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30 Years of European R&D for Reliable and Effective Nuclear Material Control
April 29, 1999Controlling nuclear materials to ensure that they are not diverted from peaceful intent into nuclear weapons use or unknown purposes is and will continue to be a vital political and technical matter at National, European and Global scales. A control system, called "Safeguards", which consists of accounting, reporting, and verification by applying i.e. destructive and non-destructive analysis for nuclear material, the use of seals and surveillance cameras etc. has been designed and implemented to control and monitor declared nuclear materials used for peaceful purposes for many years.
This is where ESARDA, the European Safeguards Research and Development Association, has played an important role. On 4th-6th May 1999, ESARDA will have its annual meeting and Symposium in Seville, at the Palacio de Exposiciones y Congresos, to discuss nuclear safeguards, while celebrating its 30th anniversary. Founded with the aim of advancing research and development (R&D) of safeguards by providing a forum for the exchange of ideas and information between members, it now consists of 11 leading European organisations from 9 different European countries and the European Commission. ESARDA collaborates with European Plant Operators, the Euratom Safeguard Authority, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and R&D organisations to achieve its aims.
250 experts and speakers from the safeguards area and from other verification agencies will attend the seminar, which aims to foster and encourage dialogue, as it provides a unique opportunity for technical interchange between experts in verification techniques. The world of safeguards is changing. Controlling declared nuclear materials only is not enough, as demonstrated by Iraq's secret weapons programme. Assurance is also needed that no undeclared nuclear activities are taking place. The development, modification and reorientation of control systems was therefor necessary. Significant political, diplomatic and administrative effort took place and led to the subsequent legal framework called the "Additional Protocol" was agreed upon and has been signed by France, U.K. and 13 non-nuclear weapons based European Union Member States to date.
The new Protocol includes information on and access to the entire nuclear programme of a country, and includes all nuclear-related buildings, R&D, the use of modern technology, external nuclear trade and the right to take environmental samples.
Strictly connected to the problem of nuclear non-proliferation, the international systems of nuclear safeguards depend on an effective independent verification regime. This challenge of ensuring nuclear safety has much to gain from technical dialogue and information exchange such as this between the safeguards community and all the international organisations involved.
The challenges faced include the development of new concepts, methods and equipment to strengthen and streamline nuclear material control systems and to integrate new systems with existing older ones. Modern technology such as remote monitoring, automated environmental sampling, information review and analysis, and the use of satellites offer potential solutions. The rapidly growing areas of information and communication technology, based on Internet and mobile communication applications, also have the potential to develop new concepts that may strongly influence safeguards.
A meeting with members of the Press and the President of ESARDA is foreseen at 11.15 am, at the conference site, Palacio de Exposiciones y Congresos.
Contact person:
Ulla Engelmann
Joint Research Centre Ispra - Public Relations
21020 Ispra (VA), Italy
Tel.:+39 0332 78 9889, Fax: +39 0332782435
e-mail: ulla.engelmann@jrc.org
European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC)
The new Protocol includes information on and access to the entire nuclear programme of a country, and includes all nuclear-related buildings, R&D, the use of modern technology, external nuclear trade and the right to take environmental samples.
Strictly connected to the problem of nuclear non-proliferation, the international systems of nuclear safeguards depend on an effective independent verification regime. This challenge of ensuring nuclear safety has much to gain from technical dialogue and information exchange such as this between the safeguards community and all the international organisations involved.
The challenges faced include the development of new concepts, methods and equipment to strengthen and streamline nuclear material control systems and to integrate new systems with existing older ones. Modern technology such as remote monitoring, automated environmental sampling, information review and analysis, and the use of satellites offer potential solutions. The rapidly growing areas of information and communication technology, based on Internet and mobile communication applications, also have the potential to develop new concepts that may strongly influence safeguards.
A meeting with members of the Press and the President of ESARDA is foreseen at 11.15 am, at the conference site, Palacio de Exposiciones y Congresos.
Contact person:
Ulla Engelmann
Joint Research Centre Ispra - Public Relations
21020 Ispra (VA), Italy
Tel.:+39 0332 78 9889, Fax: +39 0332782435
e-mail: ulla.engelmann@jrc.org
European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC)
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