The "Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community" ("Euratom") was signed in 1957. Its primary purpose was to promote nuclear power. As its preamble states, the Treaty:

Such Atoms for Peace rhetoric is now totally redundant. High costs, the continuing inability to manage radioactive waste, environmental concerns, and the appalling consequences of the Chernobyl accident have finished nuclear power in Western Europe. Almost all EU member states have either decided against nuclear power, are planning to phase out nuclear power, or have de facto moratoria on new construction.

Yet the Euratom Treaty remains in its original form: promoting nuclear power, financing reactor completion and upgrading work in and outside the EU, and financing research and development projects, both fission and fusion.

On 16 March 1999 the Austrian Minister Barbara Prammer announced that Austria would push for long overdue reform of the Euratom Treaty. The Austrian initiative focuses on three main points:

1. Euratom should become a nuclear safety treaty that harmonises EU standards

The current provisions of the Treaty that promote nuclear energy should be removed and the Treaty should become a nuclear safety treaty.

2. Elimination of the democracy deficiency in the Treaty

The Treaty lacks democratic control and transparency. The European Parliament must have greater involvement in the application of the Treaty, and decisions on EU nuclear policy in general.

3. Establish the "phase-in of the phase-out"

The construction of any new nuclear power plants within the European Union should be prohibited.

Austria is planning a conference in Vienna in the fall of 1999 to discuss the implementation of these reforms. This will then be followed by a formal request to amend the Treaty.