Council resolution of 22 July 1975 on the technological problems of nuclear safety

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community;

Having regard to the Opinion of the European Parliament (1);

Having regard to the Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee;

Whereas the Commission has forwarded to the Council a communication and a general report on technological problems of nuclear safety;

Whereas it is necessary to keep the public adequately informed on this subject;

Whereas nuclear power has a considerable part to play in supplying energy to the Community;

Whereas the technological problems relating to nuclear safety, particularly in view of their environmental and health implications, call for appropriate action at Community level which takes into account the prerogatives and responsibilities assumed by national authorities;

Whereas, by aligning safety requirements, the national authorities responsible for nuclear safety and constructors and energy producers will be able to benefit from a harmonized approach to the problem at Community level;

Whereas nuclear safety problems extend beyond the frontiers not only of Member States but of the Community as a whole, and it is incumbent on the Commission to act as a catalyst for initiatives to be taken on a broader international plane,

HEREBY ADOPTS THIS RESOLUTION:

THE COUNCIL 1. requests the Member States as well as the licensingauthorities and the safety and inspectionauthorities on the one hand, and the operatorsand constructors on the other, and finally theagencies responsible for applied researchprogrammes to continue to collaborate effectivelyat Community level;

2. agrees to the course of action in stages indicatedbelow by the Commission in respect of theprogressive harmonization of safety requirementsand criteria in order to provide an equivalent andsatisfactory degree of protection of the populationand of the environment against the risks ofradiation resulting from nuclear activities and atthe same time to assist the development of tradeon the understanding that such harmonizationshould not involve any lowering of the safety levelalready attained ; taking into account the state ofindustrial development in the respective families of

(1) OJ No C 128, 9.6.1975, p. 24.

high-power nuclear reactors, these stages involvelisting and comparing the requirements andcriteria applied and drawing up a balance-sheet ofsimilarities and dissimilarities ; formulating assoon as possible recommendations pursuant tothe second indent of article 124 of the EuratomTreaty, and subsequently submitting to theCouncil the most suitable draft Communityprovisions;

3. agrees to strengthen Community efforts tocoordinate applied research programmes in orderto make the best possible use of the resourcesavailable in the Community and the MemberStates both technically and financially whilstavoiding as far as possible unnecessaryduplication ; these efforts shall be aimed atimproving systematic exchanges of information,promoting concerted action and cooperationbetween specialized bodies and institutes andstimulating where appropriate the development ofCommunity programmes;

4. approves of the methods used and advocated bythe Commission, namely, meetings of workingparties of specialized experts, exchanges ofinformation on specific operational problems andanalytical studies and syntheses with which theseexperts are associated;

5. notes that the measures described above mayrequire appropriations in order to finance analysesand syntheses and the appropriate technicalsecretariat;

6. requests the Member States to notify theCommission of any draft laws, regulations orprovisions of similar scope concerning the safetyof nuclear installations in order to enable theappropriate consultations to be held atCommunity level at the initiative of theCommission;

7. requests the Member States to seek commonpositions on any problems concerning theharmonization of requirements and criteria andthe coordination of research into nuclear safetybeing dealt with by international organizations;

8. requests the Commission to submit annual reportson the progress made and the Member States andthe Commission to continue and strengthen theirefforts to ensure that the public is given the bestpossible information about both national andCommunity action in the field of nuclear safety.