THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION CONTRIBUTION TO IMPROVING OFF-SITE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS IN EASTERN-EUROPE

The European Commission has established an Inter-Service Group on nucl ear Off-Site Emergency Preparedness (OSEP) in Eastern Europe to better coordinate its various activities in this area. The main aims of the Group are: (i) to contribute to improvements in local, regional, and n ational off-site emergency preparedness arrangements in Eastern Europe , and (ii) to establish and/or improve arrangements for information ex change within Eastern Europe and with the European Union (EU) in the e vent of any future nuclear emergency. Progress made by the Group in it s first year of existence is summarised. Particular attention is given to the results of an assessment of needs in off-site emergency prepar edness in some fourteen countries in Central and Eastern Europe and th e former Soviet Union. The assessment was wide ranging and covered top ics as diverse as legislative and organisational matters, through capa bilities for monitoring and decision support to the more practical con siderations of emergency response. Priorities for assistance were iden tified and, in response to these, a number of projects are in the proc ess of being implemented; these include the provision of iodine tablet s for distribution to emergency personnel and to the public in emergen cy planning zones; protective clothing, monitoring equipment and basic communications equipment for emergency teams; improvements to early w arning monitoring systems around nuclear power stations; accelerated i mplementation of the RODOS decision support system; training; and a pr ototype system to improve data exchange within Eastern Europe and with the EU. The scope and content of these projects are described in the context of a longer term plan to provide assistance in this area.