• EU plans 'stress tests' for nuclear plants
• Swedish shares plunge on Japan nuclear fears

BERLIN (AFP) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced on Tuesday the provisional shut-down for three months of seven nuclear reactors pending a safety review in light of events in Japan.

"We are launching a safety review of all nuclear reactors ... with all reactors in operation since the end of 1980 set to be idled for the period of the (three-month) moratorium," Merkel said.

Germany's 17 nuclear power stations are operated by E.ON, RWE, EnBW and Swedish state-owned Vattenfall.

The European Union on Tuesday takes a new look at nuclear safety across the continent as it tries to draw lessons from events in Japan. Amid soaring public concern on nuclear energy, the EU is gathering ministers, national safety chiefs and leaders of the powerful nuclear industry for talks scheduled from 1300 GMT.

With some 150 reactors scattered across the continent in half as many nuclear power plants -- some located in seismic areas -- the talks will include "thorough assessment of the situation" and "possible implications for the EU safety framework", said European energy commissioner Guenther Oettinger.

Explosions and a fire at Japan's quake-hit nuclear plant unleashed dangerous radiation on Tuesday, sparking a collapse on the stock market and panic-buying in supermarkets.