COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION Nuclear Illustrative Programme presented under Article 40 of the Euratom Treaty for the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee
Date: 2016-04-04
Institutions: Directorate-General for Energy, European Commission
Subjects: energy production, investment, nuclear energy, nuclear policy, nuclear power station, nuclear safety, nuclear technology, radioactive waste, storage of waste

EN 

   EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 4.4.2016  COM(2016) 177 final   COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION Nuclear Illustrative Programme presented under Article 40 of the Euratom Treaty for the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee {SWD(2016) 102 final}  
 
 
1.  INTRODUCTION 

This Communication on a Nuclear Illustrative Programme (PINC), a requirement under Article 
40 of the Euratom Treaty, provides an overview of investments in the EU for all the steps of 
the nuclear lifecycle. It is the first presented by the Commission after the Fukushima Daiichi 
accident in March 2011. 

Nuclear energy is part of the energy mix of half of the EU Member States. In those countries 
that chose to use it, nuclear has a role to play in ensuring the security of electricity supply. In 
this context, the Energy Union Strategy1 and the European Energy Security Strategy2 stressed 
that Member States need to apply the highest standards of safety, security, waste management 
and non-proliferation as well as diversify nuclear fuel supplies. Doing so will help achieve the 
objectives of the 2030 climate and energy framework.  

With 27% of electricity produced from nuclear energy and 27% from renewable sources3, the 
EU  is  currently  one  of  the  three  major  economies4  that  generate  more  than  half  of  their 
electricity without producing greenhouse gases.  

The PINC provides a basis for discussing how nuclear energy can help achieve the EU's energy 
objectives.  As  nuclear  safety  remains  the  Commission's  absolute  priority,  it  specifically 
includes investments related to post-Fukushima safety upgrades and those related to the long-
term  operation  of  existing  nuclear  power  plants.  In  addition,  with  the  EU  nuclear  industry 
moving into a new phase characterised by increased activities in the back-end of the lifecycle, 
it  will  contribute  to  an  informed  debate  on  the  associated  investment  needs  and  the 
management of nuclear liabilities. 

The  PINC  also  addresses  issues  related  to  investment  in  research  reactors  and  the  associated 
fuel cycle, including the production of medical radioisotopes. 

2.  NUCLEAR ENERGY  

2.1. Recent nuclear policy developments 

There are 129 nuclear power reactors in operation in 14 Member States, with a total capacity of 
120  GWe  and  an  average  age  close  to  30  years.  New  build  projects  are  envisaged  in  10 
Member States, with four reactors already under construction in Finland, France and Slovakia. 
Other  projects  in  Finland,  Hungary  and  the  United  Kingdom,  are  under  licensing  process, 
while  projects  in  other  Member  States  (Bulgaria,  the  Czech  Republic,  Lithuania,  Poland  and 
Romania) are at a preparatory stage. The United Kingdom has recently announced its intention 
to close all coal-fired power plants by 2025 and to fill the capacity gap mainly with new gas 
and nuclear power plants. 

Many countries in Europe and in the rest of the world will rely on nuclear energy to produce 
part of their electricity for the coming decades. The EU has the most advanced legally binding 
and  enforceable  regional  framework  for  nuclear  safety  in  the  world  and,  despite  diverging 
views among Member States on nuclear electricity, a shared recognition exists of the need to 
ensure the highest possible standards for the safe and responsible use of nuclear power and the 
protection of citizens from radiation.  

1 COM(2015)80 
2 COM(2014)330 
3 Eurostat, May 2015 
4 The others are Brazil and Canada 

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Since the previous PINC update in 2008, the EU nuclear landscape has undergone significant 
changes with the organisation of the comprehensive risk and safety assessments (stress tests) 
of  the  EU  nuclear  power  reactors  after  the  Fukushima  Daiichi  accident  and  the  adoption  of 
landmark  legislation  on  nuclear  safety5,  radioactive  waste  and  spent  fuel  management6  and 
radiation protection7.  

While  the  stress  tests  found  that  the  safety  standards  of  nuclear  power  plants  in  the  EU, 
Switzerland  and  the  Ukraine  were  high,  further  improvements  were  recommended.  Nuclear 
operators are implementing them in accordance with their national action plans as assessed by 
ENSREG.  

