ASSOCIATION OF EUROPEAN COMPETENT AUTHORITIES (AECA) FOR THE SAFE TRANSPORT OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL

In the coming years there will be a significant increase in the number of shipments of packages containing radioactive material. The main contributors to this increase will be: • the medical sector; • the transport of low level non-nuclear wastes to disposal sites; • the nuclear industry from decommissioning activities and the revival of the nuclear sector. Clearly many of the challenges faced by a Competent Authority (CA) to demonstrate that the levels of safety provided by the transport regulations are being achieved in practice are common in many countries and it would be the most efficient and effective solution to share CA resources. It is to meet this challenge that the creation of an ‘Association of European Competent Authorities’ has been made in February 2008. At the moment the EU countries involved represent more than 75% of the overall EU territory and population. Broadly speaking the mission of the Association is to develop co-operation between Competent Authorities (CA). All the subject matters that are the responsibility of national Competent Authorities can be addressed in principal in the framework of the Association. We propose to present the mission and objectives of the Association, the results achieved so far and the future developments envisaged.