Indicators for an effective nuclear safety culture include, in particular: the commitment at all levels of staff and management within an organisation to nuclear safety and its continuous improvement; the promotion of the ability of staff at all levels to question the delivery of relevant safety principles and practices to continuously improve nuclear safety; the ability of staff to report safety issues in a timely manner; the identification of the lessons learnt from operational experience; and the systematic reporting of any deviation from normal operating conditions or arrangements relevant to accident management that have the pot ...[+++]ential to have an impact on nuclear safety.

2. On request, the Commission may grant a compulsory licence in respect of a first patent to the proprietor of a national or Community patent or to the proprietor of a plant variety right who cannot use his patent (second patent) or his national or Community plant variety right without infringing a Community patent (first patent), provided that the invention or new plant variety claimed in the second patent or plant variety right involves an important technical advance of considerable economic significance in relation to the invention claimed in the first patent.

Following the Council’s invitation to set up a High Level Group at EU level, as recorded in its Conclusions of 8 May 2007 on nuclear safety and safe management of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste, the European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group (ENSREG) was established by Commission Decision 2007/530/Euratom of 17 July 2007 on establishing the European High Level Group on Nuclear Safety and Waste Management to contribute to the achievement of the Community objectives in the field of nuclear safety.

Following the Council’s invitation to set up a High Level Group at EU level, as recorded in its Conclusions of 8 May 2007 on nuclear safety and safe management of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste, the European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group (ENSREG) was established by Commission Decision 2007/530/Euratom of 17 July 2007 on establishing the European High Level Group on Nuclear Safety and Waste Management to contribute to the achievement of the Community objectives in the field of nuclear safety.

1.3. Recently considerable improvements have been made to transport security in Europe: aviation and airport security have been given a European framework[1], maritime and port terminal security have been strengthened[2], and security within the entire port areas can be expected to improve considerably following the recent completion of the legislative process on security measures for seaports[3].

- Objective: Stronger international cooperation in legal and judicial affairs By actions which include: - working together more closely on obtaining evidence and other information - developing a nowhere to hide policy for international fugitives through better international mechanisms for extradition, deportation and mutual legal assistance - Objective: To promote environmental protection and nuclear safety By: actions which include - a more intensive dialogue and coordination of negotiating positions on major global issues in fora such as the UN Commission on Sustainable Development and the Global Environmental Facility - more discussion on regulatory cooperation on chemicals issues such as trade in hazardous chemicals, harmonisation of cl ...[+++]assification and labelling and reduction of risks from hazardous substances - continuing work on biotechnology issues and stepping up efforts to decrease air pollution - joint projects to help Central and Eastern European countries and the countries of the former Soviet Union deal with their environmental problems - joint efforts to secure the safety of all nuclear power stations throughout Central and Eastern Europe, Russia, the Ukraine and the NIS - promoting the ratification of the International Convention on Nuclear Safety - Objective: A global early warning system and response network for communicable diseases By actions which include - a joint task force to develop and implement the system (see box) - increased training and professional exchanges - increased follow-up on World Health Organisation resolutions on outbreak and reporting responsibilities and strengthened response centres HEALTH Tracking viruses If an Early Warning System for communicable diseases was created, it would enable scientists to track mutations and variations in killer viruses such as HIV, Ebola and the Hanta.