The amended Nuclear Safety Directive5 brings the nuclear safety standards to a higher level. It 
sets  a  clear  EU-wide  objective  to  reduce  the  risk  of  accidents  and  avoid  large  radioactive 
releases.  It  also  introduces  the  requirement  for  a  European  system  of  peer  reviews,  with 
specific safety issues to be reviewed every six years. These requirements must be always taken 
into account when investing in new nuclear installations and wherever reasonably practicable 
when upgrading existing installations. 

In early 2015, Euratom played a key role in ensuring the adoption of the "Vienna declaration". 
This commits the contracting parties of the International Atomic Energy Agency Convention 
on  Nuclear  Safety  to  achieving  standards  of  safety  comparable  to  those  laid  down  in  the 
amended Nuclear Safety Directive. With the expansion of nuclear energy across all continents 
and with many vendors coming into play, it is important to ensure that high safety standards 
are  applied  worldwide  and  these  are  not  undermined  by  the  use  of  cheaper  or  outdated 
technology. 

The  EU  legal  framework  requires  increased  transparency  and  public  participation  in  nuclear 
issues,  as  well  as  improving  cooperation  between  all  stakeholders.  The  directives  on  nuclear 
safety, radioactive waste and radiation protection referred to above all lay down requirements 
on availability of information and public participation. Cooperation among the nuclear safety 
authorities  of  EU  Member  States  is  now  well  in  place  through  the  European  Nuclear  Safety 
Regulators Group. In addition, the Commission will continue to promote the dialogue between 
stakeholders in the European Nuclear Energy Forum. 

2.2. EU nuclear market and main developments 

The EU nuclear energy market needs to be examined in the global context, given the potential 
impact  of  developments  in  other  regions  on  the  EU  nuclear  industry,  global  safety,  security, 
health and on public opinion. Cooperation should be further enhanced with the EU candidates 
and  neighbourhood  countries,  in  particular  Ukraine,  Belarus,  Turkey  and  Armenia.  Safety 
stress tests have already been conducted in Ukraine, are to be completed in Armenia in 2016 
and are planned in Belarus and Turkey. 

The EU nuclear industry has developed into a global technology leader in all nuclear industry 
segments  and  directly  employs  between  400 000  and  500 000  persons8,  while  facilitating 
around  400  000  additional  jobs9.  Such  leadership  can  be  an  important  asset  worldwide. 
Nuclear-related investment needs in the global market are estimated at around EUR 3 trillion 

5 OJ L 219, 25.7.2014, p. 42–52 
6 OJ L 199, 2.8.2011, p. 48–56 
7 OJ L 13, 17.1.2014, p. 1-73 
8 SWD(2014)299 
9 http://ec.europa.eu/research/energy/euratom/publications/pdf/study2012_synthesis_report.pdf  

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by  205010,  with  the  majority  expected  in  Asia.  The  number  of  countries  operating  nuclear 
power  reactors  and  the  global  nuclear  installed  capacity  is  expected  to  increase  by  2040. 
China's  nuclear installed  capacity  alone  is  projected  to  increase  by  125  GWe,  a  value  higher 
than the current capacity in the EU (120 GWe), the United States (104 GWe) and Russia (25 
GWe). 

The  Commission  predicts  a  decline  in  nuclear  generation  capacity  at  EU  level  up  to  2025, 
taking  into  account  the  decisions  of  some  Member  States  to  phase  out  nuclear  energy  or  to 
reduce its share in their energy mix11. This trend would be reversed by 2030 as new reactors 
are predicted to be connected to the grid and the life time extensions of others will be pursued. 
Nuclear  capacity  would  increase  slightly  and  remain  stable  at  between  95  and  105  GWe  by 
205012 (Figure 1). Since electricity demand is expected to increase over the same period, the 
share of nuclear electricity in the EU would fall from its current level of 27% to around 20%. 

Figure 1 - Total EU nuclear capacity (GWe) 

120

100

80

60

40

20

0

2015

2020

2025

2030

2035

2040

2045

2050

Existing power

LTO

New nuclear capacity

Capacity replacement investment up to 2050 will most likely be in the most advanced reactors, 
such as EPR, AP 1000, VVER 1200, ACR 1000 and ABWR.  

