The role of an EU harmonised E and T system in radiation protection for public acceptance and confidence building in Romania

The paper aims at presenting the efforts made in the last two years for modernizing the Romanian education and training (E and T) system in Radiation Protection (RP). Increasing the responsive capacity in emergency situations is an important element for public acceptance and confidence building in Romania regarding the nuclear power. The responsive capacity in emergency situations is related to the Romanian E and T system in RP. Since January 1st, 2007 Romania became an EU member but the Romania's EU integration process will continue for still several years. The Romania's EU integration priorities are not only to transform the economy radically, but also to modernize its E and T system in general and in RP in particular. The modernization of the Romanian E and T system in RP is a real concern, related to the National Nuclear Programme (NNP) which foresees the commissioning of unit 2 of Cernavoda NPP in 2007 and the completion of units 3 and 4 until 2015. The natural way of modernizing the Romanian E and T system in RP is the cooperation with EUropean Training and Education in RP (EUTERP) Platform which was created in 2006 as a network covering the 25 European Union Member States as well as the Candidate States Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania and Turkey. Romania's integration process into EU radiation protection field is ongoing and has produced the following results: -- the Romanian branch of EUTERP Platform, called ROmanian Training and Education in Radiation Protection Platform (ROTERP Platform) was established ; -- the ROTERP Platform serves as a network, aiming at improving the cooperation between the various actors in the field of radiation protection E and T: - national authorities implied in RP, as CNCAN; - national bodies responsible for professional education and dedicated training, Ministry of Education and Research; - providers of training and education in the radiation protection area, universities and training centers; - professional organizations representing the receivers of training and education - AREN and ROMATOM; -- two Romanian structural contacts between all ROTERP Platform participants, the so-called national contact points (NCP) were established; -- the ROTERP's Platform delegation attended to the First EUTERP workshop held in Vilnius, Lithuania, on 21-24 May 2007. Romania's contribution was mentioned into the First EUTERP workshop report. In conclusion, the ROTERP Platform is a promising tool for modernizing and European harmonization of the Romanian E and T system in RP. Acting as an integrated part of EUTERP Platform leading the EU radiation protection field, ROTERP Platform will help to improve the E and T system in RP, and in this way the responsive capacity in emergency situations is adequately strengthened as well. (authors)