BETA


2006/2230(INI) Assessing Euratom: 50 years of European nuclear energy policy

Progress: Procedure completed

RoleCommitteeRapporteurShadows
Lead ITRE MALDEIKIS Eugenijus (icon: UEN UEN)
Committee Opinion AFCO VOGGENHUBER Johannes (icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE)
Lead committee dossier:
Legal Basis:
RoP 54

Events

2007/07/12
   EC - Commission response to text adopted in plenary
Documents
2007/06/14
   EC - Commission response to text adopted in plenary
Documents
2007/05/10
   EP - Results of vote in Parliament
2007/05/10
   EP - Decision by Parliament
Details

The European Parliament adopted a resolution based on the own-initiative report drawn up by Eugenijus MALDEIKIS (UEN, LT) entitled "Assessing Euratom - 50 Years of European nuclear energy policy". The report examined the extent to which the Euratom Treaty remains a suitable legal framework for nuclear energy activities and whether it can contribute to Europe's economic competitiveness, energy independence and security of supply.

50 years with the Euratom Treaty : since 1957 and the signing of the Euratom Treaty, the EU has become the world leader in the nuclear industry and one of the main actors in nuclear research in the fields of controlled thermonuclear fission and fusion. The EU nuclear industry's almost total command of the fuel cycle offers the Union, at this time of debate on energy dependence, guarantees of industrial and technological independence, particularly as regards fuel enrichment. Parliament pointed out that, thanks in particular to the Euratom Treaty, nuclear energy was producing, from 152 reactors spread across 15 Member States, 32 % of Europe's electricity. i.e. the largest share of non-carbon electricity in the EU. The founder countries of Euratom laid down a series of provisions in ten chapters with the aim of strictly containing the development of nuclear energy within the Community, and those provisions are still applicable. However, the 1957 consensus on nuclear energy no longer exists among the Member States. Expectations with regard to nuclear energy, to which the Euratom Treaty gave expression five decades ago, have changed. Those expectations now relate more to the need to have a sound legal framework to govern the supervision of the use of nuclear energy in the EU and to provide a framework for the integration into the EU of countries which use nuclear power. Parliament pointed to the achievements of the Euratom Treaty, which has made it possible to protect the public, workers and the environment against ionising radiation (Chapter III), to develop research in the areas of waste management and plant safety (Chapter I) and to implement safeguards in respect of fissile materials in Europe (Chapter VII). The legislation developed under Chapter III of the Euratom Treaty (on health protection) must remain under the responsibility of the EU in order to ensure that basic standards for the protection of workers and the general public are applied and extended to include the environment, and that it takes account in an evolutionary way of the results of international scientific studies. Safeguards (Chapter VII) are one of the major successes of the Euratom Treaty's application and provide the Commission with the means of ascertaining the stocks and movements of nuclear materials in the EU.

Parliament noted that the main provisions of the Euratom Treaty have not been amended since it entered into force on 1 January 1958. It confirmed that it is for each and every Member State to decide whether or not to rely on nuclear energy. Irrespective of the diversity of views on nuclear energy, the provisions of the Euratom Treaty that have helped prevent the proliferation of nuclear materials, and those which address health, safety and the prevention of radiological contamination, have been highly beneficial and should be carefully co-ordinated with the health and safety provisions of the EC Treaty.

Lacunae : Parliament regretted that the codecision procedure has not been taken into account in the Euratom Treaty, and felt that it was entitled to be formally involved in texts whose legal basis is the Euratom Treaty. It saw as evidence of an unacceptable democratic deficit the fact that Parliament was almost completely excluded from the Euratom legislative process and that it was consulted, and no more, on only one of the ten chapters of the Euratom Treaty. It also regretted the absence of a legislative corpus on harmonised standards for nuclear safety, the management of radioactive waste and the decommissioning of nuclear plants with real added value, particularly in comparison with the existing international framework.

Guidelines for the future: despite its imperfections, the Euratom Treaty remains an indispensable legal framework, not only for Member States who wish to develop their nuclear industry but also for Member States who merely wish to benefit from a protective legal arsenal for their populations and their environment. An intergovernmental conference should be convened to carry out a comprehensive revision of the Euratom Treaty, to repeal the outdated provisions of that Treaty, to maintain the regulatory regime of the nuclear industry at EU level, to revise the remaining provisions in the light of a modern and sustainable energy policy and to incorporate the relevant ones in a separate energy chapter. The EU should defend its industrial and technical leadership in the light of the vigorous revival by other actors of their nuclear activities (Russia, USA) and the emergence of new world actors on the nuclear stage (China and India) which will be the EU's competitors in the medium term. The absence of the legal framework provided by the Euratom Treaty would lead to the renationalisation of nuclear policy in Europe, and would give rise to a risk of legal uncertainty for all the 27 Member States.

Parliament felt that deleting one or more chapters from the Euratom Treaty or merging certain provisions into the EC Treaty would unbalance the Euratom Treaty as a whole by weakening the supervision of nuclear energy use in Europe. This requires the maintenance of a dedicated legal framework. Its partial incorporation into a hypothetical chapter on "Energy" in the EC Treaty would weaken the overall legal supervision of nuclear energy in Europe and remove the specific nuclear control procedures contained today in the Euratom Treaty. However, the Euratom Treaty needs to be somewhat reformed :

-there should be a revision of the decision-making procedures in the Euratom Treaty, which would enable Parliament to be closely involved through co-decision in legislative procedures in the nuclear field;

-in the context of a need to adapt European energy policy and extend the working lives of power stations, there is an urgent need to draw up robust legislation and adopt concrete measures at Community level in the fields of nuclear safety, the management of radioactive waste and the decommissioning of nuclear plants and to take steps to ensure that research and development promoting the safe use of nuclear energy receives as much attention and support as possible.

Parliament went on to call for the development of teaching and training programmes at European level in the nuclear field and for measures to secure the funding of ambitious research programmes, so as to respond to the challenges in the areas of fission and radiological protection. It encouraged the Commission to draw up really forward-looking PINCs for nuclear production and investment targets, in the global context of increasing competition in this sector, which would also take into consideration the aims of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Lastly, Parliament called for the role of the Euratom Supply Agency to be revived and for the powers conferred upon it by the Euratom Treaty to be used in full. That role should be regarded from the point of view of competitiveness and security of supplies, rather than uranium shortage, including the supply of fabricated nuclear fuel. The provisions of the Euratom Treaty give it the means of becoming a proper energy observatory in the nuclear field, and to that end, Parliament encouraged the current thinking on improving the status of the Euratom Supply Agency.

Documents
2007/05/10
   EP - End of procedure in Parliament
2007/05/09
   EP - Debate in Parliament
2007/04/10
   EP - Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading
Documents
2007/04/10
   EP - Committee report tabled for plenary
Documents
2007/03/27
   EP - Vote in committee
Details

The committee adopted the own-initiative report drawn up by Eugenijus MALDEIKIS (UEN, LT) entitled "Assessing Euratom - 50 Years of European nuclear energy policy". The report examined the extent to which the Euratom Treaty remains a suitable legal framework for nuclear energy activities and whether it can contribute to Europe's economic competitiveness, energy independence and security of supply.

Assessing the 50 years of Europe's nuclear energy policy, the committee emphasised how the Euratom Treaty has provided the EU with a balanced framework for developing a competitive nuclear industry which, in 2006, produced 32% of Europe's electricity, i.e. the largest share of non-carbon electricity in the EU. The report also underlined the important role the Treaty has played in developing legislation on health protection, and said that this legislation "must remain under the responsibility of the European Union" to ensure that basic standards for the protection of workers and the general public are applied. It also pointed out that safeguards (dealt with under Chapter VII) "are one of the major successes of the Euratom Treaty" and that these safeguards also provide a real guarantee for countries that supply nuclear materials, thereby complementing the non-proliferation controls of the IAEA.

