1999/25/Euratom: Council Decision of 14 December 1998 adopting a multiannual programme (1998 to 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 the countries currently participating in the Tacis programme
Date: 1998-12-14
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: EU programme, industrial cooperation, nuclear industry, nuclear safety, radioactive materials, transport of dangerous goods

13. 1. 1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 7/31

COUNCIL DECISION

of 14 December 1998

adopting a multiannual programme (1998 to 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 the countries currently participating in the TACIS programme

(1999/25/Euratom)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

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

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1),

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parlia-
ment (2),

(1) 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 actions in the nuclear field and these are
important priority areas for the negotiations on
enlargement of the European Union;

(2) Whereas provision should therefore be made
within the multiannual framework programme for
actions in the energy sector (1998 to 2002) adopted
by Decision 1999/21/EC, Euratom (3), for a specific
sector,
programme of
relating to the safe transport of radioactive mate-
rials and to safeguards and industrial cooperation to
promote certain aspects of the safety of nuclear
installations in countries currently participating in
the TACIS programme;

in the nuclear

actions

(3) Whereas the use of nuclear energy to produce elec-
tricity and the increasing use of radioactive ma-
terials in the health sector, industry and research
mean that more radioactive materials are being
transported; whereas the desire to maintain and,
where reasonably practical, to increase the high
level of safety in the entire nuclear field at the
highest reasonably achievable level must therefore
lead to a review and, if necessary, harmonisation of
the conditions under which radioactive materials
are transported;

(4) Whereas the Community cannot disregard the
situation prevailing in the nuclear sector in the
countries participating in the TACIS programme;

(1) OJ C 261, 19. 8. 1998, p. 8.
(2) OJ C 328, 26. 10. 1998.
(3) See page 16 of this Official Journal.

whereas it can help to improve nuclear safeguards
in 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 cooperation;

(5) Whereas, in order to ensure that Community aid is
used efficiently and duplication of work avoided,
the Commission should ensure that projects are
to thorough prior appraisal; whereas it
subject
should systematically monitor and evaluate the
progress and results of supported projects;

(6) Whereas it is politically and economically desirable
to open up this programme to the associated
central and east European countries, in accordance
with the conclusions of the Copenhagen European
Council of 21 and 22 June 1993 and as outlined in
the Commission communication on that subject in
May 1994; whereas it should also be open to
Cyprus;

(7) Whereas it is important to improve public informa-
tion in the areas covered by this programme and to
inform the European Parliament and the Council
regularly on its implementation;

(8) Whereas a financial reference amount within the
meaning of point 2 of the Declaration by the Euro-
pean Parliament, the Council and the Commission
of 6 March 1995 (4) is included in this Decision for
the entire duration of
this programme, without
the budgetary
thereby affecting the powers of
authority as they are defined by the Treaty; whereas
account should be taken of the fact that a new
financial perspective will be negotiated during the
course of this programme;

(9) Whereas the Treaty does not provide powers for
the adoption of this Decision, other than those in
Article 203 thereof,

(4) OJ C 102, 4. 4. 1996, p. 4.

L 7/32

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

13. 1. 1999

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

1. Within the multiannual framework programme for
actions in the energy sector, a specific programme 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 participating in the
TACIS programme, hereinafter referred to as ‘SURE',
shall be implemented by the Community for the period
1998 to 2002.

2.
In addition to the priority objectives listed in Article
1(2) of Decision 1999/21/EC, Euratom, the objectives of
the SURE programme shall be:

(a)

to review and, if necessary, harmonise safety practice
in the transport of
in the
Community;

radioactive materials

(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 and cooperation
among regulatory bodies with those countries and the
exchange of know-how within the nuclear industry to
help them achieve high safety standards that are
consistent with internationally recognised principles
of nuclear safety for nuclear equipment and installa-
tions.

Article 2

— help to raise safety standards and facilitate the
functioning of the internal market by identifying
those harmonisation measures which are called for,

— help to improve legislation further by developing

experimentation and know-how,

— evaluate technical aspects of incidents which have
occurred during transport and learn the lessons for
the future,

— make emergency procedures relating to transport
more consistent and give those involved more
training,

— enhance an efficient system of reporting in the

event of an incident,

— cooperate with countries participating in the
TACIS programme to help them improve transport
safety in these countries,

— help to improve cooperation and the exchange of
information between the relevant bodies in the
Community and in the countries participating in
the SURE programme as provided for in Article 7,

— improve public information, comprehension and

awareness in this area;

2. in the field of safeguards in countries participating in

the TACIS programme, relate to:

— training,

familiarisation,

adding to experience,
retraining and technological updating of experts
from those countries in the matter of nuclear safe-
guards,

— cooperation on the implementation of accounting

and control systems for nuclear materials,

— installation of modern logistical, evaluation and
training relating

equipment

and the

control
thereto;

The financial reference amount for the implementation of
the SURE programme shall be ECU 9 million. Of this
amount, ECU 3,6 million is for the period 1998 to 1999.

3. in the field of industrial cooperation with the countries

participating in the TACIS programme:

The financial reference amount for the period 2000 to
2002 shall be reviewed if the amount of ECU 5,4 million
is not consistent with the financial perspective for that
period.

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

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:

1. in the field of the safe transport of radioactive ma-

terials:

— analyse the industrial, administrative,

legal and

financial context specific to each of them,

— encourage industrial cooperation measures capable
of transferring European nuclear safety technology
and cooperation among regulatory bodies,

— facilitate the cooperation of partners from the
Community and countries participating in the
TACIS programme in order to promote safety in
nuclear installations, inter alia,
in the develop-
ment of joint industrial projects.

Article 4

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

13. 1. 1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 7/33

Article 5

The Commission shall be responsible for the finan-
SURE
execution and implementation of

the

1.
cial
programme.

For

the purposes of

2.
financial execution and of
implementing the SURE programme, the Commission
shall be assisted by the Committee referred to in Article 4
of Decision 1999/21/EC, Euratom.

Article 6

The examination and internal and external assessment of
the implementation of the SURE programme shall be
in accordance with Article 5 of Decision
carried out
1999/21/EC, Euratom.

Article 7

The SURE programme shall be open to participation by
associated central and east European countries in accord-
ance with the conditions, including financial provisions,

laid down in the additional protocols to the Association
Agreements or in the Association Agreements themselves
relating to participation in Community programmes. The
SURE 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.

Article 8

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 14 December 1998.

For the Council

The President

W. MOLTERER