COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION Nuclear Illustrative Programme presented under Article 40 of the Euratom Treaty - Final (after opinion of EESC)
Date: 2017-05-12
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, 12.5.2017  COM(2017) 237 final   COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION Nuclear Illustrative Programme presented under Article 40 of the Euratom Treaty - Final (after opinion of EESC) {SWD(2017) 158 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 choose 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.  

The  EU  is  currently  one  of  the  three  major  economies3  that  generate  more  than  half  of  their 
electricity from low-carbon energy sources (about 58%4).  

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 the need for 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, there is a shared recognition of the need to 
ensure the highest possible standards for the safe and responsible use of nuclear power and to 
protect citizens from radiation.  

1 COM(2015)80. 
2 COM(2014)330. 
3 The others are Brazil and Canada. 
4 27.5% from nuclear and 29.2% from renewable sources, Eurostat, May 2016. 

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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.  The 
Commission will continue to monitor the implementation of those plans through the European 
Nuclear Safety Regulators Group. 

The amended Nuclear Safety Directive5 brings the nuclear safety standards to a higher level. It 
sets  an  ambitious  EU-wide  objective  of  reducing  the  risk  of  accidents  and  avoiding  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 always be 
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  that  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  improved  cooperation  between  all  stakeholders.  The  directives  on  nuclear 
safety, radioactive waste and radiation protection referred to above all lay down requirements 
on  the  availability  of  information  and  public  participation.  The  Commission  is  currently 
reviewing the implementation of these  requirements in the directives already transposed, and 
aims  to  promote  best  practices.  These  will  also  apply  to  the  directives  still  to  be  transposed. 
The  Commission  aims  to  ensure  that  the  public  has  access  to  reliable  information  and  can 
participate where appropriate in a transparent decision-making process. 

Cooperation among the nuclear safety authorities of EU Member States is now well established 
thanks  to  the  European  Nuclear  Safety  Regulators  Group.  In  addition,  the  Commission  will 
continue  to  promote  the  dialogue  between  stakeholders  –  including  civil  society  –  through, 
albeit not exclusively, the European Nuclear Energy Forum. 

Dialogue  with  stakeholders  and  civil  society  over  the  last  two  years  covered  issues  such  as 
emergency preparedness and response, the role of nuclear in the Energy Union and security of 
supply,  the  EU  as  a  world  leader  in  nuclear  safety,  the  creation  of  a  market  for 
decommissioning  in  Europe,  and  the  crucial  involvement  of  civil  society.  Together  with  the 
forthcoming  report  to  the  Council  and  the  European  Parliament  on  the  Radioactive  Waste 
Directive,  they  create  a  sound  basis  for  increased  transparency  and  debate.  Moreover,  more 
effort  is  necessary  to  enhance  communication  and  engagement  in  order  both  to  better 

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 

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understand civil society concerns and to better communicate and explain to the public the risk 
and safety aspects of all forms of nuclear technology. 

In addition, greater attention will continue to be paid to nuclear security. As highlighted in the 
conclusions of the 2016 Nuclear Security Summit, countering malevolent acts of a nuclear and 
radiological  nature  calls  for  international  cooperation.  This  includes  sharing  information  in 
accordance with States’ national laws and procedures.  

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  strengthened  with  the  EU 
candidate  countries  and  neighbourhood  countries,  in  particular  Ukraine,  Belarus,  Turkey  and 
Armenia. Safety stress tests have already been conducted in Ukraine, are set 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 people8, while  creating 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 by 205010, 
with the majority expected in Asia. The number of countries operating nuclear power reactors 
and  the  global  nuclear  installed  capacity  are  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 of 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 lifetime of others will be extended. 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%. 

8 SWD(2014)299 
9 http://ec.europa.eu/research/energy/euratom/publications/pdf/study2012_synthesis_report.pdf  
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 

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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 NEEDS 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.  Investments in the nuclear sector 
are a small part of the overall effort and must be made within the framework established in EU 
legislation. 

Under Article 41 of the Euratom Treaty, the Commission must be notified of new nuclear 
investment  projects.  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 
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  Treaty14,  will  strengthen  the  Commission's 
ability to ensure that new investments and bilateral agreements with third countries in the 
field  of  nuclear  energy  comply  with  the  Euratom  Treaty  and  reflect  the  most  recent 
security of supply considerations. 

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. 
14 Adopted on 4th April 2016. 

