The Commission Recommendation 2000/473/Euratom concerning the monitoring of the levels of radioactivity in the environment for the purpose of assessing the exposure of the population as a whole, translates Member States obligations on the application of Article 36 of the Euratom Treaty. The Euratom Treaty is the Treaty which establishes the European Atomic Energy Community.

Article 35 of the Euratom Treaty requires that each Member State establishes the facilities necessary to carry out continuous monitoring of the levels of radioactivity in air, water and soil and to ensure compliance with the basic safety standards. The Treaty also gives the European Commission the right of access to such facilities in order that it may verify their operation, efficiency and assessment of the adequacy of monitoring facilities.

Article 36 of the Euratom Treaty sets out an obligation for each Member State to provide the Commission with periodic reports on the data collected under Article 35 so that it is kept informed of the level of radioactivity to which the public is exposed.

Malta’s obligations with respect to the implementation of Article 35 and 36 of the Treaty are set out in the first National Environment Radioactivity Surveillance Plan (NERSP) for Malta. This plan identifies the monitoring requirements of ambient radiation, measurement of radioactivity concentrations in aerosol particles, food, drinking water, inland surface waters, coastal sea waters and soils. This plan was also given to the European Commission during its first verification visit to Malta.

The effort to fulfill the requirements of the Treaty is shared between MEPA, Civil Protection Department (CPD), Public Health, Malta National Laboratory (MNL), Occupational Health and Safety Authority (OHSA) and the Radiation Protection Board (RPB).  The latter coordinates the implementation of the plan.