Press release on EU verification

According to Articles 35 and 36 of the EURATOM Treaty „Each Member State shall establish the facilities necessary to carry out continuous monitoring of the level of radioactivity in the air, water and soil and to ensure compliance with the basic standards. The Commission shall have the right of access to such facilities; it may verify their operation and efficiency. The appropriate authorities shall periodically communicate information on the checks referred to in Article 35 to the Commission so that it is kept informed of the level of radioactivity to which the public is exposed.” The first verification of the Hungarian system was carried out between 8 and 11, November, 2004. Six representatives of the Commission came to Hungary to examine the emission control system and the environmental radioprotection laboratory of the Paks Nuclear Power Plant. They also visited the laboratory of the local authority of the Ministry of Health at Szekszárd, the data collecting centre of the General Directorate of Disaster Management of the Ministry of Interior and the radiological laboratory of the National Food Investigation Institute. The representative of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Water Management was also participating at the meetings. The visit of the EU representatives was organised by the Hungarian Atomic Energy Authority. At the closing meeting, held on 11th November it was stated by the EU supervisors that the Hungarian system meets the EU requirements. The detailed report will be available in some months.