Background

During fifteen years from 1991 to 2006, the Tacis Nuclear Safety Programme was the main instrument of the European Union to improve the safety of nuclear installations in the CIS. Since 2000, the programme had been implemented in the framework of the 'Tacis Regulation' (Council Regulation 99/2000 of 29 December 1999) and the Communication from the Commission to the EP and the Council (COM 493/2000).

This framework expired at the end of 2006 and was subsequently replaced by the 'Instrument for Nuclear Safety Cooperation' (INSC - Council Regulation (EURATOM) No 300/2007 of 19 February 2007).
The Russian Government declined the first offer to continue the collaboration under the INSC programme and the EC was exploring further possibilities to continue the cooperation..

This summary provides a general explanation of the results of the mission to the Russian Federation performed by the EC consultant in support of the EC.

Project Aims

Overall objective of the project was to assist DG DEVCO:

• to identify with the principal key actors for nuclear safety within the Russian Government which are the main obstacles that have led to a refusal of the collaboration under the INSC programme;
• to explore possible ways of collaboration with the key decision makers in the nuclear safety sector in the Russian Federation.
• to identify the willingness of the Russian Federation for a future collaboration;
• to investigate/identify possible technical areas of collaboration in the Nuclear Safety field that could be acceptable by both the EC and the Russian Federation within a potential future framework

The work to be provided consisted in:

• preparing the foreseen mission to the Russian Federation, according to the instructions of the EC Project Manager;
• executing the mission;
• reporting to the EC (mission report and final report).

The results to be achieved by the Consultant were the following:

• Assistance in identification of the main obstacles that have led to a refusal of the collaboration of the Russian Federation in the Nuclear Safety field under the INSC programme;
• Proposal of possible options for future collaboration with the Russian Federation.

The results to be reflected in a mission report, to be issued within seven days following the return from the mission and a final report will be drafted within one month following the return from the mission.

Project Results

The contract was signed in December 2009 and completed within ten months. Initial period of the implementation of six months was extended by signing the addendum 1 to the contract. All other terms and conditions of the contract remained unchanged.