Doc. 10530
27 April 2005

20th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster – consequences and problems for Europe

Motion for a resolution
presented by Mr Rakhansky and others

1.       The Parliamentary Assembly underlines that helping member states resolve problems with a view to improving the environment is one of the key objectives of the Council of Europe’s work.

2.       It believes that the unresolved problems of the processing and safe storage of radioactive nuclear waste constitute a serious pollution threat to the environment in Europe and worldwide.It is therefore essential for European states to make an urgent assessment of the safe long-term storage of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste in Greater Europe.

3.       The consequences of the global disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in 1986 are of serious concern to European countries given the environmental safety status and the increased radiation risk of certain installations at Chernobyl such as the defective “shelter” facility, which contains 200 tonnes of nuclear fuel with a radiation rate of 3 500 R/hour, and spent fuel storage facility 1, which is also defective and contains 1 800 tonnes of spent nuclear fuel with summary activity of 1 billion curies. Dealing with the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster involves problems not only for the Ukrainian government but also for other Council of Europe members. These problems were discussed in part by the Parliamentary Assembly session on 26 April 2005 during the debate on the reports on “Energy systems and the environment” and “Europe’s growing energy vulnerability” presented by the Committee on the Environment, Agriculture and Local and Regional Affairs and the Committee on Economic Affairs and Development.

4.       Most of those who spoke on the subject believe that it is important for the Parliamentary Assembly to assess the requirements for dealing with the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster and define the measures to be taken by Ukraine, the EBRD, Euratom and the International Energy Agency.

5.       The Assembly therefore resolves to ask the relevant committees to prepare a report on “20th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster – consequences and problems for Europe.”

Signed ¹:

• RAKHANSKY, Anatoliy, Ukraine, UEL
• EINARSSON, Mats, Sweden, UEL
• EXNER, Václav, Czech Republic, UEL
• FOMENKO, Alexander, Russia, UEL
• KOX, Tiny, Netherlands, UEL
• LUND, Rune, Denmark, UEL
• OLIYNYK, Boris, Ukraine, UEL
• PLATVOET, Leo, Netherlands, UEL
• PRIJMIREANU, Dumitru, Moldova, UEL
• SHYBKO, Vitaliy, Ukraine, SOC
• ZIUGANOV, Guennady, Russia, UEL

¹     SOC: Socialist Group
      EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party
      LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers’ Group
      EDG: European Democratic Group
      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left
      NR: not registered in a group