OREANDA-NEWS. The twelfth plenary meeting of the European Nuclear Energy Forum (ENEF) will begin in Prague today. The ENEF brings together participants from EU governments and institutions, the nuclear industry and nuclear safety regulators, electricity consumers, and civil society to debate the opportunities and challenges of nuclear energy in the EU.

Today the focus of the event will be on '60 years of Euratom', which will be the subject of an interactive discussion centered on Euratom's achievements and its future. The ENEF provides a platform for ensuring that all viewpoints on nuclear energy are represented.

Tomorrow, in the opening session Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, and European Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias Ca?ete will outline what the EU and national governments are doing to ensure the safe operation of nuclear power plants in Europe and internationally and the responsible treatment of radioactive waste. They will also provide views on the role of nuclear energy in the transition to a low carbon economy for EU countries that have chosen this energy source.

Two panel discussions will then be held. One will focus on the safe and responsible management of radioactive waste and spent fuel in EU countries, regulated by the recent Radioactive Waste and Spent Fuel Management Directive. Participants will share ideas on several topics. For example, they will cover how to select locations for and construct disposal facilities to contain radioactive waste, including options for solutions shared between countries, and how to ensure that adequate funding is available.