Information sharing in a nuclear security event

The European reference network for critical infrastructure protection (Erncip) has a Thematic Group for Radiological and Nuclear Threats to Critical Infrastructure (RN thematic group). It produced, in its 2014 work programme, a report on radiological and nuclear information sharing between the European Union Member States in case of a nuclear security event. As part of its 2015 work programme, the group collected views from the EU Member States regarding this report as a key step in the work towards future European format and protocol standardisation to be implemented for technical reachback and other analysis purposes. The RN thematic group designed a simple questionnaire, which was sent to the relevant authorities in the Member States. The answers (10 out of 28) came from very different organisations working in the domains of security, safety or the military. The different backgrounds of the responding organisations show that responsibility for nuclear and radiological matters, including information sharing in a nuclear security event, varies strongly between different Member States. This knowledge alone is an important outcome of the questionnaire. Some replies showed that much work needs to be done in raising European awareness regarding the prevention and detection of and the response to nuclear security events, including information sharing nationally and internationally. Some Member States have not yet identified the need for cooperation in sharing nuclear spectrometric data and analysis results. One of the basic requirements of the proposed new information-sharing system for nuclear security is that advanced national analysis resources be provided for Member States that do not have such capabilities. Even though the future arrangements for information sharing would be based on a standard technological structure, all data exchange would be voluntary and bilateral between the Member States.