Within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a broad consensus emerged following the Fukushima accident that a regional approach to radiological and nuclear Emergency Preparedness and Response (EP&R) in Southeast Asia would be beneficial as a complement to national capacities and capabilities. Nuclear power plants (NPPs) are already in operation or under construction in the ASEAN neighborhood. For example, Chinese NPPs are within a few tens to hundreds of kilometers from the Vietnam border, Taiwanese NPPs are about 200 km from the Philippines, and Bangladeshi NPPs are under construction a few hundred kilometers from the Myanmar border. There are also considerations for installing NPPs on artificial islands by China near ASEAN territories in the Spratly and Paracel Islands. Additionally, nuclear-powered vessels operate in the region and occasionally use berthing facilities in ASEAN countries. The potential installation of Small Modular Reactors (SMR) is under consideration in some ASEAN states, and there are ongoing discussions in the Philippines to develop an NPP in the coming years.

The benefits of a regional approach include enabling a more rapid and informed response through real-time information exchange from national radiation monitoring/early warning networks. This approach reduces costs by sharing expertise, methods, training, equipment, and facilities at a regional level, thus avoiding needless duplication. It also ensures the consistent application of protective measures in neighboring countries, enhancing trust and confidence among those potentially affected. With support from the EU via its Instrument for International Nuclear Safety Cooperation (INSC) programs and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) via its Technical Cooperation (TC) program, the ASEAN Network of Regulatory Bodies on Atomic Energy (ASEANTOM) developed a strategy in 2019 for regional cooperation on radiological and nuclear EP&R and an Action Plan for its implementation. The strategy aims to bring EP&R arrangements in ASEAN in line with best international practices within the next five to ten years. ASEANTOM, with support from the EU’s INSC and IAEA’s TC programs, is implementing this Action Plan.

The Supply Contract “Establishing a Regional Early Warning Radiation Monitoring Network and Data Exchange Platform in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)” (the Intervention) is financed from the general budget of the EU and is implemented under Component C: “Support to Emergency Preparedness in the ASEAN” of the Action Document for Nuclear Safety Cooperation of the Annual Action Programme 2019. The Intervention targets ASEAN Member States: Brunei Darussalam (BN), Cambodia (KH), Indonesia (ID), Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR - LA), Malaysia (MY), Myanmar (MM), the Philippines (PH), Thailand (TH), Singapore (SG), and Vietnam (VN).

The Intervention is implemented by Envinet GmbH, Germany, which since 2021 joined Scienta Sensor Systems and is currently known as Scienta Envinet under the Scienta Scientific Group.