Evolving the State-Level Concept: Project Review & Update

The IAEA is moving safeguards implementation away from the traditional, mechanistic application of generic safeguards criteria focused on nuclear material and related facilities in a State towards objectives-based, information-driven safeguards implementation that is focused on the State as a whole. The State-level concept is applicable to all States with a safeguards agreement in force, taking into account the rights and obligations of each State party according to the type of safeguards agreement. This initiative better equips the IAEA to address new challenges and the changing nuclear landscape, to enhance effectiveness and efficiency and to continue to provide soundly-based safeguards conclusions. The vision for the change was set out by the Deputy Director General for Safeguards at the IAEA Safeguards Symposium in November 2010 and expanded upon at the INMM Annual Meeting in July 2011. This paper will provide an overview of the evolutionary process to-date. Specifically, it will outline how the transition is being pursued in a structured and coordinated manner under the auspices of a dedicated project entitled “Evolving the State-level Concept”. In doing so, the overall timelines and deliverables will be identified as well as what has already been achieved. The latter part of the paper will address current activities as well as the next steps.