JRC Support to EC Policy in the Field of Nuclear and Radiological Security

A policy package on combating CBRN terrorism is being developed through the CBRN Task Force, which brings together experts from the authorities of the EU Member States, the private sector and the EU institutions. The Commission intends to submit it for adoption in June 2009. The radiological/nuclear side features are prominently in these efforts with the objective to limit the risk of malicious acts, including terrorism, involving radiological/nuclear materials. The Action Plan on radiological/nuclear risk reduction is being developed by the RN sub-group of the CBRN Task Force. The work of the RN group is divided into three broad thematic areas such as Prevention, Detection and Response. Under each of these thematic areas, a number of specific issues have been addressed. The JRC will play an important role in the implementation of these policies: i) Testing of the EU equipment used for the detection and identification of nuclear material will be carried out in collaboration with IAEA by the JRC IPSC Ispra. This project will open the way to an EU certification scheme of the detection equipment. ii) The JRC Institute for Transuranium Element already possesses an advanced nuclear forensic capacity, which will be made available to Member State authorities. ITU should then play a central role in a network of research and forensic institutes for the purpose of performing measurements/analysis on RN and advising on forensics. iii) Both ITU and IPSC are providing training on nuclear security since decades. They will constitute the two pillars of the future EU security training centre that should be established by the end of this year 2009. These activities are complemented by new R&D projects funded by the JRC Euratom FP7 and are in accordance with the new R&D recommendations made by the European Security Research and Innovative Forum (ESRIF). Furthermore, the international dimension of nuclear security has brought the JRC to enhance its collaboration with the major actors such as IAEA, and authorities in the US institutions and the Russian Federation. This collaboration has and will contribute to the successful implementation by JRC of many projects emanate from the various instruments the EU has set up such the Instrument for Stability, which provide the EU with funds and mechanisms to address global and trans-regional threats. This paper highlights the role of JRC in implementing some of the new recommendations on the security policy of RN materials made by the EC and EU Member States in the CBRN Task Force. The paper underlines the important role of internationally coordinated projects related to RN detection and emphasises the technical and scientific role of the JRC in support to EU external security policies.

ABOUSAHL Said;  FRIGOLA Pierre;  PEERANI Paolo;  MAYER Klaus;  DAURES Pascal; 

2009-11-16

Publications Office of the European Union

JRC55495

https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC55495,   

10.2788/26070,