European Union member state experts have agreed on a draft text for a new nuclear waste and spent fuel management directive that would allow permanent exports of waste from the EU under certain conditions.
Gunther Oettinger
EU Council draft of nuclear waste directive to allow exports: sources
Thursday, June 30, 2011
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EU agrees "stress tests" for nuclear reactors
Wednesday, May 25, 2011BRUSSELS, May 25 (Reuters) - European nuclear watchdogs have agreed details of safety checks on the EU's reactors to prevent crises like that in Japan, but they will not include tests for resisting terror attacks, the European Commission said.
European leaders agreed in March to subject European nuclear power plants to "stress tests", but since then experts at national nuclear authorities have been wrangling over details such as whether to test for resilience to acts of terror.
EU Debates Atomic Safety Checks as Spanish Quake Kills Eight
Saturday, May 14, 2011Planned stress tests on European nuclear plants should focus on threats from natural disasters and exclude potential man-made catastrophes such as a terrorist attack, European atomic industry group Foratom said.
European nuclear officials are to decide today on parameters for the safety checks on atomic power plants in response to the Japanese nuclear crisis caused by a March 11 earthquake and tsunami. The meeting of the European Commission, the EU regulator, and 27 national nuclear safety authorities comes a day after Spain’s biggest earthquake in 57 years killed eight people.
EU divided over nuclear plants' resistance to attack
Wednesday, May 11, 2011Europe's nuclear safety tests should be strengthened to include man-made crises, such as terrorist attacks or airplane crashes, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said on Wednesday.
European leaders agreed in March to subject Europe's 143 reactors to "stress tests," to guard against disasters such as the one at Japan's stricken Fukushima plant.
EU nuclear stress tests could prove less strenuous than expected
Thursday, May 5, 2011Europe is preparing new stress tests designed to put nuclear power stations through their paces. It's a response primarily to the problems at Japan's Fukushima plant. But will the tests be as rigorous as promised?
The European Commission is set to present a draft for its new nuclear stress tests next week. While the Fukushima power plant, ravaged by an earthquake and tsunami, teetered on the brink of meltdown in March, European leaders agreed to set the "highest standards" of nuclear safety, with a mandatory round of new stress tests key to achieving this goal.
Europe eyes deep disposal for nuclear waste problem
Thursday, October 28, 2010A leaked European Commission draft report says Europe should solve the problem of handling nuclear waste by making industry pay to stash it deep underground, where it will be overseen by independent watchdogs.
"The current situation of spent fuel and radioactive waste management in EU member states is not satisfactory," says the draft, seen by Reuters Thursday.
EU to propose burying nuclear waste as safest option
Tuesday, October 26, 2010The European Commission will promote underground storage as the safest option for storing nuclear waste, according to a leaked proposal which has already irked environmentalists.
The draft directive seeks to set up an EU framework for managing used fuel and radioactive waste which is generated by nuclear power plants but also medicine and industry, among others.
EU commission nuclear waste plans 'full of gaps'
Tuesday, October 26, 2010Green MEPs say the commission's draft proposals on a nuclear waste directive contains "serious and alarming gaps."
EU energy commissioner Oettinger will unveil the commission's ideas for a directive on the management of spent fuel and radioactive waste on November 3.
Brussels to propose EU rules for nuclear waste disposal
Tuesday, February 23, 2010Brussels - The European Commission intends to propose EU- wide rules on the disposal of nuclear waste by the end of 2010, an official said Thursday.
'Nuclear waste management is an important area which needs to be addressed by both industry and national governments (...) the role of the EU is to set a common framework for the establishment of national waste management programs,' said Marlene Holzner, spokeswoman for energy commissioner Gunther Oettinger, during a briefing in Brussels.
