WRITTEN QUESTION E-1454/03 by Hiltrud Breyer (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Euratom/other international financial institutions/public accountability requirements.
Date: 2003-04-29
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EBRD, European Investment Bank, environmental protection, financial institution, financing, loan, national law, nuclear industry, nuclear safety, project evaluation

6.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 58 E/65

All the countries in question included both the above types of measure in their Sapards, and received

2.
Commission approval of their management of the same.

The details of implementation of each measure (scope, type of investment and expenditure, maximum
amount eligible, etc.) are specified in each programme.

The companies in question are therefore advised to consult these programmes on the web site of the
Commission’s Directorate-General for Agriculture (http://europa.eu.int/comm/agriculture/external/enlarge/
countries/index_en.htm); they will find for each country a description of the measures concerned and the
coordinates of the body in charge of implementing them, to which latter they should apply for the details
of implementation of each programme (timetable, etc.). They should note, however, that the relevant
funding applications have to be submitted by the project beneficiaries.

(1) OJ L 161, 26.6.1999.

(2004/C 58 E/083)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1454/03

by Hiltrud Breyer (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(29 April 2003)

Subject: Euratom/other international financial institutions/public accountability requirements

1.

Other international financial institutions

Can you supply details of the nuclear lending policies of international financial institutions such as World
Bank, European Investment Bank, Nordic Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, Latin American
Development Bank and African Development Bank?

2.

Public accountability requirements

Are there public involvement requirements for the granting of Euratom loans, for example

(a) Must

the loan recipients

require a full public participation process including conformity to

international agreements such as the Espoo Convention?

(b) Are the loan recipients required to publish the full environmental impact assessment?

(c)

Is Parliamentary approval in the recipient State required before granting the loan?

(d) Are competitive tenders required for the proposed construction work for the tender, if not, why not?

Answer given by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission

(26 June 2003)

As far as the Commission is aware, only the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
1.
(EBRD) among International Financial Institutions is presently pursuing an active lending policy from its
ordinary resources on completion and upgrade of nuclear plants.

Main conditions include:

(cid:1) a direct link with the closure of high-risk reactors operating in the country concerned;

(cid:1) the respect of the same least-cost criteria, financial viability and environmental standards, as non-

nuclear projects;

C 58 E/66

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

6.3.2004

(cid:1) the respect of the fundamental principles set out in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
documents concerning the standards applied for the construction, management and operation of the
plant;

(cid:1) the approval of the relevant national nuclear safety authorities.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has financed in the past nuclear projects in Member States, but is not
presently pursuing an active policy in this area and has never considered financing such projects in third
countries.

2.

(a) Council Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 on the assessment of the effects of certain
public and private projects on the environment (1) (Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive) as
amended by Council Directive 97/11/EC of 3 March 1997 (2), and the Espoo Convention on
environmental impact assessment in a transboundary context, apply to certain nuclear projects. Their
public participation provisions would have to be followed in those cases. In other cases, the public
participation process has to be followed as set down in the law of the country of the project. Further,
in case the country has ratified nuclear related international agreements, these would also have to be
followed.

(b)

If domestic law so requires. The full EIA should be made available to the public to the extent that
Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 on environmental
law
applicable in third countries so requires.

impact assessment and/or national

(c) The answer to this question depends on the national law of the recipient State.

(d)

In Member States, this would be a requirement; in third countries, domestic law applies.

(1) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985.
(2) OJ L 73, 14.3.1997.

(2004/C 58 E/084)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1456/03

by Hiltrud Breyer (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(29 April 2003)

Subject: Euratom Loans in Member States/non-member States

1.

Have any requests for Euratom loans been received from Member States since 1987?

2. Why have no loans been granted for the construction of facilities in Member States in recent years?

Is the European Investment Bank allowed to lend for nuclear projects, and if so, why isn’t this

3.
institution used to provide financing rather than the Euratom Loan Facility?

4.

Kozloduy 5 and 6:

(a) What is the funding schedule for this project, e.g. how much of the loan has been disbursed, and

when are the other tranches expected?

(b)

Is the closure of units 1-4 at Kozloduy by 2008 one of the conditions for the loans, and will the loan
repayment schedule be accelerated if permanent closure of all four reactors is not undertaken by this
time?