EVOLVING THE IAEA’S SYSTEM OF STATE-EVALUATIONS AND SAFEGUARDS IMPLEMENTATION

A key element of the IAEA Department of Safeguards Long Term Strategic Plan (launched November 2010) is the further evolution of the State-level concept for safeguards implementation away from criteria-driven safeguards approaches, to a safeguards system that is objectives-based and fully information-driven. The State-level concept to safeguards implementation is holistic in application. It is applicable to all States, and makes use of all information available to the IAEA for both State evaluations in headquarters and for designing in-field safeguards implementation approaches. In further evolving the State-level concept State-specific factors and acquisition path analysis will become increasingly important for both State evaluations and in determining safeguards approaches for each State. It will be important to determine objective modalities for incorporating these factors. Consideration of State-specific factors in determining safeguards approaches is not new – in fact, paragraph 81 of INFCIRC/153 (concluded June 1972) enumerates several such factors that can be considered. This paper will explore some ideas for State-specific factors that could be used in State- evaluations, and how these factors could be used for determining State-by-State safeguards approaches. Ideas for State-specific factors will include effectiveness of State Systems of Accountancy and Control (SSAC), transparency of States in their dealings with the IAEA, characteristics of a State?s nuclear fuel cycle, and, where relevant, the role of regional safeguards arrangements.