The European Commission Cooperative Support Programme: Activities and Achievements

The IAEA bases its technical and scientific Programme on contributions from the Member State Support Programmes (MSSP). The European Commission Cooperative Support Programme (EC-SP) started in 1981 to support IAEA¿s activities in the field of nuclear safeguards. Since its beginning, the EC-SP has been operated by the European Commission¿s Joint Research Centre (JRC) and its institutes at Ispra-Italy, Geel-Belgium and Karlsruhe-Germany. The EC-SP tasks provide technology and expertise in many technical areas related to the effective implementation of safeguards verification measures including the detection of undeclared materials, activities, and facilities. The paper will detail the main activities of the EC-SP in recent years, namely (a) the specific work as part of tasks with well-defined milestones and deadlines, (b) training activities and (c) the technical consultancy support to the many IAEA meetings and expert groups.JRC.DG.G.8-Nuclear securit

Illicit Trafficking Radiation Assessment Program (ITRAP+10) Test campaign summary report

The Illicit Trafficking Radiation Assessment Program (ITRAP+10) is a program initiated by the European Union and the United States to evaluate the performance of available commercial radiation detection equipment against consensus standards. Through ITRAP+10, the international partners worked to ensure that testing standards are clearly defined, comprehensive and realistic in order to provide decision makers and private sector stakeholders with reliable detection system performance information as well as possible methods to enhance equipment performance. To ensure the review of commercial equipment would be relevant to the global commons, the European Commission Directorate General for Home Affairs (EC-HOME), the Joint Research Centre (EC-JRC), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (US-DHS DNDO), the U.S. Department of Energy (US-DOE), and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) agreed to collaborate on the conduct of the ITRAP+10 test campaign and share in the design of the tests, their execution, and the analysis of the data. This summary report aims at making the results of the ITRAP+10 test campaign available to the international community. It includes an overview of the ITRAP+10 test program, a summary of test results across the nine classes of instruments (tested by US-DHS DNDO and by EC-JRC) with scientific and technical data, and information about the manufacturers of the instruments tested. Moreover, it also takes into account the discussion of the standards used for testing and the feedback provided to the standards community to help with the standards' revisions.JRC.A.7-Euratom Coordinatio

The European Commission Cooperative Support Programme: Activities and Cooperation

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) bases its technical and scientific programme on voluntary contributions from Member States, constituting the Member States Support Programme (MSSP). The European Commission Cooperative Support Programme (EC-SP) started in 1981 to support IAEA activities in the field of nuclear safeguards. Since its beginning, the EC-SP has been operated by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre in close collaboration and coordination with the European Commission’s Directorate General for Energy – Directorate Nuclear Safeguards implementing the EURATOM treaty. EC-SP tasks provide technology and expertise in technical areas related to the effective implementation of safeguards verification measures including the detection of undeclared materials, activities, and facilities. The EC-SP fosters cooperation with Support Programmes from European Union Member States, as well as with non-EU states with which the European Commission has specific research and development agreements, e.g., the United States Department of Energy, ABACC. Information on the research and development activities under these frameworks is shared with the IAEA and complements core EC-SP work. The paper describes the EC-SP, its modus operandi, collaborations, and main activities, namely, (a) the specific R work as part of tasks with well-defined milestones and deadlines, (b) training activities; (c) the technical support in establishing Safeguards guidelines and approaches and (d) the technical consultancy support to IAEA meetings and expert groups.JRC.E.8-Nuclear securit

JRC support to JAEA on the development of neutron resonance densitometry

The activities carried out during 2013 at the Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements of the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission to support the Japan Atomic Energy Agency in the development of Neutron Resonance Densitometry are described. These activities include experiments carried out at the time-of-flight facility GELINA, development of a model to account for sample inhomogeneities, assistance in data reduction and analysis procedures, preparation of test samples, training of JAEA staff and dissemination of the results.JRC.D.4-Standards for Nuclear Safety, Security and Safeguard

Integration of Nuclear Safeguards and Security at the JRC

At political level, security and safeguards remain in separate hands. Safeguards are implemented by international and national authorities through an international treaty, while security is an important national responsibility. At a technical level the synergies between safeguards and security lead to their integration allowing better optimization of the resources and important benefit from exchange of experience and expertise between the two systems. In this paper, we will illustrate this integration process between nuclear security and safeguards. Many examples will be presented such as: non destructive assay (NDA) in nuclear safeguard /detection and identification of illicit nuclear and radioactive materials, destructive analysis (DA) and environmental sampling in nuclear safeguards/ nuclear forensic, use of seals in nuclear security for containers, combined camera and gamma/neutron source for source localisation in luggage, Open source information, export controls are also areas were the integration is possible.JRC.E.9-Nuclear security (Ispra

Nuclear Safeguards R&D and Innovation at the JRC

Nuclear safeguards are from the very origin of the Joint Research Centre (JRC), and as enshrined in the EURATOM Treaty, a key duty of the European Commission and a field in which JRC has a fully unique position in Europe. In this area JRC is an un-replaceable R&D partner of Euratom safeguards authority and IAEA through its very extensive support programme. The JRC R&D safeguards programme aims in one hand at maintaining traditional safeguards at level so that deterrence to diversion from civil cycle remains high, taking into account that more installations will need to be safeguarded by EU and international authorities. This relies on development of advanced NDA, DA and CS techniques, full remote and unattended (authenticated) technology and stringent quality systems in measurements and results delivery. In another hand the RD programme put more focus on material flows in sensitive uranium and spent fuel handling facilities and use of fingerprinting techniques to cover diversion scenarios and more performing and accurate environmental sampling techniques and traces analysis. Open-source analysis and development of new tools and methodologies for the control of Import/export are areas where the effort is also increased. In the JRC R&D programme a special attention is also given to the development of accountancy and safeguards concepts for advanced fuel cycles (GenIV) as well as proliferation resistance methodology. This scientific/technical work is encompassed by appropriate training activities. This paper is about some of the new R&D and innovation activities of the JRC as part of the EU contribution to the implementation of effective nuclear safeguards inside and outside the EU.JRC.E.9-Nuclear security (Ispra

