Critical Enablers

Doc Ref: SMS/TS/F13-IR/001/v3.0

International Relations
Strategy
February 2011
International Relations
Strategy
February 2011
Contents

1.0 Introduction 3
2.0 International Relations Topic Strategy Objectives 3
3.0 International Relations Principles 4
4.0 Assumptions 6
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1.0 Introduction

International relations is one of the NDAs critical enablers within the Strategy
Management System, which have been identified as key to the successful delivery of
all the other topics. As a critical enabler, the NDAs position is expressed as a
statement of principles.
This statement of principles therefore sets out the NDAs approach to international
relations and has been developed through internal consultation, including INS, SLCs
and involvement of our sponsoring government department, DECC.
The NDAs 2006 Strategy recognised the importance and benefits of looking outside
the UK to make effective use of international experience in areas such as
competition, skills development, technical innovation, and research and
development; moreover, it acknowledged the importance of our international
stakeholders. Clearly, utilising the experience of others allows us to avoid duplication
of effort and reinventing the wheel, this in turn lets us target our resources more
efficiently and effectively, all of which is of benefit to the taxpayer.
This document builds upon the 2006 Strategy and further emphasises the importance
of engaging with international organisations, support for government policy in the
international context and takes account of our additional responsibilities regarding the
implementation of geological disposal. It also more explicitly demonstrates how we
will implement the strategy.
As a critical enabler the strategy interfaces with the majority of other Topic
Strategies, but with particular relevance to the following:
Decommissioning and Clean-up because it determines our approach to
delivering our mission;
Skills and Capability in terms of their availability across the nuclear sector;
Research & Development because of its links to innovation and capability;
Supply chain development because of the need to achieve innovation and
better value for money;
Higher Activity Wastes because of the links to the Geological Disposal
Facility.
Moreover, a key interface lies with INS because of the nature of its international
business.


2.0 International Relations Topic Strategy Objectives

Under the Energy Act the NDA has a number of duties and responsibilities which are
relevant in the international context. These include requirements to secure the
adoption of what it considers to be good practice by its sites, to secure value for
money, to undertake research, maintain and develop a skilled workforce and have
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regard for the environment, nuclear security and Government policy. It also has
obligations under other legislation, including that derived from European and
international sources.
The objectives of the NDAs international relations activities are therefore:
To gain unfettered (as far as possible) access to international good practice
through developing relationships with counterpart organisations in other
countries in order to:
learn lessons from their experiences;
facilitate targeted joint research and technology development;
provide benchmarking opportunities;
seek advancements in technology and processes;
promote the intellectual property held by the NDA and gain access to
intellectual property held by others;
explore opportunities for technology transfer;
encourage international third party endorsement of our programmes
through peer review and joint working; and
provide opportunities for developing our workforce.
To understand and influence international technical and legislative
developments in relation to activities which may affect the NDA.
To ensure the NDA maintains good relations with overseas communities
affected by its activities such as discharges from our sites and international
transport.
To support relevant Government policy in the international context.

3.0 International Relations Principles
Bilateral Agreements
1. The NDA will develop relationships with counterpart organisations in other
countries in order to provide access to international good practice. Many of
these face challenges similar to our own and it makes sense to share
experiences, learn lessons and create synergistic relationships to enhance
value for money. Where appropriate, this will be achieved through
establishing bilateral agreements or other formal or informal mechanisms.
2. Bilateral agreements somewhat ease the process of co-operating with other
organisations by facilitating liaison and indicate the mutual respect each has
for the others capabilities and standard of work. They provide a number of
benefits, and importantly allow for international benchmarking, training
opportunities and access to information which may otherwise not be
available. They could also provide a basis for entering into commercial
arrangements where appropriate.
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3. The NDA will continue to maintain bilateral relationships with the
organisations listed in Annex 1 and establish new ones where justified. All
new bilateral agreements will be subject to an appropriate business case to
ensure it will deliver genuine value. The value delivered by an agreement will
be evaluated before the agreement is renewed.
4. The NDA will prioritise its interactions with the respective organisations
based on its business objectives and needs.
Communication
1. The NDA will monitor the effectiveness of the bilateral agreements and its
international activities through its cross-functional International Liaison
Group. This will ensure we are achieving value for money and
communicating effectively with other topic strategy areas.
2. The NDA will endeavour to pass on the benefits of the bilaterals and other
international relationships to the SLCs thus ensuring value for money for
them. However, the NDA will provide the strategic oversight for the
relationships with the SLCs.
3. The NDA will ensure effective communication with INS in respect of
interactions with organisations which may also be customers or potential
commercial customers of the NDA to ensure a co-ordinated approach.
International Organisations
4. The NDA will undertake high level involvement with the International Atomic
Energy Agency (IAEA), Nuclear Energy Agency of the OECD (NEA), the
European Commission (EC), other organisations, and national governments,
where our input (where appropriate in liaison with DECC) can help influence
technical, legislative and policy development, and promote good relations.
5. In particular the NDA will take part in the International Association for
Environmentally Safe Disposal of Radioactive Material (EDRAM)
i
and the
European Unions Club of Waste Management Agencies
ii
in order to
maintain high level networking with counterpart organisations and explore
further opportunities for accessing international good practice.
6. In order to further gain experience and maximise financial leverage, the NDA
will take part in internationally co-ordinated joint research and development,
working groups or other collaborative mechanisms, such as through the ECs
R&D Framework programme (including the Technology Platform for
Implementing Geological Disposal), IAEA and NEA.
7. The NDA will participate in targeted international conferences as a further
avenue to gaining access to international good practice, to maintain its
international reputation, to communicate its messages to the international
community, to provide opportunity for peer review of its activities and provide
opportunities for personal development. This will be coordinated with INS
and the SLCs, where appropriate.
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Overseas Communities
1. The NDA will engage at an appropriate level with overseas governments
and communities, such as those in Ireland and Norway, in order to maintain
good relations.
2. Engagement with governments and communities affected by INS
operations will be undertaken by them.
Support to HMG
To support relevant Government policy, the NDA will work with DECC and
other Government departments as appropriate:
to monitor the activities of the European Commission and European
Parliament which may affect the NDA mission and programme;
to provide support in relation to international nuclear safeguards and
security matters;
to provide support with respect to inter-governmental agreements,
to provide support on the UK-Irish Contact Group and with other countries
which may be affected by discharges from our sites;
to support the FranceUK Nuclear Forum;
to support the UK membership of the International Framework for Nuclear
Energy Co-operation (IFNEC, formerly GNEP) and UK involvement in the
European Nuclear Energy Forum;
to support activities associated with the J oint Convention on Nuclear
Safety and the J oint Convention on the Safety of Spent Nuclear Fuel and
the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management.

