The purpose of this communication is to update the information supplied to the European Parliament and the Council on the development of the programme for decommissioning of obsolete nuclear installations and nuclear waste management (D&WM programme started by the Commission in 1999.

This new communication also responds to the demands of the Council and the European Parliament to submit an action plan over the long term for the D&WM programme. To this end it presents a re-evaluation of the programme implemented in 2002 by the JRC and in 2003 by a consortium of companies with solid experience in the sector.

The programme presented to the Council and the European Parliament in 1999 has been completely revised in accordance with the recommendations of the two institutions and of the Court of Auditors and the JRC's Board of Governors. It has been updated to take account both of contextual developments (new legislation, new external costs) and of a more detailed study of the Commission's "historical liabilities" (conservation in a safe state, processing of existing waste and decommissioning of installations that have been shut down) and "future liabilities" (decommissioning of installations in use and processing of the resulting waste). The JRC entrusted a Consortium of external companies with undertaking a review of the programme which the JRC updated in 2002. The Consortium approved the programme strategy and choices made and confirmed the cost assessment made by the JRC with an increase of 13%. The independent Group of experts which advises the JRC has acknowledged the Consortium's report and approved its conclusions. The Commission is satisfied with the process of review of its D&WM programme and the final conclusions. It considers that the cost estimate made by the Consortium supports the JRC's cost assessment. It appears to be reasonably conservative, which may compensate, if necessary, for risks that are always possible bearing in mind the uncertainties identified in this document. The Commission is grateful to the JRC's Board of Governors for the support it has given to this communication. The Commission therefore intends to continue the implementation of its D&WM programme. It will provide annual updating and ensure a general review and an appropriate update every four years. The European Parliament and the Council will be given full information on each review. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS :

- Budget lines : 10 05 01 - Decommissioning of nuclear installations and Waste Management and 10 01 05 Support expenditures for operations of policy area direct research (staff cost). - Total allocation for action : EUR 1,145 million in 2003 or EUR 1,657 million current for commitment. This represents the total forecast spending from 1999 to around 2030. It should be noted that around EUR 64 million have already been committed by the end of 2003.

The total cost of EUR 1,145 million is split among the four sites as follows: - 56.3% for Ispra (EUR 645 million); - 34.0% for Karlsruhe (EUR 389 million); - 6.0% for Petten (EUR 69 million); - 3.7% for Geel (EUR 42 million).