NEA Mandates and Structures

Expert Group on Robotics, and Emerging and Advanced Techniques in the Nuclear Back-end (EGREAT)

Chair(s):		Secretary:	Alexia MERCIER (alexia.mercier@oecd-nea.org)
Member(s):	All NEA member countries^*
	Russia (Suspended*)
	^*Russian Federation suspended pursuant to a decision of the OECD Council.
EU participation:	The European Union (EU) takes part in the work of the NEA, in accordance with the NEA Statute and the Supplementary Protocol to the Convention on the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Observer(s)(International Organisation):	International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) By agreement
Date of creation:	01 January 2026
End of mandate:	31 December 2027

Mandate (Document reference):

Mandate of the Working Party on Technical, Environmental and Safety Aspects of Decommissioning and Legacy Management (WPTES) [NEA/DLM(2023)7/FINAL]
Mandate of the Expert Group on the Application of Robotics and Remote Systems in the Nuclear Back-End (2019-2021) [NEA/RWM(2019)10/FINAL ]
Mandate of the Expert Group on the Application of Robotics and Remote Systems in the Nuclear Back-End (2024-2025) [NEA/RWM(2023)6/FINAL]
Mandate of the Expert Group on Innovative Technologies and Techniques to Support Characterisation and Decommissioning of Complex and Legacy Sites (EGTCD) [NEA/DLM(2023)8/FINAL]
Summary Record of the 52^nd Session of the Radioactive Waste Management Committee held on 19 March 2019 [NEA/RWM/M(2019)6]
Summary record of the Bureau Meeting of the Committee on Decommissioning of Nuclear Installations and Legacy Management on 26 September 2025 [forthcoming]
Summary record of the Bureau Meeting of the Radioactive Waste Management Committee held on 24 September 2025 [forthcoming]
Summary record of the Fifth Plenary Session of the Working Party on Technical, Environmental and Safety Aspects of Decommissioning and Legacy Management (WPTES) held on 25 September 2025 [forthcoming]
Summary record of the Second Plenary Session of the Expert Group on Innovative Technologies and Techniques to Support Characterisation and Decommissioning of Complex and Legacy Sites (EGTCD) held on 26 September 2025 [forthcoming]
Summary record of the Sixth Plenary Session of the Expert Group on the Application of Robotics and Remote Systems in the Nuclear Back-end (EGRRS) held on 17 November 2025 [forthcoming]
Mandate of the Expert Group on Robotics, and Emerging and Advanced Techniques in the Nuclear Back-end (EGREAT) [NEA/DLM(2025)3/FINAL]

Mandate (Document extract):

Extract of document NEA/DLM(2025)3/FINAL

Background

In order to more effectively address the Nuclear Energy Agency’s (NEA) mission, the Committee on Decommissioning of Nuclear Installations and Legacy Management (CDLM) created the Working Party on Technical, Environmental and Safety Aspects of Decommissioning and Legacy Management (WPTES) on 15 March 2021. To support the WPTES in its work, the task-oriented Expert Group on Innovative Technologies and Techniques to Support Characterisation and Decommissioning of Complex and Legacy Sites (EGTCD) was created in November 2023.

In 2019, the Radioactive Waste Management Committee (RWMC) approved the creation of a third-level body (expert group) focused on the Application of Robotics and Remote Systems in Nuclear Back-end (EGRRS) addressing concerns in the application of robotics and remote systems (RRS) in the nuclear Back-end.

During the Workshop on the Role of Innovation in the Nuclear Back-end jointly organised by the EGRRS and the WPTES, held in April 2025, an opportunity was identified to consolidate the EGTCD and the EGRRS given the converging interests. The merging of these two bodies was introduced to the CDLM and RWMC Bureaus in September 2025. The draft mandate was introduced to the WPTES on their 5^th Plenary session, to the EGTCD on their 2^nd Plenary session and to the EGRRS during their 6^th Plenary session in November 2025. Based on these discussions, it was agreed that a new third level body is to be created under WPTES focusing on Robotics and Emerging and Advanced Techniques for Nuclear Back-End applications.

Scope

The Expert Group on Robotics, and Emerging and Advanced Techniques in the Nuclear Back-end (EGREAT) supports the WPTES in their holistic considerations of radioactive waste management, decommissioning and legacy management programmes as a level three NEA body.

