IRPA13 2366048 110 9.1 Emergency Exposure Situations - Emergency Preparedness and Response RENEB – Realizing the European Network in Biological Dosimetry U. Kulka 1 , L. Ainsbury 2 , M. Atkinson 3 , J. Barquinero 23 , L. Barrios 4 , C. Beinke 5 , G. Bognar 6 , A. Cucu 7 , F. Darroudi 8 , P. Fattibene 9 , O. Gil 10 , V. Hadjidekova 11 , S. Haghdoost 12 , R. Herranz 13 , A. Jaworska 14 , C. Lindholm 15 , S. Mörtl 3 , A. Montoro 16 , M. Moreno 13 , U. Oestreicher 1 , F. Palitti 17 , G. Pantelias 18 , I. Popescu 7 , H. Romm 1 , K. Rothkamm 2 , L. Sabatier 19 , S. Sommer 20 , A. Testa 21 , H. Thierens 22 , F. Trompier 23 , I. Turai 6 , P. Vaz 10 , P. Voisin 23 , A. Vral 22 , C. Woda 3 , A. Wojcik 12 1 Bundesamt fuer Strahlenschutz (Germany), 2 Health Protection Agency (United Kingdom), 3 Helmholtz Centre Munich (Germany), 4 Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (Spain), 5 Bundeswehr Institut für Radiobiologie / Universität Ulm (Germany), 6 "Frédéric Joliot-Curie" National Research Institute for Radiobiology & Radiohygiene (Hungary), 7 National Institute of Public Health Romania, Bucharest (Romania), 8 Leiden University Medical Center (The Netherlands), 9 Istituto Superiore di Sanità (Italy), 10 Instituto Tecnológico e Nuclear, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa (Portugal), 11 National Center for Radiobiology and Radiation Protection (Bulgaria), 12 Stockholm University (Sweden), 13 Servicio Madrileño de Salud - Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón (Spain), 14 Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority (Norway), 15 Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (Finland), 16 Fundacion para la Investigation del Hospital Universitario la fe de la Comunidad Valenciana (Spain), 17 University of Tuscia (Italy), 18 National Centre for Scientific Research Demokritos (Greece), 19 Commissariat à l´Énergie Atomique (France), 20 Institut Chemii i Techniki Jadrowej (Poland), 21 Agenzia Nazionale per le Nuove Tecnologie, L´Energia e lo Sviluppo Economico Sostenibile (Italy), 22 Universiteit Gent (Belgium), 23 Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (France) Keywords: biological dosimetry, network, dose reconstruction, emergency exposure, emergency preparedness Abstract Creating a sustainable network in biological and retrospective dosimetry that involves a large number of experienced laboratories throughout the European Union (EU) will significantly improve the accident and emergency response capabilities in case of a large-scale radiological emergency. A well organised cooperative action involving EU laboratories will offer the only chance for a fast and trustworthy dose assessment urgently needed in an emergency situation. In this regard the European Commission supports the establishment of an European network in biological dosimetry (RENEB). The goal of RENEB is to establish a sustainable European network mainly based on biological dosimetry laboratories involving 23 organisations from 16 countries identified by the TENEB survey, that will guarantee the highest efficiency in the processing and scoring of biological samples for fast, reliable results implemented in the EU emergency management. RENEB will also integrate recent developments in retrospective dosimetry. This goal will be achieved through 5 tasks: 1) To create an operational basis of the network based on coordination of the existing reliable and proven methods in biological and retrospective dosimetry. 2) To expand and improve the network by implementing appropriate new methods and integrating new partners. 3) To assure high quality standards by education and training activities. Special focus will be placed on quality assurance and management regarding the performed assays and involved laboratories.