B4-0612, 0633, 0678, 0680, 0682 and 0684/98

Resolution on the safety of transport of nuclear fuel and waste

The European Parliament,

A. whereas nuclear waste is transported over long distances to storage and reprocessing plants throughout Europe,

B. whereas reprocessing of spent fuel rods and production of MOX fuel elements are increasing,

C. having regard to the latest scientific findings regarding the safety of radioactive waste transport containers ('Castor flasks') and the possibility of radiation escaping,

D. whereas the German and French energy supply companies, as originators of consignments, are responsible for this unacceptable situation,

E. whereas the need for safety has absolute priority over profitability and the guarantee of supplies,

F. whereas in paragraph 2 of Parliament's resolution of 27 March 1996 on radioactive waste ((OJ C 117, 22.4.1996, p. 12.)), the Commission had already been asked 'to assess the economic viability and risks in terms of public safety and impact on the environment of the carriage of nuclear materials in the European Union',

The European Parliament,

1. Welcomes the decision by France and Germany to suspend all transport of nuclear waste and condemns strongly the attitude of the companies involved which have withheld information on cases of contamination;

2. Calls on the French and German governments to investigate thoroughly the cases of contamination caused by the transport of spent fuel rods, to inform the public and to eliminate any abuses identified;

3. Condemns the actions of the energy supply undertakings involved, the specialized firm contracted to organize the transport and the firm responsible for the reprocessing, which knew for years that the consignments contravened the rules governing the transport of radioactive materials;

4. Calls once again on the Commission to assess the economic viability and risks in terms of public safety and impact on the environment of the carriage of nuclear materials in the European Union;

5. Calls on the Commission to assess the economic viability of the use of MOX in a long-term European perspective and, if appropriate, devise strategies for dispensing with reprocessing of spent fuel rods;

6. Condemns the lack of serious control during the last ten years; notes that it is only now that many cases of contamination are being reported in rail and road transport of spent fuel rods from nuclear power stations;

7. Calls on the Commission to propose uniform standards for evaluating safety when transporting nuclear materials and an inspection system for this, so as to ensure uniform operation throughout the European Union, and to render the evaluation findings transparent;

8. Calls on the Commission to amend Directive 92/3/Euratom of 3 February 1992 on the supervision and control of shipments of radioactive waste between Member States and into and out of the Community ((OJ L 35, 12.2.1992, p. 24.)) so as to make it incumbent upon nuclear power plant and waste shipment operators to notify contamination levels in excess of limit values;

9. Calls on the relevant Member States not to resume the transport of spent fuel rods until the safety authorities have guaranteed that the firms in question have put in place appropriate procedures to prevent such situations from occurring again and that systems for informing the relevant authorities have been set up and can be monitored at any time;

10. Asks the Member States that radioactivity checks be carried out by bodies totally independent from those producing the radioactivity in order to ensure that the data is completely reliable;

11. Calls on the Commission to reveal the risks associated with the transport of radioactive waste and to take the public's scepticism seriously rather than, as in point 7.2 of the 'proposed programme of action on the transport of radioactive material' in communication COM(98)0155, assigning priority to 'informing the public and the media on the various safety aspects of international transport operations in order to improve the public perception of such transport';

12. Asks the Commission to give its current assessment of the feasibility of applying the proximity rule in drawing up decisions on reprocessing and final disposal, in accordance with the request made by Parliament in its abovementioned resolution of 27 March 1996, which would limit transportation risks; calls on the Member States concerned to adhere in all cases of transport of nuclear material to the principle of the shortest possible transportation distance and whenever possible to avoid densely populated areas;

13. Calls again on the Commission to submit without delay proposals for dealing with radioactive waste, particularly strategies to solve the problem of final storage of such waste;

14. Calls on the Commission to act as rapidly as possible to meet its own responsibilities in this connection by conducting the necessary investigations, and to inform Parliament of the results;

15. Calls moreover on the Commission to investigate the extent to which Member States have infringed European radiation protection rules, and to initiate any appropriate legal action;

16. Calls once again for greater openness in reporting and for transparency in nuclear shipments, which is the most important element for public acceptance;

17. Calls on the Commission to make available to Parliament the minutes of the Standing Working Group on the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material;

18. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the governments of the Member States.