29. 3. 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 84/41 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COUNCIL COUNCIL DECISION of 21 March 1994 amending Decision 77/270/Euratom, to authorize the Commission to contract Euratom borrowings in order to contribute to the financing required for improving the degree of safety and efficiency of nuclear power stations in certain non-member countries (94/179/Euratom) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community, and in particular Articles 1, 2, 172 and 203 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission ('), Having regard to the opinion of the European Parli- ament (%), Whereas the European Atomic Energy Community was created to establish the conditions of safety necessary to eliminate hazards to the life and health of the public; whereas the Member States have expressed the desire to associate other countries with their work and to cooperate with the international organizations concerned with the peaceful development of atomic energy; Whereas the Community and its Member States have decided to make a concerted effort at G-24 level to support the process of reform undertaken by the countries of central and eastern Europe and of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and have decided on measures to give economic aid to these countries; whereas it is appropriate, in order to make this concerted effort more effective, to call for the cooperation of other international bodies, committed to this goal, thus preven- ting the necessary manpower and resources from being dissipated ; () OJ No C 22, 26. 1. 1993, p. 11. () OJ No C 44, 14. 2. 1994. Whereas, in respect of improvements to nuclear satisfy in central and eastern Europe and the CIS, there is a need for a coherent strategy taking a long-term approach and taking into account the technological factors, safety ‘culture’ and practices and the overall energy balance of each country involved ; Whereas some of these countries have nuclear installa- tions whose level of safety is inadequate and whose func- tioning could have repercussions on the entire continent ; whereas these countries are committed to the continued use of nuclear energy; Whereas nuclear safety has to be seen as part of the problem of overall energy options in central and eastern Europe and the CIS, and having regard in this context to the report drawn in jointly in June 1993 by the World Bank, the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development; ‘Whereas it is appropriate to insist that all countries having nuclear power stations be required to ratify the international conventions on civil liability or, on a transi- tional basis, to adopt binding measures of equivalent force ; Whereas the Community is duty bound to commit the requisite resources to enable it to meet the expectations of the public in the Member States in terms of the safety and quality of the environment; whereas, in particular, action must be taken in some central and eastern Euro- pean countries and some of the CIS States to modify certain existing nuclear installations or, if need be, to dismantle others which it would not be feasible in tech- nical or economic terms to bring up to standards;