EU Council Adopts Revised Nuclear Safety Directive

On 14 August 2014, the European Union's ("EU") new nuclear safety directive, Council Directive 2014/87/EURATOM ("2014 Directive"),¹ will come into force as an EU-wide legally binding instrument.² The 2014 Directive amends the Council Directive 2009/71/EURATOM ("2009 Directive")³ by seeking to further bolster the framework for the safety of nuclear installations in the EU.

Here we explain the background to the 2014 Directive, as well as summarise some of the main amendments to the 2009 Directive and potential impacts for industry.

Background to the 2014 Directive

The nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in March 2011 was the catalyst for the revision of the 2009 Directive. This event refocused the world's attention on the safety of nuclear installations and the potential cross-border impact of a nuclear accident.⁴