NEA Celebrates 50 Years

An international array of some 250 dignitaries and government experts in the field of nuclear energy gathered in Paris in October to mark the 50th anniversary of the creation of the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA). In the course of a special anniversary meeting, distinguished guest speakers and government ministers will present their countries' view on the use of nuclear energy and its future prospects as well as comment on the Agency's ongoing contribution to the safe and environmentally friendly use of nuclear power for peaceful purposes.

The NEA was conceived from the outset as a flexible tool of international co-operation, capable of adjusting to changes in the political, economic, social and energy contexts, and hence to the needs of its members. Its standing as a recognized actor on the intergovernmental nuclear energy co-operation scene reflects its success in fulfilling this mandate over the past five decades.

The NEA has been at the centre of a wide range of international joint projects and overseen the implementation of a number of international recommendations, conventions, and agreements. The Agency produces state-of-the-art reports, policy statements and “collective opinions” reflecting the views and recommendations reached among its member countries. A continuing objective of the NEA has been the framing of common understandings on national practices in such areas as reactor safety, protection against radiation, radioactive waste management, as well as nuclear law and regulatory applications.

More information can be found on the NEA Web Site:www.nea.fr/html/general/50th.