Newsletter

NEWSLETTER – autumn 2016

30 November 2016

Opinion – EURATOM	Report – European Nuclear Energy Forum
24.11 \|The Nuclear exception	03-04.10 \| The 11th ENEF
An opinion column of Benedek Javor	An opinion column of Philip Kearney

The idea at the founding of the EU was the creation of a common European market and grant equal access to Member States to scarce resources. The aim was to make war not only unthinkable but materially impossible” (Schuman Declaration). How it is applied? EURATOM and the Treaty of the Functioning of the EU provide different rules and conditions for nuclear energy compared to other sources of energy. What are the consequences?	Founded in 2007, the European Nuclear Energy Forum (ENEF) is meant to gather all relevant stakeholders in the nuclear field. This year, at the 11th ENEF in Bratislava, some NTW members have participated, there was an independent moderator and webstreaming. NTW is calling for more debate and civil society representatives. There is a need for a fundamental redesign of the format to be genuinely participative and interactive.


Article- The Civil Society ENGAGEMENT	Call- EP&R
12.11 \| The CLIs and ANCCLI in France	08.11 \| Do you want to join the EP&R network of NTW?
Example of civil society involvement in France	NTW is looking for national partners

Around the table, we have often operators, regulators and technical support organisations. But we are often missing a fourth pillar: the civil society. How is civil society organized? What is the influence of civil society?The experience of the “Local Information Commissions” (CLI) and their national federation, the ANCCLI, is an interesting example in Europe of the involvement of civil society on nuclear issues.	NTW wants to create a network of NGOs/independent experts to work on EP&R issues to have at least one national partner in each EU country to screen the national situation. We could together push for the emergence of national reports similar to the ones written by ACRO in France and Belgium. Many information will be shared. For example, a handbook will help our civil society partners on how to develop a methodology.


Event – EP&R	Event – Aarhus Convention
01.12 \| Seminar on Public Information	29-30.11 \| Roundtable Aarhus Convention & Nuclear
Seminar co-organised by NTW and the Commission	co-organised by ANCCLI, IRSN, ASN and the Commission

EU Member States are required to transpose into national law the 2013 Basic Safety Standards Directive by February 2018. The 1st December seminar will be dedicated to the topic of public information (Articles 70 and 71 of the BSS Directive (2013/59/Euratom) and Article 8 of the amended nuclear safety Directive (2014/87/Euratom)) on how to ensure good and effective information to the public in the preparatory and the emergency phases.	In the perspective of the revised Basic Safety Standards (BSS) Directive(2013/59/Euratom), this Aarhus Convention and Nuclear Roundtable, gathering all the concerned stakeholders, gives the opportunity to present the key results of different initiatives and to discuss them in the perspective of the Aarhus Convention with a specific focus on the transboundary issues, in order to draw recommendations.


Event – Radioactive Waste Management	Info – Nuclear Illustrative Programme
15.12 \| Nuclear spent fuel for export?	22.09 \| PINC doesn’t offer a comprehensive approach
Conference organised by The Joint Project and Energy Club Hungary	Opinion on the Nuclear Illustrative Programme (PINC) of the EESC

This one-day conference with international experts will focus on the new Euratom directive on management of spent fuel and radioactive waste (Council Directive 2011/70/Euratom). The status of implementation in EU member states and whether this directive will „solve“ the issue of waste disposal will be analysed. To illustrate the effectiveness or non- effectiveness of this directive, Hungary will be the national studied case.	As set out in Article 40 of the Euratom Treaty, the EESC is the single interlocutor of the Commission in drafting the nuclear illustrative programmes (PINC) for the EU. Its opinion is calling for substantial revisions to the communication notably to include sections on the competitiveness of nuclear power, related economic aspects, and public acceptability, liability for nuclear damages, transparency, and effective national dialogue.


NTW Board	NTW members
05.10 \| Change in the composition of NTW board	2016 \| New members at NTW
After three years, NTW has some changes in its composition	Welcome!

The changes occurred as a result of the resignation of Michèle Rivasi and Corinne Lepage. Dr. Nadja Zeleznik, coordinator of the EP&R WG of NTW and working for the Regional Environmental Center, has been elected as the new president for the remaining two years of this Board period. The Board also chose Jan Haverkamp, expert consultant on nuclear energy and energy policy for different NGOs as vice-president.	Nuclear Transparency Wacth is pleased to announce the recent arrival of new NTW members: Miroslav Gregoric, as qualified member, from Slovenia. He is a former director of Slovenian Nuclear Regulatory Authority and senior expert for the IAEA activities. And Daniel Meijers, NTW representative of Laka Foundation from Netherlands. Welcome!

