WRITTEN QUESTION E-3271/98

by Undine-Uta Bloch von Blottnitz (V) to the Commission

(30 October 1998)

Subject: EU aid - improvement of nuclear safety in the CEECs

In its answers to Written Questions E-2488/98, E-2489/98 and E-2490/98(1), the Commission endeavours to outline the extent of the success of EU aid for the nuclear sector in the CEECs. Unfortunately, however, its explanations are inadequate as answers to the various questions which ask in detail for information on various fields.

Accordingly, I am obliged to ask those questions again:

1. Does the Commission feel that the staffing levels required for the implementation of the nuclear sections of the PHARE and TACIS Programmes are adequate? How many Commission officials are involved, and in what exact capacity?

2. What studies and/or investigations (please give titles and document reference numbers) has the Commission put in hand itself, or asked third parties to carry out, in order to evaluate the success or failure of EU aid for the nuclear sector in the CEECs?

3. When will it make these studies and/or investigations available to the European Parliament? Alternatively, how can these studies and/or investigations be accessed?

4. What is the amount of the financial aid granted by the EU to the CEECs to date for improvements in their nuclear sector, and what is the breakdown of that aid among specific local aid projects, studies, etc., carried out by western European consultants?

Answer given by Mr van den Broek on behalf of the Commission

(18 December 1998)

The Commission considers that the resources which could be allocated to the management of the nuclear safety programmes have been insufficient. The continuous increase in the budgets committed since 1990 was not followed by an increase in suitable resources. These circumstances have resulted in chronic understaffing. Presently there are 14 A and B level agents (officials and other statutes) working in the nuclear safety units of DG1A (External relations: Europe and the New Independent States, common foreign and security policy and external missions) and of the common service "RELEX". Other directorates general Environment, nuclear safety (XI); Research (XII) and Energy (XVII) have assisted and taken part in the programmes. The Commission's Joint research centre (JRC) is more and more closely associated with the implementation of the programme. In the Moscow and Kiev delegations, some support is also provided.

In 1996, the Commission requested three independent nuclear safety experts to perform an "assessment of the current status of Eastern nuclear power plants and some proposals for the future policy directions of the Community action in support of safety improvement". The TACIS interim evaluation, published by the Commission in 1997 and sent direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliament's Secretariat includes an assessment of the nuclear safety programme. More recently, an independent panel of high level experts, headed by a former director general of the Joint research centre, prepared a report entitled "Nuclear safety in Central and Eastern Europe and in the New Independent States, a strategic view for the future of the European Union's PHARE and TACIS programmes"(2). This gives a comprehensive view of the programme and proposals for the future. It does not necessarily reflect in all cases the Commission's point of view. The report has been forwarded to the Parliament.

The communication on nuclear activities in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and in the New Independent States(3) forwarded by the Commission to the Parliament contains the information requested concerning financial commitments.

(1) OJ C 135, 14.5.1999, p. 63.

(2) http://europa.eu.int/comm/dg1a/nss/index.htm.

(3) COM(98) 134.