The Nuclear Energy Agency
The Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) is a specialised agency within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), an intergovernmental organisation of industrialised countries, based in Paris, France.
The NEA mission
The mission of the NEA is to assist its Member countries in maintaining and further developing, through international co-operation, the scientific, technological and legal bases required for the safe, environmentally friendly and economical use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. To achieve this, the NEA works as: a forum for sharing information and experience and promoting international co-operation; a centre of excellence which helps Member countries to pool and maintain their technical expertise; a vehicle for facilitating policy analyses and developing consensus based on its technical work.
The NEA's current membership consists of 28 countries, in Europe, North America and the Asia-Pacific region:
Together they account for approximately 85% of the world's installed nuclear capacity. Nuclear power accounts for almost a quarter of the electricity produced in NEA Member countries. The NEA works closely with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna - a specialised agency of the United Nations - and with the European Commission in Brussels. Within the OECD, there is close co-ordination with the International Energy Agency and the Environment Directorate, as well as contacts with other directorates, as appropriate.
Staff and budget
The NEA has a staff of 65. The annual budget for the Main Secretariat is about 10.4 million Euros and that of the Data Bank about 3.0 million Euros.
NEA areas of work
NEA strengths
The NEA is the only intergovernmental nuclear energy organisation which brings together developed countries of North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region in a small, non-political forum with a relatively narrow, technical focus.
- NEA membership represents much of the world's best nuclear expertise.
- By pooling this expertise, the NEA provides each Member access to
the substantial experience of others and an opportunity to substantially
leverage its resources in this field.
- Homogeneity of NEA membership makes possible a like-minded approach
to problems, a climate of mutual trust and collaboration, the full
exchange of experience, and a frank assessment of issues.
- The NEA is relatively unfettered by political and bureaucratic constraints,
and is able to focus effectively on the specific needs of its Members.
- NEA scientific and technical work is in the forefront of knowledge
and is known for its depth.
- The NEA publishes consensus
positions on key issues, providing Member countries with credible
references.
- The NEA is cost-effective. It operates with a small
staff, relying on Member country experts, and provides significant
added value.
- The NEA's system of standing
technical committees enables the Agency to be flexible and responsive.
- NEA joint projects
and information exchange programmes enable interested Members
and non-members to join forces in carrying out research or scientific
intercomparison exercises on a cost-sharing basis.
- The NEA, as part of a larger multi-disciplinary organisation, is uniquely placed to address nuclear energy in the context of broader cross-cutting issues such as sustainable development.
NEA committee structure
The NEA Secretariat serves seven specialised standing technical committees under the leadership of the Steering Committee for Nuclear Energy - the governing body of the NEA - which reports directly to the OECD Council.
The standing technical committees, representing each of the seven major areas of the Agency's programme, are comprised of Member country experts who are both contributors to the programme of work and beneficiaries of its results. The approach is highly cost-efficient as it enables the Agency to pursue an ambitious programme with a relatively small staff that co-ordinates the work. The substantive value of the standing technical committees arises from the numerous important functions they perform, including:
- providing a forum for in-depth exchanges of technical and programmatic
information;
- stimulating development of useful information by initiating and
carrying out co-operation/research on key problems;
- developing common positions, including "consensus opinions", on
technical and policy issues;
- identifying areas where further work is needed and ensuring that
NEA activities respond to real needs;
- organising joint projects to enable interested countries to carry out research on particular issues on a cost-sharing basis.
Organigram of the NEA
Organisational and committee structure of the NEA (pdf, 147 kb)
Secretariat structure (pdf, 4.5 kb)
Read about the NEA and its work in Japanese (pdf, 1.5 mb)
Related links
Nuclear Energy Today
OECD Policy Brief, October 2008
Nuclear Energy Today
Nuclear Energy Today aims to provide, in a simple, short and clear style, authoritative and factual information on the main aspects of nuclear energy in today’s world. Written for a broad readership, primarily policy makers, as well as interested members of the public, academics, journalists and industry leaders, this publication will contribute to a better understanding of this source of energy. (2003)