COMMISSION OPINION

of 30 March 2012

relating to the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste arising from the extension of the repository for very low-active waste CSTFA, located in France, in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty

(Only the French text is authentic)

2012/C 99/01

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.

On 17 October 2011, the European Commission received from the French 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 extension of the repository for very low-active waste CSTFA, located in France.

The extension of the CSTFA concerns the construction of two new buildings for the management of very low-active radioactive waste: the consolidation and the storage buildings.

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 consolidation and storage buildings of the CSTFA will not be the subject of a specific discharge authorisation. Discharges of gaseous and liquid radioactive effluents are not foreseen. Nevertheless, under normal operating conditions, radioactive gases will emanate from these buildings through natural diffusion processes without however causing an exposure of the population of another Member State that is significant from the point of view of health.

3.

In the event of unplanned releases of radioactive effluents which may follow an accident of the type and magnitude considered in the General Data, 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 conclusion, the Commission is of the opinion that the implementation of the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste in whatever form from the extension of the repository for very low-active waste CSTFA, 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 of the water, soil or airspace of another Member State that would be significant from the point of view of health.

Done at Brussels, 30 March 2012.

For the Commission

Günther OETTINGER

Member of the Commission