Agreement for Cooperation between the European Atomic Energy Community and the Government of the Russian Federation in the Field of Nuclear Safety (Brussels, October 3, 2001)

THE EUROPEAN ATOMIC ENERGY COMMUNITY,

hereinafter referred to as "the Community", and

the Government of the RUSSIAN FEDERATION,

both referred to hereinafter as the "Party" or "Parties", as appropriate,

RECALLING that the Agreement on partnership and cooperation between the European Communities and their Member States, on the one hand, and the Russian Federation, on the other hand, which entered into force on 1 December 1997, establishes that the Parties shall cooperate in the nuclear sector inter alia through the implementation of two agreements on thermonuclear fusion and on nuclear safety,

RECALLING that the Commission of the European Communities has responsibilities, inter alia, for laying down basic standards for radiation protection, and for ensuring their implementation, and for collecting and monitoring radiation data at Community level,

RECALLING that protection of the environment and cooperating with third parties is of importance,

CONSIDERING that the Commission of the European Communities implements Community research programmes in the field of nuclear safety, including reactor safety, radiation protection, waste management and nuclear plant decommissioning and dismantling, as well as in the field of safeguards for nuclear materials, and intends to develop scientific and technological cooperation with third countries on these subjects with a view to contributing towards internationally accepted nuclear safety principles and guidelines,

CONSIDERING that the Russian Federation makes a considerable effort on the implementation of research and development programmes aimed at improving the safety of existing nuclear power plants and of those being under design to answer accepted up-to-date nuclear safety requirements, as well as at solving problems of radioactive waste management and of nuclear plant decommissioning,

RECALLING that the Russian Federation's regulatory activity for the nuclear sector is intended to ensure the protection of the environment and population in general, as well as the protection of workers, against radiation on the basis of internationally accepted guidelines and principles,

RECOGNIZING that the future contribution of nuclear energy to meet the energy needs of Europe as a whole, with due consideration for diversification, the economy and the environment, also depends on developing satisfactory solutions to the safety related issues aforementioned, as well as on assessing the safety levels of existing nuclear reactors and their necessary upgrading as a consequence,

TAKING INTO ACCOUNT the various forms of coordinated actions on nuclear safety undertaken by the Parties, in particular, under the TACIS programme,

DETERMINED to strengthen their cooperation and to avail themselves of regular consultations in the field of nuclear safety,

HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS: