Press Release: Nuclear and non nuclear countries launch first meeting of the new High Level Group on Safety and Waste Management

The High Level Group (HLG), which was created by the European Commission in order to develop common understanding and reinforce common approaches in the fields of nuclear safety and waste management, held its first meeting on 12 October 2007. The Group, composed of senior officials from national regulatory or nuclear safety authorities, should develop common understanding that will help the Commission identify priority safety issues, as well as advise the Commission in progressively developing European rules regarding the safety of nuclear installations and the safe management of spent fuel and radioactive waste. The European Council of 8-9 March 2007 endorsed the Commission's proposal to create the European High Level Group on Nuclear Safety and Waste management. With the support of various other EU institutions for this idea, the European Commission established the group on 17 July 2007.