Continued budgetary support for nuclear safety and decommissioning proposed by the Commission

The Commission has proposed to allocate €1,178 million for nuclear safety and decommissioning in the next EU Budget (2021-2027). This is part of the overall budget for security and defence (€27.5 billion). Nuclear safety is an important area where the Union can bring added value, in particular by continuing to financially support the decommissioning of Soviet era-designed first-generation nuclear reactors in Lithuania, Bulgaria and Slovakia. Separately, as owner of nuclear facilities, the Commission is obligated to manage its nuclear heritage. This financial support thereby contributes to the health of workers and the general public, and prevents possible environmental degradation. As decommissioning activities in the EU will grow in the next decades, it is also a priority to build further knowledge in a sector which is not fully mature at this stage.

€552 million will be allocated to Lithuania to support the decommissioning of the Ignalina nuclear facility, and €118 million will go to Bulgaria (units 1 to 4 of the Kozloduy nuclear power plant) and Slovakia (Bohunice V1 nuclear power plant). Another €348 million will be used for the decommissioning and radioactive waste management of the Commission's nuclear research facilities (JRC). Finally, €160 million are devoted to general nuclear safety and safeguards actions.

• Factsheet: nuclear safety and decommissioning
• Decommissioning of nuclear facilities