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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  global  demand  and  is 
obtained from a diverse 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 action to 
ensure a well-functioning internal market for nuclear fuels and to further enhance security of 
supply.  The  Euratom  Supply  Agency  assesses  these  matters  continuously  in  its  decisions  on 
supply contracts, with particular attention paid to new-build projects.  

While some companies offer integrated packages with services that span the nuclear fuel cycle, 
the Commission will ensure that this capacity 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 have been made in the past in conversion and enrichment capabilities, and 
the  focus  in  the  coming  years  will  be  on  modernising  them  in  order  to  maintain  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 long-term operation of their nuclear power plants.  

Figure  1  shows  that  without  long-term  operation  programmes,  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, 
national regulatory approval and safety upgrades will be needed to ensure compliance with the 
Nuclear  Safety  Directive.  Whichever  options  Member  States  choose,  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. 

6 

 
 
A  number  of  factors  influence  the  availability  of  finance  for  investments  in  new  nuclear 
capacity.  For  the  two  main  cost  components,  overnight  cost 15  and  financing  cost,  the 
expected construction time and project discount rate play a significant role.  

Different financing models are being examined or used in several EU Member States, such 
as  the  Contract  for  Difference16  scheme  proposed  for  the  Hinkley  Point  C  project  in  the 
UK or the Mankala model17 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 
should  exploit  cost-reduction  opportunities,  provided  that  an  appropriate  policy  is 
established. 

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

The  licensing  process,  while  falling  under  the  exclusive  competence  of  national  safety 
regulators,  presents  opportunities  for  enhanced  cooperation,  for  example  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 both 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 18. 
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 increase standardisation of their components and codes in order to ensure:  
(a) a faster procurement process;  
(b) greater 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 and on mutual recognition 
to  open  up  more  opportunities,  the  Commission  is  closely  following  the  work  of  the 
European  Committee  for  Standardisation  to  see  what  potential  policy  options  are  needed 
at EU level.  

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

7 

 
 
 
                                                            
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,  which  is  a  key  responsibility  of  the  nuclear 
operators under the supervision of the competent national regulatory authorities, regular efforts 
are  made  to  increase  the  robustness  of  nuclear  power  plants,  in  particular  following  specific 
reviews, periodic safety reviews or peer reviews such as the EU stress tests.  

Many operators in Europe have expressed the intention to operate their nuclear power plants 
for  longer  than  envisaged  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 as far as reasonably practicable.  

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, which will 
then issue its views on them in accordance with Article 41 of the Euratom Treaty.   

Depending  on  the  model  and  age  of  the  reactor,  national  regulators  assume  that  granting 
long-term operation programmes will mean extending their 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.  All  EU 
Member States operating nuclear power plants will have to take politically sensitive decisions 
on geological disposal and the long-term management of radioactive waste. It is important not 
to  postpone  actions  and  investment  decisions  on  these  issues  as  the  acceptance  of  nuclear 
energy  by  civil  society  is  closely  linked  to  the  ability  to  demonstrate  responsible,  safe  and 
sustainable solutions for waste management. 

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.  Member  States  have  made 
significant efforts towards implementing the Directive.   

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

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

8 

 
 
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 the sharing of best practices 
or even through shared repositories. Whereas shared repositories are legally possible under the 
Directive, several issues still need to be resolved, in particular communicating with the public 
and  building  public  acceptance.  Another  crucial  step  is  to  determine,  who  is  ultimately 
responsible  for  the  radioactive  waste  that  needs  to  be  disposed  of  as  part  of  a  multinational 
approach.  

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.  90  nuclear  power 
reactors  have  been  shut  down  permanently  in  Europe  as  at  January  2016.  However,  only  3 
reactors have been completely decommissioned so far19 (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  practice  in  the  various  stages  of  the  decommissioning  process,  including 
through  a  staged  approach  that  would  allow  benefit  from  the  continuous  reduction  in  the 
radiological hazard, would bring efficiency and safety improvements. Best practices could be 
promoted by creating a European centre of excellence, that brings together public and private 
actors, or by establishing it 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 an 
assessment of the costs and the applicable financing scheme. 

Based  on  the  latest  information  provided  by  Member  States,20  European  nuclear  operators 
estimated in December 2014 that EUR 263 billion will be needed for nuclear decommissioning 
and radioactive waste management until 2050, with EUR 123 billion for decommissioning and 
EUR 140 billion for 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 

19 This means releasing the site from regulatory control. 
20 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  has  drawn  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 vibrant market for medical imaging equipment 
in Europe. It is worth more than EUR 20 billion and enjoys 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 some 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. 