3.  NUCLEAR INVESTMENT TOWARDS 2050 

Significant investments will be needed to support the transformation of the energy system in 
line with the Energy Union Strategy. Between EUR  3.2 and EUR 4.2 trillion will need to be 
invested in the EU energy supply between 2015 and 205013.   

Under Article 41 of the Euratom Treaty, new nuclear investment projects must be notified 
to  the  Commission.  Since  2008  a  total  of  48  projects  have  been  notified.  Nine  were  for 
facilities  dedicated  to  front-end  activities,  20  for  major  modifications  or  upgrades  in 
nuclear power plants related to long term operations or to post Fukushima improvements, 
seven  for  new  commercial  or  research  reactors  and  12  for  back-end  installations.  All 

10 Source: Nuclear Energy Agency and International Energy Agency, 2015 (USD 1 = EUR 0,75) 
11 Such as the decision of Germany and the new French energy transition law 
12  Estimate  within  the  range  of  the  analysis  performed  by  the  Commission  during  the  preparation  of  the  2030 
Climate and energy framework. See SWD(2014)255 and SWD(2014)15 
13  SWD(2014)255.  This  includes  power  grid  investment,  investment  in  power  plants  (including  electricity  and 
CHP)  and  steam  boilers.  All  figures  in  this  Communication  are  expressed  in  constant  values  unless  stated 
otherwise. 

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projects  received  a  non-binding  Commission  opinion,  providing  the  Member  State  with 
comments and/or suggestions for improvements to be taken into account when authorising 
the  projects.  Particular  attention  was  paid  to  safety,  waste  management,  safeguards,  and 
security of supply issues. 

Later  this  year  the  Commission  will  propose  an  update  and  better  definition  of  the 
requirements  for  these  notifications  which,  together  with  the  Recommendation  on  the 
application  of  Article  103  of  the  Euratom  Treaty,  will  strengthen  the  ability  of  the 
Commission  for  ensuring  that  new  investments  and  bilateral  agreements  with  third-
countries in the field of nuclear energy comply with the provisions of the Euratom Treaty 
and reflect the most recent security of supply considerations. 

3.1. Investments in the front end of the fuel cycle 

The  process  of  fabricating  fuel  (front  end  of  the  fuel  cycle)  includes  different  steps  from 
uranium ore exploration and mining to fabrication of fuel assemblies. 

While  uranium  mining  activities  are  limited  in  the  EU,  abundant  uranium  resources  are 
available worldwide. European companies rank among the world's major producers of nuclear 
fuel.  

EU demand for natural uranium represents approximately one third of the world demand and is 
obtained  from  a  diversified  range  of  suppliers.  Kazakhstan  (27%)  was  the  main  supplier  in 
2014, followed by Russia (18 %), and Niger (15 %). Australia and Canada accounted for 14 % 
and 13 % respectively. 

In accordance with the European Energy Security Strategy, the Commission is taking actions 
to ensure a well-functioning internal market for nuclear fuels and to further enhance security of 
supply.  The  Euratom  Supply  Agency  (ESA)  continuously  assesses  these  matters  in  its 
decisions on supply contracts, with particular attention to new build projects.  

While some companies offer integrated packages with services spanning the nuclear fuel cycle, 
the  Commission  will  ensure  that  this  ability  will  not  act  as  a  barrier  to  other  companies  that 
operate in a single segment of the nuclear cycle, as this would limit competition in the market. 

Major investments in conversion and enrichment capabilities have been done in the past, and 
the  focus  in  the  coming  years  will  be  put  in  modernising  them  in  order  to  maintain  the  EU 
technological  leadership.  Regarding  the  fabrication  of  nuclear  fuel,  the  EU-based  capacity 
would  be  able  to  cover  all  its  needs  for  western-design  reactors,  whereas  developing  and 
licensing fuel assemblies for Russian design reactors would take a few years (provided that a 
sufficient  market  is  available  to  make  the  investment  attractive  for  the  industry).  The 
Commission  will  continue  to  monitor  the  front  end  of  the  fuel  cycle  and  use  all  instruments 
available  at  its  disposal  to  ensure  security  of  supply  in  the  EU,  diversification  and  global 
competition.  