However, the committee also highlighted several lacunae with regard to the Euratom Treaty. It regretted that the growth in Parliament's powers, including codecision, had not been reflected in the Treaty and denounced as "evidence of an unacceptable democratic deficit the fact that Parliament is almost completely excluded from Euratom legislative process". It also regretted the absence of a legislative corpus of harmonised standards with real added value for nuclear safety, the management of radioactive waste and the decommissioning of nuclear plants.

Looking at the future of Euratom, MEPs stressed that, despite its imperfections, the Euratom Treaty "remains for the moment an indispensable legal framework" without which there might be a renationalisation of nuclear policy in Europe and consequently a setback for the acquis communautaire . The report also said that deleting one or more chapters from the Euratom Treaty or merging certain provisions into the EC Treaty would unbalance the Euratom Treaty as a whole by weakening supervision of nuclear energy use in Europe. It called on the Council and the Commission to address the democratic deficit inherent in the Euratom Treaty and extend the codecision procedure to legislation adopted under it so that Parliament can be closely involved in legislative procedures in the nuclear field. In other recommendations, MEPs called on the Commission to submit new proposals for directives on the safety of nuclear facilities, on waste management and on closure and decommissioning of nuclear facilities, taking into account the 'polluter-pays' principle. They also encouraged the Commission to secure the funding of ambitious research programmes and called on the Council, bearing in mind the objective of security supply and targets to reduce CO2 emissions, to define a coordinated policy that would encourage investment, in full compliance with safety requirements, aimed at extending the life of and improving the performance of existing reactors, as well as investment in new capacities. Finally MEPs called for the role of the Euratom Supply Agency to be revived and for the powers conferred upon it by the Euratom Treaty to be used in full and for the continuation of intense international cooperation, especially with the IAEA, to avoid any redundancy in the respective actions.

2007/03/23
   EP - Committee opinion
Documents
2007/03/20
   EC - Non-legislative basic document
Details

PURPOSE: to present a communication marking 50 years of the Euratom Treaty.

CONTENT: 25 March 2007 marks the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaties of Rome, the basis of the European Economic Community, now the European Community, and the European Atomic Energy Community, often referred to as Euratom. This anniversary provides an opportunity to consider the main 'Euratom rules' with a view to better future action.

The results of the activities conducted for 50 years under the auspices of the Euratom Treaty can be regarded as extremely positive. The Treaty has enabled the Community to carry out important activities in a strategic sector, in particular in terms of energy supply for the EU. It is recognised as having made significant achievements in the field of research, the protection of health, safeguarding the peaceful use of nuclear materials and international relations. Thanks to the Euratom Treaty, the Community is contributing to scientific progress through its support for research and innovation. It ensures the application of high radiation protection standards for the public and accompanies new initiatives in the nuclear field. It provides an overall approach to investments in this sector. It ensures regular and equitable supplies for users of nuclear materials in the Community and strictly safeguards the peaceful use of nuclear materials. It has become an international player in this sector.

The Euratom Treaty has formed the basis of Community activities relating to the nuclear power cycle as well as of other activities which use radioactive substances for research, industrial and medical purposes (research, radiation protection rules, etc). Euratom rules are therefore a factor in the everyday lives of the citizens of all the Member States.

The Commission has played a leading role, inasmuch as its powers have allowed, to propose and ensure that the Treaty's resources have been applied since 1 January 1958 in accordance with the needs of, and the situation in, the EU. In this effort, the Commission has been supported on numerous occasions by the judgments of the Court of Justice of the European Communities. The Commission has reacted in a particularly intensive manner during the last few years, for example, by proposing to supplement the Community legal framework for the safety and security of nuclear activities ("nuclear package") which the failure to secure a qualified majority in the Council always prevented from being adopted.

The longevity of the initial provisions of the Euratom Treaty shows how up-to-date several of them still are. Well after 1957, they inspired or anticipated the development of other fields of Community law, such as the provisions of the EC Treaty on research and technological development (framework programmes, joint undertakings, etc). Similarly, even if the institution of university status provided for in the Euratom Treaty (Article 9) has not yet been established as such, the Commission has been the driving force behind the development of the European Nuclear Education Network (ENEN). A qualification as European Master of Science in Nuclear Engineering is now available. With the Commission now proposing a regulation for the establishment of a European Institute of Technology on the basis of the EC Treaty, many lessons can be drawn from this experience in the nuclear field.

The Euratom inspections carried out since 1960 paved the way for Community inspectorates in other fields (air safety, maritime safety, etc). The provisions which permit Community surveillance of environmental radioactivity and recognise the parallel between the Community’s internal and external powers also bear witness to this.

The ongoing debate on the definition of European energy policy centred on competitiveness, security of supply and environmental concerns provides an opportunity to consider future Euratom action. Today, nuclear energy is a reality within the EU and elsewhere. The present race to secure energy resources presents new challenges for this energy source. The Euratom Treaty contains the main provisions which enable the EU to act in this field. Imperfect as it is, the EU, the Member States and the public need it.

In future, the application of the Euratom Treaty must continue to focus on nuclear safety and security. Recent enlargements have strengthened the diversity of the EU landscape in the field of nuclear energy and the need for Community action, as shown by the PINC adopted on 10 January 2007, in particular to ensure the protection of health and the environment and to avoid any malicious use of nuclear materials. Using the resources provided by the Euratom Treaty in this respect benefits all the Member States.

Similarly, the safety and security of nuclear installations and protection against ionising radiation in third countries are also very important issues. A new instrument for international cooperation in this field, based entirely on the Euratom Treaty, will soon be applicable. The Commission would stress that it is important to maintain a technological lead in the nuclear field and supports the development of the most advanced framework in this area, including in the fields of the safety and security of existing and future installations, nonproliferation, waste management and decommissioning. The Community will therefore be required to continue providing help to support the development of the nuclear industry and to guarantee compliance with the highest radiation protection, safety and security standards for all uses of radioactivity in order to help raise the standard of living and increase the quality of life of people in the EU, whatever forms of energy individual States may choose, as well as beyond the EU's frontiers in collaboration with third countries and international organisations.

2007/03/20
   EC - Document attached to the procedure
Details

This staff working document summarises the changes of the Euratom Treaty over the last 50 years and the actions carried out over this period to the present day with a view to developing a vision of Euratom’s role in the future.

The context in which the Euratom Treaty came into effect is different to that which was envisaged during its negotiation. Among the changes appear, in particular, the discovery of oilfields and the facilitated accessibility to materials and nuclear technologies. The development of the nuclear sector has proven to be more fragmented and more marked by national character that that envisaged in 1957.

The acquis of the EAEC which was built, in a rather continuous and coherent way, is detailed in this document. This has evolved in a general way according to Community interest in the context of the development of the nuclear energy sector in the EAEC and the world.

The Commission has played a leading role, inasmuch as its powers have allowed, to propose and ensure that the Treaty's resources have been applied since 1 January 1958 in accordance with the needs of, and the changing situation in, the EU.

