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Sham nuclear laws ditched
Ministers must now scrap pro-nuclear treaty too

(Brussels, 14 May 2004) Friends of the Earth Europe has today welcomed the Council of Ministers' rejection of controversial nuclear legislation, saying that the outcome also highlights the pressing need to scrap the pro-nuclear Euratom treaty.

Energy Commissioner Loyola de Palacio launched two directives on managing nuclear installations and radioactive waste in 2002. Both proposals were ostensibly to increase nuclear safety, but in reality failed to include any substantive measures to do so.

The draft laws were ditched late yesterday after officials (in Coreper II) noted that there was too little support amongst member states to adopt them. The issue has now been referred back to an expert group, who will prepare a non-binding Council text instead.

The move will be a humiliation to Mrs Palacio, who as been a vocal supporter of nuclear power. The failure also increases doubt over the directives' proposed legal base, the pro-nuclear Euratom treaty. This 1957 agreement
created the European Atomic Energy Community with a duty to promote as well as regulate the nuclear sector.

EU foreign ministers meeting next week to finalise a new constitutional treaty are also expected consider the status of Euratom. Currently, it is proposed that Euratom should continue alongside a new constitution, but several states are seeking a formal review.

Friends of the Earth campaigner Mark Johnston said: "Credible nuclear safety legislation is important, but these proposals were a sham and so we're pleased they've been ditched. Mrs de Palacio1s public relations exercise on
behalf of the industry has failed. We call upon the Commission to respect the will of the Council and withdraw their plans."

"The Euratom treaty is a fundamentally flawed primary law which, if it stays in force, will seriously undermine the new EU constitution. We call on all states in the IGC to back proposals to launch a formal review of Euratom."

Contact: Mark Johnston +44 79 7331 9249

 

Friends of the Earth Europe campaigns for sustainable and fair societies and for the protection of the environment,
unites more than 30 national organisations with thousands of local groups
and is part of the world's largest grassroots environmental network, Friends of the Earth International.