Chair(s): |
Kemal O. PASAMEHMETOGLU, United States |
Secretary: |
Tatiana IVANOVA (tatiana.ivanova@oecd-nea.org) |
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Vice-Chair(s): |
Hamid AIT ABDERRAHIM, Belgium Gilles BIGNAN, France Kazufumi TSUJIMOTO, Japan Andreas PAUTZ, Switzerland | ||
Member(s): | All NEA member countries* | ||
Russia (Suspended*) | |||
*Russian Federation suspended pursuant to a decision of the OECD Council. | |||
Full participant(s): |
European Commission Under the NEA Statute | ||
Observer(s)(International Organisation): |
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) By agreement | ||
Date of creation: | 01 October 1991 | ||
End of mandate: | 31 December 2026 |
Mandate (Document reference):
Mandate (Document extract):
Extract from document NEA/NE(2020)23
Background
At the invitation of the NEA Steering Committee to all NEA standing technical committees, the NSC launched a prioritisation exercise in 2020. As part of this process, the mandate of the NSC has been revised and NSC activities have been prioritised and restructured in order to improve efficiency and maintain the high standard of NSC deliverables while addressing the activities according to the priorities indicated by the member countries.
Mandate
The general objective of the NEA in the field of nuclear science is to help member countries identify, collect, compile, develop, preserve and disseminate the basic scientific and technical knowledge required to ensure the safe, reliable and economic operation of current and next-generation nuclear systems and to promote innovation.
Research capabilities and technical expertise in basic disciplines, such as nuclear data, reactor physics, thermal hydraulics, neutronics, fuel thermo-mechanical behaviour, fuel cycle physics and chemistry, material science and radiation physics, are needed to develop nuclear programmes and to maintain and enhance a high level of performance and safety. Advancing this body of knowledge is central to addressing issues of importance for the current generation of nuclear facilities, and it is essential to the design, construction and operation of new reactors, fuel cycles and other nuclear facilities. Future nuclear technologies will greatly benefit from the systematic accumulation of knowledge in these areas.
Fostering the active identification, collection, compilation, preservation, and development of this scientific knowledge in an international framework and, enhancing the dissemination of the results is vital to the effective performance of nuclear activities. The shared analysis of this information and data in an international framework contributes to the identification of promising new technical options, the acceleration of innovation deployment and the building of a robust skills capability across the nuclear science community.
To achieve these objectives, through appropriate collaboration frameworks, the Committee will:
Advancing the existing knowledge and expertise through innovative collaborative research is a critical element of the Committee’s mission. The areas of activity will cover, but not be limited to:
Within the NSC, the main areas of activities are realised by Working Parties (WPs). Under the WPs, Expert Groups (EG), Sub-groups (SGs) and Task Forces (TFs) are established to focus on a specific topic. The mandates of WPs and EGs directly under the NSC last three years. As part of the restructuring process for technical activities under the NSC, the duration of the mandates of level 3 bodies (i.e. expert groups under the current existing level 2 working parties) is increased to three years to be aligned with the NSC programme of work. Historically the NSC has also established sub-groups (SGs) and Task Forces (TFs) to focus on specific topics. In order to improve the efficiency of NSC activities, whenever a new activity focuses on a specific scope with well-defined deliverables and schedule, the default will be to launch a fixed-duration Task Force. The previous “Sub-group” terminology will be gradually replaced by “Task Force”. To further improve efficiency, the NSC’s level 2 or 3 body may launch a TF, which will be directly mandated in, and overseen by, the level 2 or level 3 body that launches the TF.
In the fulfilment of its mandate, the Committee will interact with other standing technical committees of the Agency in matters of common interest and with other competent bodies within the Organisation, as well as with NEA divisions and other international organisations, as appropriate.