Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology


Terms of Reference
The Contact Expert Group for International Radwaste Projects in the Russian Federation (CEG)


PREAMBLE

Subsequent to an international conference at the IAEA in May 1995, and at a follow-up meeting in Stockholm in September 1995, a group of interested parties established under the auspices of the IAEA the Contact Expert Group for international radioactive waste projects in the Russian Federation (CEG) to facilitate and promote international cooperation on radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel management. The members of the CEG have decided that the Terms of Reference from January 2002 require updating. The new Terms of Reference read as follows:

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the CEG is to promote co-operation between all countries, the European Commission (EC) and intergovernmental organisations, who are interested in contributing to projects aimed at enhancing the safety and security of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and radioactive waste management including decommissioning of obsolete nuclear facilities and rehabilitation of old nuclear sites in the Russian Federation. The CEG should prioritise these projects based on proposals from the Russian Federation in line with a recognised Russian strategy. The CEG should also serve as a forum for discussion and exchange of information on plans and programs to be implemented in the Russian Federation with the objective to optimise the use of Russian and Foreign resources, and with the view of presenting recommendations on specific projects carried out by contributors in cooperation with the Russian Federation.

SCOPE

The scope of the CEG is to deal with issues related to all phases of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste management from the origin (treatment of collected waste from dismantling and of retrieved waste from the decommissioning of obsolete nuclear facilities) to the final disposal, as well as to support as needed the necessary licensing and certification by the appropriate Russian regulatory authority (ies) for the implementation of the necessary phases.

The CEG may decide to focus on a specific nuclear waste topics or a geographical area where nuclear wastes are a major issue.

MEMBERSHIP

Eligible members of the CEG are: countries, the EC, intergovernmental organisations and international scientific organisations, who are interested in contributing with resources to activities within the objective and scope of the CEG.

Governments or governing bodies of eligible members, nominate one person each for a period of two years as its representative to the CEG. Nomination is done in writing to the IAEA, the Chairman and the Executive Secretary of the CEG.

The representative, or a person appointed by the representative, shall act as the formal contact point with the CEG Chairmanship and Secretariat.

Parties who are interested in participation in the CEG activities but not ready to join the CEG as full members may participate in the CEG meetings as observers. Such participation shall be decided by the CEG Chairman in consultations with the CEG representatives who may decline this request by the given deadline.

CHAIRMANSHIP

The CEG is chaired by one of the representatives and is elected for a two-year period by the full members of the CEG. A Vice-Chairman is elected by them simultaneously for the same period.

The Chairman prepares the agenda for the CEG meetings, moderates the discussions and sums up the common viewpoints of the CEG members. He/She writes the conclusions and the summing up/minutes from the meeting.

The Chairman represents the CEG, takes appropriate provisions to raise the CEG profile and acts on behalf of the CEG within the lines of the CEG objective and scope.

The Vice-Chairman conducts the duties of the Chairman in the case of his/her absence or temporary inability to perform his/her duties.

SECRETARIAT

The establishment and operation of the CEG Secretariat is entrusted to the IAEA, which provides premises and infrastructure necessary for its work. The Secretariat consists of an Executive Secretary. The Executive Secretary receives instructions from the CEG Chairman.

The Executive Secretary cannot represent the CEG or any member of it.

The duration of the post for the Executive Secretary is two years. The vacant post shall be announced to all CEG members by the IAEA. The selection of the candidate for the post shall be done by the IAEA in consultation with the Chairman of the CEG. Before selection of the candidate, the CEG Chairman shall consult the CEG representatives, and the candidate has also to be approved by the CEG representatives.

The duties of the Secretariat shall be to:

 


WORK PROCEDURES

The main work within the CEG is carried out in connection with, and at, regular meetings. However the Chairman may request actions from the representatives in between meetings, and additional meetings can be called by the Chairman on his/her own initiative, or on request, by CEG representatives.

The identification of priority areas for support may result from strategy studies or whatever other activities (e.g. dedicated technical workshops, donor workshops, ad-hoc groups, etc.). The CEG may establish working groups for specific tasks and duration within the agreed Terms of Reference. No working group should be established until its financing is secured.

The CEG may request the use of IAEA staff for evaluation of project proposals, etc.

The CEG should have a routine input to the IAEA regarding its activities. CEG activities should be reported as appropriate to the Board of Governors’ meetings.

Decisions of the CEG should primarily be made by consensus. If this is not possible a two third majority of the representatives present, will be required.

The CEG may support or arrange workshops, seminars etc. on agreed subjects of importance for the management of SNF and radioactive waste in the Russian Federation.

MEETINGS

Plenary CEG-meetings will normally be held at least once a year.

Meetings and workshops of the CEG are organised and hosted in turn by each CEG member, with more frequent meetings in the Russian Federation.

The representatives to the CEG can be accompanied by alternates and experts. Each full member delegation is chaired by its representative. The list of the delegates shall be sent to the CEG Executive Secretary in advance of each meeting with a copy to the Chairman.

The Chairman may restrict the access of an accompanying expert to certain parts of the meetings with consent of the representative who invited the expert.

The Chairman may invite observers, planning to undertake cooperative activities with the Russian Federation, to attend the meetings as appropriate.

When documents to be discussed at the meeting require extensive consultations, the CEG Executive Secretary will endeavour to make them available for the participants at least three weeks before the meeting. A limited distribution of this material may be selected, if required.

Reports of the meetings should be distributed to all the participants of the meetings in both Russian and English languages, if possible.

The Chairman, the Vice-Chairman, the Russian representative and the Executive Secretary may, if needed, form a special working group to undertake preparatory work for specific agenda items to be taken up at CEG meetings.

FINANCING

The IAEA and CEG members share the cost of running the CEG on a voluntary basis. The meetings are sponsored by the host (meeting room, secretarial services, meeting logistics).

A fund shall be established by yearly fees of the members used for running the Secretariat, (salary and travel expenses). The fund may also cover the cost for interpreters at specific meetings, translation of documents and meeting materials and support specific participants to attend meetings and other activities as decided by the Chairman.

Participants in the CEG meetings and other related meetings are expected to cover their own costs.

These Terms of Reference adopted at the 19th CEG meeting on 5 October 2005 in Ottawa, Canada.