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Race for Life in 2002 and 2003

10th Anniversary of the Tacis Nuclear Safety Programme

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10 years Anniversary of the Delegation

10th Anniversary of the Tacis Nuclear Safety Programme

In July 2002 the European Commission and the Government of Ukraine marked the 10th Anniversary of the Tacis Nuclear Safety Programme with an International Conference organized in co-operation with the Armenian, Kazakh and Russian Nuclear Authorities.

More than 250 nuclear energy experts and safety specialists came together on this occasion to discuss the results and future prospective of the Tacis Nuclear Safety Programme.

The European Union has taken a prominent role in the international efforts to help Ukraine, the Russian Federation and other NIS countries to improve nuclear safety.

The Tacis Nuclear Safety Programme is the most significant instrument in this respect and offers assistance with a view to ensure nuclear safety through modernization and step-by-step replacement of the operating reactors by other energy sources, including more advanced an safer reactors.

In the past ten years more than 600 projects related to nuclear safety with an overall budget of 630 million Euros were financed within the framework of the Tacis Nuclear Safety Programme.

Projects focussed on the following directions:
On-site assistance and operational safety;
Design safety;
Regulatory authorities and their technical support organizations;
Off-site emergency preparedness;
Radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel management;
Nuclear material accounting and control (safeguard);
Transfer of scientists working in the nuclear physics from the defence to civil engineering field;
Closure of the Chernobyl NPP and transfer of the Shelter object into environmentally safe system.

During the International Conference the experts worked in three sections drawing conclusions of the current Tacis Nuclear Safety Programme and defining future priorities.
The Programme’s focal points as established by the European Commission found general support among the experts and the necessity to continue the EC assistance programme was underlined.

Following main areas for further assistance were defined:
Support further progress on the promotion of an effective nuclear safety culture in line with the principles of the Convention on Nuclear Safety, in particular, through continuing support to the regulatory authorities and at the plant level through on-site assistance at NPP sites.
Support to the development and implementation of the national management strategies on radioactive waste treatment, spent nuclear fuel management, and decommissioning of NPP units in the context of wide international cooperation, especially, concerning radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel management problems in the North-West Russia region.
Support to appropriate international initiatives supported by the European Community, in particular, G7/EU initiative on the closure of the Chernobyl NPP.


In addition to the above-mentioned main areas the assistance should also cover:
Support to activities on strengthening and implementation of nuclear safeguards and
Support to off-site emergency preparedness for nuclear accidents in the framework of national and regional plans.
Find more information about Conclusions and Recommendations of the International Conference.
Agenda of the International Conference.

At the official reception given by the Ukrainian government: (left to right) Mr. S. Tulub (Deputy-Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council, President of the National Nuclear Generating Company ENERGATOM), Mr. G. Doucet (Head of the Nuclear Safety Unit, EuropeAid Cooperation Office, EC), Mr. N. Jousten (Ambassador, Head of Delegation of the European Commission in Ukraine), Mr. P.-B. Knudsen (Director, EuropeAid Cooperation Office, EC), N. Konstantinov (Nuclear Safety Officer, EC Delegation in Ukraine), Mr. O. Chalyi (State-Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs).

Mr. Norbert Jousten, Ambassador, Delegation in Ukraine, chairs the closing plenary session of the conference.

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