Institute for TransUranium Elements (ITU) trains EU enlargement countries on combating illicit trafficking of nuclear material

Karlsruhe, Germany, 01 May 2002

Following the first session of the joint training workshop in January 2002 at Institute for TransUranium Elements (ITU), from 15th-19th April more than 20 representatives from Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Turkey attended various lectures on combating illicit trafficking of nuclear material.

Training Programme

During the training course the participants were familiarized with hand-held measurement devices that shall enable them to measure and identify radioactive or nuclear material on the spot, immediately after a seizure.

The national technical experts were introduced in the different analytical techniques available at ITU for the identification of nuclear material of unknown origin. ITU will assist these countries in establishing a response plan to illicit trafficking of nuclear material that meets international standards. Furthermore, demonstration exercises in the individual countries shall be performed in order to show how the different services involved interact and co-operate in case of a seizure of nuclear or radioactive material.

For more information see also the recent issue of JRC in Action about Developing nuclear forensic science.

Contact: margit.roedder@cec.eu.int

Joint Research Centre
http://www.jrc.cec.eu.int/index.asp