Sittings · Document

DRAFT REPORT (COM(2025)0598 – C100262/2025 – 2025/0265(CNS)) 2026-03-16

On the proposal for a Council regulation establishing the Instrument for Nuclear Safety Cooperation and Decommissioning for the period 2028-2034 and repealing Regulations (Euratom) 2021/100 and (Euratom) 2021/948

Committee on Industry, Research and Energy · Rapporteur: Sophie Wilmès

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The rapporteur's draft report approves the Commission proposal for a Council regulation setting up the Instrument for Nuclear Safety Cooperation and Decommissioning for 2028-2034, which merges the current Euratom nuclear safety and decommissioning instruments into one with an external and an internal component. The external component supports nuclear safety, radiation protection, radioactive waste and spent fuel management, decommissioning and nuclear safeguards in partner countries; the internal component covers decommissioning of the Commission's nuclear installations at Joint Research Centre sites and management of the associated waste. The draft amendments promote international conventions and IAEA-assisted peer reviews, require the Commission to inform Parliament and cooperating third countries to inform the public, and require coordination with the IAEA and the OECD's Nuclear Energy Agency. They add a safeguard that funded actions must not go against the interest and competitiveness of the Union, and task the Commission and the Joint Research Centre with developing innovative legal and financial instruments for the long-term uncertainties of waste management. They also require annual evaluation of partner countries' commitment to the relevant conventions, with a decision on continuing cooperation, and give the committee for the external component a role in assessing compliance with the Instrument's general objectives.

Committee position. The rapporteur supports the objectives of both components of the proposed Instrument and proposes amendments to strengthen promotion of international conventions and IAEA-assisted peer reviews, transparency and public information, coordination with international organisations, a safeguard on European interest in funding decisions, innovative financial instruments for nuclear liabilities, and coherence and governance.

Key points

  1. Parliament approves the Commission proposal as amended and calls on the Commission to alter its proposal accordingly.
  2. A new recital states that the external component should promote international cooperation based on nuclear safety and radioactive waste conventions, encourage partner countries to join them, and allow IAEA-assisted periodic peer reviews of their national systems.
  3. A new recital states that the Commission should regularly inform Parliament about activities implemented under the regulation.
  4. Recital 27 is amended so that activities in emerging fields, such as small and modular reactors and new radiological medical applications, take account of the Union's interest and competitiveness to prevent Union funds from supporting licensing of non-European technologies.
  5. Recital 32 and a new Article 3a require coherence, synergies and complementarity with other Union external action programmes, relevant Union policies and legislative acts, and the Euratom research and training programme.
  6. Recital 34 and Article 2 are amended to require the Commission and the Joint Research Centre to develop and propose innovative legal and financial instruments for the long-term uncertainties of waste management, and to make this an activity eligible for internal funding.
  7. Article 2 is amended so that any transfer of nuclear liabilities to a host Member State is voluntary, subject to a bilateral agreement, with all decommissioning and waste storage costs paid by the Community, and negotiations concluded within two years of entry into force.
  8. A new Article 6a requires the Commission to make information on supported nuclear safety measures available to Parliament, and cooperating third countries to make such information and nuclear safety standards available to the public, especially local authorities, populations, workers and stakeholders near nuclear installations.
  9. A new Article 10a requires the Commission to coordinate with third countries and international organisations, in particular the IAEA and the OECD through the Nuclear Energy Agency, to avoid duplication, and to involve member state authorities and European operators.
  10. Article 12 is amended so that partner countries' commitment to the Convention on Nuclear Safety and the Joint Convention is evaluated annually, with a decision on continuing cooperation, and flexibility shown in an emergency.
  11. A new Article 12(8a) states that financed actions do not go against the interest and competitiveness of the Union.
  12. Article 17 is amended so that the committee for the external component assesses compliance with the Instrument's general objectives and takes account of the Union's geostrategic priorities and interests.

Who is affected

  • Partner countries cooperating on nuclear safety: must be parties to the relevant conventions or show firm commitment to accede, and ensure public information.
  • Host member states of Joint Research Centre nuclear installations: may agree a voluntary transfer of nuclear liabilities, with costs paid by the Community.
  • The Commission and the Joint Research Centre: must develop innovative legal and financial instruments for long-term waste management uncertainties.
  • The European Parliament: must be regularly informed by the Commission and receive information on supported nuclear safety measures.
  • The IAEA and the OECD through the Nuclear Energy Agency: the Commission must coordinate with them to avoid duplication of actions and funding.

Figures and deadlines

  • 2028-2034: period of the Instrument for Nuclear Safety Cooperation and Decommissioning.
  • two years from the date of entry into force of the regulation: deadline for concluding negotiations between the Commission and a host Member State on transfer of nuclear liabilities.
  • several decades: timescale of the long-term uncertainties associated with waste management that the innovative legal and financial instruments should address.

Legal basis: Article 203 of the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community.

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