The changing nature of the actions can be summarised in 5 stages :

1958-1968: application of the Euratom Treaty by the European institutions in a less favourable context to Community action. 1969-1979: the rise of national and private nuclear programs in Europe following the 1st oil crisis. Co-operation with the IAEA and contribution to non-proliferation. 1980-1990: strengthening the social requirements with regard to nuclear issues. Response to the 2nd oil crisis. Reaction and lessons learned from the Three Mile Island (1979) and Tchernobyl accidents (1986). 1991-2001: participation in the revival of international co-operation in the nuclear field following the end of the USSR, especially for the safety of nuclear activities. 2002-2007: consideration of the role of Euratom Treaty in the Union, in particular to ensure the safety of nuclear activities in the context of the recent enlargement process, the liberalisation of the electricity markets and the debates on competitive based energy strategies, the security of the supply and the environmental issues related to climatic change.

2007/03/19
   EC - Non-legislative basic document published
Details

PURPOSE: to present a communication marking 50 years of the Euratom Treaty.

CONTENT: 25 March 2007 marks the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaties of Rome, the basis of the European Economic Community, now the European Community, and the European Atomic Energy Community, often referred to as Euratom. This anniversary provides an opportunity to consider the main 'Euratom rules' with a view to better future action.

The results of the activities conducted for 50 years under the auspices of the Euratom Treaty can be regarded as extremely positive. The Treaty has enabled the Community to carry out important activities in a strategic sector, in particular in terms of energy supply for the EU. It is recognised as having made significant achievements in the field of research, the protection of health, safeguarding the peaceful use of nuclear materials and international relations. Thanks to the Euratom Treaty, the Community is contributing to scientific progress through its support for research and innovation. It ensures the application of high radiation protection standards for the public and accompanies new initiatives in the nuclear field. It provides an overall approach to investments in this sector. It ensures regular and equitable supplies for users of nuclear materials in the Community and strictly safeguards the peaceful use of nuclear materials. It has become an international player in this sector.

The Euratom Treaty has formed the basis of Community activities relating to the nuclear power cycle as well as of other activities which use radioactive substances for research, industrial and medical purposes (research, radiation protection rules, etc). Euratom rules are therefore a factor in the everyday lives of the citizens of all the Member States.

The Commission has played a leading role, inasmuch as its powers have allowed, to propose and ensure that the Treaty's resources have been applied since 1 January 1958 in accordance with the needs of, and the situation in, the EU. In this effort, the Commission has been supported on numerous occasions by the judgments of the Court of Justice of the European Communities. The Commission has reacted in a particularly intensive manner during the last few years, for example, by proposing to supplement the Community legal framework for the safety and security of nuclear activities ("nuclear package") which the failure to secure a qualified majority in the Council always prevented from being adopted.

The longevity of the initial provisions of the Euratom Treaty shows how up-to-date several of them still are. Well after 1957, they inspired or anticipated the development of other fields of Community law, such as the provisions of the EC Treaty on research and technological development (framework programmes, joint undertakings, etc). Similarly, even if the institution of university status provided for in the Euratom Treaty (Article 9) has not yet been established as such, the Commission has been the driving force behind the development of the European Nuclear Education Network (ENEN). A qualification as European Master of Science in Nuclear Engineering is now available. With the Commission now proposing a regulation for the establishment of a European Institute of Technology on the basis of the EC Treaty, many lessons can be drawn from this experience in the nuclear field.

The Euratom inspections carried out since 1960 paved the way for Community inspectorates in other fields (air safety, maritime safety, etc). The provisions which permit Community surveillance of environmental radioactivity and recognise the parallel between the Community’s internal and external powers also bear witness to this.

The ongoing debate on the definition of European energy policy centred on competitiveness, security of supply and environmental concerns provides an opportunity to consider future Euratom action. Today, nuclear energy is a reality within the EU and elsewhere. The present race to secure energy resources presents new challenges for this energy source. The Euratom Treaty contains the main provisions which enable the EU to act in this field. Imperfect as it is, the EU, the Member States and the public need it.

In future, the application of the Euratom Treaty must continue to focus on nuclear safety and security. Recent enlargements have strengthened the diversity of the EU landscape in the field of nuclear energy and the need for Community action, as shown by the PINC adopted on 10 January 2007, in particular to ensure the protection of health and the environment and to avoid any malicious use of nuclear materials. Using the resources provided by the Euratom Treaty in this respect benefits all the Member States.

Similarly, the safety and security of nuclear installations and protection against ionising radiation in third countries are also very important issues. A new instrument for international cooperation in this field, based entirely on the Euratom Treaty, will soon be applicable. The Commission would stress that it is important to maintain a technological lead in the nuclear field and supports the development of the most advanced framework in this area, including in the fields of the safety and security of existing and future installations, nonproliferation, waste management and decommissioning. The Community will therefore be required to continue providing help to support the development of the nuclear industry and to guarantee compliance with the highest radiation protection, safety and security standards for all uses of radioactivity in order to help raise the standard of living and increase the quality of life of people in the EU, whatever forms of energy individual States may choose, as well as beyond the EU's frontiers in collaboration with third countries and international organisations.

2007/03/06
   EP - Amendments tabled in committee
Documents
2007/02/12
   EP - Committee draft report
Documents
2006/10/04
   EP - VOGGENHUBER Johannes (Verts/ALE) appointed as rapporteur in AFCO
2006/09/28
   EP - Committee referral announced in Parliament
2006/09/12
   EP - MALDEIKIS Eugenijus (UEN) appointed as rapporteur in ITRE

Documents

Activities

Votes

Rapport Maldeikis A6-0129/2007 - am. 4 #

2007/05/10 Outcome: -: 405, +: 179, 0: 34
AT IE DK NL LU SE PT CY EL EE MT BE SI FI LV BG LT SK HU CZ GB IT RO DE ES PL FR
Total
17
7
11
25
5
17
18
3
16
6
5
20
7
14
8
7
11
11
23
20
63
54
28
76
44
48
54
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
31

Austria Verts/ALE

2

Denmark Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Sweden Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Belgium Verts/ALE

2

Finland Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Latvia Verts/ALE

1

United Kingdom Verts/ALE

4

Italy Verts/ALE

For (1)

1
icon: PSE PSE
182

Luxembourg PSE

For (1)

1

Estonia PSE

Against (1)

3

Malta PSE

Against (1)

Abstain (2)

3

Slovenia PSE

For (1)

1

Finland PSE

For (1)

3

Bulgaria PSE

2

Lithuania PSE

Against (1)

2

Slovakia PSE

2

Czechia PSE

For (1)

Against (1)

2
icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL
30

Denmark GUE/NGL

1

Netherlands GUE/NGL

2

Sweden GUE/NGL

1

Portugal GUE/NGL

2

Cyprus GUE/NGL

1

Greece GUE/NGL

3

Finland GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Spain GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

France GUE/NGL

2
icon: NI NI
11

Austria NI

1

Slovakia NI

Abstain (2)

2

Czechia NI

Against (1)

1

United Kingdom NI

Against (1)

Abstain (1)

2
2
icon: IND/DEM IND/DEM
17

Ireland IND/DEM

For (1)

1

Denmark IND/DEM

Against (1)

1

Netherlands IND/DEM

2

Sweden IND/DEM

For (1)

Against (1)

2

Czechia IND/DEM

Against (1)

1

United Kingdom IND/DEM

5

Poland IND/DEM

Abstain (1)

3

France IND/DEM

2
icon: ITS ITS
17

Austria ITS

Against (1)

1

Belgium ITS

3

United Kingdom ITS

Against (1)

1

Italy ITS

Against (1)

1
icon: UEN UEN
34

Denmark UEN

Against (1)

1

Lithuania UEN

2
icon: ALDE ALDE
78

Austria ALDE

1

Ireland ALDE

For (1)

1

Denmark ALDE

Against (2)

2

Luxembourg ALDE

For (1)

1

Sweden ALDE

3

Cyprus ALDE

Against (1)

1

Estonia ALDE

Against (2)

