Working Group N°4 on Information, Participation and Communication.

Good communication with the public is always recognized as a key factor for a successful and effective Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR). In PREPARE research project, communication was the main focus of one of the main work packages [WP6], and an important element for the success of WP3, dealing with management of contaminated goods including food. WP2 was devoted to the design and development of a so-called “Analytical Platform” intended to be a focal point for collecting information, analysing any nuclear or radiological event and providing information to the public about the consequences and its future evolution.

During the 7th General Assembly of the NERIS Platform, the creation of a new Working Group on Information, Participation and Communication was approved with the following general objectives:

• To elaborate on the conclusions and recommendations of PREPARE WP6 & WP3, with regard to the aspects of:
  • information to the public,
  • communication among experts and stakeholders, and
  • the participation of the relevant stakeholder in the EPR processes.
• To create a group of users of the “Analytical Platform” that could be the seed for a larger community of users, helping in establishing the adequate rules of conduct and basis for its maintenance.
  • To further disseminate its potentiality to help experts, NGOs and the public to better understand the situation after a nuclear or radiological accident.
  • To provide feedback on all these aspects to the developers at KIT.
• To have a forum of exchange of ideas and experiences within NERIS and with international organisations or groups interested in the WG topics.