B3.01/05 - BE/RA/04 Regulatory Assistance and Technical Support in the Field of Radiation Protection and Emergency Preparedness

The Tacis project BE/RA/04 represents the fourth phase of the transfer of European regulatory methodology and practices to the nuclear safety authorities of Belarus, especially to the Ministry for Emergency Situations (MES), including the Depart¬ment for Nuclear and Radiation Safety (Gosatomnadzor), the Institute for Retraining and Professional Development, the Republican Special Team of the MES, the Scientific and Research Institute of Fire and Emergency Studies of MES, the Gomel Engineering Institute, the Command and Engineering Institute, and the Emergency Management Response Centre of MES.

Its wider objective is to continue the support and strengthening of the national nuclear safety and radiation protection regulatory system in Belarus.

The project aims to enhance the skills and effectiveness of the Regulatory Body as a whole, to improve the legal and procedural base for a competent and efficient regulatory body and to implement licensed-based regulatory practices in Belarus.

The project consisted of 9 technical tasks:

Task 1 - Support for the preparation of the detailed technical specifications for equipment to be procured by the EC on behalf of the MES (Contracting Authority)

This activity provided technical specifications for the supply contracts 214303 and 214310.

Task 2 - Assistance to the minimisation of the radiological threat from the disposal of radioactive waste at former military sites

Belarus received assistance related to the elaboration of guidelines for the management of radioactive waste, including legacy waste from past activities. This included site visits and exchange of experience on various topics related to legislation issues and the regulatory process in radioactive waste disposal in the EU and Belarus.

Task 3 - Assistance to the upgrading of control over radioactive sources, including registration, licensing, inspection and traffic control

EU experts transferred knowledge concerning the legal and administrative infrastructure related to the regulation and use of radiation sources. They also supported the upgrade of the system of control over radioactive sources.

Task 4 - Assistance to improve capacities of a Rapid Response Group to emergencies with involvement of radioactive substances (on the basis of Republican Special Team of the MES)

Study visits by Belarusian experts to STUK and IRSN provided improved understanding on how their duties are related to the overall off-site management of emergency situations in Belarus. This led to development of in-house guidelines for RSRT for rapid response to different kinds of radiological emergencies. Experts recommended that the Belarus authorities participate in the international cooperation within the IAEA and EUt

Task 5 - Support to the upgrading of a laboratory for calibration of devices for dosimetry control and measurements (on the basis of Scientific and Research Institute of Fire and Emergency Studies of the MES)

The developed documentation reportedly contributes significantly to the enhancement of the technical capacity of the RIFSE calibration laboratory.

Task 6 - Support to the upgrading of training programmes of specialists for State Emergency Preparedness and Response System to include modern technologies for protection of population and environment from ionising irradiation (on the basis of Command Engineering Institute, Gomel Engineering Institute and Institute for Retraining and Professional Development of the MES)

During this project, participants from Belarus received assistance in aspects related to development of training programmes, training methodology and examples of lectures and help to combine EU and Belarus pedagocical approach.

Task 7 - Support to the upgrading of the system for information exchange and notification in case of a radiological emergency (on the basis of Emergency Management and Response Centre of the MES)

Documents and practices were developed or strengthened related to national and international emergency notification, information exchange with neighbouring countries and public information. Experts recommended Belarus to participate in the EU’s ECURIE and the RODOS programme.

Task 8 - Participation of the Ministry for Emergency Situations in International Conferences

9 Technical visits to international nuclear safety related expert conferences were organized in the EU: Eurosafe (Paris 2008 and Brussels 2009), Annual Meeting on Nuclear Technology (Dresden, 2009 and Berlin 2010), International Seminar “National Nuclear Infrastructure and Institutional Capacity (Palermo, 2009)

Task 9 - Assistance to the MES in the definition of annual action programmes, defining the technical inputs for the preparation of the INSC action programmes.

EU experts supported Gosatomnadzor in preparing one terms of reference and proposals for action fiches for AP 2009 and 2010.