Commission launches nuclear training centre
The European Commission has launched a new nuclear safety training facility to help combat the illegal trade in radioactive material.
The Commission opened EUSECTRA in Karlsruhe, Germany. The centre will instruct front-line officers, trainers and experts on how to detect and respond to illicit trafficking of nuclear or other radioactive materials as well as offer hands-on training using a wide variety of radioactive and nuclear materials and a broad selection of equipment and measurement instruments.
Commenting on the centre’s opening, European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, said: “Nuclear security is a major global challenge in the 21st Century. Training and international co-operation in detection are key elements in our response to the threat of illicit trafficking of radioactive and nuclear materials. This new training centre is contributing at the cutting edge of research and technology in this field.”
The European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Cecilia Malmström, added that the training centre will help better equip emergency personnel to prevent and tackle nuclear incidents. It is hoped the centre will also enhance the nuclear training activities carried out by the Commission’s Joint Research Centre at Karlsruhe and Ispra, Italy.
Nuclear safety and training will receive funding under Horizon 2020. EURATOM is described as an ‘integral part’ of the next research and innovation framework programme.
