UK to exit Euratom as part of Brexit

The ongoing Brexit process could well result in the UK ceasing to be a member of the European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC, or Euratom), which was founded in 1957 alongside the original European Economic Community, and is responsible for the peaceful use of nuclear energy within the EU.

The government confirmed its intention to leave in explanatory notes published in January with the bill authorising the government to ‘trigger Article 50’ and exit the EU: ‘Leaving Euratom is a result of the decision to leave the EU, as they are uniquely legally joined.’ The government nevertheless says it supports Euratom and will want to see continuity of cooperation and standards.

Britain’s Nuclear Industry Association (NIA) and science and engineering trade union Prospect both expressed dismay at the news. Tom Greatrex, Chief Executive of the NIA, said: ‘The UK nuclear industry has made it crystal clear to the government that our preferred position is to maintain membership of Euratom. The nuclear industry is global, so the ease of movement of nuclear goods, people and services enables new build, decommissioning, R&D and other programmes of work to continue without interruption.’

But, if membership cannot be maintained, Greatrex added: ‘If the UK ceases to be part of Euratom, then it is vital that the government agree transitional arrangements, to give the UK time to negotiate and complete new agreements with EU member states and third countries including the US, Japan and Canada who have Nuclear Cooperation Agreements within the Euratom framework. The UK should remain a member of Euratom until these arrangements are put in place.’

Meanwhile, Prospect described the Prime Minister’s intention to leave the European atomic energy community as ill-informed, irresponsible and unnecessary. The decision has wide-ranging implications for Britain’s nuclear industry, research, access to fissile materials and the status of approximately 20 nuclear cooperation agreements that it has with other countries around the world, said the trade union, which represents 50,000 specialists working in science, engineering and technology.

Focusing on international research activities, Prospect pointed to the potential for fusion power as a safe and clean energy source for future generations. Deputy General Secretary at Prospect Sue Ferns said: ‘Nuclear fusion research in the UK is very dependent on membership of Euratom, both through funding and research collaborations. The Culham Centre for Fusion Energy [in Oxfordshire] has been a world leader in fusion research for decades. It hosts the world’s largest magnetic fusion experiment (JET) and is involved in… the next step experiment – the international nuclear fusion project (ITER) – which is currently under construction.’

As a joint venture, JET is quintessentially European – more than 40 laboratories and more than 350 scientists and engineers from all over Europe currently contribute to the JET programme, which is funded by the European Commission, said Prospect. •

• The development of the proposed 3.8 GW Moorside nuclear power station at Sellafield in Cumbria has been thrown into doubt following the announcement of heavy losses by Toshiba, which has a 60% stake in the project developer NuGen, and persistent rumours that it would abandon or reduce its role in the project. Toshiba’s Chairman Shigenori Shiga has resigned over the losses.