Action  has  recently  been  undertaken  to  coordinate  the  operation  of  research  reactors  in  the 
European  Union  and  abroad  and  to  minimise  interruptions  in  radioisotope  production,  for 
example  the  establishment  of  the  European  Observatory  on  the  Supply  of  Medical 
Radioisotopes  in  2012.21  Despite  these  efforts,  the  issue  of  medical  radioisotope  capacity, 
especially  in  Europe,  still  requires  full  consideration  by  all  stakeholders  as  it  is  essential  to 
ensuring 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  the 
development  of  fusion  through  the  International  Thermonuclear  Experimental  Reactor 
(ITER),22  so  as  not  to  increase  energy  and  technology  dependence,  and  to  provide  European 

21 http://ec.europa.eu/euratom/observatory_radioisotopes.html 
22 ITER 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 Parties of the ITER 
Agreement: EU, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Russia and the USA. 

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companies  with  business  opportunities.  This  will  in  turn  support  EU  growth,  jobs  and 
competitiveness. 

The recent Communication on the Integrated Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan)23 
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.  

As  underlined  by  European  research  and  industrial  stakeholders24,  retaining  technological 
leadership  in  the  nuclear  field  is  possible  only  if  interested  Member  States  maintain  diverse 
and sufficiently funded nuclear research capabilities, including education and training aspects. 
However,  it  will  not  be  easy  for  Europe  to  retain  leadership  in  all  areas  in  view  of  the 
significant  increase  in  nuclear  generating  capacity  in  other  regions  of  the  world.  This 
underlines  the  importance  of  cooperation  at  European  level,  especially  in  areas  such  as  the 
expertise on safety of advanced and innovative reactors. 

The  ongoing  Euratom  programme  contributes  to  these  objectives  by  supporting  nuclear 
research  and  training  activities  aiming  at  continuous  improvement  of  nuclear  safety,  security 
and  radiation  protection,  thus  contributing  to  the  long-term  decarbonisation  of  the  energy 
system. 

The  ITER  project  is  a  key  step  on  the  way  to  establishing  fusion's  future  role  in  energy 
scenarios after 2050. Significant progress was made on ITER in 2016 in terms of revising the 
project baseline. In June 2016 the ITER Parties agreed on a new schedule and cost estimates 
for the period up to 2025. In November 2016 they gave their support to a fully revised baseline 
up to 2035, which is subject to final political approval in 2017.  

Continuing  to  pursue  research  and  development  is  instrumental  to  maintain  the  EU  at  the 
forefront  of  nuclear  technology  and  develop  the  highest  standards  of  safety,  security,  waste 
management  and  non-proliferation.  This  implies  continued  investment  on  research  and 
training/education, as well as on nuclear research infrastructure. 

6.  CONCLUSION 

According  to  the  Commission's  estimate,  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. Top-level nuclear research, including through the development of state-of-the-art 
nuclear  research  infrastructure  in  the  EU  is  fundamental  to  ensure  that  the  EU  maintains  its 
competence  in  the  field.  Cooperation  among  national  regulators  on  licensing  and  general 
supervision is seen as beneficial. 

The  nuclear  fleet  in  Europe  is  ageing  and  significant investments  are  needed  where  Member 
States  opt  for  a  lifetime  extension  of  some  reactors  (and  related  safety  improvements), 
expected  decommissioning  activities  and  for  the  long-term  storage  of  nuclear  waste. 

23 COM(2015)6317. 
24 SET-Plan Declaration of Intent on Strategic Targets in the context of Action 10: 'Maintaining a high level of 
safety of nuclear reactors and associated fuel cycles during operation and decommissioning, while improving their 
efficiency' https://setis.ec.europa.eu/implementing-integrated-set-plan/nuclear-safety-ongoing-work  

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Investments are also needed to replace existing nuclear plants. Such investments could also go 
in part to new nuclear plants. The total estimated investments in the nuclear fuel cycle between 
2015 and 2050 are projected to be between EUR 660 and 770 billion25.  

Finally, the rapid rise in nuclear energy use outside the EU (China, India, etc.) also means that 
the  EU  needs  to  maintain  its  global  leadership  and  excellence  in  the  technology  and  safety 
domains.  To  this  end,  continuous  investment  in  research  and  development  activities  will  be 
needed. 

25 See details in the Staff Working Document (SWD(2016) 102 final). 

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