Nuclear Safety Central Eastern Europe in CIS

The safety of nuclear installations remained a preoccupation for organizations and public inside the European Union, and the response of the Commission to such preoccupations had to be better perceived.
The review and possible updating of Commission strategy in the nuclear safety sector was backed-up by the work of a panel of high level advisors (PHLA), which provided an independent technical advice on the orientation and implementation for the coming years of the PHARE and TACIS programmes and their successors.

The PHLA assisted the Commission in finding answers to the following:
-finding the best adaptation and implementation of PHARE program to promote the nuclear safety aspects of Agenda 2000
-ensuring by the Commission of a stronger focus of the TACIS programme, reinforcing its visibility and improving the coherence between the various donors and the beneficiaries in defining and implementing this programme taking into account the work of NUSAC.

In carrying out its tasks, members of the PHLA took into account the previous work performed in the framework of the TACIS and PHARE programmes.
The following activities were performed:
-updating the analysis of the improvement (or degradation) of the nuclear safety in countries participating to PHARE and TACIS (last assessment performed in 1996)
-identification of critical areas which might require intervention beyond the scope of current programmes
-survey of cost estimates to improve the nuclear safety situation to a corresponding level of nuclear safety culture established in the Western countries
-analysis of the need to reconsider the form of assistance in some areas, taken into consideration the countries efforts
-analysis of the coherence between EU assistance programs and other assistance programs, possible need for improved coordination
-definition of preferred avenues for the future EC contribution to the development of long term solutions to nuclear safety problems in the countries under consideration
-developing recommendations for prioritizing the EC future actions taking into account: a realistic framework for EC financial assistance, the need for improving the visibility of the assistance programs, and specific considerations related to accession of Central and Eastern European Countries.
The work involved interview of various actors on the scene of Nuclear Safety assistance (TPEG, RAMG, TSOG, bilateral donors and multilateral organisations).
The panel delivered a first input on March, 1998 and the final report on May, 1998.