The European Union (EU) has agreed to respect previous nuclear material supply and nuclear fuel cycle service deals from Russia to Bulgaria and Romania, signed prior to these two countries’ accession to the EU in January.

Brussels and Moscow have agreed to expand the existing EU-Russia Partnership and Cooperation Agreement to incorporate pre-existing deals with Romania and Bulgaria, although nuclear industry agreements must now be formally notified to the European Commission, and amended if they breach any terms of the Euratom treaty.

The EU also accepted that other “bilateral agreements in the nuclear field” between Russia, Bulgaria and Romania would continue under the same terms.