2

Slovenia ALDE

2

Latvia ALDE

Against (1)

1

Hungary ALDE

Against (1)

1

Spain ALDE

2

France ALDE

2
icon: PPE-DE PPE-DE
218

Ireland PPE-DE

For (1)

1

Luxembourg PPE-DE

2

Cyprus PPE-DE

Against (1)

1

Estonia PPE-DE

Against (1)

1

Malta PPE-DE

Against (2)

2

Slovenia PPE-DE

4

Latvia PPE-DE

2

Bulgaria PPE-DE

2

Rapport Maldeikis A6-0129/2007 - am. 8 #

2007/05/10 Outcome: +: 308, -: 299, 0: 15
AT DK SE NL ES IE IT RO PT FI EE LT CY BE LU MT EL SI BG SK LV GB HU DE FR CZ PL
Total
16
11
17
26
44
7
55
28
18
14
6
11
3
20
5
5
16
7
7
12
9
66
23
79
53
18
46
icon: PSE PSE
184

Finland PSE

Against (1)

3

Estonia PSE

3

Lithuania PSE

2

Luxembourg PSE

For (1)

1

Slovenia PSE

For (1)

1
3

Czechia PSE

2
icon: ALDE ALDE
78

Austria ALDE

1

Sweden ALDE

3

Ireland ALDE

For (1)

1

Estonia ALDE

2

Cyprus ALDE

For (1)

1

Luxembourg ALDE

For (1)

1

Slovenia ALDE

For (1)

Against (1)

2

Bulgaria ALDE

2

Latvia ALDE

1

Hungary ALDE

1

France ALDE

2
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
35

Austria Verts/ALE

2

Denmark Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Sweden Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Italy Verts/ALE

2

Finland Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Belgium Verts/ALE

2

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Latvia Verts/ALE

1

United Kingdom Verts/ALE

4
icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL
28

Denmark GUE/NGL

1

Sweden GUE/NGL

1

Netherlands GUE/NGL

2

Spain GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Portugal GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Finland GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Cyprus GUE/NGL

1

Greece GUE/NGL

3

France GUE/NGL

2
icon: NI NI
11

Austria NI

1

Slovakia NI

Abstain (2)

2

United Kingdom NI

Against (1)

Abstain (1)

2

Czechia NI

Against (1)

1
icon: IND/DEM IND/DEM
19

Denmark IND/DEM

Against (1)

1

Sweden IND/DEM

2

Netherlands IND/DEM

2

Ireland IND/DEM

For (1)

1

France IND/DEM

2

Czechia IND/DEM

Against (1)

1

Poland IND/DEM

3
icon: ITS ITS
15

Italy ITS

Against (1)

1

Belgium ITS

3

United Kingdom ITS

Against (1)

1
icon: UEN UEN
33

Lithuania UEN

2
icon: PPE-DE PPE-DE
219

Ireland PPE-DE

For (1)

1

Estonia PPE-DE

Against (1)

1

Cyprus PPE-DE

Against (1)

1

Luxembourg PPE-DE

2

Malta PPE-DE

Against (2)

2

Slovenia PPE-DE

4

Bulgaria PPE-DE

2

Latvia PPE-DE

3

Rapport Maldeikis A6-0129/2007 - par. 49 #

2007/05/10 Outcome: +: 363, -: 206, 0: 50
PL FR HU CZ IT DE LT SK RO BG LV FI GB SI BE EE CY MT LU PT DK ES NL SE IE EL AT
Total
46
55
23
19
54
74
11
12
28
8
8
14
64
7
20
6
3
5
5
19
12
44
26
17
7
16
16
icon: PPE-DE PPE-DE
219

Bulgaria PPE-DE

2

Estonia PPE-DE

For (1)

1

Cyprus PPE-DE

1

Malta PPE-DE

2

Luxembourg PPE-DE

2

Ireland PPE-DE

Against (1)

1
icon: ALDE ALDE
79

France ALDE

2

Hungary ALDE

1

Latvia ALDE

1

Slovenia ALDE

2

Estonia ALDE

For (1)

Abstain (1)

2

Cyprus ALDE

For (1)

1

Luxembourg ALDE

Against (1)

1

Spain ALDE

Against (1)

2

Netherlands ALDE

Against (1)

Abstain (1)

5

Sweden ALDE

For (1)

Against (2)

3

Ireland ALDE

Against (1)

1

Austria ALDE

Against (1)

1
icon: UEN UEN
32

Lithuania UEN

2

Denmark UEN

For (1)

1
icon: NI NI
11

Czechia NI

1

Slovakia NI

Abstain (2)

2

United Kingdom NI

For (1)

Abstain (1)

2

Austria NI

Against (1)

1
icon: ITS ITS
16

Italy ITS

Against (1)

1

United Kingdom ITS

Against (1)

1

Belgium ITS

3
icon: IND/DEM IND/DEM
17

France IND/DEM

2

Czechia IND/DEM

1

United Kingdom IND/DEM

5

Denmark IND/DEM

Against (1)

1

Netherlands IND/DEM

2

Sweden IND/DEM

2

Ireland IND/DEM

Against (1)

1
icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL
29

France GUE/NGL

2

Finland GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

Cyprus GUE/NGL

1

Portugal GUE/NGL

Against (1)

Abstain (1)

2

Denmark GUE/NGL

1

Spain GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

Netherlands GUE/NGL

For (1)

2

Sweden GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
34

Italy Verts/ALE

2

Latvia Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Finland Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

United Kingdom Verts/ALE

4

Belgium Verts/ALE

2

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Denmark Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Sweden Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Austria Verts/ALE

2
icon: PSE PSE
182

Czechia PSE

2

Lithuania PSE

2

Finland PSE

Against (1)

3

Slovenia PSE

Against (1)

1

Estonia PSE

Against (1)

3

Malta PSE

Against (1)

Abstain (2)

3

Luxembourg PSE

For (1)

1

Rapport Maldeikis A6-0129/2007 - par. 50 #

2007/05/10 Outcome: +: 321, -: 267, 0: 33
PL CZ HU LT DE BG LV SK SI FI IT RO LU BE CY EE MT FR NL PT DK SE ES GB IE EL AT
Total
48
19
23
11
78
8
9
12
7
14
53
28
5
19
2
5
5
54
26
18
12
16
44
65
7
16
17
icon: PPE-DE PPE-DE
218

Bulgaria PPE-DE

2

Luxembourg PPE-DE

2

Cyprus PPE-DE

Against (1)

1

Estonia PPE-DE

For (1)

1

Malta PPE-DE

2

Ireland PPE-DE

Against (1)

1
icon: UEN UEN
33

Lithuania UEN

2

Denmark UEN

For (1)

1
icon: ALDE ALDE
78

Hungary ALDE

1

Latvia ALDE

1

Slovenia ALDE

2

Luxembourg ALDE

Against (1)

1

Cyprus ALDE

For (1)

1

Estonia ALDE

Against (1)

Abstain (1)

2

France ALDE

2

Netherlands ALDE

Against (1)

Abstain (1)

5

Sweden ALDE

For (1)

Against (2)

3

Spain ALDE

Against (1)

2

Ireland ALDE

Against (1)

1

Austria ALDE

Against (1)

1
icon: ITS ITS
17

Italy ITS

For (1)

1

Belgium ITS

For (1)

Against (1)

Abstain (1)

3

United Kingdom ITS

Against (1)

1

Austria ITS

Abstain (1)

1
icon: NI NI
11

Czechia NI

1

Slovakia NI

Abstain (2)

2

Italy NI

Abstain (1)

3

United Kingdom NI

For (1)

Abstain (1)

2

Austria NI

Against (1)

