Cross-border actions in the event of an accident
Acciones transfonterizas en caso de accidente
Situations arising from a radiological accident may affect other countries. Even if an accident does not have harmful cross-border effects, it is important that it be communicated as soon as possible to prevent any unfavourable development. Therefore, in emergencies, the effective and quick flow of information plays an essential role in managing the situation. Spain has signed various international agreements in this sense.
• The Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident (IAEA).
Its purpose is to provide information on nuclear accidents as soon as possible to minimise cross-border radiological consequences. In the event of an accident, each member state signatory to the convention undertakes to provide information on the development of the accident to the IAEA, which immediately informs all the member states.
• The Convention on Assistance in the Case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency (IAEA).Through this convention, all signatory member states undertake to cooperate with each other and with the IAEA to provide assistance in a nuclear accident or radiological emergency. This assistance is aimed to reduce to the minimum the radiation consequences and protecting the life of people, property and the environment from the harmful effects of radioactive releases.
• European Community Urgent Radiological Information Exchange (ECURIE-EU).
After the Chernobyl accident, the European Union decided to develop an agreement among the member states for the quick exchange of radiological information in the event of an emergency. Under this agreement, the states are obliged to inform the EU when they decide to take wide-ranging measures to protect the public in a radiological emergency.
Additionally, in recent years, given the large differences between the emergency plans of different countries, efforts have been made to try to unify, homogenise and make compatible the protection measures in neighbouring countries potentially affected by the same nuclear or radiological accident. In this sense, the organisations HERCA (Heads of European Radiological protection Competent Authorities) and WENRA (Western European Nuclear Regulators Association) have developed a protocol of action to homogenise the response of various countries to the same emergency. This procedure sets homogenisation criteria and measures in all types of accident scenarios, including very serious ones in which information is lacking in the first moments of the event.