Safety of nuclear installations, spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste management in the European Union: a legal analysis

Article abstract:

The current European Union regime constitutes a strong incentive to achieve a high level of nuclear safety. However, when new Eastern and Central European countries join the Union, there is nothing to prevent them from abandoning these measures, as the current regime does not provide for common legal rules for nuclear safety in the EU. To this end, the European Commission has issued new proposals known as 'the nuclear package', which includes a proposal for a Directive on the safety of nuclear installations, and a proposal for a Directive on spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste management. This article discusses the legal basis for the Community's legislation on nuclear safety, the current regime and the new proposals. It also examines the extent to which changes can be brought through these proposals.