3.2. Investments and business environment for new nuclear power plants 

All Member States operating nuclear power plants are investing in safety improvements. Due 
to the average age of the EU nuclear fleet, several Member States are also faced with policy 
decisions on the replacement or the long term operation of their nuclear power plants.  

As  shown  in  Figure  1,  without  long  term  operation  programs  around  90%  of  the  existing 
reactors  would  be  shut  down  by  2030,  resulting  in  the  need  to  replace  large  amounts  of 
capacity.  When  Member  States  decide  to  proceed  with  the  long  term  operation  of  reactors, 

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national  regulatory  approval  and  safety  upgrades  are  needed  to  ensure  compliance  with  the 
Nuclear  Safety  Directive.  Whichever  options  Member  States  chose,  90%  of  the  existing 
nuclear electricity production capacity will need to be replaced by 2050.  

Maintaining a nuclear generation capacity of between 95 and 105 GWe in  the EU until 2050 
and beyond would require further investments over the next 35 years. Between EUR 350 and 
450  billion  would  have  to  be  invested  in  new  plants  to  replace  most  of  the  existing  nuclear 
power capacity. Since new nuclear power plants are designed to operate for at least 60 years, 
these new plants would generate electricity until the end of the century.  

A  number  of  factors  influence  the  availability  of  finance  for  investments  in  new  nuclear 
capacity.  For  the  two  main  cost  components,  overnight  cost14  and  financing  cost,  the 
expected construction time and the project discount rate play a big role.  

Different financing models are being examined or used in several EU Member States, such 
as  the  Contract  for  Difference15  scheme  proposed  for  the  Hinkley  Point  C  project  in  the 
UK or the Mankala model16 proposed for the Hanhikivi project in Finland.  

Some  new,  first of a kind projects in the EU  have experienced delays and cost overruns. 
Future projects using the same technology should benefit from the  experience gained and 
cost-reduction opportunities, provided that an appropriate policy is established. 

This  policy  should  focus  on  enhancing  cooperation  between  regulators  when  licensing 
new  reactors  and  on  encouraging  standardisation  of  nuclear  reactor  designs  by  the 
industry.  In  addition  to  cost  efficiency,  this  would  help  make  new  nuclear  power  plants 
safer. 

The licensing process, while being the exclusive competence of national safety regulators, 
presents  opportunities  for  enhanced  cooperation,  e.g.  in  the  pre-licensing  steps  or  in 
design certification.  

The aim of collaboration on licensing requirements should be to ensure that a design that 
is  considered  safe  in  one  country  does  not  have  to  be  substantially  modified  to  meet 
licensing  requirements  elsewhere,  therefore  reducing  time  and  costs.  In  this  area  the 
Commission  intends  to  consult  the  European  Nuclear  Safety  Regulators  Group  and  the 
European Technical Safety Organisations Network. 

On  standardisation,  construction  codes  are  used  as  a  common  reference  by  all  actors 
involved  in  the  design  and  construction  of  power  plants  and  other  nuclear  facilities 17. 
Given the emergence of potential new vendors and the need to ensure control of any new 
model/technology, it would be beneficial to encourage vendors and suppliers to engage in 
an  initiative  to  standardise  to  a  higher  degree  their  components  and  codes  in  order  to 
ensure (a) faster procurement process; (b) higher comparability and more transparent and 
higher  safety  standards;  (c)  increased  capacity  of  operators  to  control  technology  and 
knowledge  management.  Given  the  emphasis  on  optimising  the  use  of  existing  resources 

14 The overnight construction costs include: construction, major equipment, instrumentation and control, indirect 
costs and owners cost 
15 Contracts for difference entail a variable Premium in view of the market price for electricity 
16 An agreement similar to the cooperative system of undertaking known in other European countries. This model 
operates on a zero-profit basis; the shareholders receive a relative share of the electricity produced by the nuclear 
power plant at cost price 
17  This  includes  suppliers  of  the  technology,  architects,  engineers,  operators,  as  well  as  inspectors  and  safety 
authorities 

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as well as on mutual recognition to open up more opportunities, the Commission is closely 
following the work of  the European Committee for Standardization to see  what  potential 
policy options are needed at EU level.  

