The Euratom Nuclear Material Accountancy System for the implementation of the safeguards agreements, the Euratom Treaty and Euratom agreements with third States

As early as 1957 the founding members of the European Atomic Energy Community established the Euratom Treaty with the aim of promoting the peaceful uses of nuclear Energy, while at the same time introducing controls aiming at enhancing safety and security and preventing uses of nuclear material other than the ones declared. Chapter VII of the Euratom Treaty foresees the implementation of Safeguards on nuclear material used in the Community and establishes details of the Euratom Safeguards system. Euratom safeguards is entrusted to the European Commission and is based on two pillars: (i) Assurance that Nuclear Material is not diverted from its declared use [Art. 77(a)] (ii) Compliance with the obligations that the Community has undertaken as a result of agreements with international organisations the third states [Art. 77(b)]. Further, Art. 101, gives to the European Commission the mandate to negotiate, sign and implement International agreements. The agreements with the IAEA and the main supplier states are such examples. The cornerstone of Euratom Safeguards is the Euratom Nuclear Material Accountancy system, which, according to Art. 79 of the Treaty, is based on a Commission Regulation. The Commission Safeguards Regulation, is the legal basis and gives practical guidance as to the contents, format and frequency of the records and reports that the operators of Nuclear Installations have to submit to the Commission. These reports form the adequate basis for the Commission in discharging its responsibilities vis-a-vis the IAEA and third states. The paper describes the Euratom NMA system and its recent overhaul to take into account additional reporting requirements stemming from the Additional Protocol and also from the IT developments. (author)