NEWSLETTER – SUMMER 2016

4 August 2016

News – Radioactive Waste Management	News – Civil Society impact in Belgium
06.07 \| National reports and programs are available !	14.06 \| Opportunity to upgrade safety standards
An important step forward for TRANSPARENCY	Latest recommendations of the Belgian SHC

According to Art. 11 of the 2011/70/EURATOM Directive, Member States had to develop and describe a national programme for the responsible and safe management of spent fuel and radioactive waste. National programmes were to be reported to the EC before 23 August 2015. In response to our request, the European Commission (EC) gave access to all national programmes and implementation report.	In April 2016, the Belgian government announced that the update of the national nuclear emergency plans would take into account the recommendations of the Belgian Superior Health Council (SHC) published in March 2016 which themselves are taking into account some insufficiencies previously pointed out by Greenpeace Belgium and NTW. Eloi Glorieux, member of NTW, summarizes here the main conclusions of the SHC report.


Event –Five years after Fukushima	Event – Civil Society impact
22.03 \| Witnesses from Civil Society	03.06 \| Citizen control over nuclear safety
Sharing of experiences between Japan and EU	NTW presentation at the RICOMET conference
2016 was the 5th anniversary of Fukushima nuclear accident. Five years after the accident, an event in the European Parliament was an opportunity to exchange witnesses and local knowledge between Japan and the European Union, in order to understand the current challenges in Europe raised by the use of nuclear technology at a strategic time for decisions about nuclear safety. Find the summary report on NTW’s website.	On 3rd June, Jan Haverkamp, member of NTW, made a presentation at the Second International Conference – RICOMET 2016. This presentation shows how NTW supports citizens to implement their rights in access to information and public participation around nuclear decisions. This is still an ongoing process, but the contours of what the nuclear industry really stands for are slowly becoming more clear.

Report – RWM	Study- EP&R
01.04 \| Transparency in radioactive Waste Management	06.04 \| Strength and weaknesses of emergency plans
A first report from the NTW BEPPER project	Study carried out by ACRO for ANCCLI
One of the first projects developed within the NTW RWM working group was on transparency and it was named the BEPPER project. BEPPER stands for “Broad Framework for Effective Public Information and Participation in Environmental Decision-making in Radioactive Waste Management”. This report describes some of the innovative thinking and practice on transparency that has been developed in the project the 2 last years.	In case of severe nuclear accident, France is not ready . This is the finding of a study carried out by ACRO for ANCCLI (National Association of Local Information Commissions and Committees) . It explains that The “top-down” used to date must evolve and interested local people and organizations from the civil society should be involved in the development and planning of emergency plans.

Position – Nuclear Illustrative Programme	Info – Transparency and safety
23.05 \| PINC: the real picture	20.06 \| Assessment of the safety in Belarus
Position on the Nuclear Illustrative Programme	Ostrovets power plant

PINC is a communication of the European Commission, presented under Article 40 of the Euratom Treaty for the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee. On 4th April 2016, the EC published its latest report on nuclear program (PINC) outlining investment issues. NTW identifies figures in the 2016 PINC that are soft estimates and that there is a need to work deeply on RWM and decommissioning.	The territory of Belarus received 70% of the radioactive fallout from the Chernobyl accident. As a result, nearly 23% of its territory was contaminated. However, thirty years after the accident, Belarus is building its first nuclear power plant at Ostrovets only 20 km from the border with Lithuania. The first unit is set to become operational in 2018 with Russian assistance. But as the project advances, safety concerns are mounting.

Event – ENEF	Event – Aarhus Convention and Nuclear Roundtable
03-04. 10 \| The next ENEF	29-30.11 \| EP&R
Bratislava – Under Slovakian Presidency	To nuclear accidental and post-accidental situations

Founded in 2007, the European Nuclear Energy Forum (ENEF) is meant to gather all relevant stakeholders in the nuclear field. The 2016 ENEF Plenary meeting will take place in October in Bratislava . NTW will be there to participate to the debate and to assess if the ENEF can really be a platform for an open discussion about the future of nuclear energy in Europe among all stakeholders without taboos.	In the perspective of the revised Basic Safety Standards (BSS) Directive(2013/59/Euratom), the next Aarhus Convention and Nuclear Roundtable, gathering all the concerned stakeholders, will give the opportunity to present the key results of different initiatives and to discuss them in the perspective of the Aarhus Convention with a specific focus on the transboundary issues, in order to draw recommendations.
SAVE THE DATE: 3-4 October 2016	SAVE THE DATE: 29-30 November 2016

