Euratom

European Atomic Energy Community
  • Европейска общност за атомна енергия (Bulgarian)
  • Europska zajednica za atomsku energiju (Croatian)
  • Evropské společenství pro atomovou energii (Czech)
  • Europæiske Atomenergifællesskab (Danish)
  • Europese Atoomenergie Gemeenschap (Dutch)
  • Euroopa Aatomienergiaühendus (Estonian)
  • Euroopan atomienergiayhteisö (Finnish)
  • Communauté européenne de l'énergie atomique (French)
  • Europäische Atomgemeinschaft (German)
  • Ευρωπαϊκή Κοινότητα Ατομικής Ενέργειας (Greek)
  • Európai Atomenergia Közösség (Hungarian)
  • Comhphobal Eorpach um Fhuinneamh Adamhach (Irish)
  • Comunità europea dell'energia atomica (Italian)
  • Eiropas Atomenerģijas kopiena (Latvian)
  • Europos atominės energetikos bendrija (Lithuanian)
  • Komunità Ewropea tal-Enerġija Atomika (Maltese)
  • Europejska Wspólnota Energii Atomowej (Polish)
  • Comunidade Europeia da Energia Atómica (Portuguese)
  • Comunitatea Europeană a Energiei Atomice (Romanian)
  • Európske spoločenstvo pre atómovú energiu (Slovak)
  • Evropska skupnost za jedrsko energijo (Slovene)
  • Comunidad Europea de la Energía Atómica (Spanish)
  • Europeiska atomenergigemenskapen (Swedish)
Map indicating the members of the European Atomic Energy Community
  Member states
  Participating associated states
Administrative bodyEuropean Commission
Official languages24 languages
TypeInternational organisation
MembersEU member states
Associated states:
Switzerland
United Kingdom
Establishment1958
1 January 1958
1 July 1967

The European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC or Euratom) is an international organisation established by the Euratom Treaty on 25 March 1957 with the original purpose of creating a specialist market for nuclear power in Europe, by developing nuclear energy and distributing it to its member states while selling the surplus to non-member states. However, over the years its scope has been considerably increased to cover a large variety of areas associated with nuclear power and ionising radiation as diverse as safeguarding of nuclear materials, radiation protection and construction of the International Fusion Reactor ITER.[1]

It is legally distinct from the European Union (EU) although it has the same membership, and is governed by many of the EU's institutions; but it is the only remaining community organisation that is independent of the EU and therefore outside the regulatory control of the European Parliament. Since 2014, Switzerland has also participated in Euratom programmes as an associated state.[2]

The United Kingdom ceased to be a full member of the organisation on 31 January 2020.[3][4] However, under the terms of the UK–EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement, the United Kingdom participates in Euratom as an associated state following the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020.[5]

  1. ^ Energy, Fusion For. "Fusion For Energy - Bringing the power of the sun to earth". fusionforenergy.europa.eu.
  2. ^ 2014/954/Euratom: Council Decision of 4 December 2014 approving the conclusion by the European Commission, on behalf of the European Atomic Energy Community, of the Agreement for scientific and technological cooperation between the European Union and European Atomic Energy Community and the Swiss Confederation associating the Swiss Confederation to Horizon 2020 — the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation and the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community complementing Horizon 2020, and regulating the Swiss Confederation's participation in the ITER activities carried out by Fusion for Energy
  3. ^ European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Act 2017 (c. 9) EXPLANATORY NOTES, p. 4: "The power that is provided by section 1(1) applies to withdrawal from the EU. This includes the European Atomic Energy Community (‘Euratom’), as the European Union (Amendment) Act 2008 sets out that the term “EU” includes (as the context permits or requires) Euratom (section 3(2))."
  4. ^ Hinson, Suzanna (8 January 2020). "Commons Briefing papers CBP-8036". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  5. ^ "Draft EU-UK Declarations" (PDF). European Commission. p. 21. Retrieved 26 December 2020.