29 Apr (NucNet): The Directorate-General for Energy at the European Commission is awarding a contract for “a thorough analysis” of member states’ national legal frameworks to ensure compliance with the Nuclear Waste Directive.
The DG Energy said based upon the information collected and the conclusions reached by the contractor, the EC will have the “necessary elements” to make sure the directive has been transposed into national law in each case.
The EC will verify whether member states have addressed all obligations under the waste directive and addressed the adequacy of the legal instruments put in place.
The statement said: “Where transposition is determined to be incomplete or inadequate this could then form the basis of a decision to commence infringement proceedings.”
The European Council adopted the waste directive in 2011. It establishes an EU-wide framework for the management of spent fuel and radioactive waste and must be transposed in all member states by 23 August 2013.
Energy commissioner Günther Oettinger said at the time the directive was “a major achievement” for nuclear safety and “after years of inaction, the EU has committed itself to final disposal of nuclear waste”.
The directive creates “a strong EU framework” with important obligations imposed on member states.
In particular, member states will have to draw up national programmes detailing their preferred options to store or reprocess radioactive waste and submit them to the Commission by 2015.
The directive applies in all current 27 EU states and Croatia, which is set to become the union’s 28th member this year.
The contract has an “indicative price” of 270,000 euros (353,000 US dollars) and will run for 10 months, the DG Energy said.
The winner of the contract must be able to prove experience in the field of nuclear regulation or compliance with at least two projects delivered in this field in the last three years with a minimum value for each project of 100,000 euros.
The tender notice is online:
http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/energy/tenders/doc/2013/201304522_131_contract_notice.pdf
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