Radioactive waste management activities of the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency

The objectives of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), which groups most of the developed countries of the world, are to promote high economic growth and a rising standard of living in Member countries while contributing to the economic development and the expansion of world trade on a multilateral basis. International co-operation in nuclear energy activities takes place through the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) in which a total of 23 countries now participate: Australia, Canada, Japan, the United States, in addition to all the European Member countries of OECD. The Commission of the European Communities also takes part in the work of NEA. One of the primary objectives of the NEA is to promote co-operation between its Member governments on the safety and regulatory aspects of nuclear development. This is achieved by encouraging harmonization of governments' regulatory policies and practices in the nuclear field, with particular reference to the safety of nuclear installations, protection of many against ionizing radiations, radioactive waste management, and nuclear third party liability and insurance