COMMISSION OPINION

of 26 February 2015

relating to the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste arising from the European Spallation Source Facility (Linear Accelerator), located at Lund in Sweden

(Only the Swedish text is authentic)

(2015/C 72/01)

The assessment below is carried out under the provisions of the Euratom Treaty, without prejudice to any additional assessments to be carried out under the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and the obligations stemming from it and from secondary legislation(1).

On 25 September 2013, the European Commission received from the Swedish Government, in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty, General Data relating to the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste arising from the European Spallation Source Facility (Linear Accelerator).

On the basis of these data and additional information requested by the Commission on 18 October 2013 and on 22 September 2014 and provided by the Swedish authorities on 2 September 2014 and on 22 October 2014, and following consultation with the Group of Experts, the Commission has drawn up the following opinion:

1.

The distance from the site to the nearest border of another Member State, in this case Denmark is approximately 30 km.

2.

Under normal operating conditions the discharges of liquid and gaseous radioactive effluents are not liable to cause an exposure of the population in another Member State that would be significant from the point of view of health.

3.

Secondary solid radioactive waste will be temporarily stored on site before being shipped to authorised treatment or disposal facilities located in Sweden.

4.

In the event of unplanned releases of radioactive effluents which may follow the accidents of the type and magnitude considered in the General Data, the doses likely to be received by the population in another Member State would not be significant from the point of view of health.

In conclusion, the Commission is of the opinion that the implementation of the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste in whatever form, arising from the European Spallation Source Facility, located at Lund in Sweden, both in normal operation and in the event of accidents of the type and magnitude considered in the General Data, is not liable to result in a radioactive contamination, significant from the point of view of health, of the water, soil or airspace of another Member State.

Done at Brussels, 26 February 2015.

For the Commission

Miguel ARIAS CAÑETE

Member of the Commission

(1)  For instance, under the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, environmental aspects should be further assessed. Indicatively, the Commission would like to draw attention to the provisions of Directive 2011/92/EU on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment, Directive 2001/42/EC on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment, as well as to the Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora and Directive 2000/60/EC establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy.