The Organisation for Economic Co‑operation and Development (OECD) has officially invited Romania to become a full member of the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) and its data bank, according to a statement from the Romanian Government.

The accession will be formalised with an official exchange of letters between Romania representatives and OECD Secretary‑General Angel Gurria in June 2017.

“I welcome OECD’s decision to invite Romania to become a full member of the Nuclear Energy Agency, which will benefit both sides. This confirms the constant progress made by our country to assimilate the OECD instruments. We will do our best for Romania to start as soon as possible the negotiations for the accession to the world club of best economic development practices,” said Romania’s Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu.

Romania officially submitted its candidacy to become a member of the NEA in October 2016. Romania's nuclear program was then subjected to an evaluation process by the NEA Secretariat, a joint effort that required the participation of Romanian ministry officials, representatives of the nuclear industry and research institutes in the field, and the Inter-ministerial Committee for Romania's Relationship with OECD.

OECD also invited Argentina to become a full member of the NEA, at the same time as Romania.

“We are very glad to have Argentina and Romania join the NEA, a step that signals the growing co‑operation between the OECD and both countries, and an evidence of their commitment to best practices in the field of nuclear energy,” said OECD Secretary‑General Angel Gurria. “The Agency will also benefit from the experience that Argentina and Romania can provide to the rest of its members with regard to nuclear technology and safety."

The Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) is an intergovernmental agency that operates under the framework of the Organisation for Economic Co‑operation and Development (OECD). It facilitates co-operation among countries with advanced nuclear technology infrastructures to seek excellence in nuclear safety, technology, science, related environmental and economic matters and law. With Argentina and Romania, NEA membership will include 33 countries that co‑operate through joint research, consensus‑building among experts and development of best practices.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com