3.3. Investments  and  business  environment  related  to  safety  upgrades  and  the  long 

term operation of existing nuclear power plants 

In  order  to  continuously  improve  nuclear  safety,  regular  efforts  are  made  to  increase  the 
robustness  of  nuclear  power  plants,  especially  following  specific  reviews,  periodic  safety 
reviews or peer reviews such as the EU stress tests.  

Many operators in Europe have expressed their intention to operate their nuclear power plants 
longer than foreseen by their original design. From a nuclear safety point of view, continuing 
to  operate  a  nuclear  power  plant  requires  two  things:  demonstrating  and  maintaining  plant 
conformity to the applicable regulatory requirements; and enhancing plant safety  

In  the  light  of  information  provided  by  Member  States,  an  estimated  EUR  45-50  billion 
will  have  to  be  invested  in  the  long  term  operation  of  existing  reactors  by  2050.  The 
related  investment  projects  will  need  to  be  communicated  to  the  Commission  in 
accordance with Article 41 of the Euratom Treaty on which the Commission will issue its 
views.  

Depending  on  the  model  and  age  of  the  reactor,  national  regulators  assume  that  granting 
long term operation programs will mean extending lifetime by 10 to 20 years on average.  

Utilities and regulatory bodies need to prepare, review and approve the safety cases associated 
with  these  plans  in  accordance  with  the  amended  Nuclear  Safety  Directive.  Enhancing 
cooperation  among  the  regulators  in  the  licensing  processes,  for  example  by  setting 
common criteria, will help ensure an adequate and timely response to the challenge.  

3.4. Increased activities in the back-end of the fuel cycle: challenges and opportunities 

The back-end of the fuel cycle will need increasing levels of attention. It is estimated that more 
than  50  of  the  129  reactors  currently  in  operation  in  the  EU  are  to  be  shut  down  by  2025. 
Careful planning and enhanced cooperation among Member States will be needed. Politically 
sensitive  decisions  will  have  to  be  taken  by  all  EU  Member  States  operating  nuclear  power 
plants  regarding  geological  disposal  and  long-term  management  of  radioactive  waste.  It  is 
important not to postpone actions and investment decisions on these issues. 

3.4.1.  Spent fuel and radioactive waste management 

The Spent Fuel and Radioactive Waste Directive establishes legally binding requirements for 
the safe and responsible long-term management of radioactive waste and spent fuel, with the 
objective of avoiding undue burdens on future generations.  

Each Member State remains free to define its fuel cycle policy. The spent fuel can be regarded 
either as a valuable resource that may be reprocessed or as radioactive waste that is destined 
for  direct  disposal.  Whatever  option  is  chosen,  the  disposal  of  high-level  waste,  separated  at 
reprocessing, or of spent fuel regarded as waste should be addressed. 

France and the United Kingdom have reprocessing facilities in operation, although the later has 
decided  to  shut  it  down  by  2018.  A  number  of  reactors  in  Germany,  France  and  the 
Netherlands used Mixed oxide (MOX) fuel during 2014.  

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Disposal facilities for low-level and intermediate-level radioactive waste are already in place in 
most Member States. Operators are moving from research to action with the construction of the 
world's first geological disposal facilities for high-level waste and spent fuel. These facilities 
are  expected  to  become  operational  in  Finland,  Sweden  and  France  between  2020 and  2030. 
Other European companies should take advantage of this expertise in order to consolidate the 
required skills and know-how and develop commercial opportunities at global level. 

There is scope for cooperation between Member States, including by sharing of best practices 
or even through shared repositories. Whereas shared repositories are legally possible under the 
Directive, several issues remain to be solved, in particular communicating with the public and 
building  public  acceptance.  Determining  the  ultimately  responsible  actor  for  the  radioactive 
waste to be disposed of in a multinational approach is also a critical step.  

Member  States  operating  nuclear  power  plants  currently  use  facilities  for  storing  waste  for 
between  40  and  100  years.  However,  the  storage  of  radioactive  waste,  including  long-term 
storage, is an interim solution and not an alternative to disposal.  