1
icon: IND/DEM IND/DEM
19

Czechia IND/DEM

1

France IND/DEM

2

Netherlands IND/DEM

2

Denmark IND/DEM

Against (1)

1

Sweden IND/DEM

For (1)

Against (1)

2

Ireland IND/DEM

Against (1)

1
icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL
29

Finland GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

France GUE/NGL

2

Netherlands GUE/NGL

2

Portugal GUE/NGL

Against (1)

Abstain (1)

2

Denmark GUE/NGL

1

Sweden GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

Spain GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

Greece GUE/NGL

3
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
35

Latvia Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Finland Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Italy Verts/ALE

2

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Belgium Verts/ALE

2

Denmark Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Sweden Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

United Kingdom Verts/ALE

4

Austria Verts/ALE

2
icon: PSE PSE
181

Czechia PSE

2

Lithuania PSE

2

Slovakia PSE

Against (1)

Abstain (1)

3

Slovenia PSE

Against (1)

1

Finland PSE

For (1)

3

Luxembourg PSE

For (1)

1

Estonia PSE

For (1)

Against (1)

2

Rapport Maldeikis A6-0129/2007 - résolution #

2007/05/10 Outcome: +: 406, -: 175, 0: 44
PL FR ES IT DE HU CZ LT SK RO BG LV FI BE SI GB PT EE EL LU MT CY DK NL SE IE AT
Total
47
56
44
55
76
23
20
11
12
27
8
9
14
20
7
64
19
6
16
5
5
3
11
26
17
7
17
icon: PPE-DE PPE-DE
218

Bulgaria PPE-DE

2

Estonia PPE-DE

For (1)

1

Luxembourg PPE-DE

2

Malta PPE-DE

2

Cyprus PPE-DE

1

Ireland PPE-DE

Abstain (1)

1

Austria PPE-DE

5
icon: ALDE ALDE
80

France ALDE

2

Spain ALDE

Against (1)

2

Hungary ALDE

1

Latvia ALDE

1

Slovenia ALDE

2

Estonia ALDE

2

Luxembourg ALDE

For (1)

1

Cyprus ALDE

Against (1)

1

Sweden ALDE

For (1)

Against (2)

3

Ireland ALDE

Against (1)

1

Austria ALDE

Against (1)

1
icon: PSE PSE
180

Czechia PSE

2

Lithuania PSE

2

Finland PSE

Against (1)

3

Slovenia PSE

Against (1)

1

Estonia PSE

Against (1)

3

Luxembourg PSE

For (1)

1
icon: UEN UEN
34

Lithuania UEN

2

Denmark UEN

For (1)

1
icon: NI NI
11

Czechia NI

1

Slovakia NI

For (1)

Abstain (1)

2

United Kingdom NI

For (1)

Against (1)

2

Austria NI

Against (1)

1
icon: IND/DEM IND/DEM
19

Poland IND/DEM

Abstain (1)

3

France IND/DEM

2

Czechia IND/DEM

1

Denmark IND/DEM

Against (1)

1

Netherlands IND/DEM

2

Sweden IND/DEM

2

Ireland IND/DEM

Against (1)

1
icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL
30

France GUE/NGL

2

Spain GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

Finland GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

Portugal GUE/NGL

Against (1)

Abstain (1)

2

Greece GUE/NGL

3

Cyprus GUE/NGL

1

Denmark GUE/NGL

1

Netherlands GUE/NGL

2

Sweden GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1
icon: ITS ITS
17

Italy ITS

Against (1)

1

Belgium ITS

Against (1)

3

United Kingdom ITS

Against (1)

1

Austria ITS

Against (1)

1
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
36

Italy Verts/ALE

2

Latvia Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Finland Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Belgium Verts/ALE

2

United Kingdom Verts/ALE

4

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Denmark Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Sweden Verts/ALE

Against (1)

1

Austria Verts/ALE

2

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)

