Year
2013
Abstract
In 1978, the International Atomic Energy IAEA (IAEA) and the Federal Republic of Germany formally established the Joint Programme on the Technical Development and Further Improvement of IAEA Safeguards, i.e. the German Support Programme. The overall aim of the German Support Programme is to cooperate with the IAEA in developing state-of-art methods and techniques, to assure the supply with the developed methods and techniques, to provide training, expert advice and consultancy on safeguards issues and to inform the IAEA, as early as possible, about Germany's nuclear plans and projects. In order to ensure compliance between IAEA and EURATOM safeguards, the EURATOM Safeguards Directorate also participates in the German Support Programme. An important factor in the development of procedures and instruments is the experience of the operators with the application of safeguards in their facilities. In autumn 2013, the German Support Programme will celebrate its 35th Anniversary. At that time, the German Support Programme will have completed almost 150 tasks and issued over 400 progress reports and 100 technical documents. Currently, about 30 active tasks are being carried out. The paper marks this occasion by reviewing the achievements of the last five years, presenting the current activities and discussing future plans and challenges of the German Support Programme.