European Commission

Basic Safety Standards

On 29 September 2011, the European Commission adopted the proposal for a

. The text relating to environmental protection is reproduced below:

Chapter IX PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT

Article 76 Environmental criteria

Member States shall include, in their legal framework for radiation protection and in particular within the overall system of human health protection, provision for the radiation protection of non-human species in the environment. This legal framework shall introduce environmental criteria aiming to protect populations of vulnerable or representative non-human species in the light of their significance as part of the ecosystem. Where appropriate, types of practices shall be identified for which regulatory control is warranted in order to implement the requirements of this legal framework.

Article 77 Authorised limits on discharges

Member States’ competent authorities, when establishing authorised limits on discharges of radioactive effluents, in accordance with Article 65(2), shall also ensure adequate protection of non-human species. For this purpose, a generic screening assessment may be conducted to provide assurance that the environmental criteria are met.

Article 78 Accidental releases

Member States shall require undertakings to take appropriate technical measures to avoid significant environmental damage in the event of an accidental release or to mitigate the extent of such damage.

Article 79 Environmental monitoring

When establishing environmental monitoring programmes, or requiring such programmes to be carried out, Member States’ competent authorities shall include representative non-human species, if necessary, and also environmental media which constitute a pathway of exposure for members of the public.

Reproduced from: European Commission (2011) Proposal for a Council Directive laying down the basic saftey standards for protection against the dangers arising from exposure to inising radiation. Draft presented under Article 31 Euratom Treaty for the ipinion of the European Economic and Social Committee. Brussels, 29.9.2011, COM(2011) 593 final. 2011/0254 (NLE).