Preparing for the Entry into Force of the Additional Protocol in EU Member StatesActivities of the ESARDA Working Group on Integrated Safeguards

ESARDA, the European safeguards Research and Development Association, has as a main objective assisting the European safeguards community with advancing progress in safeguards and enhancing the efficiency of systems and measures. Key bodies of ESARDA are standing working groups dealing with various technical subjects. The ESARDA Working Group on Integrated Safeguards (IS WG) was created in 2000 with the objective of providing the safeguards community with expert advice on methodologies and approaches to integrate INFCIRC/153 and INFCIRC/540 measures, and to present a forum for the exchange of information, views and experiences in that regard. Its members represent inspectorates, national authorities, operators, and research centers active in the field of safeguards. The working group very soon realized that a first milestone on the road to integrated safeguards is the successful and functional implementation of the Additional Protocol. Discussions and activities concentrated on actions necessary to reach this end thereby taking into account the specific situation in European states. Among the topics discussed were issues of: • Establishing a functional site definition for different types of installations, ranging from small locations with very small amounts of nuclear material to complex installations with a complex history • Dealing with different and even conflicting requirements in the context of unannounced inspections Interpreting and handle the requirements for research and development declarations considering the needs and interests of all parties involved the International Atomic Energy Agency participated in most of the meetings as an observer and provided the group with valuable background information on Additional Protocol (AP) questions and received in turn a deep insight into our considerations, motivations, and concerns. This procedure contributed much to a better mutual understanding that is not least reflected in the revised draft of the AP implementation guidelines.