International Atomic Energy Agency
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) with residence in Vienna is an international organization in frame of UNO, which is worldwide contact point for a co-operation in the field of peaceful use of nuclear energy. To support research and development for peaceful purposes, development of safety standards and based on them to support achievement of high level of nuclear safety as well as protection of health and environment against adverse impact of ionising radiation and implement and then administratively perform control of safeguards against military misuse is the mission of UJD SR. IAEA assists its member states while establishing policy of use of science and technologies for peaceful use of nuclear energy. Besides, IAEA insures for member states preparation of independent expert reports and evaluations in the area of nuclear and radiation safety. The role of IAEA cannot be substituted in the area of nuclear weapons non-proliferation control. The Slovak Republic has been a member of IAEA since 1993. The co-operation with IAEA is one of priorities in the area of peaceful use of nuclear energy. Realization of the Programme of technical co-operation is one of important IAEA activities. Nuclear Regulatory Authority is a co-ordinator of this
co-operation and assures participation of Slovak experts in professional negotiations, seminars, workshops, and training courses and during technical meetings co-ordinates preparation of expert standpoints and reports, expert professional assistance and supply of equipment. The co-operation has been developed in national,
regional and interregional projects.
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development/The Nuclear Energy Agency
http://www.oecd-nea.org/" target="_blank" title="link to http://www.oecd-nea.org/">Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development/The Nuclear Energy Agency (OECD/NEA) is an inter-governmental organization in the field of peaceful use of nuclear energy, joining developed countries of North America, Europe and Asia in small, harmonic, non-political forum with relatively narrow technical bearing. Agency provides to members huge quantity of the best world wide knowledge from the nuclear field doing it in the atmosphere of mutual confidence and understanding. The real force of it consist in deepness and quality of activities targeted to the specific needs of member states, in flexibility and capability to engage itself in issues on current basis and methods of work, which rely on mutual understanding and sharing of problems among the members. To support of the co-operation between governments of member states and to contribute to the development of nuclear power as a safe, and from the point of view of environment acceptable and economic source of energy are main objectives of the Agency. Affiliation of the Slovak Republic to be a member of NEA in 2002 signified a fulfilment of programme declaration of the Government and it is indisputable that the membership in NEA positively contributes to the strengthening of international position of the Slovak republic in relation to the safe use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. UJD SR as a sponsor of co-operation with OECD/NEA and also based on resolution of Government co-ordinates co-operation of the Slovak Republic with OECD/NEA and assures fulfilment of commitments resulting from this membership. After joining NEA the experts of the Slovak Republic took actively part in work of NEA and based on experience of experts from the field of nuclear power the Slovak Republic, as a country with developed nuclear power, has all prerequisites and capacities to continue in activities in all permanent technical committees and selected working and expert groups. The Slovak Republic takes part also in activities of selected research and development projects (HALDEN Reactor Project, Cabri Water Loop Project, Stress Corrosion Cracking and Cable Ageing Project (SCAP), Cooperative Programme for the Exchange of scientific and technical Information Concerning Nuclear Installation Decommissioning Project (CPD), Thermal-hydraulics, Hydrogen, Aerosols and Iodine Project (THAI-3).
CTBTO
The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organisation. Rise of efforts to stop nuclear tests traces to the past up to 1954 when Indien prime minister Mr. Jawaharlal Nehru suggested to the United States Organization to stop tests of nuclear weapons. Further more than forty years discussions, approval and ratifications of different versions of treaties with an effort to stop nuclear weapon tests were lead up to the moment when the 50th.General Assembly of United States Organization adopted on September 10, 1996 a Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) . Since 1996 Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty is open to be signed in New York.
At present in Vienna a Preparatory Commission of the organization established by member states parties of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (Preparatory Commission CTBTO), which performs all necessary preparatory steps towards effective Treaty implementation and assist in activities, which support signing and ratification of treaty so that it could enter in force. Its task is also to establish a global verification regime according to which an observation of Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty will be monitored and operation manual for in-situ inspection prepared.
