2016

Fernando Marti Scharfhausen, Chairman of the Spanish Nuclear Safety Council (CSN), closed this afternoon the Second International Conference on Nuclear Security Regulators accompanied by the Chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC), Stephen G. Burns.

In his speech, the head of the Spanish nuclear regulator highlighted the excellent level of the panelists and the questions forwarded by the audience. Marti also emphasized one of the main conclusions of the Conference, such as strengthening the security models for nuclear facilities, for nuclear materials transport and for radioactive sources “in order to provide the appropriate response to the current threats”.

On the other hand, Stephen G. Burns, remarked: “I hope over the past couple days you have learned more about what your international counterparts are doing in the security arena and have taken the opportunity to meet new friends and possibly arrange future meetings with each other. As I said when this conference opened, collaboration and communication are so important in many arenas, but most certainly when we are talking about the security of nuclear facilities around the world”.

The day began with the keynote of the Secretary of State for Security, Francisco Martínez Vázquez, who stressed out that “the nuclear security model developed in the last legislature has enhanced capabilities to respond to possible attacks. He also remarked that the initiatives taken by the Interior Ministry are focused from the strategic point of view in a coordinated action between public entities involved in nuclear safety and the private sector operating in this field”.

This Second Conference addressed, as a main pillar, the importance of the protection of sensitive information as well as the implementation and regulation of cybersecurity systems.

In this way, some of the main conclusions of this meeting were unanimous criteria regarding the willingness to develop and implement the so-called Force -on -force exercises and the need to boost security culture in each level of nuclear facilities.

During the last three days, more than 200 experts in security from 20 different countries analyzed in ten topic panels, at the auditorium of the Museo del Prado, several aspects related to the independence of the regulatory body, the security of radioactive sources or the development of security culture.

The schedule was complete with eight keynotes that have included, for instance, issues like: lessons learned for nuclear security enhancement five years after the Fukushima Daiichi accident, the Spanish national system for the protection of classified information; the work carried out by the European Association of European Regulators for physical security (ENSRA) or the work developed, for twenty years, by the International Physical Protection Advisory Service (IPPAS) of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA ).

Regarding the nuclear security of facilities and nuclear material, the Spanish Nuclear Safety Council is responsible for assessing, inspecting and controlling activities, the preparation and approval of regulations, collaboration with and advice to other competent authorities and for initiating sanction procedures.

For more information, please visit the following website: http://csnsecurityconference.org/