Tuesday 8 July 2014
The EU Council has officially adopted new laws that provide more power and independence for national nuclear regulatory authorities.
The amended Nuclear Safety Directive includes a new EU-wide safety objective to prevent accidents and avoid radioactive releases.
It also aims to increase transparency by ensuring information is made available to the public during nuclear installations and in case of any incidents and a new system of reviews on specific safety issues will also be carried out every six years.
Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger said: "This Directive is a major contribution to enhancing the safety of nuclear installations and promoting a strong safety culture in Europe."
"The Member States will have to transpose the provisions of the directive in national law within three years", the Commission added.