UNECE INDUSTRIAL
ACCIDENT NOTIFICATION (IAN) SYSTEM -INTRODUCTION
In the event of a major accident with transboundary
effects it is crucial to notify promptly and effectively
all potentially affected countries to enable them
to activate the necessary response measures. Furthermore,
efficient provision of international assistance
to respond to such an accident may reduce its consequences.
The UNECE Convention on the Transboundary Effects
of Industrial Accidents calls on Parties to establish
and operate compatible and efficient industrial
accident notification systems at appropriate levels.
It also provides for rendering mutual assistance
to minimize the effects of an accident. In this
context, the Convention obliges Parties to designate
or establish, at the national level, one point of
contact for the purpose of industrial accident notifications
and one for the purpose of mutual assistance preferably
these should be the same.
To facilitate implementation of these provisions,
the UNECE Industrial Accident Notification (IAN)
System for notifying neighbouring countries, at
national level, of a major accident, which has caused
or is capable of causing transboundary effects,
was accepted by the Conference of the Parties to
the Convention at its first meeting in 2000 (ECE/CP.TEIA/2,
annex II, decision 2000/1). The system was amended
at third meeting of the Conference of the Parties
in Budapest on 27-30 October 2004 (ECE/CP.TEIA/12,
annex III, decision 2004/3).
The UNECE IAN System comprises the following three
categories of reports:
(i) early-warning, (ii) information and (iii) assistance
request.
The assistance request report is a joint, harmonized
report for use by the points of contact within the
UNECE IAN System and within the Joint United Nations
Environment Programme/Office for the Coordination
of Humanitarian Affairs (UNEP/OCHA) Environment
Unit. Requests for assistance directed to the Monitoring
and Information Centre (MIC) within the Civil Protection
Unit of the European Commissions Directorate-General
(DG) Environment can also be made using the new
Assistance Request Report.
The network of points of contact for the purpose
of industrial accident notification and for the
purpose of mutual assistance is an integral part
of the UNECE IAN System. A list of all designated
points of contact is maintained by the UNECE secretariat
and is available with restricted access on the Conventions
Internet website.
As a supplement to the UNECE IAN System, the Conference
of the Parties agreed to encourage and support the
establishment, at local and regional levels, bilateral
or multilateral agreements for industrial accident
notification.