13 March 1997       Doc. 7776

ADOC7776

MOTION FOR A RECOMMENDATION

on the management of nuclear waste

presented by Mr Claude BIRRAUX and others

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only the members who have signed it

1.       The Parliamentary Assembly has for years been unwavering in its interest in the subject of nuclear energy. The problem of nuclear waste is an integral aspect of this and its management must once more be the subject of a scientific approach.

2.       The Assembly considers that the problem of how to manage nuclear waste calls for closer international co-operation.

3.       Citizens often receive inadequate information, leading to a certain lack of understanding of all that concerns nuclear energy and how to manage nuclear waste seems to be one of the leading concerns - whether or not justified - of the public.

4.       The public authorities and companies which treat nuclear waste must provide information on the current state of and progress in waste management, particularly the scientific, technical, institutional, economic, environmental and even ethical aspects.

5.       Clearly, in a field in which decisions are taken that affect millenniums, no certainty can be possible. This is why traditional scientific methods are sometimes inappropriate. However, the nuclear waste problem will never resolve itself and political decisions have to be taken.

6.       The Assembly therefore recommends that the Committee of Ministers invite the Council of Europe's member states

      - to ensure that all operations, forming part of the nuclear energy production chain which are linked to waste, comply with the safety standards and principles drawn up by the International Atomic Energy Agency, which must themselves be improved;

      - to show greater transparency in the field of nuclear waste management;

      - to take all possible steps to ensure that the public is properly informed about the approaches adopted for managing waste in the short, medium and long term.

Signed: 1

Birraux, France, EPP

Bartodziej, Poland, EPP

Berceanu, Romania, SOC

Hadjidemetriou, Cyprus, SOC

Lorenzi, Italy, LDR

Melčák, Czech Republic, SOC

Melnikov, Russia, UEL

Olrich, Iceland, EDG

Prusi, "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia", EDG

Raškinis, Lithuania, EPP

Steolea, Romania, EDG

Tiuri, Finland, EDG

Turini, Italy, EDG

Weyts, Belgium, EPP

Yablonsky, Ukraine, EDG

1 ¹       SOC: Socialist Group

      EPP: Group of the European People's Party

      EDG: European Democratic Group

      LDR: Liberal, Democratic and Reformers Group

      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

      NR: Not registered