COMMISSION OPINION

of 22 May 2015

relating to the modified plan for the disposal of radioactive waste arising from the Consolidation Building of the CIRES facility in France

(Only the French text is authentic)

(2015/C 172/01)

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 16 December 2014, the European Commission received from the French Government, in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty, General Data relating to the modified plan for the disposal of radioactive waste arising from the Consolidation Building of the CIRES facility.

On the basis of these data and following consultation with the Group of Experts, the Commission has drawn up the following opinion:

1.

The distance from the site to the border of the nearest Member State, in this case Belgium is 138 km.

2.

The modified plan consists of an increase of the operational capacity of the plant that requires higher regulatory discharge limits for airborne radioactive effluents.

3.

During normal operating conditions, the modified plan is not liable to cause an exposure of the population of another Member State that would be significant from the point of view of health, in respect of the dose limit laid down in the new Basic Safety Standards (Directive 2013/59/Euratom).

4.

In the event of unplanned releases of radioactive effluents which may follow an accident of the type and magnitude considered in the modified plan, the doses likely to be received by the population of another Member State would not be significant from the point of view of health, in respect of the reference levels laid down in the new Basic Safety Standards (Directive 2013/59/Euratom).

In conclusion, the Commission is of the opinion that the implementation of the modified plan for the disposal of radioactive waste in whatever form from the Consolidation Building of the CIRES facility located in France, both in normal operation and in the event of an accident of the type and magnitude considered in the General Data, is not liable to result in radioactive contamination, significant from the point of view of health, of the water, soil or airspace of another Member State, in respect of the provisions laid down in the new Basic Safety Standards (Directive 2013/59/Euratom).

Done at Brussels, 22 May 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, 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.