The Nuclear Energy Agency, founded in 1958, is a semi-independent institution within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

The NEA is composed of seven main international standing technical committees dealing with nuclear sciences, safety, regulation, waste management, technical and economic studies, nuclear law, and radiation protection.

CEA takes part in the Steering Committee of the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) and works to promote the exchange of information between the French representatives on the agency's various technical committees (nuclear science, safety, waste management regulations, nuclear energy, nuclear law).

Negotiations on multilateral conventions

CEA takes part in negotiating and following up various international conventions in the nuclear field. The main agreements concerned relate to :

The marine environment :

• London Convention (1972) on the prevention of marine pollution by dumping of wastes and other matter,
• OSPAR Convention (1992) for the protection of the marine environment of the North-East Atlantic.

Safety :

• Convention on Nuclear Safety (1994) aimed at reaching and sustaining a high level of nuclear safety for civil nuclear installations,
• Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel and Radioactive Waste Management (1997) resulting from the operation of civil nuclear reactors.

Physical protection of nuclear materials :

• Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Materials (1979), signed under the aegis of the IAEA and aimed at ensuring the safe transportation and physical protection of nuclear materials.

Third party liability in the nuclear field :

• Paris Convention on Third Party Liability in the field of Nuclear Energy (1960) signed under the aegis of the OECD. It includes special provisions regarding liability and compensation in respect of damage caused by a nuclear incident.
• Additional Convention of Brussels (1963), agreed upon to provide for additional resources for compensation should the compensation available under the Paris Convention prove insufficient.

MNEPR Framework Agreement

CEA also takes part in negotiating certain specific agreements such as the framework agreement relating to a multilateral nuclear environmental program with Russia, known as MNEPR (Multilateral Nuclear Environmental Programme in the Russian Federation), the aim of which is to simplify cooperation in the safety of spent fuel and radioactive waste management in the Russian Federation (see section on CEA participation in the G8).
This agreement and its protocol on third party liability were signed in Stockholm on May 21, 2003. It came into force on April 14, 2004 and the ratification process is now under way among the various contributing parties.
France and Russia are currently negotiating an initial MNEPR application agreement to set up bilateral nuclear cooperation within the context of the G8 Global Partnership against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction.

CEA participation in the G8

As part of the Global Partnership against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction, set up during the Kananaskis G8 Summit in June 2002, France undertook to cooperate with the Russian Federation to reduce proliferation risks in the nuclear, biological and chemical fields. Under the terms of an agreement signed with the French government on November 18, 2003, CEA was choosen as manager (nuclear, chemical, and biological aspects) for activities relating to this cooperation.

In the nuclear field, CEA is helping to prepare for the elimination of Russian weapons-grade plutonium through the use of MOX fuel in VVER nuclear power plants. This follows an agreement signed by the USA and the Russian Federation in September 2000, whereby each party undertakes to eliminate 34 metric tons of weapons-grade plutonium. CEA is also working with representatives of French industry to dismantle Russian nuclear-powered submarines in Gremikha.

Regarding chemicals, CEA is involved in the Schuchye project, aimed at setting up environmental monitoring of this future plant designed for the destruction of nerve agents (sarin, soman, VX). This monitoring will cover the atmosphere, water, soil, and analytical methods.

Lastly, in the biological field, CEA wishes to work with the Russians on developing new diagnostic and therapeutic tools to respond to a biological threat; this project is consistent with the national NRBC program

CEA also takes part in the Generation IV Forum, which was set up to create an international research structure for developing 4th-generation nuclear systems up to the technical maturity stage, expected around 2030. It was set up in 2001, following on from an initiative launched in 2000 by the US Department of Energy (DOE). It now has eleven members: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, France, Japan, South Korea, South Africa, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States of America and the community of countries party to the Euratom treaty. The eleven members recognize the advantages offered by nuclear energy for meeting the world's growing energy requirements, within a context of sustainable development and prevention of risks induced by climate change.