The context, the NTW WG on EP&R
The question of Nuclear Emergency Preparedness and Response is a priority issue for NTW in the post-Fukushima context. This question has not been taken on board of the European nuclear stress tests. However, Civil Society Organisations have requested this issue to be dealt with by EU institutions during the ENSREG Public meetings (see Public Meeting, 8 May 2012, Post-Fukushima stress tests Peer Review, ENSREG, Brussels). It is now on the agenda of European and National Institutions and will be dealt with in the coming years. A review of existing Nuclear Emergency Preparedness and Response arrangements in the EU member states is currently being performed under the auspices of DG ENER (“Review of current off-Site nuclear emergency preparedness and response arrangements in EU member states and Neighbouring countries ENER/D1/2012-474”).
The contribution of civil society is to play a essential role in off-site management of nuclear emergency and post-emergency. An ad-hoc working group was created on Emergency Preparedness & Response (WG EP&R) with the view to carry an evaluation of existing European and national EP&R provisions and to produce conclusions by mid 2014.
The first meeting of the thematic NTW Working Group on “Nuclear Emergency Preparedness and Response” (EP&R WG) was held on November 7th 2013 in Brussels. The WG is gathering information and reviewing existing EP&R arrangements. It is also seeking for cooperation with experts on nuclear emergency and post-emergency management. It is foreseen that the first results of this work will be released and discussed in the framework of an Aarhus & Nuclear European Roundtable to be held in spring 2014.
The EP&R WG Objectives and Methodology
The EP&R WG will investigate
- The key stakes regarding nuclear EP&R from the point of view of civil society
- The main needs for improvements of existing EP&R provisions in Europe at the local, national and European level
- Concerning the content of EP&R arrangements (exposure standards, intervention levels, zoning, …)
- Concerning the decision-making processes for EP&R in the perspective of the Aarhus convention (in particular Article 5.1.c – see Figure 1) of the Convention)
- The strategic opportunities to push forward key changes in EP&R at the local, national and European level
The proposed process will identify country-specific or site-specific issues (identified and addressed by national investigations). It will also identify issues of European relevance for the viewpoint of civil society as well as concrete conclusions & recommendations at the European and national levels. The WG methodology will rely on interactions between
¡ National investigations led by EP&R WG members (in cooperation with other civil society organisations?) at the national and/or local levels notably through national or regional Aarhus Convention & Nuclear (ACN) roundtables (when appropriate)
¡ Investigations at the European level (seminar, meetings, hearings, …) by NTW, integrating national views
¡ Support from EP&R WG: inception seminar, methodological and strategic advice, issuing of guidelines for national investigations, participation of NTW members to ACN roundtables.
The Inception Seminar
This seminar is a non-public event of 2 days with the objectives of training EP&R WG members and to identify the most problematic aspects of the existing provisions for nuclear emergency management in Europe. It will present a review of EP&R provisions on the basis of available surveys performed at the European level, notably in the perspective of the main challenges identified in the management of the Fukushima emergency. Hearing of key actors involved in Emergency management in Europe will be performed (public authorities, DG ENER, international organisations, experts, CSOs). The seminar will frame the EP&R WG investigations at the European level, selecting key issues of European relevance. A list of key priorities will be performed in order to frame the WG investigations to be performed at national and European levels. It is also foreseen that the seminar will be an opportunity to identifying NTW countries where investigations could be initiated early 2014.
Download the EP&R inception seminar agenda.