Development of neutron resonance densitometry at the GELINA TOF facility

Neutrons can be used as a tool to study properties of materials and objects. An evolving activity in this field concerns the existence of resonances in neutron induced reaction cross sections. These resonance structures are the basis of two analytical methods which have been developed at the EC-JRC-IRMM: Neutron Resonance Capture Analysis (NRCA) and Neutron Resonance Transmission Analysis (NRTA). They have been applied to determine the elemental composition of archaeological objects and to characterize nuclear reference materials. A combination of NRTA and NRCA together with Prompt Gamma Neutron Analysis, referred to as Neutron Resonance Densitometry (NRD), is being studied as a non-destructive method to characterize particle-like debris of melted fuel that is formed in severe nuclear accidents such as the one which occurred at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plants. This study is part of a collaboration between JAEA and EC-JRC-IRMM. In this contribution the basic principles of NRTA and NRCA are explained based on the experience in the use of these methods at the time-of-flight facility GELINA of the EC-JRC-IRMM. Specific problems related to the analysis of samples resulting from melted fuel are discussed. The programme to study and solve these problems is described and results of a first measurement campaign at GELINA are given.JRC.D.4-Standards for Nuclear Safety, Security and Safeguard

The Challenge of Resilience in a Globalised World

Resilience determines the capacity to successfully deal with difficult events and to adapt and overcome adversity. It creates stability in a changing world which in turn promotes job creation, economic growth and environmental sustainability. Resilience is a fundamental prerequisite for Europe as the largest integrated economic area in the world and has an important social dimension which requires the active cooperation of all stakeholders; citizens, the private sector, governments and NGOs included. This report discusses the concept of resilience from different perspectives and the role of science in the continuous process of building a resilient, stable, competitive and prosperous Europe.JRC.G-Institute for the Protection and Security of the Citizen (Ispra

Etude d'un nouveau procede de preparation de solides insolubles a granulometrie controlee par croissance localisee en solution

SIGLEINIST T 73940 / INIST-CNRS - Institut de l'Information Scientifique et TechniqueFRFranc

JRC CBRN activities: Contribution to the Implementation of the EU CBRN Action and to the CBRN Centres of Excellence Initiative

Within the international security context, the Prevention and mitigation of Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) hazards has become an important area of activities. EU is contributing to the international community effort to mitigate the threat and risks associated with these materials. The EU CBRN Action Plan (AP) was adopted in December 2009. The AP aims to strengthen CBRN security throughout the EU. Based on an all-hazard approach, the AP's overall goal is to reduce the threat of, and damage from CBRN incidents of accidental, natural and intentional origin, including terrorist acts. The AP contributes to the implementation of the EU Counter Terrorism Strategy and provides for three main areas of CBRN security work: Prevention, Detection, Preparedness and response. A total of 124 actions are to be implemented by the EU Member States and the EU Institutions. In addition to 25 actions relating to radiological and nuclear security, there are 32 actions covering biological or chemical security. A further 67 actions are horizontal actions in the sense that they apply to more than one area. The implementation of the Action Plan is guided by consultation with national authorities and other relevant stakeholders. The IAEA, Interpol, and Europol are closely associated to the implementation of the Action Plan. Outside EU border, the Instrument for Stability in its Indicative Programme 2009-2011 identifies “capacity building against CBRN threats” as a necessary condition for risk mitigation and preparedness. Effective response to CBRN risk depends on cooperation and co-ordination between all levels of government, response organizations and international partners. An effective strategy to deal with the CBRN threat requires a very high level of co-operation and co-ordination among many different authorities within and among countries. Therefore, the EU launched in 2010 the 'EU CBRN risk mitigation – Centres of Excellence initiative'. The overall scope of the initiative is hence to strengthen the long-term national and regional capabilities of responsible authorities and administrative infrastructures, and develop a durable cooperation legacy in the fight against the CBRN threat. JRC is supporting the EC DG DEVCO in the technical implementation of the CBRN CoE initiative through activities such as the analysis of CBRN needs and project proposals of partner country/region, Preparation of terms of references for selected projects, follow-up and quality control of projects, management of the IT tools (website, databases); as well as communication and coordination between all stakeholders. The JRC has long-standing experience and expertise in the field of nuclear security and safeguards in support to EURATOM, the IAEA and to implementation of EU projects under TACIS (Technical Assistance to Commonwealth of Independent States), Instrument for Nuclear Safety Cooperation and Instrument for Stability. It was logical that JRC have been attributed several RN actions of the EU CBRN AP and also the technical implementation of the CBRN CoE Initiative. In this paper, we will highlight some of the activities of JRC in support to the implementation of the EU CBRN AP as well as the role and activities of JRC under the CBRN CoE initiative.JRC.A.4-Nuclear Safety and Securit