Year
2016
Abstract
The European Commission does its research and development activities and provision of expert and technical support to the IAEA with the aim to contribute to effective and efficient system of international safeguards. During 35 years of its existence, the European Commission Cooperative Support Programme (EC-SP) provided technology and expertise in areas related to effective implementation of safeguards verification measures as well as detection of undeclared material, activities and facilities. The cooperation areas vary from research and development of methods and standards to improving safeguards analysis, development of innovative containment and surveillance techniques, development of enhanced process monitoring and modelling, to development of tools including those needed for collection and analysis of strategic trade and export control related data thus contributing to new safeguards approaches and methods. In addition, it includes analysis of nuclear materials, analysis of environmental particle samples and provision of reference materials in the framework of IAEA's Network of Analytical Laboratories. Moreover, European Commission installations are made available and training courses are designed to meet IAEA specific requirements in a wide range of fields. Since its beginning in 1981, the EC-SP has been operated by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre in close collaboration and coordination with the European Commission’s Directorate General for Energy implementing safeguards as defined in the EURATOM Treaty. The European Commission Support Programme fosters the multilateral character of the cooperation as approximately one third of the 42 currently ongoing tasks involves cooperation with other Member States Support Programmes. This paper describes the EC-SP activities, its main achievements and it highlights cooperation with other Member States Support Programmes.