The EGREAT assists with the development and inform optimisation in the implementation of robotic systems and provide an overview on advance techniques in the nuclear back-end field.

Objectives

The EGREAT will advise member countries under the CDLM and WPTES on leading issues which focus on the development of strategic approaches to facilitate the implementation of robotics and state-of-art technologies and techniques in decommissioning of complex and legacy sites.

Specifically, the EGREAT will:

Promote the exchange of information on robotics and state-of-the-art techniques’ development and application amongst the delegates and meeting participants, including lessons-learned and good practices;
Collect and analyse inputs from delegates and meeting participants;
Promote wider understanding of the nuclear community pertaining to:
- Radiological and site characterisation during all stages of nuclear back-end applications (e.g., subsurface survey design optimisation and data analysis; collection, visualisation, analysis of continuously collected data);
- Decontamination, remediation, dismantlement, and demolition, including resulting dose reduction and minimising waste generation;
- Materials management including reuse and recycling of materials.
Identify
- The main factors influencing robotics;
- The main factors influencing state-of-the-art techniques, together with the challenges associated with their effective implementation; and
- Actions required to support the advancement of nuclear back-end programmes, including future innovative initiatives (e.g., advanced types of nuclear reactors).

In the scope of this mandate, the EGREAT will focus on the following topics:

Analysis of human issues with robotic technologies and system integration in nuclear back-end operations (training, safety, perception etc.);
Data management, collection, analysis and storage, including cybersecurity and artificial intelligence in the context of nuclear applications;
Applications of novel technologies and techniques for: (i) radiological mapping and characterization; (ii) decontamination, remediation, dismantlement, and demolition; and (iii) the handling, transportation, and storage of radioactive waste, all with a focus on reducing dose exposure and minimizing waste generation, including through the reuse and recycling of materials;
Identification of ecosystems and frameworks fostering innovation including through the optimisation of regulatory approval pipelines.

Working methods

The mode of operation of the EGREAT is based upon plenary meetings and a yearly adopted, project-oriented, programme of work (PoW).

A Bureau including two Co-Chairs, and at least one Vice Chair will lead and organise the work of the EGREAT. The Bureau will meet once or twice a year. Additional Bureau meetings will be organised, when necessary, as requested by the Bureau and in accordance with the capacity of the Secretariat (NEA Division of Radioactive Waste Management and Decommissioning - RWMD).

Communication within the EGREAT will primarily take place through annual plenary meetings. The EGREAT plenary meeting will be devoted to the following:

exchange of information on recent developments in the member countries;
in-depth discussions of current developments and of topical issues, where additional specialists may also be invited;
identification of main lessons to be reported to the WPTES, including preparing topical sessions at the WPTES plenary meetings; and
discussion and co-ordination of the PoW.

The EGREAT will report to the WPTES at the annual meetings of the parent body. The EGREAT may be invited to report to the CDLM and RWMC joint annual meetings.

Additionally, the EGREAT will: (i) identify resources and schedules for its activities; (ii) form task groups to work on specific projects and to organise workshops, as appropriate; and (iii) conduct an annual review of the programme of work and the effectiveness of the programme.

In fulfilment of its mandate, the EGREAT will primarily be supported by the staff of the NEA Division of Radioactive Waste Management and Decommissioning (RWMD).

Membership

The EGREAT is a task-oriented expert group. It aims for a composition, which includes a diverse range of senior specialists who have considerable experience and knowledge in the area of the development and application of robotics in the nuclear back-end and technical, environmental and safety aspects in decommissioning and legacy management.

Interactions

Through the WPTES and the NEA Secretariat, the EGREAT will co-operate with other CDLM bodies, as appropriate, such as the Regulators' Forum (RF), as well as with other NEA standing technical committees, and their subsidiary bodies, when relevant. In particular, the EGREAT may cooperate with subsidiary bodies of the Radioactive Waste Management Committee (RWMC).

The EGREAT may also co-operate with the NEA Co-operative Programme for the Exchange of Scientific and Technical Information Concerning Nuclear Installation Decommissioning Projects (CPD), the OECD Environment Directorate, and other international organisations on matters of common interest.

The work of the EGREAT is complementary to that of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and European Commission (EC); EGREAT will co-operate with its relevant counterparts and will provide input to these institutions, as appropriate.

Deliverables

The EGREAT will produce relevant report(s) and organize various workshops, conferences, and webinars with the support of the NEA Secretariat.