This staff working document summarises the changes of the Euratom Treaty over the last 50 years and the actions carried out over this period to the present day with a view to developing a vision of Euratom’s role in the future.
The context in which the Euratom Treaty came into effect is different to that which was envisaged during its negotiation. Among the changes appear, in particular, the discovery of oilfields and the facilitated accessibility to materials and nuclear technologies. The development of the nuclear sector has proven to be more fragmented and more marked by national character that that envisaged in 1957.
The acquis of the EAEC which was built, in a rather continuous and coherent way, is detailed in this document. This has evolved in a general way according to Community interest in the context of the development of the nuclear energy sector in the EAEC and the world.
The Commission has played a leading role, inasmuch as its powers have allowed, to propose and ensure that the Treaty's resources have been applied since 1 January 1958 in accordance with the needs of, and the changing situation in, the EU.
The changing nature of the actions can be summarised in 5 stages :