The European Union provides assistance of a technical and financial nature to eastern European countries aimed at improving the level of nuclear safety in those countries. The objective of the EU's programme of assistance for these countries, which is largely implemented under the Phare and Tacis programmes, is, in the short-term, to upgrade the operational safety of nuclear reactors and the nuclear regulatory regime. In the longer term, the objective is to bring about the decommissioning of those nuclear power plants which cannot be upgraded to western safety standards.
The implementation of the EU programmes of assistance is the responsibility of the EU Commission. The Commission is responsible for ensuring the efficient and cost-effective implementation of the programmes and has systems in place for monitoring the results of the various projects implemented. In turn, the Commission's management of these programmes is audited by the EU Court of Auditors. The EU Court of Auditors has been critical of the Commission's approach in the implementation and monitoring of projects under these programmes and has recommended remedial steps which the Commission should adopt.
As part of the wider international co-operation in this area, the EU has been instrumental in making available Community funds for the Chernobyl Shelter Fund and for the decommissioning of three high-risk nuclear power plants in EU Accession countries – Ignalina in Lithuania; Bohunice in Slovakia, and Kozluduy in Bulgaria which have been identified for closure. Ireland, in common with other member states, has already provided funds for the Chernobyl shelter project over and above our share of the EU contribution, and has, earlier this year, pledged to provide further assistance to this project. Ireland, like other member states also, has pledged to provide financial assistance to the decommissioning support funds in respect of the three nuclear power plants mentioned above.
