Proposal for a Council Decision adopting a multiannual programme (1998-2002) of actions in the nuclear sector, relating to the safe transport of radioactive materials and to safeguards and industrial cooperation to promote certain aspects of the safety of nuclear installations in countries currently participating in the TACIS programme - (SURE programme)
Date: 1998-07-15
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU financing, nuclear safety, radioactive materials, research programme, transport safety

C  261/8

EN

Official  Journal  of  the  European  Communities

19.8.98

Proposal  for  a  Council  Decision  adopting  a  multiannual  programme  (1998(cid:220)2002)  of  actions  in
the  nuclear  sector,  relating  to  the  safe  transport  of  radioactive  materials  and  to  safeguards  and
industrial  cooperation  to  promote  certain  aspects  of  the  safety  of  nuclear  installations  in
countries  currently  participating  in  the  TACIS  programme  (SURE  programme)

(98/C  261/05)

(Text  with  EEA  relevance)

COM(1998)  423  final  -  98/0234(CNS)

(Submitted  by  the  Commission  on  15  July  1998)

THE  COUNCIL  OF  THE  EUROPEAN  UNION,

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  establishing  the  European
Atomic  Energy  Community,  and  in  particular  Article  203
thereof,

Whereas  the  Treaty  establishing  the  European  Atomic
Energy  Community  does  not  provide  powers  for  the
adoption  of  this  programme  other  than  those  in  Article
203;

Having  regard  to  the  proposal  from  the  Commission,

HAS  ADOPTED  THIS  DECISION:

Having 
Parliament,

regard 

to 

the  opinion  of 

the  European

Whereas  the  desire  to  promote  safeguards  for  the  use  of
nuclear  materials  and  a  high  degree  of  safety  is  one  of
the  fundamental  objectives  of  Community  energy  policy
in  the  nuclear  field;  whereas  a  specific  programme  to
promote  actions  relating  to  safeguards  and  nuclear  safety
should  therefore  be  implemented  within  the  multiannual
framework  programme  for  actions  in  the  energy  sector
(1998(cid:220)2002);

Whereas  the  use  of  nuclear  energy  to  produce  electricity
and  the  increasing  use  of  radioactive  materials  in  the
health  sector,  industry  and  research  mean  that  more
radioactive  materials  are  being  transported;  whereas  the
in  the  nuclear  field  must
desire  to 
therefore 
in  the  conditions
under  which  radioactive  materials  are  transported;

increase  safety 
lead  to  an 

improvement 

Whereas  the  Community  cannot  disregard  the  situation
prevailing  in  the  nuclear  sector  in  the  countries  partici(cid:220)
pating  in  the  TACIS  programme;  whereas  it  can  help  to
implement  nuclear  safeguards 
those  countries  by
passing  on  the  benefits  of  its  experience  and  to  promote
a  high  degree  of  safety  in  the  design  and  operation  of
nuclear  equipment  by  encouraging 
industrial  coop(cid:220)
eration;

in 

Whereas  it  is  politically  and  economically  desirable  to
open  up  the  programme  to  associated  Central  and
Eastern  European  countries, 
in  accordance  with  the
conditions  of  the  European  Council  held  in  Copenhagen
in  June  1994  and  as  stated  in  the  communication  on  this
subject  presented  to  the  Council  by  the  Commission  in
May  1994,  as  well  as  to  Cyprus;

Article  1

1.(cid:218)(cid:217)Within  the  framework  programme  for  actions  in
the  energy  sector  a  specific  programme  of  actions  in  the
nuclear  sector,  relating  to  the  safe  transport  of  radio(cid:220)
active  materials  and  to  safeguards  and  industrial  coop(cid:220)
eration  to  promote  certain  aspects  of  the  safety  of
nuclear 
in  the
TACIS  programme,  hereinafter  referred  to  as  "SURE’,
shall  be  implemented  by  the  Community  for  the  period
1998(cid:220)2002.

in  countries  participating 

installations 

2.(cid:218)(cid:217)Apart  from  the  priority  objectives  referred  to  in
Article  1(2)  of  the  Council  decision  adopting  a  multi(cid:220)
annual  framework  programme  for  actions  in  the  energy
sector,  the  objectives  of  the  SURE  programme  shall  be:

(a)(cid:217)to  improve  the  conditions  for  the  safe  transport  of
radioactive  materials  in  the  European  Community;

(b) to  help  to  establish  in  countries  participating  in  the
TACIS  programme  an  effective  and  reliable  system
of  safeguards  through  cooperation  measures;

(c) to  promote 

industrial 

cooperation  with 

those
countries  and  the  exchange  of  know(cid:220)how  within  the
nuclear  industry  to  help  them  achieve  internationally
recognised  high 
for  nuclear
equipment  and  installations.

standards 

safety 

Article  2

The  annual  appropriations  shall  be  authorised  by  the
budgetary  authority  within  the  limits  of  the  financial
perspectives.

