Date: 10-Jan-2025Category: Not ApplicableState: Union GovernmentCountry: Europe
Council Decision (EU) 2025/51 of 16 December 2024 authorising the Commission to negotiate renewals of the Agreement between the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) and the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organisation (KEDO)
Council Decision (EU) 2025/51 authorises the European Commission to negotiate renewals of the agreement between the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) and the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organisation (KEDO).
The agreement between Euratom and KEDO expired on May 31, 2024, but KEDO's Executive Board is expected to continue KEDO as an international organization beyond this date.
The decision aims to allow for a simplified approach to future extensions of the agreement, provided that the renewal of Euratom’s membership in KEDO has no financial impact on the Union budget.
Key Changes
The European Commission is authorized to negotiate renewals of the agreement between Euratom and KEDO on behalf of Euratom.
The extension of the agreement should apply retroactively from May 31, 2024.
Future extensions of the Agreement should benefit from a simplified approach on the basis of a broader mandate from the Council for the Commission to negotiate such future extensions.
The Commission is required to inform the Council of any renewal of the Agreement.
The renewals must not have any financial impact on the Union budget.
Impact Analysis
European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom)
Action: Euratom should monitor the negotiations conducted by the Commission and ensure that the renewals of the agreement align with its interests and strategic objectives.
European Commission
Action: The Commission should conduct negotiations based on the Council's directives, ensure no financial impact on the Union budget, and inform the Council of any renewals.
Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organisation (KEDO)
Action: KEDO should continue its operations, considering Euratom's ongoing membership.
Council of the European Union
Action: The Council should remain informed of the negotiations and be prepared to approve the renewed agreements presented by the Commission.
Key Entities Referenced
European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom): An international organization established by the Euratom Treaty with the goal of coordinating the research programs of Member States concerning nuclear energy.
Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organisation (KEDO): An international organization established to implement the 1994 Agreed Framework between the United States and North Korea. Its primary goal was to provide North Korea with light-water reactors in exchange for the dismantling of its graphite-moderated reactors.
European Commission: The executive branch of the European Union, responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the EU treaties and managing the day-to-day business of the EU.
Council of the European Union: One of the two legislative bodies of the European Union (EU) and one of its seven institutions. It is composed of government ministers from each EU member state.
Council Decision (Euratom) 2023/2781: Council Decision approving the conclusion, by the European Commission, of the Agreement between the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) and the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organisation (KEDO).
Official Journal EN
of the European Union L series
2025/51 10.1.2025
COUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2025/51
of 16 December 2024
authorising the Commission to negotiate renewals of the Agreement between the European Atomic
Energy Community (Euratom) and the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organisation (KEDO)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community, and in particular Article 101, second
paragraph, thereof,
Having regard to the recommendation from the European Commission,
Whereas:
(1) The Agreement between the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) and the Korean Peninsula Energy
Development Organisation (KEDO) (1) (the ‘Agreement’) expired on 31 May 2024.
(2) KEDO’s Executive Board is expected to decide to continue KEDO as an international organisation beyond 31 May
2024.
(3) It is in the interest of Euratom to continue its membership in KEDO beyond 31 May 2024 for financial and legal
reasons.
(4) The extension of the Agreement should apply retroactively as of 31 May 2024.
(5) Given the repetitive and lengthy nature of the previous process of extension of the Agreement and the absence of
any financial commitments from Euratom and Member States, future extensions of the Agreement should benefit
from a simplified approach on the basis of a broader mandate from the Council for the Commission to negotiate
such future extensions. That broader mandate would allow the Commission to negotiate more than one renewal of
the Agreement, provided that the renewal of Euratom’s membership in KEDO has no financial impact on the Union
budget. Such negotiations should be without prejudice to the prerogative of the Council under Article 101 of the
Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC Treaty) to approve the conclusion by the
Commission of the renewed agreements to be entered into by Euratom. The Commission should inform the Council
of any renewal of the Agreement,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
1. The Commission is hereby authorised to negotiate, on behalf of the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom),
renewals of the Agreement between Euratom and the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organisation (KEDO).
2. The negotiations shall be conducted on the basis of the negotiating directives of the Council set out in the addendum
to this Decision.
Article 2
This Decision is addressed to the Commission.
Done at Brussels, 16 December 2024.
For the Council
The President
LANTOS C.
(1) Council Decision (Euratom) 2023/2781 of 8 December 2023 approving the conclusion, by the European Commission, of the
Agreement between the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) and the Korean Peninsula Energy Development
Organisation (KEDO) (OJ L, 2023/2781, 12.12.2023, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2023/2781/oj).
ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/51/oj 1/1