The European Union's energy policy is of primary importance in the Community strategy for sustainable development, supply and security.

At the end of 2000, the European Commission published a Green Paper on the security of supply which emphasised the need for a common strategy and the extension of the scope of Community powers in relation to energy, to give the European Union more control over its destiny in this area1. It sketches out a long-term energy strategy, and also undertakes an analysis of the medium-term contribution of nuclear energy. It is expected that, in the absence of any action, the contribution of nuclear energy will decline in the future. In examining the future contribution of nuclear energy, the debate should consider questions such as climate change, the security of the gas supply and sustainable development. Furthermore, research on the safe management of nuclear waste should be actively pursued.

In 2004, a proposal for a directive stressed the importance of establishing a high level of nuclear safety in the management of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste in the Member States in order to protect public health and the environment2.

In view of this, the purpose of this study is to analyse the opinion of European Union citizens on the subject of nuclear energy, and radioactive waste in particular.