COMMISSION OPINION

of 2 September 2009

relating to the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste arising from the National Radioactive Waste Repository at Bátaapáti, located in Hungary, in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty

(Only the Hungarian text is authentic)

2009/C 208/01

On 10 March 2008, the European Commission received from the Hungarian 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 National Radioactive Waste Repository at Bátaapáti.

The Commission, in order to have a comprehensive set of data at its disposal, had to request additional information on 10 July 2008 and on 24 November 2008, which was provided by the Hungarian Government on 2 September 2008, on 19 November 2008 and on 30 March 2009.

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 between the repository and the nearest conurbations of other Member States is 131 km for Romania, 165 km for Slovenia, 172 km for Slovakia and 186 km for Austria.

2.

During the repository's operational period:

— Under normal conditions the releases of gaseous and liquid radioactive effluents will not cause an exposure liable to affect the health of the population in another Member State.

— Radioactive solid waste produced on site will be disposed of underground.

— Unplanned releases of radioactive effluents, which may follow an accident of the type and magnitude considered in the General Data, are not liable to affect the health of the population in another Member State.

3.

After the repository's operational period:

— Both the measures envisaged for the final closure of the repository and the natural features of the site, as described in the General Data, provide reliance that the conclusions under point 2 above will remain valid in the long term.

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 National Radioactive Waste Repository at Bátaapáti in Hungary, during its normal operational life and after its final closure, as well as in the event of an accident of the type and magnitude considered in the General Data, is not liable to result in a radioactive contamination of the water, soil or airspace of another Member State.