“ConvEx-3 is not just an exercise, it is a call to action,\u201d said\u00a0Lydie\u00a0Evrard, IAEA\u00a0Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Nuclear Safety and Security.\u00a0\u201cBy participating,\u00a0Member States and international organizations demonstrate their commitment to global\u00a0nuclear\u00a0safety and security, ensuring that the international community is ready to respond to nuclear and radiological emergencies, no matter where they occur\u00a0and regardless of their cause.\u201d<\/p>\n
Level 3 Convention exercises, or ConvEx-3 exercises, are a cornerstone of the IAEA\u2019s efforts to enhance global nuclear safety and security. As part of their obligations under the\u00a0Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident<\/a>\u00a0and the\u00a0Convention on Assistance in the Case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency<\/a>, Member States are required to have emergency arrangements in place. These arrangements are tested every three to five years with an exercise held in one country which provides participating countries with a rare opportunity to evaluate and improve their emergency response arrangements in realistic conditions. Participants test national capabilities, engage in coordinated international responses and strengthen regional collaboration.<\/p>\n Previous ConvEx-3 exercises have been hosted by the United Arab Emirates (2021), Hungary (2017), Morocco (2013) and Mexico (2008). Romania hosted the first ConvEx-3 exercise in 2005.<\/p>\n \u201cNow, two decades later, in 2025, Romania will once again host ConvEx-3, reaffirming its readiness to tackle the most demanding scenarios,\u201d said Cantemir Ciurea Ercau, President of Romania\u2019s National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control. \u201cThrough increased complexity and scale, this event is not only a natural continuation, but a showcase of the remarkable progress made in recent decades in nuclear safety and security, emergency preparedness and response and global cooperation.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBy hosting such an exercise of great importance,\u201d he added, \u201cRomania strengthens its position as significant contributor in enhancing global nuclear safety and security.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Unique Elements of ConvEx-3 in 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n This year\u2019s ConvEx-3 exercise introduces three new elements to enhance preparedness and response capabilities. First, recognizing the transboundary impacts of nuclear or radiological accidents, significant focus is placed on regional collaboration. This includes harmonizing protective measures, such as evacuation zones and iodine distribution, across borders to ensure consistent, effective actions and to build public trust.<\/p>\n Second, the exercise integrates a nuclear security component, simulating threats to regulatory control, physical protection and computer security in a realistic setting. This approach features collaboration among participating countries and international organizations to counter threats to the secure use of nuclear and other radioactive material.<\/p>\n Finally, a more integrated method for planning, conducting and evaluating the exercise will be used. This includes an expanded\u00a0social media simulator,<\/a>\u00a0which challenges participants to manage real-time crisis communication to test the public communication strategies of participating organizations.<\/p>\n To ensure that the knowledge gained during ConvEx-3 has a lasting impact on national and international emergency arrangements, the exercise will be followed by a technical meeting that will provide a forum for sharing lessons learned, discussing best practices and identifying actionable improvements.<\/p>\n Official contact points registered on the IAEA\u2019s USIE platform are invited to submit their country\u2019s registration form to participate in this exercise by\u00a031 January 2025<\/strong>.<\/p>\n For more information, contact the IAEA\u00a0Incident and Emergency Centre<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.fie.undef.edu.ar\/ceptm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/emergency-responders-1140x640-1-1024x575.png\")