docs/2
date
2007-03-20T00:00:00
docs
summary
type
Non-legislative basic document
body
EC
docs/3
date
2007-03-23T00:00:00
docs
title: PE384.564
committee
AFCO
type
Committee opinion
body
EP
docs/4
date
2007-03-23T00:00:00
docs
title: PE384.564
committee
AFCO
type
Committee opinion
body
EP
docs/4
date
2007-03-26T00:00:00
docs
title: PE386.641
type
Amendments tabled in committee
body
EP
docs/4/docs/0/url
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/AFCO-AD-384564_EN.html
docs/6/docs/0/url
/oeil/spdoc.do?i=13494&j=0&l=en
docs/7/docs/0/url
Old
/oeil/spdoc.do?i=13494&j=0&l=en
New
/oeil/spdoc.do?i=13494&j=1&l=en
events/1/date
Old
2007-03-20T00:00:00
New
2007-03-19T00:00:00
docs/0/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE384.503
New
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/EN&reference=PE384.503
docs/1/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE386.343
New
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/EN&reference=PE386.343
docs/3/docs/0/url
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE384.564&secondRef=03
docs/5/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-6-2007-0129_EN.html
New
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-6-2007-0129_EN.html
docs/6/docs/0/url
/oeil/spdoc.do?i=13494&j=1&l=en
events/0/type
Old
Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
New
Committee referral announced in Parliament
events/2/type
Old
Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
New
Vote in committee
events/3
date
2007-04-10T00:00:00
type
Committee report tabled for plenary
body
EP
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-6-2007-0129_EN.html title: A6-0129/2007
events/3
date
2007-04-10T00:00:00
type
Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading
body
EP
docs
url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-6-2007-0129_EN.html title: A6-0129/2007
events/4/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20070509&type=CRE
New
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/EN&reference=20070509&type=CRE
events/6
date
2007-05-10T00:00:00
type
Decision by Parliament
body
EP
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-6-2007-0181_EN.html title: T6-0181/2007
summary
events/6
date
2007-05-10T00:00:00
type
Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
body
EP
docs
url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-6-2007-0181_EN.html title: T6-0181/2007
summary
procedure/legal_basis/0
Rules of Procedure EP 54
procedure/legal_basis/0
Rules of Procedure EP 052
committees/0
type
Responsible Committee
body
EP
associated
False
committee_full
Industry, Research and Energy
committee
ITRE
rapporteur
name: MALDEIKIS Eugenijus date: 2006-09-12T00:00:00 group: Union for Europe of the Nations abbr: UEN
committees/0
type
Responsible Committee
body
EP
associated
False
committee_full
Industry, Research and Energy
committee
ITRE
date
2006-09-12T00:00:00
rapporteur
name: MALDEIKIS Eugenijus group: Union for Europe of the Nations abbr: UEN
committees/1
type
Committee Opinion
body
EP
associated
False
committee_full
Constitutional Affairs
committee
AFCO
rapporteur
name: VOGGENHUBER Johannes date: 2006-10-04T00:00:00 group: Greens/European Free Alliance abbr: Verts/ALE
committees/1
type
Committee Opinion
body
EP
associated
False
committee_full
Constitutional Affairs
committee
AFCO
date
2006-10-04T00:00:00
rapporteur
name: VOGGENHUBER Johannes group: Greens/European Free Alliance abbr: Verts/ALE
docs/5/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A6-2007-129&language=EN
New
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-6-2007-0129_EN.html
docs/6/body
EC
docs/7/body
EC
events/1/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/docs_autres_institutions/commission_europeenne/com/2007/0124/COM_COM(2007)0124_EN.pdf
New
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/registre/docs_autres_institutions/commission_europeenne/com/2007/0124/COM_COM(2007)0124_EN.pdf
events/3/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A6-2007-129&language=EN
New
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-6-2007-0129_EN.html
events/6/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P6-TA-2007-181
New
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-6-2007-0181_EN.html
activities
  • date: 2006-09-28T00:00:00 body: EP type: Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading committees: body: EP responsible: False committee: AFCO date: 2006-10-04T00:00:00 committee_full: Constitutional Affairs rapporteur: group: Verts/ALE name: VOGGENHUBER Johannes body: EP responsible: True committee: ITRE date: 2006-09-12T00:00:00 committee_full: Industry, Research and Energy rapporteur: group: UEN name: MALDEIKIS Eugenijus
  • date: 2007-03-20T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/registre/docs_autres_institutions/commission_europeenne/com/2007/0124/COM_COM(2007)0124_EN.pdf title: COM(2007)0124 type: Non-legislative basic document published celexid: CELEX:52007DC0124:EN body: EC commission: DG: Energy and Transport Commissioner: PIEBALGS Andris type: Non-legislative basic document published
  • date: 2007-03-27T00:00:00 body: EP committees: body: EP responsible: False committee: AFCO date: 2006-10-04T00:00:00 committee_full: Constitutional Affairs rapporteur: group: Verts/ALE name: VOGGENHUBER Johannes body: EP responsible: True committee: ITRE date: 2006-09-12T00:00:00 committee_full: Industry, Research and Energy rapporteur: group: UEN name: MALDEIKIS Eugenijus type: Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
  • date: 2007-04-10T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A6-2007-129&language=EN type: Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading title: A6-0129/2007 body: EP type: Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading
  • date: 2007-05-09T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20070509&type=CRE type: Debate in Parliament title: Debate in Parliament body: EP type: Debate in Parliament
  • date: 2007-05-10T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=13494&l=en type: Results of vote in Parliament title: Results of vote in Parliament url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P6-TA-2007-181 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading title: T6-0181/2007 body: EP type: Results of vote in Parliament
commission
  • body: EC dg: Energy and Transport commissioner: PIEBALGS Andris
committees/0
type
Responsible Committee
body
EP
associated
False
committee_full
Industry, Research and Energy
committee
ITRE
date
2006-09-12T00:00:00
rapporteur
name: MALDEIKIS Eugenijus group: Union for Europe of the Nations abbr: UEN
committees/0
body
EP
responsible
False
committee
AFCO
date
2006-10-04T00:00:00
committee_full
Constitutional Affairs
rapporteur
group: Verts/ALE name: VOGGENHUBER Johannes
committees/1
type
Committee Opinion
body
EP
associated
False
committee_full
Constitutional Affairs
committee
AFCO
date
2006-10-04T00:00:00
rapporteur
name: VOGGENHUBER Johannes group: Greens/European Free Alliance abbr: Verts/ALE
committees/1
body
EP
responsible
True
committee
ITRE
date
2006-09-12T00:00:00
committee_full
Industry, Research and Energy
rapporteur
group: UEN name: MALDEIKIS Eugenijus
docs
  • date: 2007-02-12T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE384.503 title: PE384.503 type: Committee draft report body: EP
  • date: 2007-03-06T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE386.343 title: PE386.343 type: Amendments tabled in committee body: EP
  • date: 2007-03-20T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/registre/docs_autres_institutions/commission_europeenne/sec/2007/0347/COM_SEC(2007)0347_FR.pdf title: SEC(2007)0347 url: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!DocNumber&lg=EN&type_doc=SECfinal&an_doc=2007&nu_doc=347 title: EUR-Lex summary: This staff working document summarises the changes of the Euratom Treaty over the last 50 years and the actions carried out over this period to the present day with a view to developing a vision of Euratom’s role in the future. The context in which the Euratom Treaty came into effect is different to that which was envisaged during its negotiation. Among the changes appear, in particular, the discovery of oilfields and the facilitated accessibility to materials and nuclear technologies. The development of the nuclear sector has proven to be more fragmented and more marked by national character that that envisaged in 1957. The acquis of the EAEC which was built, in a rather continuous and coherent way, is detailed in this document. This has evolved in a general way according to Community interest in the context of the development of the nuclear energy sector in the EAEC and the world. The Commission has played a leading role, inasmuch as its powers have allowed, to propose and ensure that the Treaty's resources have been applied since 1 January 1958 in accordance with the needs of, and the changing situation in, the EU. The changing nature of the actions can be summarised in 5 stages : 1958-1968: application of the Euratom Treaty by the European institutions in a less favourable context to Community action. 1969-1979: the rise of national and private nuclear programs in Europe following the 1st oil crisis. Co-operation with the IAEA and contribution to non-proliferation. 1980-1990: strengthening the social requirements with regard to nuclear issues. Response to the 2nd oil crisis. Reaction and lessons learned from the Three Mile Island (1979) and Tchernobyl accidents (1986). 1991-2001: participation in the revival of international co-operation in the nuclear field following the end of the USSR, especially for the safety of nuclear activities. 2002-2007: consideration of the role of Euratom Treaty in the Union, in particular to ensure the safety of nuclear activities in the context of the recent enlargement process, the liberalisation of the electricity markets and the debates on competitive based energy strategies, the security of the supply and the environmental issues related to climatic change. type: Document attached to the procedure body: EC
  • date: 2007-03-23T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE384.564&secondRef=03 title: PE384.564 committee: AFCO type: Committee opinion body: EP
  • date: 2007-03-26T00:00:00 docs: title: PE386.641 type: Amendments tabled in committee body: EP
  • date: 2007-04-10T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A6-2007-129&language=EN title: A6-0129/2007 type: Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading body: EP
  • date: 2007-06-14T00:00:00 docs: url: /oeil/spdoc.do?i=13494&j=1&l=en title: SP(2007)3179 type: Commission response to text adopted in plenary
  • date: 2007-07-12T00:00:00 docs: url: /oeil/spdoc.do?i=13494&j=0&l=en title: SP(2007)3440 type: Commission response to text adopted in plenary
events
