PROGRAMMES CONCERNING THE DEMONSTRATION ACTIVITIES OF THE VARIOUS MEMBER STATES .

ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNICAL COOPERATION IN THE FIELD OF STORAGE WHENEVER SUCH COOPERATION IS CONSIDERED TO BE BOTH USEFUL AND FEASIBLE BY THE MEMBER STATES CONCERNED .

IN GENERAL , EXAMINATION OF MEASURES WHICH COULD CONSTITUTE THE OPTIMUM SOLUTIONS TO LONG-TERM OR PERMANENT STORAGE OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE .

3 . CONSULTATION ON PRACTICES CONCERNING THE MANAGEMENT OF WASTE , THE QUALITY AND PROPERTIES OF CONDITIONED WASTE AND THE CONDITIONS GOVERNING THE DISPOSAL OF WASTE

REGULAR CONSULTATIONS SHOULD BE ORGANIZED IN THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT FOR THE MANAGEMENT AND STORAGE OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE AND , IF NECESSARY , BETWEEN THE NATIONAL AUTHORITIES RESPONSIBLE .

THIS SHOULD MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO :

- MAKE , ON THE BASIS OF THE EXPERIENCE GAINED IN THE VARIOUS MEMBER STATES IN THE MANAGEMENT , CONDITIONING AND STORAGE OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE , RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNING THE SATISFACTORY EXECUTION OF THESE OPERATIONS FROM THE STANDPOINTS OF SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ; THESE RECOMMENDATIONS SHOULD HAVE AN INDICATIVE CHARACTER AND SHOULD KEEP PACE WITH DEVELOPMENTS IN TECHNIQUES DURING THE PLAN ,

- ASSESS THE FEASIBILITY AND DESIRABILITY OF HARMONIZING WASTE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ,

- APPROXIMATE THE METHODS OF ASSESSING THE QUALITY AND PROPERTIES OF CONDITIONED WASTE ,

- SEEK METHODS OF EXCHANGING INFORMATION ON WASTE MANAGEMENT COSTS ,

- PROMOTE , WHERE THIS IS FOUND TO BE ADVISABLE , CONSULTATION BETWEEN THE MEMBER STATES UNDER EXISTING COMMUNITY PROCEDURES ON THE POSITIONS TO BE ADOPTED IN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE IAEA , THE ISO AND THE NEA .

4 . CONTINUITY OF COMMUNITY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT WORK DURING THE PLAN

THE COUNCIL UNDERTAKES TO ACT ON THE NEW FIVE-YEAR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME PROPOSALS ( INDIRECT ACTION ) SUBMITTED BY THE COMMISSION . THE COUNCIL IS RESOLVED TO ENSURE THE CONTINUITY OF THE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES DURING THE PLAN .

THE COUNCIL NOTES THAT THE COMMISSION UNDERTAKES TO SUBMIT THESE PROPOSALS NOT LATER THAN ONE YEAR BEFORE COMPLETION OF THE PRECEDING FIVE-YEAR PROGRAMME AND TO PROVIDE THE NECESSARY TECHNICAL COORDINATION BETWEEN ACTIVITIES IN THE SPHERE OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE WHICH TAKE PLACE UNDER THE JRC'S PROGRAMME OF DIRECT ACTION AND ACTIVITIES IN THE CONTEXT OF THE PROGRAMME OF INDIRECT ACTION .

IN PARTICULAR , ON 5 MARCH 1979 THE COMMISSION SUBMITTED A SECOND RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME FOR 1980 TO 1984 , TO FOLLOW IMMEDIATELY THE 1975 TO 1979 PROGRAMME .

5 . PROVIDING THE PUBLIC WITH REGULAR INFORMATION

THE PUBLIC MUST BE INFORMED OF THE RADIOACTIVE WASTE SITUATION .

IN THIS CONTEXT THE MEMBER STATES WILL CONTINUE AND STEP UP THEIR EFFORTS TO ENSURE THAT THE PUBLIC RECEIVES THE FULLEST INFORMATION ON THEIR ACTIVITIES IN THE SPHERE OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT AND RADIOACTIVE WASTE STORAGE .

THE COMMISSION WILL DO LIKEWISE AS REGARDS ACTIVITIES WITH WHICH IT IS CONCERNED .