Britain is today set to face fierce criticism over its failure to tackle nuclear pollution in the northeast Atlantic Ocean.
European ministers are gathering at Bremen, Germany, for the OSPAR Convention - The Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North East Atlantic.
It is the first such gathering since 1998 when Deputy Prime Minister Mr John Prescott pledged Britain had shed its "dirty man of Europe" image and would reduce radioactive discharges from Sellafield into the sea.
It is the fist time ministers have met under OSPAR since the meeting in Sintra, Portugal, five years ago that set groundbreaking commitments for action on radioactive discharges.
Labour Party spokesman on nuclear safety Mr Emmet Stagg said the OSPAR Convention provided the Government with the opportunity "to confront the British on their repeated failure to address the catastrophic threat Sellafield poses to the environment and human life".
"I am calling on the Government to make-sure that our deep concern at radioactivity levels in the Irish Sea and our desire for the permanent closureof Sellafield is articulated at the OSPAR conference - the first since 1998," Mr Stagg said.
"During that period the British have totally reneged on the commitment given by John Prescott to reduce discharges from Sellafield. The sad reality is that they have increased dramatically and are set to double over the next few years," he added.
Greenpeace said that Britain had failed to live up to its promises.
Discharges from British Nuclear Fuel's Sellafield facility have increased and are set to double over the next few years.
A United Nations tribunal is to rule next month on the Irish Government's demand for information from the British authorities on the terrorist threat posed by Sellafield.
The demand is one of a series of measures sought by the Government in submissions last week to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague.
Ireland is also looking for full information on nuclear shipments in the Irish Sea, details of any accidents at the nuclear reprocessing plant in Cumbria and access to research studies into the effects of radioactive discharges from Sellafield.
In addition, the Government wants Britain to ensure there are no liquid-waste discharges from the mixed oxide (Mox) plant at Sellafield, and that discharges from the Mox and THORP plants do not exceed 2002 levels.