Press release - 9 December, 2002
Greenpeace has called on EU Environment Ministers not to be
fooled by Commissioner Loyola De Palacio's 'nuclear package', which
will be presented at the Environment Council meeting today. The
camouflaged kit, which will be depicted as safety nuclear
legislative measures, hides its true purpose: to revitalize an
ailing and struggling nuclear industry.
In a detailed letter to EU Environment Ministers Greenpeace has
said that the 'package' is "flawed" (1). According to the
international environmental organisation, those seeking support for
de Palacio's proposals are claiming it will enhance nuclear safety
in an enlarged EU. Greenpeace, however, says that this is not the
case: the draft proposals will not affect operational safety levels
of current or future EU members and therefore should be
rejected.
"The reality is that what is being proposed is a nuclear
survival package, not safety enhancement", said Greenpeace EU
Advisor Arjette Stevens. "Vice- President de Palacio is pro-nuclear
and it would appear she is willing to do almost anything to throw
this dying industry a lifeline. Greenpeace is not fooled by her
rhetoric and the Environment Council should not be fooled either"
she expressed.
Greenpeace also voiced concern that the so called 'Article 31
Expert Group', which are independents specialists who have been
requested to give an opinion on the 'package', was not established
to consider nuclear safety standards, decommissioning funds and
radioactive waste management strategies. Greenpeace considers it
inappropriate to use a group of 'experts' to hide political
decisions.
Greenpeace also questioned whether Article 31 of Euratom is the
correct legal basis for the 'package'.
The letter sent to the EU Ministers also calls on Member States
not to accept an extension of the Euratom Loan Facility and says
that the Euratom Treaty should be abandoned in its present
form.
"Let's get real here. What we need is investment, research and
development into clean renewable energy if we are serious about
protecting public health and the environment. A bogus nuclear
safety package only prolongs the inevitable - the end of nuclear
and the widespread uptake of clean renewable energy ", Stevens
concluded.
Notes: Click the link 'Letter to EU Environment Ministers' at the top right side of this web page