International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
The IAEA is the most important international organization for global nuclear cooperation. Its goal is to increase the contribution of atomic energy to peace, health and prosperity throughout the world (Atoms for Peace). Accordingly, it supports measures to improve (operational) safety and protect nuclear installations and materials; it also promotes technical cooperation. The IAEA is an important pillar of the non-proliferation regime. Its aim is, through inspection, to prevent the misuse of nuclear material for military purposes by countries in contradiction to their obligations under international law.
The Organization
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), based in Vienna, was established in 1957. The IAEA currently has 150 member countries. Its principal decision-making organs are the General Conference and the 35-member Board of Governors which forms the IAEA’s steering committee. Since 1 December 2009 Yukiya Amano of Japan has held the post of Director General. The IAEA Secretariat employs over 2300 people. The IAEA’s budget for 2009 totals almost EUR 300 million, financed by contributions from member countries. In addition there is a fund for technical cooperation amounting to USD 85 million.
In December 2005 the IAEA and its Director General at the time, Dr Mohammed ElBaradei, were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their worthwhile and, politically, often delicate work.
German participation
The Federal Republic of Germany became a member of the IAEA in 1957. Germany has been continuously represented on the Board of Governors since 1972. Since 1995 it has been represented by the head of the Permanent Mission of the Federal Republic of Germany to the Office of the United Nations and to the other International Organizations in Vienna. Germany is the third largest contributor after the United States and Japan, providing 8.4% of the Agency’s regular budget. In addition Germany provides voluntary contributions, mainly for the improvement of IAEA safeguards.
Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement and Additional Protocol
Under Article III of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) concluded in 1968, it is the responsibility of the IAEA, by agreeing safeguards with all non nuclear-weapon countries, to ensure that fissionable materials are not diverted from declared nuclear activities to the manufacture of nuclear weapons. The verification of countries’ commitments is an essential component of the NPT and is of vital importance for the stability of the non-proliferation regime.
Through the Safeguards Agreements all movements of declared fissionable material in a country are subjected to IAEA controls. At the point where non-declared nuclear activities were discovered in Iraq, if not before, it became clear that an amendment was needed. Consequently the IAEA worked on an Additional Protocol to the Safeguards Agreement, which was adopted by the IAEA Board of Governors in 1997. Through the agreed additional control measures and commitments relating to the provision of information, the IAEA is able to provide assurance about the absence of undeclared activities within a member state’s nuclear sector, thus confirming that all nuclear material in that country is being used solely for peaceful purposes.
By the end of 2008 a total of 118 countries had signed this Protocol, and it is now in force in 84 countries (including Germany and all EU member states). Germany is working – as is the entire EU – to ensure that the Additional Protocol becomes the accepted norm in the non-proliferation regime.
Securing of fuel supplies and multilateralization of the nuclear fuel cycle
Uranium enrichment and the reprocessing of fuel rods are “dual-use” technologies: they are important for the production of fuel rods for use in civilian nuclear power stations but also play a significant role in the construction of nuclear weapons. Nuclear power station operators need a reliable supply of fuel rods. On the other hand, however, the international community has a strong interest in ensuring that this legitimate civilian purpose is not being used as a pretext for military designs. A multilateralization of the nuclear fuel cycle could contribute to an even safer fuel supply and at the same time reduce the risks of proliferation, the idea being that several states holding joint responsibility would stand a better chance of preventing abuse. Various models for the multilateralization of uranium enrichment are currently being discussed within the IAEA. The Federal Government has, in addition, put forward its own model, proposing that it be made possible for interested countries to invest in a uranium enrichment plant under IAEA control.
The security of nuclear power stations and nuclear material
In the light of the Atomic Energy Act amendment, German participation in the IAEA has concentrated in recent years on increasing security and improving safeguards.
The IAEA promotes the exchange of experience in matters related to the safety of nuclear power stations and organizes voluntary safety inspections, during which plant operators are advised by colleagues (peer reviews). The IAEA has elaborated fundamental standards in this area. In addition it organizes workshops for countries seriously considering using nuclear energy and informs them of the various challenges that are often difficult to overcome.
Furthermore, the IAEA is involved in improving both the physical protection of nuclear installations and the protection from theft of nuclear material. It has laid down a code of conduct aimed at protecting against terrorist abuse in particular. Within the framework of an action plan, the IAEA organizes training and advises nuclear plant operators.
Promoting the use of nuclear technologies
Through technical cooperation measures the IAEA supports many developing countries in the use of nuclear technologies in the areas of medicine (especially in the fight against cancer), hydrology (water dating through isotope analysis) or pest control (e.g. tsetse fly sterilization), amongst others.
Last updated 01.12.2009