3.4.2.  Decommissioning 

Worldwide there is little experience in decommissioning power reactors. There are 89 nuclear 
power reactors permanently shut down in Europe as of October 2015, but only 3 reactors have 
so far been completely decommissioned18 (all in Germany).  

European companies have the opportunity to become global leaders by developing the required 
skills in the domestic market, which includes measures to encourage the participation of SMEs. 
The use of best practices in the different stages of the decommissioning process –  such as the 
use of a graded approach allowing the regulatory situation to evolve as to appropriately reflect 
the  radiological  hazard  levels  throughout  the  process  –  would  bring  efficiency  and  safety 
improvements. Best practices could be promoted by creating a European centre of excellence, 
bringing  together  public  and  private  actors,  or  be  established  under  the  Decommissioning 
Funding Group. 

3.4.3.  Funding  requirements  for  spent  fuel,  radioactive  waste  management  and 

decommissioning 

The Spent Fuel and Radioactive Waste Directive recognises that operators are fully responsible 
for  the  management  of  radioactive  waste  from  generation  through  to  final  disposal.  Funding 
has to be accumulated by the operators from the early years of operation and be ring-fenced to 
mitigate the risk of financial liabilities for governments to the extent possible. Member States 
guarantee  this  principle  by  establishing  and  maintaining  national  programmes  that  include, 
among other things, an assessment of the costs and the applicable financing scheme. 

Based  on  the  latest  information  provided  by  Member  States,19  in  December  2014  European 
nuclear operators estimated that EUR 253 billion will be needed for nuclear decommissioning 
and radioactive waste management until 2050, with EUR 123 billion for decommissioning and 
EUR 130 billion in spent fuel and radioactive waste management, as well as deep geological 
disposal. 

Member States have also provided data on assets backing these expected investments, which 

18 This means releasing the site from regulatory control 
19 Questionnaires sent to the members of the Decommissioning Funding Group, as well as National Programmes 
submitted under Directive 2011/70/Euratom, where available 

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amounted to approximately EUR 133 billion. Typically, these assets are collected in dedicated 
funds,  often  combined  for  decommissioning  and  radioactive  waste  management.  The  most 
frequently  used  method  to  collect  funds  is  a  fixed  contribution  based  on  the  electricity 
produced by the relevant nuclear power plants. 

Member  States  apply  different  methods  to  estimate  the  costs  of  completing  the  back-end 
activities  of  the  nuclear  fuel  cycle.  The  Commission  will  continue  collecting  additional  data 
with the help of the Decommissioning Funding Group, and later in 2016 intends to draw up a 
report on the implementation of the Radioactive Waste and Spent Fuel Directive. 

4.  NON-POWER APPLICATIONS 

Nuclear  and  radiation  technologies  have  many  applications  in  the  medical  sector,  industry, 
agriculture and research, with substantial benefits to society in all Member States.  

More than  500  million diagnostic procedures  using x-rays or radioisotopes  are carried out  in 
Europe  each  year  and  more  than  700  000  European  healthcare  workers  use  nuclear  and 
radiation  technology  on  a  daily  basis.  There  is  a  substantial  European  market  for  medical 
imaging  equipment,  worth  more  than  EUR  20  billion  and  enjoying  annual  growth  rates  of 
about 5%. 

Different  types  of  research  reactors  are  operated  in  the  EU.  They  are  used  for  material  and 
nuclear  fuel  testing,  as  well  as  basic  research  and  development.  Some  also  produce  medical 
radioisotopes  for  the  diagnosis  and  treatment  of  various  diseases,  including  cancers, 
cardiovascular and brain disorders. Over 10 000 hospitals worldwide use radioisotopes for the 
in vivo diagnosis or treatment of about 35 million patients every year, of which nine million are 
European.  

Europe  is  the  second  largest  consumer  of  technetium-99m  (Tc-99m),  the  most  widely-used 
diagnostic  radioisotope.  Several  European  research  reactors  involved  in  the  production  of 
medical  radioisotopes  are  approaching  the  end  of  their  lifespan,  with  the  supply  of  medical 
radioisotopes becoming more fragile and leading to some severe shortages. 

