Instrument for Nuclear Safety Cooperation 2028-2034
PURPOSE: to establish the Instrument for Nuclear Safety Cooperation and Decommissioning (INSC-D).
PROPOSED ACT: Council Regulation.
ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the Council adopts the act after consulting the European Parliament but without being obliged to follow its opinion.
BACKGROUND: on 16 July 2025, the European Commission unveiled its proposal for the next multiannual financial framework (MFF) 2028-2034, a EUR 2 trillion budget designed to strengthen Europe's sovereignty, competitiveness, and resilience. This new MFF will significantly enhance the EU's capacity to deliver on core policies while addressing new and emerging priorities.
With a view to streamlining the commitments of the Euratom Community and to reducing the administrative burden for the adoption of this new proposal, this regulation merges the following existing external and internal instruments:
(1) the Council regulation establishing the European Instrument for International Nuclear Safety Cooperation (INSC), which targets EU nuclear and radiation safety cooperation with partner countries;
(2) the financial programmes for decommissioning of nuclear facilities and the management of radioactive waste, which target decommissioning activities in Bulgaria and Slovakia, as well as at the Joint Research Centre (JRC) sites in Geel, Ispra, Karlsruhe and Petten.
This proposal sets out the legal basis for the Instrument for Nuclear Safety Cooperation and Decommissioning for the period 2028-2034. It is motivated by two main factors: 1) the Commission's firm intention to maintain the current INSC during the next MFF; 2) legal obligations to continue the ongoing decommissioning work of the JRC.
CONTENT: the proposed regulation establishes the Instrument for Nuclear Safety Cooperation and Decommissioning (INSC-D) and lays down the objectives of the instrument, its budget for the period 2028-2034, the forms of Union funding and the rules for providing such funding.
General objectives
The general objective of the external component of the Instrument is to support the promotion of the highest level of nuclear safety, radiation protection, safe management of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste and the application of efficient and effective safeguards of nuclear materials in partner countries.
The general objective of the internal component of the Instrument is to support the decommissioning of the Commission’s nuclear installations at the JRC sites and to safely manage the associated spent fuel, nuclear material and radioactive waste.
Specific objectives
External component
- to promote of an effective nuclear safety and radiation protection culture, the implementation of the highest nuclear safety and radiation protection standards, and the continuous improvement of nuclear safety, including the promotion of transparency in decision-making processes of the authorities in partner countries relating to the safety of peaceful uses of nuclear installations;
- to support responsible and safe management of spent fuel and radioactive waste and the decommissioning and remediation of former nuclear sites and installations;
- to establish efficient and effective safeguards for nuclear material in partner countries.
Internal component
- to support the decommissioning plan and to carry out the activities in accordance with the national law of the host Member State for the dismantling and decontamination of the Commission’s nuclear installations at the JRC sites, to carry out the safe management of associated radioactive waste and where appropriate, to prepare the optional transfer of the related nuclear liabilities from the JRC to the host Member State;
- to allow the JRC to continue developing ties and exchanges among Union stakeholders on nuclear decommissioning, with a view to ensuring the dissemination of knowledge and the sharing of expertise in all relevant areas, such as regulation and training and developing Union synergies.
The Instrument will be implemented in synergy with other Union programmes.
Budgetaryimplications
The European Commission is proposing a financial envelope of EUR 966 million for the INSC-D Instrument for the period from 1 January 2028 to 31 December 2034. Member States, Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies, partner countries, international organisations, international financial institutions or other third parties may make additional financial or non-financial contributions to the instrument.