4.0 Assumptions

International relations in the context of this document refers to the overall way in
which the NDA interacts with overseas entities. It does not cover relationships
relating to commercial income.
RWMD will be moving into prospective SLC mode, and ultimately become an SLC.
Many of the NDAs bilateral agreements are of particular interest and benefit to them.
Thus individual relationships will be managed through the transition to and SLC.
More generally, it is assumed where RWMD and other SLCs take part in joint R&D,
details will be provided in their own strategy documents.
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ANNEX I
Organisations with which the NDA has bilateral agreements and their dates of
signing and duration:
ANDRA, the French national agency for the disposal of radioactive waste
iii

regarding very low level and low level waste disposal, geological disposal, national
inventory development and graphite disposition. (May 2008, 5 years.)
CEA, the French Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies Commission
iv
regarding
waste management and decommissioning. (J une 2010, 5 years.)
Electricit de France (EDF) through its decommissioning arm CIDEN
v
for
decommissioning strategies, graphite waste disposition, and contaminated land
management. (J anuary 2006, 3 years, extended J anuary 2009.)
DBE
vi
Technology, the German repository construction and operation organisation
regarding geological disposal. (October 2009, 5 years.)
Japan Atomic Energy Agency (J AEA) regarding low level waste management,
waste treatment, decommissioning and geological disposal. (J uly 2008, 5 years.)
Japan Nuclear Fuel Limited (J NFL) regarding low level waste disposal, waste
treatment facilities, decommissioning and public acceptance activities. (Open ended.)
The Nuclear Waste Management Organisation of Japan (NUMO) in respect of
geological disposal. (J une 2004, 5 years, extended J une 2009.)
The Radioactive Waste Management Funding and Research Centre of Japan
(RWMC) in respect of low, intermediate and high-level waste management, including
geological disposal. (September 2004, 5 years.)
NAGRA, the Swiss national co-operative for the disposal of radioactive waste
vii
for
intermediate and high level waste, and spent fuel disposal. (February 2006, 5 years.)
ONDRAF/NIRAS, the Belgian agency for radioactive waste and enriched fissile
materials
viii
regarding decommissioning activities, low and intermediate level waste
disposal, and geological disposal. (October 2005, 5 years.)
SKB, the Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company
ix
for low and
intermediate level waste disposal and geological disposal of spent fuel. (February
2002, 5 years, extended February 2007.)
The United States Department of Energy (USDOE) through its Office of
Environmental Management (EM) in respect of decommissioning and clean-up
activities and the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management regarding
geological disposal. (March 2007, 5 years.)


i
EDRAM Members are ANDRA (France); BfS, DBE (Germany); ENRESA (Spain), NAGRA
(Switzerland), NDA (UK), NUMO (J apan), NWMO (Canada), OCRWM-DOE (USA); ONDRAF/NIRAS
(Belgium); POSIVA (Finland); SKB (Sweden).
ii
The Club of Agencies members are the waste management organisations of the EU and Switzerland,
and the ECs Directorate General for Energy and the Directorate General for Research and Innovation.
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iii
ANDRA : Agence nationale pour la gestion des dchets radioactifs.
iv
CEA: Commissariat lnergie atomique et aux nergies alternatives.
v
CIDEN : Centre dIngnierie, Dconstruction et Environnement
vi
DBE : Deutsche Gesellschaft zum Bau und Betrieb von Endlagern fr Abfallstoffe mbH
vii
NAGRA: Nationale Genossenschaft fr die Lagerung radioaktiver Abflle
viii
ONDRAF/NIRAS: lorganisme national des dchets radioactifs et des matires fissiles enrichies/ de
nationale instelling voor radioactief afval en verrijkte splijtstoffen.
ix
SKB: Svensk Krnbrnslehantering AB
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