  • date: 2006-09-28T00:00:00 type: Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading body: EP
  • date: 2007-03-20T00:00:00 type: Non-legislative basic document published body: EC docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/docs_autres_institutions/commission_europeenne/com/2007/0124/COM_COM(2007)0124_EN.pdf title: COM(2007)0124 url: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!DocNumber&lg=EN&type_doc=COMfinal&an_doc=2007&nu_doc=124 title: EUR-Lex summary: PURPOSE: to present a communication marking 50 years of the Euratom Treaty. CONTENT: 25 March 2007 marks the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaties of Rome, the basis of the European Economic Community, now the European Community, and the European Atomic Energy Community, often referred to as Euratom. This anniversary provides an opportunity to consider the main 'Euratom rules' with a view to better future action. The results of the activities conducted for 50 years under the auspices of the Euratom Treaty can be regarded as extremely positive. The Treaty has enabled the Community to carry out important activities in a strategic sector, in particular in terms of energy supply for the EU. It is recognised as having made significant achievements in the field of research, the protection of health, safeguarding the peaceful use of nuclear materials and international relations. Thanks to the Euratom Treaty, the Community is contributing to scientific progress through its support for research and innovation. It ensures the application of high radiation protection standards for the public and accompanies new initiatives in the nuclear field. It provides an overall approach to investments in this sector. It ensures regular and equitable supplies for users of nuclear materials in the Community and strictly safeguards the peaceful use of nuclear materials. It has become an international player in this sector. The Euratom Treaty has formed the basis of Community activities relating to the nuclear power cycle as well as of other activities which use radioactive substances for research, industrial and medical purposes (research, radiation protection rules, etc). Euratom rules are therefore a factor in the everyday lives of the citizens of all the Member States. The Commission has played a leading role, inasmuch as its powers have allowed, to propose and ensure that the Treaty's resources have been applied since 1 January 1958 in accordance with the needs of, and the situation in, the EU. In this effort, the Commission has been supported on numerous occasions by the judgments of the Court of Justice of the European Communities. The Commission has reacted in a particularly intensive manner during the last few years, for example, by proposing to supplement the Community legal framework for the safety and security of nuclear activities ("nuclear package") which the failure to secure a qualified majority in the Council always prevented from being adopted. The longevity of the initial provisions of the Euratom Treaty shows how up-to-date several of them still are. Well after 1957, they inspired or anticipated the development of other fields of Community law, such as the provisions of the EC Treaty on research and technological development (framework programmes, joint undertakings, etc). Similarly, even if the institution of university status provided for in the Euratom Treaty (Article 9) has not yet been established as such, the Commission has been the driving force behind the development of the European Nuclear Education Network (ENEN). A qualification as European Master of Science in Nuclear Engineering is now available. With the Commission now proposing a regulation for the establishment of a European Institute of Technology on the basis of the EC Treaty, many lessons can be drawn from this experience in the nuclear field. The Euratom inspections carried out since 1960 paved the way for Community inspectorates in other fields (air safety, maritime safety, etc). The provisions which permit Community surveillance of environmental radioactivity and recognise the parallel between the Community’s internal and external powers also bear witness to this. The ongoing debate on the definition of European energy policy centred on competitiveness, security of supply and environmental concerns provides an opportunity to consider future Euratom action. Today, nuclear energy is a reality within the EU and elsewhere. The present race to secure energy resources presents new challenges for this energy source. The Euratom Treaty contains the main provisions which enable the EU to act in this field. Imperfect as it is, the EU, the Member States and the public need it. In future, the application of the Euratom Treaty must continue to focus on nuclear safety and security. Recent enlargements have strengthened the diversity of the EU landscape in the field of nuclear energy and the need for Community action, as shown by the PINC adopted on 10 January 2007, in particular to ensure the protection of health and the environment and to avoid any malicious use of nuclear materials. Using the resources provided by the Euratom Treaty in this respect benefits all the Member States. Similarly, the safety and security of nuclear installations and protection against ionising radiation in third countries are also very important issues. A new instrument for international cooperation in this field, based entirely on the Euratom Treaty, will soon be applicable. The Commission would stress that it is important to maintain a technological lead in the nuclear field and supports the development of the most advanced framework in this area, including in the fields of the safety and security of existing and future installations, nonproliferation, waste management and decommissioning. The Community will therefore be required to continue providing help to support the development of the nuclear industry and to guarantee compliance with the highest radiation protection, safety and security standards for all uses of radioactivity in order to help raise the standard of living and increase the quality of life of people in the EU, whatever forms of energy individual States may choose, as well as beyond the EU's frontiers in collaboration with third countries and international organisations.
  • date: 2007-03-27T00:00:00 type: Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading body: EP summary: The committee adopted the own-initiative report drawn up by Eugenijus MALDEIKIS (UEN, LT) entitled "Assessing Euratom - 50 Years of European nuclear energy policy". The report examined the extent to which the Euratom Treaty remains a suitable legal framework for nuclear energy activities and whether it can contribute to Europe's economic competitiveness, energy independence and security of supply. Assessing the 50 years of Europe's nuclear energy policy, the committee emphasised how the Euratom Treaty has provided the EU with a balanced framework for developing a competitive nuclear industry which, in 2006, produced 32% of Europe's electricity, i.e. the largest share of non-carbon electricity in the EU. The report also underlined the important role the Treaty has played in developing legislation on health protection, and said that this legislation "must remain under the responsibility of the European Union" to ensure that basic standards for the protection of workers and the general public are applied. It also pointed out that safeguards (dealt with under Chapter VII) "are one of the major successes of the Euratom Treaty" and that these safeguards also provide a real guarantee for countries that supply nuclear materials, thereby complementing the non-proliferation controls of the IAEA. However, the committee also highlighted several lacunae with regard to the Euratom Treaty. It regretted that the growth in Parliament's powers, including codecision, had not been reflected in the Treaty and denounced as "evidence of an unacceptable democratic deficit the fact that Parliament is almost completely excluded from Euratom legislative process". It also regretted the absence of a legislative corpus of harmonised standards with real added value for nuclear safety, the management of radioactive waste and the decommissioning of nuclear plants. Looking at the future of Euratom, MEPs stressed that, despite its imperfections, the Euratom Treaty "remains for the moment an indispensable legal framework" without which there might be a renationalisation of nuclear policy in Europe and consequently a setback for the acquis communautaire . The report also said that deleting one or more chapters from the Euratom Treaty or merging certain provisions into the EC Treaty would unbalance the Euratom Treaty as a whole by weakening supervision of nuclear energy use in Europe. It called on the Council and the Commission to address the democratic deficit inherent in the Euratom Treaty and extend the codecision procedure to legislation adopted under it so that Parliament can be closely involved in legislative procedures in the nuclear field. In other recommendations, MEPs called on the Commission to submit new proposals for directives on the safety of nuclear facilities, on waste management and on closure and decommissioning of nuclear facilities, taking into account the 'polluter-pays' principle. They also encouraged the Commission to secure the funding of ambitious research programmes and called on the Council, bearing in mind the objective of security supply and targets to reduce CO2 emissions, to define a coordinated policy that would encourage investment, in full compliance with safety requirements, aimed at extending the life of and improving the performance of existing reactors, as well as investment in new capacities. Finally MEPs called for the role of the Euratom Supply Agency to be revived and for the powers conferred upon it by the Euratom Treaty to be used in full and for the continuation of intense international cooperation, especially with the IAEA, to avoid any redundancy in the respective actions.
  • date: 2007-04-10T00:00:00 type: Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A6-2007-129&language=EN title: A6-0129/2007
  • date: 2007-05-09T00:00:00 type: Debate in Parliament body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20070509&type=CRE title: Debate in Parliament
  • date: 2007-05-10T00:00:00 type: Results of vote in Parliament body: EP docs: url: https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=13494&l=en title: Results of vote in Parliament
