Reply to the 6th annual report of the European Nuclear Energy Agency
- Author(s):
- Parliamentary Assembly
- Origin
- Assembly debate on 3rd and 4th November 1964 (9th, 10th and 11th Sittings) (see Docs. Doc. 1822, 6th annual report of ENEA, and Doc. 1823, report of the Economic Committee).
The Assembly :
1. Thanks the Council of OECD for the transmission of the 6th report on the activities of the European Nuclear Energy Agency (ENEA) ;
2. Notes with satisfaction the continued progress in the field of the Dragon and Halden Joint Nuclear Reactor Projects, and believes that the time is drawing near when a considered appraisal should be made of the scientific and technical knowledge gained, with a view to establishing what further joint projects might justifiably be undertaken in the future ;
3. Aware of the financial difficulties encountered by the Eurochemic Project as a result of the decline in the present value of plutonium, but noting that the value can be expected to rise again in a few years' time, believes that for the time being it might be wise to make greater use of existing fuel reprocessing capacity in Europe rather than to press ahead too rapidly with completing more capacity than can find profitable employment at the moment ;
4. Continues to regard the level of environmental radio-activity as of great significance from the public health point of view, welcomes the fall observed in the level of such radio-activity as a result of the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, notes with satisfaction the progress made by ENEA in harmonising the methods of sampling and measuring such levels in Europe, and repeats its request to ENEA to keep it fully informed in detail of the evolution of the situation ;
5. Believes that the competitiveness of nuclear power for the generation of electricity has now reached a stage where it would be of great value for informed public opinion if ENEA were to attempt to develop that part of its annual report dealing with this matter, in particular by adding to the present mainly national country by country approach a considered overall review of the state of progress in this field ;
6. Appreciates the discussion of cost estimates in the 6th report in the light of the reference made to this matter by the Assembly last year in paragraph 8 of its reply to the 5th report (
Resolution 259), but continues to believe that further progress can and should be made in this field, and in this connection draws the attention of ENEA to the Assembly's
Recommendation 399 on this matter and to Document 1815, "Problems relating to the competitiveness of nuclear power reactors".
