This Directive makes provision on shipments of radioactive waste between Member States in and out of the Community whenever the quantities and concentration of radioactive waste exceed the levels laid down in articles 4 (a) and (b) of Directive 80/836/Euratom. For the purposes of these provisions, radioactive waste shall mean any material which contains or is contaminated by radionuclides and for which no use is foreseen. The Directive is divided into six Titles, as follows: (I) Scope; (II) Shipments between Member States; (III) Imports into and exports out of the Community; (IV) Reshipment operations; (V) Procedural provisions; (VI) Final provisions.
As prescribed by article 4, a holder of radioactive waste who intends to carry out a shipment of such waste or to arrange for such a shipment to be carried out shall submit an application for authorization to the competent authorities of the country of origin. These competent authorities shall send such applications for approval to the competent authorities of the country of destination and of the country or countries of transit, if any. The authorization shall be valid for a period of not more than three years.