Year
2013
Abstract
Finnish Support Program to the IAEA Safeguards (FINSP) was established in 1988 and it is funded by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Finland. The work has been focused on areas of development of new verification methods, conceptual development and safeguards training. The evolution of safeguards is reflected in FINSP activities. In the past few years, expansion of nuclear power to new countries, interfaces and synergies between safety, security and safeguards (3S) and Safeguards by Design (SbD) have been the themes in the development of safeguards. In 2012, FINSP provided IAEA support in drafting a Guide: “International Safeguards in Nuclear Facility Design and Construction for nuclear power plant designers”. The IAEA organised a Safeguards and Security workshop in Finland for embarking countries. FINSP has light administration structure but it has network of experts at its disposal. The experts participating FINSP activities are the part of the national safeguards system, and they have the duties and practical touch on those issues they are contributing to the FINSP activities. This makes FINSP flexible and fast to respond for IAEAs momentous needs. FINSP is challenged by declining resources. However, FINSP has many strengths and opportunities: nuclear activities in Finland have been growing in past years, generating expertise in Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) and Finnish national system to learn and gain experiences, which are useful for other countries when they are developing their own systems. The biggest strength of FINSP is that it is representing a government, strictly committed for non-proliferation and run by a national safeguards system doing its best to openly cooperate with the IAEA at the practical level.