NEWSLETTER – AUTUMN 2015

17 December 2015

Newsletter – Autumn 2015

Position – Emergency Preparedness and Response	Position – Transparency
11.12 \| Applying Fukushima’s lessons in EP&R	10.12 \| Is Belgium able to extend its Doel 1 & 2 reactors?
A NTW position on the implementation process of the BSS Directive	NTW watchs the respect of Aarhus and Espoo Conventions

During the Post-Fukushima European Nuclear Safety Stress Tests, civil society has drawn the attention of EU and national authorities to the urgent necessity to update and rescale the existing EP&R provisions in the EU. With the new BSS directive, NTW calls on the Commission to ensure an effective and qualitative transposition and a civil society involvement at the earliest stages of this process.	On 30 November 2015, an agreement between Electrabel and the Belgian Federal Government was reached to extend by 10 years the lifetime of nuclear reactors Doel 1 & 2. But it breaks international rules for transparency and safety, as ensuring an environmental impact assessment process. Lifetime extension of power plants must take into account a high level of safety measures to protect the population, but also the environment.


Support – RICOMET’s appeal	Support – E-Track advisory group’s statement
29.10 \| Broadening social and ethical dimensions	29.11\| Need to reinforce E-Track project
NTW supports the RICOMET’s appeal	NTW supports the statement of the E-Track Advisory group

NTW supports the RICOMET’s call “Appeal to implement Responsible Research and Innovation in Euratom nuclear research, development and activities”. During core scientific and nuclear research and development, NTW highly recommends the incorporation of activities to broaden the social, participatory and ethical dimensions. We need social sciences to understand the nuclear world.	The Commission has started an effort called E-Track for the promotion and enhancement of public participation in the implementation of energy policies. The first project is about radioactive waste management. One and a half years after E-track setting up, NTW shares the Advisory group concern about the current state and future of the project: inadequate resources, limited use of information collection, the lack of political support, etc.


Workshop – Emergency Preparedness and Response	Workshop – Radioactive Waste Management
03.12 \| Importance to engage civil society	07.09 \| Public participation in the area of RWM
NTW’s participation in a workshop organised by the European Commission	NTW at European Economic and Social Committee’s workshop

On 3 December 2015, a workshop “More effective EP&R arrangements at the EU level under the BSS Directive” was organised by the European Commission. NTW was invited to give a presentation on public information and stakeholder involvement in EP&R, made by Nadja Zeleznik. It was an opportunity to stress the importance to engage civil society in each step of EP&R and to take into account CS recommendations.	On 7 September, the EESC organised a workshop on public participation in the area of Radioactive Waste Management. This workshop was an opportunity for reviewing initiatives and practices with regard to public participation in RWM across the EU. Discover two presentations made by Philip Kearney and Paul Dorfman, setting the scene and highlighting the importance of transparency and public participation in RWM.


INFO – Paks II, Hungary	NTW Membership
07.12 \| Outlook on the IEA procedure for Paks II project	2015 \|New members at NTW
Compilation made by NTW of Paks II transboundary hearing feedbacks	Welcome!

A new project with two reactor units from Rosatom is planned as an addition to the existing four-block nuclear power plant, Paks-1 that currently generates some 40% of the Hungarian energy production. An environmental impact assessment (EIA) procedure for this project is currently being conducted. An EIA Report has been submitted and public hearings organised. NTW has compiled the available feedbacks.	Nuclear Transparency Watch is pleased to announce the arrival of new NTW members: Piotr Stankiewicz, NTW qualified member (Poland), Josep Puig, NTW representative of Grup de Científics i Tècnics per un Futur No Nuclear (Spain) and Gabriele Mraz, NTW representative of Austrian Institute of Ecology (Austria). Welcome!


Info – Climate change	Info – COP 21
07.12 \| How might climate change affect nuclear safety?	30.11 \| Limited access for the CS in the COP process
Climate change and Safety	COP21 and Transparency

Nuclear power plants already face issues that may be related to climate change: floods, heat waves, storms, invasion of jellyfish and seaweed, rising sea levels, etc. With global warming, some of these natural events may be more severe. Events like floods or heat waves can have a serious impact on their cooling system. Is the European nuclear fleet ready to face those threats?	Two years ago, a significant portion of civil society delegates to COP19 simply walked out. They had agreed to leave the COP19 together to denounce the perceived closeness of governments to industrial lobbies, and to express their rejection of the false solutions. The COP 21 seems to offer to multinationals advertising opportunities and privileged access of economic agents to policy makers and the negotiations space.

