Introduction

We first discussed a special issue on nuclear energy during the Future Energy Summit held at Qatar University in May 2012. On the back of intense and varied discussions on nuclear new build programmes, we decided that global developments on nuclear energy, and their legal and policy responses, called for a dedicated issue of the OGEL Journal.

The special issue commences with a contribution by Olaf Däuper and Jan OleVoss on the Energiewende in Germany together with associated policy shifts away from centralised (nuclear) power generation towards a renewable energy mix. The international supply cycle for nuclear equipment is examined in detail by Raphael Heffron, with a proposal for a proactive reform of the international nuclear export control system submitted by the author.

Jedrzej Górski discusses nuclear energy and general contractor agreements in the context of European competition law and Riccardo Tremolada examines illicit nuclear trafficking and its criminalization under international law. Robert Pritchard and Helen Cook explore energy security risks in the context of new nuclear entrants. Jakub Handrlica revisits the issue of third party liability in the context of the European Atomic Energy Community and the topics of nuclear safety and the role of European competition law to the nuclear industry are explored in two submissions by Rasa Ptasekaite.

This special concludes with country specific papers on nuclear energy generation in Romania by Crina Radulescu, Dacian Dragos, Larisa Dragos; in Finland by Kim Talus; in the United Kingdom by Patricia Birkinshaw; in Sweden by Mikael Wärnsby and Madeleine Edqvist; and in Russia by Andrei Belyi and Pierre Audigier.

We would like to thank all the authors for their contributions and support. Our thanks also goes to Dr. Kim Talus and the OGEL publisher, for their assistance with the editorial process throughout.