Legislative and Regulatory Frameworks for the Security of Radioactive Material: Progress, Gaps, Issues and Challenges

Since the IAEA Board of Governors approved the Code of Conduct on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources in 2003, many States have established legislative and regulatory frameworks for the security of radioactive sources as called for by paragraph 18. However, as of 2016 implementation is inconsistent. Some States lack a regulatory infrastructure altogether. Other States have the basic regulatory infrastructure, but have not provided the regulatory body with the necessary legal authority for security regulation. Still other States have both the infrastructure and the legal authority, but have not adopted enforceable security requirements. Yet other States have adopted security regulations, but have not fully implemented these requirements through their licensing, inspection and enforcement processes. Further, in States that have fully implemented security regulations, operators have found compliance with some requirements to be challenging: for example, requirements for staff security training, for preparation of security plans, for trustworthiness verification, and for making appropriate arrangements for response. All of these limitations appear to result from a combination of gaps in motivation, knowledge, resources, and communication within States that targeted multilateral and bilateral assistance might constructively address. This paper reviews this progress, describe the gaps, issues, and challenges, and suggest vehicles for addressing them. (author)