Actions have recently been undertaken to coordinate the operation of research reactors, in the 
European  Union  and  abroad,  and  minimise  interruptions  in  radioisotope  production,  for 
example,  the  establishment  in  2012  of  the  European  Observatory  on  the  Supply  of  Medical 
Radioisotopes.20 Despite these efforts, the issue of medical radioisotope capacity, especially in 
Europe,  still  requires  full  consideration  by  all  stakeholders,  as  it  is  essential  to  ensure  key 
medical diagnosis and treatments in the European Union.  

The Commission considers that there is a need for a more coordinated European approach to 
the non-power uses of nuclear and radiation technology. 

5.  MAINTAINING EU TECHNOLOGY LEADERSHIP IN THE NUCLEAR DOMAIN THROUGH 

FURTHER RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES 

The  EU  must  maintain  its  technological  leadership  in  the  nuclear  domain,  including  through 
the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER),21 so as not to increase energy 

20 http://ec.europa.eu/euratom/observatory_radioisotopes.html 
21  The  International  Thermonuclear  Experimental  Reactor  is  a  large-scale  scientific  experiment  that  aims  to 
demonstrate the technological and scientific feasibility of fusion energy being built in France. It is an international 
collaborative effort between the EU, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Russia and the USA. 

9 

 
 
                                                            
and technology dependence, and to give business opportunities for European companies. This 
will in turn support EU growth, jobs and competitiveness. 

The recent Communication for a new Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan)22 further 
details that the priority for nuclear energy is to support the development of the most advanced 
technologies  to  maintain  the  highest  level  of  safety  in  nuclear  reactors  and  to  improve  the 
efficiency of operation, the back-end of the fuel cycle and decommissioning.  

Ongoing Euratom research initiatives include: 

  The implementation of the European Sustainable Nuclear  Industrial  Initiative23 which 
aims to prepare the future deployment of the generation IV nuclear system relying on 
fast  neutron  technology  with  a  closed  fuel  cycle.  Several  reactors  are  in  the  research 
stage  (e.g.  ALLEGRO,  ALFRED,  MYRRHA  and  ASTRID),  which  may  already 
advance significantly by 2050. 

  Research  on  the  safety  of  small  modular  reactors,  the  advantages  of  which  include 
reduced  construction  time  due  to  high  modularity  and  integrated  design.  The  United 
Kingdom has recently announced plans to invest in the development of small modular 
reactors. 

  Support for careers in the nuclear field. It is crucial to develop and maintain appropriate 
knowledge and expertise in nuclear energy through continuous training and education. 

6.  CONCLUSION 

As  a  low  carbon  technology  and  a  significant  contributor  to  security  of  supply  and 
diversification,  nuclear  energy  is  expected  to  remain  an  important  component  of  the  EU’s 
energy mix in the 2050 horizon.    

For  those  Member  States  choosing  to  use  nuclear,  the  highest  standards  of  safety,  security, 
waste management and non-proliferation have to be ensured across the whole fuel cycle. It is 
crucial  to  ensure  the  swift  and  thorough  implementation  of  the  legislation  adopted  post-
Fukushima. Cooperation among national regulators for licensing and general oversight is seen 
as beneficial. 

The  nuclear  fleet  in  Europe  is  aging  and  significant  investments  are  needed  where  Member 
States opt for a lifetime extension of some reactors (and related safety improvements), for the 
expected  decommissioning  activities  and  for  the  long-term  storage  of  nuclear  waste. 
Investments are also needed in replacing existing nuclear plants, which could partly also go to 
new nuclear plants. The total estimated investments in the nuclear fuel cycle between 2015 and 
2050 are projected to be between EUR 650 and 760 billion24.  

Finally, the fast development of the use of nuclear energy outside the EU (China, India, etc.) 
also  calls  for  keeping  our  global  leadership  and  excellence  in  the  technological  and  safety 
areas,  for  which  continuous  investment  in  research  and  development  activities  will  be 
essential. 

22 COM(2015)6317. 
23 This initiative is included within the Sustainable Nuclear Energy Technology platform (SNETP).  
24 See details in the Staff Working Document. 

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