Civil liability for nuclear hazards

Civil law rules on conventional third party risks are not adequate for dealing with the special hazards involved in the peaceful utilization of nuclear energy. Nor can the problems arising from these hazards be solved entirely by rules of civil liability. It is desirable that special civil legislation be devised for the maximum possible financial protection of the public without, however, imposing on the atomic industry an unreasonable or indefinite burden of liability. A draft convention has now been prepared under the auspices of the International Atomic Energy Agency and sent to the Agency's Member States for comment.