European Commission - Statement

Joint Statement by the High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini, Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič, Commissioner Johannes Hahn and Commissioner Neven Mimica on the 30th anniversary of the Chornobyl disaster Brussels, 26 April 2016 The Chornobyl accident on 26 April 1986 caused devastation and suffering on a large scale. Lives were tragically lost; families were uprooted. Even now, 30 years later, people in Ukraine, Belarus and other affected countries continue to struggle with the long-term health and environmental consequences of the disaster. This human dimension of the disaster remains in our minds. The Chornobyl accident prompted solidarity and assistance from around the world. The European Union has been at the forefront of the international efforts to deal with the aftermath of the Chornobyl accident, with the European Commission committing around €730 million so far to Chornobyl projects. The European Union is the largest contributor to the international funds managed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to decommission the nuclear power plant and to make the site environmentally safe. Only yesterday, the Commission pledged additional support to the Nuclear Safety Account. The European Union will continue to work with Ukraine, the EBRD, G7 countries and other international donors to ensure that the projects are brought to a successful conclusion. In addition to other bilateral projects to improve nuclear safety and security in Ukraine we are also engaged in a number of socio-economic projects to improve the living conditions outside the Chornobyl exclusion zone, following an initiative of the European Parliament. The European Union remains committed to the promotion of nuclear safety and security around the world. STATEMENT/16/1574