Government of the Slovak republic ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty on March 3, 1998 and charged UJD SR to assure (according to the Article III) execution of function of national contact authority with Organization for Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. In co-operation with Ministry of Foreign Affaires, Ministry of Defence, Slovak Academy of Sciences and further authorities the tasks resulting first of all from plenary sessions of Preparatory Commission of Treaty Organization and from negotiations of its working groups are assured. As to the Professional side UJD SR actively takes part in process of review of operating manual for in situ inspections, particularly, however, from the position of national authority assures organizationally international activities of CTBTO on site „Turecky Vrch“by the village Jablonove, and, if appropriate it organizes international training courses CTBTO in the town Stupava and its environments (e.g. in 2006). The objective is to perform in future such and similar activities in the Slovak Republic on permanent basis in frame of preparation of candidates for the post of CTBTO inspector.
On November 15, 2015 was signed and approved by the Agreement between the Government of the Slovak Republic and the Preparatory Commission for the Organisation of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty on mutual cooperation in the training and implementation of the Commission's activities relating to on-site inspections. This agreement is effective from about 12. 8. 2016.
WWER FORUM
Forum of National Regulators Supervising Nuclear Safety of Countries Operating NPP of WWER type. UJD SR is a member of Forum of National Regulators Supervising Nuclear Safety of countries operating NPP of WWER type and belongs to the founder members of this association. The Forum was established in 1993 by signing Memorandum on Co-operation of National Regulators operating WWER type reactors and support of increase of safety level and protection against adverse consequences of ionizing radiation. The Forum is a platform for Exchange of information and experience in given area and members meet in regular intervals yearly. For solution of particular issues working groups are created in frame of Forum.
NERS
Nuclear Regulatory Bodies with a Small Nuclear Programme (NERS). Since 1998 UJD SR has been a member of an association under name Nuclear Regulatory Bodies with a Small Nuclear Programme (NERS). NERS is an international organization which associates regulatory bodies upon nuclear and radiation safety of states with a small nuclear programme and it is a platform for exchange of opinions in the field of supervision upon nuclear and radiation safety. Regulatory bodies from Argentina, Belgium, Czech Republic, Finland, South Africa, Hungary, Nederland, Pakistan, Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Switzerland are the members of NERS. The members of NERS meet regularly each year and discuss questions of common interest.
Western European Nuclear Regulators (WENRA)
Western European Nuclear Regulators (WENRA) was established in 1999 as a society of regulators of Western Europe states, the purpose of which is to develop common approach to the nuclear safety and to the supervision first of all in EU member states. UJD SR Works actively in two working groups (WG) – WG for harmonization of approach to the nuclear safety of existing nuclear reactors and WG for harmonization of approach to the safety of waste treatment.
The set up of minimum reference levels for five areas of nuclear safety review – safety control, design, operation, safety verification and emergency planning is the objective of WG for harmonization of approach to the nuclear safety of existing nuclear reactors. Reference levels are determined on the base of IAEA documents. In 2003 the work on pilot study by which the way of reference levels set up was finished and method of review of their fulfilment was tested; works on the main study started. At this time also new countries joining EU including the Slovak Republic were involved in the work. The work on the main study was finished; in 2006 requirements, by which the member states committed themselves to implement to their legislation by the year 2010 were presented. The Action Plan of requirements implementation was prepared by the Slovak Republic; this plan is published on the UJD SR WEB page.
The working group continues in its work in according to a mandate, which managing committee gave to it. WG has been completing and renewing requirements in compliance with development of IAEA documents creating their base (the newest version: WENRA Requirements 2008.pdf, monitoring Action Plan fulfilment; helping to solve difficulties with pertinent interpretation of requirements and works concerning set up of main objectives, which a new project for new NPPs built in EU should comply with, started.
Harmonisation of legal regulations for EU member states in the area of radioactive waste and decommissioning of nuclear installation is the objective of WG for harmonization of approach to the safety of waste treatment.
In frame of WG for harmonization of approach to the safety of waste treatment two basic documents were prepared: reference levels for decommissioning of nuclear installations and reference levels for storage of radioactive waste and nuclear spent fuel. Significance of Slovak participation in WGs consists in the fact that we have a possibility actively take part in creation of reference requirements. There is a real presumption that according to the requirements fulfilment and application also the level of nuclear safety in EU member states would be judged.