Energy, environment and natural resources

Executive Order 12903: Nuclear Cooperation With EURATOM

President: Bill Clinton

Extended a statutory waiver allowing peaceful nuclear cooperation with Euratom through March 10, 1995 while a modern agreement was negotiated; that temporary period expired.

Status: Superseded. Is Executive Order 12903 still in effect? No. Executive Order 12903 was superseded. See Federal Register record.

What does Executive Order 12903 do?

EO 12903 made the finding required by section 126a(2) of the Atomic Energy Act that interrupting peaceful nuclear cooperation with Euratom would seriously prejudice nonproliferation objectives and jeopardise common defense and security. It therefore extended the statutory period for one year, superseding EO 12840. This was one link in an annual series, not permanent authority. A new U.S.–Euratom cooperation agreement entered into force on April 12, 1996 and now operates with rolling extensions.

Administration position: The finding was that continued cooperation better served nonproliferation and security during negotiations. It did not relax all nuclear-export conditions or approve a particular transfer.
SignedMarch 9, 1994
Extension endMarch 10, 1995
Order supersededEO 12840

Before and after

Before the order

EO 12840 carried the statutory period only through March 10, 1994.

After the order

Eligible peaceful cooperation could continue for another year while negotiations proceeded.

Who had to do what

Agency / officeActionTiming / position
PresidentMake and notify Congress of the statutory security findingBefore extension
Nuclear-export agenciesContinue qualifying cooperation under existing agreements and lawThrough March 10, 1995

What happened next

EO 12903 superseded EO 12840 and granted the one-year extension.

The order’s extension period ended.

The modern U.S.–Euratom peaceful-nuclear-cooperation agreement entered into force.