22.7.2010 Official Journal of the European Union L 189/9 II (Non-legislative acts) REGULATIONS REGULATION (EURATOM) No 647/2010 OF THE COUNCIL of 13 July 2010 on financial assistance of the Union with respect to the decommissioning of Units 1 to 4 of the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant in Bulgaria (Kozloduy Programme) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, (4)  The Union recognises the effort made and the good progress achieved by Bulgaria in the decommissioning ) o ) preparation stage of the Kozloduy Programme utilising Having regard to the Treaty estz.lbhshmg j[he European Atomic the Union funds put in place until 2009, and the need Energy Community, and in particular Article 203 thereof, for further financial support beyond 2009 in order to continue the progress with the actual dismantling Having regard to the Bulgarian request for further funding, operations  in accorda.nce Wlth the 2005 Act of Accession, whilst applying the highest safety standards. Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, (5)  In addition, it is important to use the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant’s own resources, as this contributes to the Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament ('), availability of the necessary expertise, enhances know- how and skills, and at the same time mitigates the social and economic impact of the early closure by Whereas: continuously employing the staff from the closed nuclear power plant. The continued financial support is (1) During the accession negotiations in 2005, Bulgaria therefore important to maintain the required safety, agreed to the closure of Units 1 and 2 and Units 3 health and environmental standards. and 4 of the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant by 31 December 2002 and 31 December 2006, respectively ) ) ) ) and to the subsequent decommissioning of those units. (6) The Union also recognises the .need .f(.)r fl‘nancml support The European Union expressed its willingness to in order to progress further with mitigating measures in continue to provide financial assistance up to 2009 as the energy sector given the extent of the capacity loss by an extension of the pre-accession aid planned under the the c.losure of the.nuclear units and its impact on the Phare programme in support of Bulgaria’s decommis- security of supply in the region. sioning efforts. (7). The Union recognises the need to mitigate the effect of (2)  In view of Bulgaria’s commitment to close Units 3 and 4 increased environmental damage and emissions due to of the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant, Article 30 of the the replacement capacity coming mostly from increased Act concerning the conditions of accession of the use of lignite plants. Republic of Bulgaria and Romania (hereinafter referred to as the 2005 Act of Accession) established an assistance programme (hereinafter referred to as the (8)  Consequently, provision should be made for a sum of ‘Kozloduy ~Programme) with a budget of EUR EUR 300 million from the general budget of the Union 210 million for the period 2007 to 2009. That to fund the decommissioning of the Kozloduy Nuclear programme included assistance to cover the capacity Power Plant over the period from 2010 to 2013. loss as a consequence of the closure of Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant. (9 The appropriations of the general budget of the Union International decommissioning funds managed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) have been in place for a number of years. The Union is the main contributor to those funds. () Opinion of 20 May 2010 (not yet published in the Official Journal). for decommissioning should not lead to distortions of competition in relation to power supply companies on the energy market in the Union. These appropriations should also be used to finance energy efficiency and savings measures in line with the acquis and the rules of the functioning of the common European energy market.