Tag: nuclear waste

The European Commission will table legislative proposals on the treatment of nuclear waste by the year's end, its president José Manuel Barroso announced yesterday (8 March) during a major OECD-hosted conference on civil nuclear power in Paris.

The newly-created European Nuclear Energy Forum met for the second time on 22-23 May and Italy's new government announced it will end a two-decade old moratorium on new plant construction in what is widely perceived as a nuclear 'renaissance' in the EU.

Nuclear power expansion to emerging economies such as China will feature high on the energy agenda of the G8 group of industrialised nations when it meets in St Petersburg from 15 to 17 July.

Results from a Eurobarometer  survey reveal that EU citizens remain uninformed about radioactive waste and are sceptical about the credibility of information from national governments and the media on nuclear energy.

To fight climate change, the EU must increase the share of renewables, improve energy efficiency, invest in new technologies and keep the nuclear option open, said Commissioner De Palacio at an energy outlook conference.

MEPs have adopted two non-binding resolutions on the Commission's 'nuclear package', underlining the responsibility of the Member States on issues of nuclear safety.

Gerhard Schröder and Tony Blair criticised the Commission's draft directive on nuclear safety and nuclear waste, foiling efforts to find a compromise.

On 6 November, the Commission adopted several controversial proposals on nuclear energy. The proposals would give the Commission more supervisory powers over the safety of the nuclear sector in view of the Union's enlargement.