EURATOM TREATY - EURATOM SAFEGUARDS: AN EXAMPLE TO FOLLOW?

The foundation stone for nuclear energy in Europe was laid in 1957 by the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom). It is up to each Member State, however, to decide whether or not to pursue the option of nuclear power. At the present time, Euratom is a unique structure. However, the current reawakening and even expansion of interest in nuclear power is also leading to an increase in interest in regional cooperation as a means of effectively developing a nuclear industry. In the mid-1950s security of energy supply was of great concern for many states. Even states blessed with abundant resources of coal were aware of its limitations as a source of primary energy in comparison to petroleum products. This concern was compounded by the fact that much of the petroleum supply was located in areas of regional tension, some of which persist to this day. Many states thus saw nuclear energy as a means of reducing their dependence on external energy supplies.