The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has overall responsibility for drawing up strategies and priorities for this work, and represents Norway when nuclear safety in Russia is discussed in international fora. To ensure a broad political basis for decisions, priorities and projects, all relevant matters are discussed by the advisory committee for nuclear issues 2The committe is chaired by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and inlcudes representatives of the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Health and Care Services, the Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs, the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority, the Institute for Energy Technology and the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment..

The Ministry of the Environment is responsible for protection of the outdoor environment against radioactivity. In the context of the Plan of Action, this means that the Ministry is responsible for surveying and monitoring the situation in the northern areas. The Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority undertakes this work on behalf of the Ministry of the Environment. The Ministry of the Environment also has the overall responsibility for drawing up legislation and guidelines on environmental impact assessment, which is an important element of the co-operation between the Norwegian and Russian authorities.

The Ministry of Defence is responsible for the Arctic Military Environmental Co-operation (AMEC).

The Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority is responsible for those aspects of the Plan of Action relating to radiation protection, nuclear safety, emergency preparedness, non-proliferation and radioactive pollution on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Authority has a special responsibility for quality assurance of environmental impact assessments for each of the projects. Contact and co-operation with the Russian inspection authorities is another key responsibility.

The project co-ordinators are responsible for ensuring that projects are carried out according to plan and within the specified time frames and cost ceilings.

Bilateral co-operation

The bilateral co-operation between Norway and Russia is based on an implementation agreement under the MNEPR agreement. The Norwegian-Russian Commission for Nuclear Safety meets annually to discuss the co-operation generally and the status of specific projects. Radioactive pollution is also one of the topics discussed in the bilateral co-operation within the framework of the Joint Norwegian-Russian Commission on Environmental Protection. Outside meetings of the commissions, issues are discussed when necessary and at the appropriate level.

Multilateral co-operation

Norway takes part in multilateral efforts through various funds managed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Nordic Environment Finance Corporation (NEFCO). Norway also takes part in all international fora that are involved in nuclear safety issues in northwestern Russia: the IAEA 3International Atomic Energy Agency Contact Expert Group (CEG), the Nuclear Operating Committee of the NDEP Support Fund, the G8 Global Partnership Working Group and the MNEPR Committee. Since 1996, AMEC has played an important role in involving the Russian military authorities in nuclear safety efforts. Since 1995, Norway has been a member of the International Scientific and Technology Center (ISTC) in Moscow, and has provided funding towards the Center’s efforts to help weapons scientists from CIS countries to find new employment.