INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON NUCLEAR SAFETY CLEARED FOR ENTRY INTO FORCE
Press Release
IAEA/1307
INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON NUCLEAR SAFETY CLEARED FOR ENTRY INTO FORCE
19960729 VIENNA, 29 July (IAEA) -- The Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Hans Blix, as Depositary of the International Convention on Nuclear Safety, has now received the necessary number of ratifications from States for the Convention to enter into force this autumn.With the Agency having received a total of 25 instruments of ratification, acceptance or approval to date, including 17 from States having at least one nuclear installation which has achieved criticality in a reactor core, the Convention will officially enter into force in three months' time -- on 24 October. According to the terms of the Convention, a preparatory meeting of the States parties will take place within six months of that date. The drafting of guideline documents for consideration at that time is already in hand.
The Convention, which was negotiated under the auspices of the IAEA, was opened for signature in September 1994 and has so far been signed by a total of 63 States (further signatures and ratifications are awaited). It is the first legal instrument that directly addresses the safety of nuclear power plants worldwide. It foresees, among others, the submission of safety reports by the States concerned which will be examined at peer review meetings to be held at regular intervals. The Convention commits subscribing States to ensure the safety of land-based civil nuclear power plants including storage, handling and treatment facilities for radioactive materials located on the same site and directly related to the plant's operation.
Commenting on this development, Mr. Blix said, "This is the culmination of a great deal of effort on the part of Member States, with support from the Secretariat. It is a major step forward in strengthening international cooperation in the safety field and towards creating a truly international safety culture. The IAEA, which already serves as the forum for developing safety norms and provides safety review services on request, looks forward to the conclusion of further instruments in the future, notably in the field of waste management safety. The safe use of nuclear, as of other forms of energy, will clearly remain a national responsibility, but international efforts have brought increasing recognition of the interdependence of all participants in the nuclear field, as the Convention bears witness."
Instruments of ratification, acceptance or approval have been received from the following 25 countries: Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Hungary, Ireland, Japan, Republic of Korea, Lebanon, Lithuania, Mali, Mexico, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovak Republic, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and the United Kingdom.
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