The European Parliament,

-  having regard to the Commission communication on nuclear sector-related activities for the applicant countries of Central and Eastern Europe and the New Independent States (COM(1998) 134 - C4-0314/1998 ),

-  having regard to the conclusions of the Council on nuclear safety in connection with enlargement of the European Union, dated 7 December 1998,

-  having regard to Special Report No 25/98 of the Court of Auditors concerning operations undertaken in the European Union in the field of nuclear safety in Central and Eastern Europe (CEEC) and in the New Independent States (NIS) (1990 to 1997 period)(1) ,

-  having regard to its resolution of 6 May 1999 on the Temelín nuclear power plant(2) ,

A.  whereas sovereign states have the right to determine their energy options,

B.  whereas the government of the Czech Republic intends, within the next few days, to commence trial operations at the Temelín reactor No 1, following fuel-loading earlier in July,

C.  whereas the reactor was originally Soviet-designed of the VVER 1000 type and has been transformed by a BNFL subsidiary, the US firm Westinghouse,

D.  whereas this decision to put Temelín on the grid is causing considerable concern among the population of the Czech Republic and neighbouring countries,

E.  whereas environmental impact assessments concerning the structural modifications of the nuclear power plant in Temelín have, according to some Czech sources, not been fully carried out,

F.  whereas the activation of block 1 of the nuclear power plant in Temelín before the regular completion of the above-mentioned assessment procedures renders this important instrument meaningless,

G.  whereas the Czech and international public has not yet been informed in detail about safety standards at Temelín, over which there remain serious doubts,

H.  whereas in order to protect Europe's population, the highest nuclear safety standards are necessary,

1.  Calls on the government of the Czech Republic to ensure that connection to the grid of block 1 of the nuclear power plant in Temelín will not happen before the relevant environmental assessment procedures are carried out to standards acceptable within the EU;

2.  Calls on the government of the Czech Republic to guarantee that the Czech and international public receive detailed information from the operator of Temelín and also from the national supervising authority (SUJB), on which basis the safety standard reached in Temelín can also be examined by experts;

3.  Calls on the Czech Government to use all means for dialogue and increase the exchange of relevant information with the institutions of the European Union;

4.  Calls on the Parliament of the Czech Republic to ratify rapidly the Espoo Convention which guarantees the rights of citizens of neighbouring countries within the framework of the environmental assessment procedures with regard to nuclear power plants, and to consider voluntarily applying the requirements of this convention forthwith;

5.  Requests the Czech Government and the Czech authorities in general to endeavour to comply fully with international safety criteria and continue its cooperation with the IAEA;

6.  Asks that issues such as energy and nuclear safety continue to be referred to the EP-Czech Republic Joint Parliamentary Committee;

7.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the relevant authorities in the Czech Republic.

(1) OJ C 35, 9.2.1999, p. 1. (2) OJ C 279, 1.10.1999, p. 427.