19.8.98

EN

Official  Journal  of  the  European  Communities

C  261/9

Article  3

In  order  to  achieve  the  objectives  referred  to  in  Article  1,
the  Community  shall  contribute 
in  particular  to  the
funding  of  actions  which:

-(cid:217)facilitate  the  cooperation  of  partners  from  the
European  Community  and  countries  participating
in  the  TACIS  programme  in  the  development  of
joint  industrial  projects.

1.(cid:217)in  the  field  of  the  safe  transport  of  radioactive

Article  4

materials:

-(cid:217)facilitate  the  functioning  of  the  internal  market  by
identifying  those  harmonisation  measures  which
are  called  for;

-(cid:217)help  to  improve  legislation  further  by  developing

experimentation  and  know(cid:220)how;

-(cid:217)evaluate  technical  aspects  of  incidents  which  have
occurred  during  transport  and  learn  the  lessons
for  the  future;

-(cid:217)make  emergency  procedures  relating  to  transport
involved  more

more  consistent  and  give  those 
training;

-(cid:217)cooperate  with  countries  participating 

TACIS  programme 
transport  safety  in  these  countries;

to  help 

them 

the
in 
improve

-(cid:217)improve  public 

information,  comprehension  and

awareness  in  this  area.

The 
level  of  funding  for  the  actions  and  measures
referred  to  in  Article  3  shall  be  between  80  and  100(cid:216)%  of
their  total  cost.

Article  5

the
1.(cid:218)(cid:217)The  Commission 
financial  execution  and  implementation  of  the  SURE
programme.

shall  be  responsible 

for 

2.(cid:218)(cid:217)For  the  purposes  of  financial  execution  and  of
implementing  the  programme,  the  Commission  shall  be
assisted  by  the  Committee  referred  to  in  Article  4  of  the
Council  Decision  adopting  the  multiannual  framework
programme  for  actions  in  the  energy  sector.

Article  6

The  examination  and  internal  and  external  assessment  of
the  implementation  of  this  programme  shall  be  carried
out  in  accordance  with  Article  5  of  the  Council  Decision
adopting  a  multiannual 
for
actions  in  the  energy  sector.

framework  programme 

2.(cid:217)In  the  field  of  safeguards  in  countries  participating  in

the  TACIS  programme:

Article  7

-(cid:217)training, 

familiarisation, 

testing,  retraining  and
technological  upgrading  of  experts  from  those
countries  in  the  matter  of  nuclear  safeguards;

-(cid:217)cooperation  on  the  implementation  of  accounting

and  control  systems  for  nuclear  materials;

-(cid:217)installation  of  modern  logistical,  evaluation  and
relating

training 

the 

control  equipment  and 
thereto

to 

the  Association  Agreements  or 

The  SURE  programme  shall  be  open  to  participation  by
associated  Central  and  Eastern  European  countries
(CEEC)  in  accordance  with  the  conditions,  including
the  additional
laid  down 
financial  provisions, 
protocols 
the
Association  Agreements  themselves  relating  to  partici(cid:220)
pation  in  Community  programmes.  The  programme  shall
also  be  open  to  participation  by  Cyprus,  on  the  basis  of
additional  appropriations,  under  the  same  rules  as  those
applied  to  EFTA/EEA  countries,  in  accordance  with
procedures  to  be  agreed  with  that  country.

in 

in 

3.(cid:217)In  the  field  of 

industrial  cooperation  on  nuclear
matters  with  the  countries  participating  in  the  TACIS
programme:

-(cid:217)analyse  the 

industrial,  administrative, 

legal  and

financial  context  specific  to  each  of  them;

-(cid:217)encourage  industrial  cooperation  measures  capable
tech(cid:220)
transferring  European  nuclear  safety 

of 
nology;

Article  8

This  Decision  shall  enter  into  force  on  the  20th  day
following  its  publication  in  the  Official  Journal  of  the
European  Communities.

Article  9

This  Decision  is  addressed  to  the  Member  States.