Strengthening Threat Reduction: Nuclear Safety and Security

Enhancing Nuclear Safety and Security

At their summit in Munich in 1992 the leaders of the G7 group of industrialized states agreed a number of nuclear safety objectives for the countries of the former Soviet Union including: improving the safety of older Soviet designed reactors, strengthening nuclear regulatory authorities, developing a western style safety culture in each country, targeting countries who do not have the financial resources or expertise to do all the necessary work themselves and helping to avoid another Chernobyl type incident that would undermine support for nuclear power.

After 1992 the European Union began to provide very significant assistance to the countries in Central and Eastern Europe to reduce the potential risks to EU Member States from any potential nuclear accident. The financial support for nuclear safety projects has mainly been provided through the Technical Assistance to the Commonwealth of Independent States (TACIS) programme.

These projects are mainly intended to increase the safety of reactor designs and to improve the quality of maintenance routines and operating procedures at nuclear power plants. However, a number of these nuclear safety projects have some relevance for non-proliferation efforts.

The TACIS programme has financed projects to create a more effective nuclear material accountancy and control (NMAC) system to be applied at a number of different Russian nuclear fuel fabrication facilities, power plants and waste reprocessing facilities. Projects to develop NMAC systems for nuclear powered submarines and surface ships are under evaluation in 2004. These projects can make an important contribution to preventing any risk of illicit trafficking in nuclear materials.

The EU also makes a significant financial contribution to other nuclear safety activities, such as the the G-24 Nuclear Safety Account. However, these programmes appear to have no non-proliferation relevance.

Strengthening the G8 Global Partnership

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Any reproduction of text and data is authorized only by permission, SIPRI July 2004.