NEA press room

Welcome to the NEA press room. Here you will find resources for journalists covering all of the NEA's work areas. Press kits provide introductory information on major nuclear issues, including the Chernobyl and Fukushima Daiichi accidents. The accredited journalist area provides journalists with free access to its publications on sale in the OECD Bookshop or under embargo ahead of official release. If you can't find what you're looking for, feel free to contact the NEA.

Accredited journalist area

The NEA provides accredited journalists with free access to its publications on sale in the OECD Bookshop or under embargo ahead of official release. Journalists may source quotes and /or review these publications subject to standard copyright terms and conditions.

Journalists may register for this service by contacting press@oecd-nea.org.
If you are already registered, you can access the accredited journalist area here.
If you have forgotten your username and password, you can retrieve them here.

News

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2012

Press events: Russian Federation to join the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA)
On 23 May 2012, an official exchange of letters will take place between OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Andrey Denisov and Deputy Director of Rosatom Nikolai Spasskiy, in the presence of OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) Director-General Luis E. Echávarri, to formalise the accession of the Russian Federation to the NEA effective as from 1st January 2013. A short photo opportunity of the ceremony will be open to accredited members of the press. More...

Top nuclear safety regulators enhance crisis communication following Fukushima
On 9-10 May 2012, senior officials from nuclear regulatory organisations and key stakeholders from 25 countries and 7 international organisations met during a two-day International Workshop on Crisis Communication: Facing the Challenges to share best practices and to improve crisis communication. The workshop was organised by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) and hosted by the Consejo de Seguridad Nuclear (CSN) in Madrid, Spain. Read more...

Webcast: Crisis communication challenges following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident
Watch live coverage of the OECD/NEA International Workshop on Crisis Communication: Facing the Challenges hosted by the Spanish Consejo de Seguridad Nuclear (CSN) in Madrid, Spain. During the workshop, senior nuclear regulatory officials and key stakeholders from 25 countries and 7 international organisations will share best practices and identify emerging issues in crisis communication following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident.

Webcast | Workshop information and programme

Date and time: 9 May from 9:30 (CEST/GMT+2) and 10 May from 9:00 (CEST/GMT+2)

Indian nuclear regulatory body (AERB) joins the Multinational Design Evaluation Programme (MDEP)
On 4 April 2012, India’s Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) became the first new member in the MDEP since its inception in 2006. Read more...

NEA co-organises Fukushima decommissioning workshop and site visit
On 12-14 March 2012 the Japanese government and the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) held an International Experts’ Workshop and International Symposium on the Decommissioning of TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Units 1-4 in Tokyo, Japan. This event was co-organised with the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (OECD/NEA) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The event provided a forum for discussion and exchange of information among technical experts from Japanese utilities, research and design organisations, regulatory bodies, manufacturing and service companies, as well as other international experts on decommissioning, radioactive waste management and robotics. Attendees visited the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant following the symposium. Plant manager Takeshi Takahashi received the delegates who then toured the earthquake-resistant building that serves as command post for all operations, various waste sites, the damaged power units and the newly reinforced anti-tsunami seawall. Read more about the OECD/NEA’s work following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident here.

OECD/NEA Director-General Luis E. Echávarri on the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident: One year later
"...As we reflect upon the first anniversary of these tragedies, our condolences go out to the Japanese people affected by these events. We also continue to pledge our support to the authorities who are working towards the remediation of the situation, both in terms of improving nuclear safety and the regulatory infrastructure as well as land decontamination and recovery."
Read the statement | Watch the video | Fukushima Press Kit

Dialogue with civil society in affected areas of Japan
With the co-operation of the NEA, the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) organised a dialogue with residents of Data City, Japan on 25-26 February. This meeting was the second in a series of ICRP seminars that foster discussions among affected stakeholders in order to help identify priorities and to initiate rehabilitation programmes in follow-up to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident. The agenda focused on past accomplishments, current challenges and future initiatives to improve the radiological situation and living conditions for local inhabitants. About 50 representatives of civil society as well as central, prefectoral and local governments attended along with 50 residents of Fukushima prefecture. Data City is a community that has been significantly affected by contamination from the Fukushima accident. During the meeting, ways to help improve the situation were identified, including common agreements on radiological criteria (e.g. food contamination levels), waste management approaches and criteria for successful remediation.

International meetings on remediation and restoration of environments
On 3-4 February 2012, the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) co-organised two days of international meetings on The Experience and Technology of Russia, Ukraine and Other CIS Countries on Remediation and Restoration of Environments. Hosted by the Japanese government and organised by the International Science and Technology Center (ISTC) and the Science and Technology Center in Ukraine (STCU), the meetings provided opportunities for experts from zones most affected by the Chernobyl accident to share best practices in managing contaminated land. Read the presentations here.

NEA meets with Japanese officials to discuss nuclear safety regulatory organisations
On 17-18 January 2012, an NEA team of international experts met in Tokyo with members of the Japanese Advisory Committee for Prevention of Nuclear Accidents and the special Japanese Task Force for the Reform of Nuclear Safety Regulations and Organisations to foster increased understanding of various national regulatory organisations and approaches to regulatory oversight of nuclear power facilities. Experts from Japan, France, Korea, the United Kingdom, the United States, the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) participated in an experts’ meeting on concepts and characteristics important to regulatory organisations and an international public workshop on nuclear safety regulation. Participants discussed different approaches to reforming areas recommended by the Advisory Committee, such as those concerning independence, regulatory oversight, crisis management, human resources and development, new safety regulations, transparency and international aspects for regulatory organisations. Presentations are available on the NEA Fukushima information exchange page.

Stephen G. Burns appointed Head of Legal Affairs at the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency
Paris, 11 January 2012 - The OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) is pleased to announce that Mr. Stephen G. Burns has been appointed Head of Legal Affairs. Mr. Burns will provide legal opinions and secretariat services to the Nuclear Law Committee, advise NEA management on all legal aspects of the Agency’s operations, assist member countries in the establishment of international joint projects and contribute to the Agency's nuclear law information and education programmes. He will also provide legal assistance to the Contracting Parties to the Paris Convention on Third Party Liability in the field of nuclear energy and the Brussels Convention Supplementary to the Paris Convention. Read more...