The Deputies Chamber has adopted a draft law concerning new regulations for the disposal of radioactive waste

The draft law regulates, the modification and completion of the Government Ordinance no. 11/2003, in the sense of transposing the provisions of article 9 corroborated with article 5 paragraph (1), point h), and with article 12, paragraph (1) point i) from the Council Directive 2011/70 / Euratom of 19 July 2011, establishing a Community framework for the responsible and safe management of spent fuel and radioactive waste. Thus, specific provisions are introduced regarding the responsibility of the nuclear licence holders to ensure, in due time, the financial resources necessary for the safe final disposal of radioactive waste.

Central public administration institutions and authorities with duties and responsibilities in regulating and developing policies and strategies in the field of management of radioactive waste and spent fuel, as well as national organizations, economic operators and licence holders with duties and responsibilities in carrying out and financing activities related to radioactive waste and spent fuel management, have the obligation to ensure the availability of adequate financial resources, when needed, for the implementation of National Strategy on medium and long term for radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel.

According to the draft law, the nuclear licence holders generating radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel resulting from scientific research activities, industrial processes or applications of nuclear energy in medicine, shall pay a financial contribution commensurate with the volume of radioactive waste, expressed in cubic meters, which is permanently disposed of , corresponding to the acceptance waste criteria at the final repository.

The Senate adopted the bill, as the first notified body, on December 28, 2020, and the vote of the Chamber was decisive and therefore the law goes to promulgation.