FUNDAMENTALS AND GOOD PRACTICES FOR SAFEGUARDS REGULATORY AUTHORITIES – AN ASIA-PACIFIC SAFEGUARDS NETWORK (APSN) PROJECT

An integral element of the required architecture for States to implement their obligations under IAEA safeguards agreements is a SSAC (State System of Accountancy and Control), including the safeguards regulatory authority (SRA). An effective SSAC/SRA has always been important given this is the interface through which the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) conducts its verification activities and receives State reports and declarations. SSAC/SRA effectiveness has attracted greater focus and importance recently in light of the work of the IAEA Department of Safeguards to evolve the State-Level Concept for safeguards implementation. As has been noted by the IAEA’s Deputy Director General for Safeguards, Mr Herman Nackaerts, the growing safeguards workload will require greater efficiency in safeguards implementation, and the IAEA will need to work with and support States to have competent and effective SSACs. Inspired by these developments and the need for guidance on what constitutes an effective SSAC/SRA, the Asia-Pacific Safeguards Network (APSN) has been developing a paper on SRA fundamental principles and good practices. APSN’s paper will represent the views and experiences in safeguards implementation of the broad community of safeguards authorities in the Asia-Pacific region, and is intended to complement the work the IAEA is also doing in this area. This paper will present the work of APSN on SRA principles and good practices, how this can contribute to improving SSAC/SRA effectiveness in other regions around the world, and contribute to the IAEA’s development of the State-Level Concept.