  • date: 2007-05-10T00:00:00 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P6-TA-2007-181 title: T6-0181/2007 summary: The European Parliament adopted a resolution based on the own-initiative report drawn up by Eugenijus MALDEIKIS (UEN, LT) entitled "Assessing Euratom - 50 Years of European nuclear energy policy". The report examined the extent to which the Euratom Treaty remains a suitable legal framework for nuclear energy activities and whether it can contribute to Europe's economic competitiveness, energy independence and security of supply. 50 years with the Euratom Treaty : since 1957 and the signing of the Euratom Treaty, the EU has become the world leader in the nuclear industry and one of the main actors in nuclear research in the fields of controlled thermonuclear fission and fusion. The EU nuclear industry's almost total command of the fuel cycle offers the Union, at this time of debate on energy dependence, guarantees of industrial and technological independence, particularly as regards fuel enrichment. Parliament pointed out that, thanks in particular to the Euratom Treaty, nuclear energy was producing, from 152 reactors spread across 15 Member States, 32 % of Europe's electricity. i.e. the largest share of non-carbon electricity in the EU. The founder countries of Euratom laid down a series of provisions in ten chapters with the aim of strictly containing the development of nuclear energy within the Community, and those provisions are still applicable. However, the 1957 consensus on nuclear energy no longer exists among the Member States. Expectations with regard to nuclear energy, to which the Euratom Treaty gave expression five decades ago, have changed. Those expectations now relate more to the need to have a sound legal framework to govern the supervision of the use of nuclear energy in the EU and to provide a framework for the integration into the EU of countries which use nuclear power. Parliament pointed to the achievements of the Euratom Treaty, which has made it possible to protect the public, workers and the environment against ionising radiation (Chapter III), to develop research in the areas of waste management and plant safety (Chapter I) and to implement safeguards in respect of fissile materials in Europe (Chapter VII). The legislation developed under Chapter III of the Euratom Treaty (on health protection) must remain under the responsibility of the EU in order to ensure that basic standards for the protection of workers and the general public are applied and extended to include the environment, and that it takes account in an evolutionary way of the results of international scientific studies. Safeguards (Chapter VII) are one of the major successes of the Euratom Treaty's application and provide the Commission with the means of ascertaining the stocks and movements of nuclear materials in the EU. Parliament noted that the main provisions of the Euratom Treaty have not been amended since it entered into force on 1 January 1958. It confirmed that it is for each and every Member State to decide whether or not to rely on nuclear energy. Irrespective of the diversity of views on nuclear energy, the provisions of the Euratom Treaty that have helped prevent the proliferation of nuclear materials, and those which address health, safety and the prevention of radiological contamination, have been highly beneficial and should be carefully co-ordinated with the health and safety provisions of the EC Treaty. Lacunae : Parliament regretted that the codecision procedure has not been taken into account in the Euratom Treaty, and felt that it was entitled to be formally involved in texts whose legal basis is the Euratom Treaty. It saw as evidence of an unacceptable democratic deficit the fact that Parliament was almost completely excluded from the Euratom legislative process and that it was consulted, and no more, on only one of the ten chapters of the Euratom Treaty. It also regretted the absence of a legislative corpus on harmonised standards for nuclear safety, the management of radioactive waste and the decommissioning of nuclear plants with real added value, particularly in comparison with the existing international framework. Guidelines for the future: despite its imperfections, the Euratom Treaty remains an indispensable legal framework, not only for Member States who wish to develop their nuclear industry but also for Member States who merely wish to benefit from a protective legal arsenal for their populations and their environment. An intergovernmental conference should be convened to carry out a comprehensive revision of the Euratom Treaty, to repeal the outdated provisions of that Treaty, to maintain the regulatory regime of the nuclear industry at EU level, to revise the remaining provisions in the light of a modern and sustainable energy policy and to incorporate the relevant ones in a separate energy chapter. The EU should defend its industrial and technical leadership in the light of the vigorous revival by other actors of their nuclear activities (Russia, USA) and the emergence of new world actors on the nuclear stage (China and India) which will be the EU's competitors in the medium term. The absence of the legal framework provided by the Euratom Treaty would lead to the renationalisation of nuclear policy in Europe, and would give rise to a risk of legal uncertainty for all the 27 Member States. Parliament felt that deleting one or more chapters from the Euratom Treaty or merging certain provisions into the EC Treaty would unbalance the Euratom Treaty as a whole by weakening the supervision of nuclear energy use in Europe. This requires the maintenance of a dedicated legal framework. Its partial incorporation into a hypothetical chapter on "Energy" in the EC Treaty would weaken the overall legal supervision of nuclear energy in Europe and remove the specific nuclear control procedures contained today in the Euratom Treaty. However, the Euratom Treaty needs to be somewhat reformed : -there should be a revision of the decision-making procedures in the Euratom Treaty, which would enable Parliament to be closely involved through co-decision in legislative procedures in the nuclear field; -in the context of a need to adapt European energy policy and extend the working lives of power stations, there is an urgent need to draw up robust legislation and adopt concrete measures at Community level in the fields of nuclear safety, the management of radioactive waste and the decommissioning of nuclear plants and to take steps to ensure that research and development promoting the safe use of nuclear energy receives as much attention and support as possible. Parliament went on to call for the development of teaching and training programmes at European level in the nuclear field and for measures to secure the funding of ambitious research programmes, so as to respond to the challenges in the areas of fission and radiological protection. It encouraged the Commission to draw up really forward-looking PINCs for nuclear production and investment targets, in the global context of increasing competition in this sector, which would also take into consideration the aims of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Lastly, Parliament called for the role of the Euratom Supply Agency to be revived and for the powers conferred upon it by the Euratom Treaty to be used in full. That role should be regarded from the point of view of competitiveness and security of supplies, rather than uranium shortage, including the supply of fabricated nuclear fuel. The provisions of the Euratom Treaty give it the means of becoming a proper energy observatory in the nuclear field, and to that end, Parliament encouraged the current thinking on improving the status of the Euratom Supply Agency.
  • date: 2007-05-10T00:00:00 type: End of procedure in Parliament body: EP
links
other
  • body: EC dg: Energy and Transport commissioner: PIEBALGS Andris
procedure/dossier_of_the_committee
Old
ITRE/6/38323
New
  • ITRE/6/38323
procedure/legal_basis/0
Rules of Procedure EP 052
procedure/legal_basis/0
Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 052
procedure/subject
Old
  • 3.50.02.02 Euratom framework programme
  • 3.60.04 Nuclear energy, industry and safety
New
3.50.02.02
Euratom framework programme, research and training programmes
3.60.04
Nuclear energy, industry and safety
activities
  • date: 2006-09-28T00:00:00 body: EP type: Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading committees: body: EP responsible: False committee: AFCO date: 2006-10-04T00:00:00 committee_full: Constitutional Affairs rapporteur: group: Verts/ALE name: VOGGENHUBER Johannes body: EP responsible: True committee: ITRE date: 2006-09-12T00:00:00 committee_full: Industry, Research and Energy rapporteur: group: UEN name: MALDEIKIS Eugenijus
  • date: 2007-03-20T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/registre/docs_autres_institutions/commission_europeenne/com/2007/0124/COM_COM(2007)0124_EN.pdf title: COM(2007)0124 type: Non-legislative basic document published celexid: CELEX:52007DC0124:EN body: EC commission: DG: Energy and Transport Commissioner: PIEBALGS Andris type: Non-legislative basic document published
  • date: 2007-03-27T00:00:00 body: EP committees: body: EP responsible: False committee: AFCO date: 2006-10-04T00:00:00 committee_full: Constitutional Affairs rapporteur: group: Verts/ALE name: VOGGENHUBER Johannes body: EP responsible: True committee: ITRE date: 2006-09-12T00:00:00 committee_full: Industry, Research and Energy rapporteur: group: UEN name: MALDEIKIS Eugenijus type: Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
  • date: 2007-04-10T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A6-2007-129&language=EN type: Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading title: A6-0129/2007 body: EP type: Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading
  • date: 2007-05-09T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20070509&type=CRE type: Debate in Parliament title: Debate in Parliament body: EP type: Debate in Parliament
  • date: 2007-05-10T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=13494&l=en type: Results of vote in Parliament title: Results of vote in Parliament url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P6-TA-2007-181 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading title: T6-0181/2007 body: EP type: Results of vote in Parliament
committees
  • body: EP responsible: False committee: AFCO date: 2006-10-04T00:00:00 committee_full: Constitutional Affairs rapporteur: group: Verts/ALE name: VOGGENHUBER Johannes
  • body: EP responsible: True committee: ITRE date: 2006-09-12T00:00:00 committee_full: Industry, Research and Energy rapporteur: group: UEN name: MALDEIKIS Eugenijus
links
other
  • body: EC dg: Energy and Transport commissioner: PIEBALGS Andris
procedure
dossier_of_the_committee
ITRE/6/38323
reference
2006/2230(INI)
title
Assessing Euratom: 50 years of European nuclear energy policy
legal_basis
Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 052
stage_reached
Procedure completed
subtype
Initiative
type
INI - Own-initiative procedure
subject