The Border Monitoring Working Group as a model for multilateral collaboration

The risk that nuclear and other radioactive material could be used in terrorist acts is a real and growing concern of the international community and one that demands improved nuclear security. The 2012 Seoul Nuclear Security summit underscored the need to develop national capabilities to prevent, detect, respond to and prosecute illicit nuclear trafficking. The summit stressed the importance of regional and international cooperation, and encourages States to promote cooperation with and outreach activities to international partners. This statement is at the heart of the mission of the Border Monitoring Working Group (BMWG). In fact, the BMWG was established in 2005 by IAEA, European Union (EU) and United States (US) to promote co-operation between its members and serve as a forum for discussion and exchange of information on plans and programs to be implemented by the members in cooperation with the recipient countries to combat the illicit trafficking of nuclear and other radioactive material that is out of regulatory control. The specific areas of co-operation include radiation detection equipment deployment, training, and sustainability. Since its establishment, the BMWG has proven to be an effective tool for avoiding duplication and maximizing and targeting resources. In this line of action, joint BMWG assessment missions are conducted in various regions aiming at ensuring common approaches and practices to assistance and support to be provided. The group members are also implementing joint projects in different regions in the world from coordinated and complementary deployment and sustainment of equipment, through organising joint workshops and exercises and to providing joint trainings. In the field of training, the representatives of the three organisations have worked on the development of two joint curricula; one for front line officers on radiation detection techniques based on their independent training programs and another for training of trainers. The successful evolution of the BMWG includes cooperation on some R&D aspects related to the technologies used for radiation detection. The group is involved on the testing of the equipment that are used in EU and US for the detection of radioactive and nuclear materials. The group also encourages and supports targeted projects in areas where the scientific and technical work can bring measureable added value to end users, such as the reduction of the number of NORM alarms from scintillating RPM detectors. This paper highlights some of the BMWG activities that underline the importance of international cooperation and coordination, especially in the area of illicit trafficking of nuclear and other radioactive materials.JRC.A.4-Nuclear Safety and Securit