On June 13-15, 2017, NRC/OIP and AdSTM participated in the 9th Regulatory Cooperation Forum (RCF) Steering Committee Meeting and the Collaboration Meeting with the European Commission (EC) and the RCF. In 2010, the RCF was established as a regulator-to-regulator forum to promote collaboration and cooperation to improve coordination among IAEA member states with well-established nuclear power programs (providers) and those considering the introduction and/or expansion of nuclear power programs (recipients).
The Steering Committee Meeting focused on overview of the current status of regulatory infrastructure development and coordination of support activities in the RCF active recipient countries, and discussions on the RCF candidate recipient countries. At the conclusion of the Steering Committee members approved China’s request to become a RCF provider country, which would make twelve provide countries in total. In addition, Ghana and Morocco, were both approved as new RCF recipient countries, which would expand the number of recipient countries from four to six.
The Collaboration Meeting focused on specific needs of these countries and their regulatory deployment of nuclear power programs, including exchange of information and sharing of experience. The RCF active recipient countries – Belarus, Jordan, and Poland (Viet Nam was absent) - presented on their progress of nuclear power program development, including regulatory infrastructure issues, and the current status of the RCF Action Plan. New recipient countries, Ghana and Morocco, will present at the 10th RCF annual meeting in 2018.
The RCF annual meeting continues to provide NRC and the IRDP program a forum to conduct discussions with countries already and/or interested in receiving support from the IRDP program.