The JRC support to EU policy in the field of nuclear and radiological security

Full text: The activities of the EU to fight nuclear and radiological terrorism are based on the European Security Strategy adopted in December 2003 by the European Council. This strategy identifies proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and terrorism among the key threats to Europe and to our society. The EU Counter Terrorism Strategy adopted in December 2005 gives further policy guidelines. Inside the EU, a list of measures which should be taken by the Member States and/or by the European Commission is under discussion in the working groups of the CBRN Task Force. Their objective is to limit the risk of malicious acts, including terrorism, and involving radiological nuclear materials. This list should become part of the European Commission's 2009 CBRN policy package. The JRC, in accordance to its mission to provide technical and scientific support to the EU policies, is closely associated to the related CBRN policy (for its RN part). JRC has carried out a Radiological Vulnerability Risk Assessment Study in EU 27, which supported the work within the CBRN Task Force. Moreover, in support to MS in the field of detection, JRC is working on the ITRAP+10 project in which world -wide equipment will be tested for their performances and limits. Finally, as the training on security matters is a key issue in the CBRN agenda, the JRC is going to establish a European Security Training Centre which will focus at its starting phase on nuclear and radiological security. This training centre should in the future broaden its scope beyond nuclear security to include trainings on bio and chemical security, dual use and export control. The JRC will involve the MS expertise in all domains. Outside EU, various instruments have been established by the European Commission, such as the Instrument for Stability which provides funds and mechanisms to address global and trans-regional threats. The Instrument for Nuclear Safety finances measures to support the promotion of a high level of nuclear safety, radiation protection and the application of efficient and effective safeguards of nuclear material in third countries. Moreover the JRC will continue to implement the EC projects related to nuclear safeguards and fight the illicit trafficking of nuclear and radioactive materials. The Instrument of Stability has no geographical limitation (in comparison to the TACIS program) new regions will be supported via many projects in the field of non proliferation of WMD and CBRN risk reductions. The JRC is supporting the European Commission in the definition of projects through fact finding mission in countries from Middle East and Asia. This paper is an outlook of some JRC activities in support of the EU security challenges. (author)