Press release
Paris, 9 February 1996

NEA analyses lessons from an international nuclear emergency exercise

Since the accident at Three Mile Island in 1979, many countries have strived to improve their emergency planning, preparedness and management programmes for nuclear accidents. The accident at Chernobyl in 1986 highlighted the importance of the international and transborder aspects of these accidents. The OECD Nuclear Energy Agency has just published a new report with the lessons from an international nuclear emergency exercise intended to improve international co-operation and co-ordination in case of nuclear accidents (INEX-1).

The specific objectives of INEX-1 were:

  • to examine the process for alerting and communicating with neighbouring countries and the international community in case of a nuclear accident, taking into consideration bilateral/ multilateral agreements and international obligations;
  • to examine the process for reaching conclusions on the need for national interventions or protective measures;
  • to examine actions proposed in relation to the export and import of contaminated food and foodstuffs;
  • to examine the process for identifying the need for, and requesting, assistance to cope with a radiological emergency.

This report presents a brief history of the events leading up to INEX-1, describes the exercise in detail, and provides an in- depth analysis of the results, experiences and lessons learned form it. Recommendations for future work in the area of international exercises are provided, as well as all background material necessary for running the INEX=1 exercise again as part of an ongoing training programme.


INEX-1 – An International Nuclear Emergency Exercise
OECD Paris, 1995
ISBN 92-64-14560-5

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