Nederlandse​ | Français​ | Deutsch

Although nuclear power plants have been in operation in Belgium for decades there is no final repository for the highly radioactive nuclear waste produced in this process. Instead of producing as little waste as possible, an extension of the lifetime of the Belgian power plants in Tihange and Doel is currently debated. It is completely unclear how to deal with this nuclear waste, which will emit radiation for thousands of years.

NERAS, the Belgian authority responsible for nuclear waste, is holding a consultation to determine how the nuclear waste will be stored in Belgium. The only option proposed is an underground repository for the waste from the Doel and Tihange nuclear power stations. The consultation began on 15 April and will continue until 13 June.

Geologically suitable storage sites are being considered in the immediate vicinity of Dutch, Luxembourg and German border areas. These include protected nature reserves.

The search for a final nuclear waste storage site is a legitimate concern. We need a safe procedure to permanently store nuclear waste. However, the Belgian approach contradicts common European procedures.

The consultation taking place during Coronavirus lockdown restrictions is preventing citizens, from participating in the consultation and it impedes democratic protest against it.

Neither people nor authorities in the border regions in Germany, the Netherlands and Luxembourg have been informed about the Belgian plans. This is in breach of current EU law and international conventions. Even the proposal by Belgian Green MP Samuel Cogolati to extend the consultation period by 30 days was rejected in the committee responsible.

This reinforces our impression that an unpopular decision is being pushed through in the shadow of the Corona crisis.

We are at the beginning of a decision-making process that will have a massive impact on the lives of the people in our region for thousands of years. The behaviour of the Belgian authorities does not do justice to this scope and reality. From the outset, the procedure must be discussed in a broad public and democratically negotiated with all those involved.

The hasty procedure of the Belgian authorities must also be interpreted in the light of the planned lifetime extensions of the nuclear power stations in Tihange and Doel. The start of the search for a repository is obviously intended to preserve the appearance of safe continued operation, well beyond the planned lifetime of those power plants.

We demand:

●       that the nuclear reactors at Tihange and Doel be shut down as soon as possible. The amount of highly radioactive nuclear waste must not increase any further without a safe repository. This also means, of course, that there must be no extension of the operating lives of Belgian nuclear power stations.

●       The Belgian consultation procedure must be extended beyond the end of the Coronavirus restrictions.  A corresponding draft by Ecolo should be adopted by the Belgian Parliament on 28 May. All citizens - including those belonging to Corona risk groups - must be able to exercise their right to democratic participation

●       The consultation procedure must also be opened to citizens, local authorities and all other institutions in the neighbouring countries concerned. All further steps taken by the Belgian authorities must be communicated transparently and coordinated with the authorities and citizens in the affected neighbouring countries

First signatories:

Daniel Freund, MEP, Aachen, B90/GRÜNE

Oliver Krischer, Member of the Bundestag, Düren, B90/GRÜNE

Mona Neubaur, Chairwoman B90/GRÜNE North Rhine-Westphalia

Misbah Khan, Chairwoman B90/GRÜNE Rhineland-Palatinate

Josef Winkler, Chairman B90/GRÜNE Rhineland-Palatinate

Bas Eickhout, MEP, GroenLinks

Wibke Brems, Spokeswoman for Energy Policy, State Parliamentary Group GRÜNE North Rhine-Westphalia

François Benoy, Chairman of the Environment Committee of the Luxembourg Chamber of Deputies, Déi Gréng

Tilly Metz, MEP, Luxemburg, Déi Gréng

Terry Reintke, MEP, Gelsenkirchen, B90/GRÜNE

Alexandra Geese, MEP, Bonn, B90/GRÜNE

Jutta Paulus, MEP, Rhineland-Palatinate, B90/GRÜNE

Sven Giegold, MEP, Düsseldorf, B90/GRÜNE

Karima Delli, MEP, France, Les Verts

Michele Rivasi, MEP, France, Les Verts

Thomas Griese, State Secretary, Ministry of the Environment of Rhineland-Palatinate B90/GRÜNE

Suzanne Kröger, Member of Parliament Tweede Kamerlid, GroenLinks

Gisela Nacken, Chairwoman, District Association Aachen, B90/GREENS

Alexander Titz-Latz, Chairman, District Association Aachen, B90/GRÜNE

Kathleen Mertens, Member of Parliament statenlid Limburg, GroenLinks

Hagar Roijackers, Member of Parliament statenlid Noord-Brabant, GroenLinks

Sibylle Keupen, Mayoral candidate for the Greens in Aachen

Stéphanie Empain, Luxembourg Chamber of Deputies, Déi Gréng

Ulrike Höfken, Chairwoman B90/GRÜNE KV Bitburg-Prüm

Renate Krickel, local chairwoman B90/GRÜNE Monschau

Christa Heners, local chairwoman B90/GRÜNE Roetgen

Günter Thimm, local chairman B90/GRÜNE Simmerath

Ulla Griepentrog, local chairwoman B90/GRÜNE Aachen

Sebastian Breuer, local chairman B90/GRÜNE Aachen