Finland Launches Its First IAEA International Assessment of Radiation Emergency Preparedness

Finland has recently launched its first international assessment of radiation emergency preparedness. At the invitation of Finland's Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, an international expert team assembled by the International Atomic Energy Agency began assessing Finland's preparedness for radiation emergency response on August 25, with the work continuing through September 1.

The assessment is coordinated by the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority of Finland. This authority also serves as the IAEA contact point and participates in this review as one of the assessed entities. The coordination group designated by Finland's Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment is chaired by Karim Peltonen from the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority of Finland.

The assessment employs the IAEA's Emergency Preparedness Review mechanism, known as EPREV. This mechanism is a peer review service for member states, focusing on their emergency preparedness arrangements for responding to radiation emergencies. For Finland, this marks the first time it has undergone such an international assessment.

During the visit, an assessment team of 11 experts will interview Finland's relevant competent authorities and agencies involved in radiation emergency management, and learn about emergency preparedness arrangements in different regions of Finland. The scope of the assessment covers Finland's national-level radiation emergency preparedness system, including coordination mechanisms among various organizations. The assessment is based on on-site interviews as well as relevant materials previously submitted by the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority of Finland.

Karim Peltonen stated that multiple agencies and organizations in Finland are involved in radiation emergency response, and these entities need to maintain smooth and efficient collaboration across different scenarios. He believes that the assessment by emergency preparedness experts from seven countries will help Finland further improve its national radiation emergency preparedness system and provide references for enhancing the overall capacity to respond to large-scale emergencies.

According to the arrangements, the final EPREV assessment report will be completed within a few months. The assessment team will announce preliminary results at the conclusion of the current mission.