Management of spent fuel and radioactive waste: EU legal framework

2010/0306(NLE)

This Commission staff working document lays down the progress of implementation of Council Directive 2011/70/Euratom establishing a Community framework for the responsible and safe management of spent fuel and radioactive waste.

This document is primarily based on the information provided in Member States' national programmes for the management of spent fuel and radioactive waste and national reports on the implementation of the Directive, as notified to the Commission by March 2019.

It provides background information related to the main findings, progress, challenges, and trends with a view to improving the quality of reporting.

The document noted that all Member States submitted their second national reports to the Commission by March 2019 and a few Member States also notified to the Commission their final or updated national programmes during the reporting period.

In the previous reporting cycle in 2015 most of the EU Member States notified their national programmes for the first time and submitted national reports on the implementation of the Directive at the same time. In most of the cases Member States focused in their national reports on national policies and principles, national frameworks, national programmes and their implementation. As this is the second time that Member States report on the implementation of the Directive, particular attention was given by the Commission to the progress made during the reporting period by the Member States in implementing the Directive.

In most areas, progress is very little, or insufficiently reported to the Commission. The next Member States reports to be submitted to the Commission are due by 23 August 2021, when the Commission expects a significant improvement of the quality of reporting.