Additional protocol and integrated safeguards: Implementation in the European Union - the experiences of the IAEA

Full text: The additional protocols for thirteen non-nuclear weapons States (NNWS) and two nuclear weapon States (NWS) of the European Union entered into force on 30 April 2004. Additionally, eight 'accession States' of the EU have additional protocols concluded with the Agency at different points of time. Three of these accession States have recently acceded to the safeguards agreement and additional protocol concluded with the thirteen NNWS mentioned above. Furthermore, two States currently with small quantities protocols to their safeguards agreement are also expected to accede to the safeguards agreement in force with the thirteen NNWS. The European Atomic Energy Commission is a party to the safeguards arrangements for EU Countries and participates in the implementation of the additional protocol under two modalities that result from the level of entrustment of States of the EU to the European Communities. This legal framework sets the stage for the implementation of the additional protocol in the EU. This situation was and continues to be a major challenge to the Agency. The Agency has devoted substantial resources, time and effort to plan and implement safeguards activities in a continuously evolving legal framework. This paper describes the main activities undertaken to cope with the changes in the safeguards regime in the EU and the plans to implement safeguards when other EU states accede to the safeguards agreement (and its additional protocol) concluded with the, now, sixteen NNWS of the EU. This paper will also describe several salient points regarding the experience gained in implementing integrated safeguards in accession States and the plans for implementing integrated safeguards in EU countries where this regime is not yet in place. (author)