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Nuclear Transparency Watch promotes the conditions for democratic transparency, effective public participation and safety in the nuclear sector.
contact: Marie-Alix Verhoeven | Head of Operations
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NEWSLETTER – SPRING 2015

7 May 2015

Newsletter – Spring 2015

BELGIUM- Doel 1 & 2	OPINION – UK Nuclear Subsidies
30.04 \|NTW warns to respect transparency laws	29.04 \|In between safety flaws and legal challenges
A letter from NTW Chair to Belgian minister Marghem	Opinion column of Paul Dorfman

NTW warned the Belgian federal minister of Energy Marie-Christine Marghem, that her legislative proposal to extend the lifetime of the 40 years old Doel 1 & 2 nuclear power reactors threatens to break international rules for transparency. If the right of the public to participate in an Environmental Impact Assessment will not be respected, NTW will seek advice on initiating a formal complaint to the Compliance Committee of the Aarhus Convention.	Between the intention of Austria to challenge UK government nuclear subsidies in European Court of Justice and the discovery of Flamanvile EPR flaws raising Hinkley C safety fears, nuclear subsides in UK draw global attention. Dr Paul Dorfman, from the Energy Institute at UCL and member of Nuclear Transparency Watch, explains the various challenges encountered for UK nuclear subsidies.


CONFERENCE – EP&R	HEARING – Paks
15.04 \| NTW publishes its report on EP&R in Europe	19.03 \| The new Hungarian nuclear investment, Paks
Conference of NTW on Emergency Preparedness and Response (EP&R)	Conference co-hosted by Energiaklub, NTW and The Greens/EFA

In the post-Fukushima era, one of the first steps of Nuclear Transparency Watch (NTW) was to establish a working group on the Emergency Preparedness and Response (EP&R), which has conducted a one-year investigation of off-site EP&R. This report has been presented in the European Parliament in the presence of members Klaus Buchner, Ana Gomes, Jo Leinen, Michèle Rivasi and Julie Ward.	Energiaklub, European Greens and NTW hold a hearing dedicated to the planned upgrade of Hungary’s Paks nuclear power plant. Benedek Jávor, member of the European Parliament and qualified member of NTW, criticised the project’s environmental and financial aspects and the non-transparent decision-making. Environmental analyses on the project are not available and there has been no public consultations.


NTW working group	HUNGARY- EIA
08.04 \| Meeting in Brussels with European NGOs	17.03 \| Hungary: launch of an EIA of Paks 2
Working Group of NTW on Radioactive Waste Management (RWM)	Announcement of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of Paks 2

Nuclear Transparency Watch had a two-days meeting (8th and 9th April) in Brussels with various European NGOs to prepare a report for the European Commission on transparency and public participation in the field of radioactive waste management. The aim of the project is to provide input from the perspectives of environmental NGOs. The report will be published by end of 2015.	On March 17th, Attila Aszódi, government official responsible for sustaining the capacity of the Paks power plants, announced that the environmental authorization process of Paks II had been launched. He explained that the procedure consists of both a national and an international process. In connection with the international phase, he told reporters that thirty European countries received the documents of the EIA.


EUROPEAN COMMISSION	NTW Membership
25.02\| A Framework Strategy for a Resilient Energy Union	2015 \|New members at NTW
Communication from the European Commission	Welcome!

On 25th February 2015, the European Commission presented an Energy Union Strategy, initiative proposed by the new Juncker Commission. The Commission proposal will undoubtedly offer new opportunities for stakeholders to participate in the debates in the coming years, especially since “an energy dialogue with stakeholders to inform policy-making” is set to be one of its main elements.	Nuclear Transparency Wacth is pleased to announce the arrival in 2015 of new NTW members: Klaus Buchner, NTW qualified member and member of the European Parliament (Germany), Patricia Lorenz, NTW qualified member (Austria) and Ian Ralls, NTW representative of Nuclear Network Friends of the Earth (England, Wales and Northern Ireland). Welcome!


BRIEFING – EPR nuclear reactor flaws	BRIEFING – Chernobyl situation
12.04 \| Flaws in the EPR Pressure Vessel, Flamanville-3	26.04 \| No foreseeable solution and a race against time
Author: Yves Marignac, Director of Wise-Paris	Author: Oda Becker, German nuclear expert on behalf of Greenpeace
On 7th April 2015, the French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) announced that fabrication defects had been found in the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) of the EPR reactor under construction at Flamanville. This information was soon confirmed by the manufacturer of the components, Areva, and the operator, EDF. The following link is a synthesis of this information completed by Wise information and research.	On 26th April 1986, the worst nuclear disaster has yet seen occurred in reactor block number 4 at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Radioactive material was released into the atmosphere over a vast area. Within six months, a lid was constructed under difficult conditions to cover the remains in an attempt to contain the radioactive releases. What is the current situation of this protective sarcophagus expected for 20 to 30 years?