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International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Safeguards are a system of inspection and verification of the peaceful uses of nuclear materials as part of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) , supervised by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
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Safeguards activities are undertaken and by the Department of Safeguards, a separate department within the International Atomic Energy Agency. The Department is headed by Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Safeguards Massimo Aparo. The mission statement of the Department of Safeguards is: "The primary role of the {Safeguard} Department is to administer and implement IAEA safeguards. It also contributes to nuclear arms control and disarmament, by responding to requests for verification and technical assistance associated with related agreements and arrangements."[2] The Department is organized into operations divisions, which include the inspectors that conduct safeguards inspections in the IAEA's member states to confirm that they are living up to their NPT commitments, and support divisions, that provide the tools and services for the safeguards inspectors to complete their mission. Safeguards inspections compare a state's nuclear program, as declared to the IAEA, to observed nuclear activities in the country. The Divisions of Operations[2] are organized as follows:
• Operations A: conducting safeguards inspections in East Asia and Australasia
• Operations B: conducting safeguards inspections in the Middle East (Southwest Asia), South Asia, Africa and the Americas; this geographic region also includes non-EU European states
• Operations C: conducting safeguards inspection in the European Union states, Russia and Central Asia
• Operations for verification in Iran (as stated in the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, known commonly as the Iranian Nuclear Deal)
The history of the IAEA safeguards begins at the foreground of the nuclear regime to which debate over the disposal of leftover fissile material was the primary concern. Dwight Eisenhower's Atoms for Peace speech in 1953 was the first step towards establishing regulation of nuclear activity to ensure only peaceful purposes were driving scientific development. It proposed that states with leftover fissile material contribute to an international fuel bank. The IAEA was proposed in 1954 with the mission to control the distribution and disposal of used nuclear material.[3] Negotiations of safeguards were controversial due to the idea that they would inhibit the promotion of nuclear energy.[4] However, safeguards help solidify the line between using nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and creating weapons-grade material that could serve militant purposes. Though safeguards are only one part of the nuclear non-proliferation regime, they underpin inspection and verification, and provide assurance that proliferation is not occurring in states declared to be nuclear weaponized, as well as non-nuclear weapons states.[5]
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Safeguards are a system of inspection and verification of the peaceful uses of nuclear materials as part of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), supervised by the International Atomic Energy Agency. Information Circular 66 (INFCIRC 66) is an agreement between the IAEA and member states that provides for the conduct of limited safeguards within the member state. The member states identifies facilities that are made available for inspection.[6]
The Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) opened for signature in 1968 and entered into force in 1970. The NPT defines nuclear weapons states as the United States of America, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the People's Republic of China, the Russian Federation, and France. The treaty requires signatories to become members of the IAEA. Nuclear weapons states are responsible for working toward disarmament and non-nuclear weapons states must submit to IAEA safeguards. The treaty requires that non-nuclear weapons states conclude comprehensive safeguards agreements under INFCIRC 153. The NPT is the centerpiece of global efforts to prevent the further spread of nuclear weapons.[5]
Safeguards inspectors are first appointed by the IAEA's Director General, then approved by the Board of Governors, designated by the State, and granted privileges and immunities by the member states in which they designated to perform inspections. Inspectors are responsible for conducting in-field verification activities at nuclear facilities or locations outside facilities. The general objective of an inspection is to verify that the nuclear material declared and safeguarded at the facility is used only for peaceful nuclear activities and that it is accounted for. Verification activities are performed in different types of inspector access: design information verification (DIV), ad hoc inspections, routine inspections, and complementary access (CA) .
Safeguards are implemented on an annual cycle and include four fundamental processes:[7]
The IAEA prepares a Safeguards Implementation Report (SIR) for each country and draws safeguards conclusions based on the information collected during inspections and through remote monitoring and information collection. Safeguards conclusions provide the international community assurance that States are complying with their agreements by following the safeguards obligations. In some cases, the conclusion is that safeguards were not conclusive. Safeguards conclusions are documented in the annual Safeguards Implementation Report which is presented to the Board of Governors at its June meeting.
The IAEA offers several useful services to member states including aide for officiating required documentation and assistance with safeguards measures.[8]
| Year | Month | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 1946 | Acheson-Lilienthal Report and Baruch Plan propose safeguards as part of international control of atomic energy | |
| 1953 | December | Eisenhower's Atoms for Peace Speech[9] |
| 1954 | IAEA Proposed | |
| 1955-56 | Negotiation of IAEA Statute | |
| 1957 | IAEA Statute enters into force, establishes IAEA to promote peaceful uses of nuclear energy
The first IAEA General Conference in Vienna[9] | |
| 1958 | Petition by Linus Pauling to UN that urged for International Agreement to cease nuclear bomb testing
Rome Treaty of EURATOM | |
| 1961 | September | US and Soviet Union sign Joint Statement of Agreed Principles for Disarmament Negotiation, or McCloy-Zorin Accords |
| 1961 | December | United Nations General Assembly adopts McCloy-Zorin Accords |
| 1961 | The first IAEA Seibersdorf Laboratories open[9]
INFCIRC/26 establishes first IAEA safeguards system | |
| 1965 | INFCIRC/66 establishes revised IAEA safeguards system | |
| 1967 | Treaty of Tlatelolco establishes nuclear-weapon-free zone in Latin America and the Caribbean
INFCIRC/66/Rev.1 | |
| 1968 | The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) is signed in Washington, Moscow, and London
INFCIRC/66/Rev.2 | |
| 1970 | March | NPT enters into force[9] |
| 1971 | Comprehensive Safeguards (INFCIRC/153) are established[9] | |
| 1975 | Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) established | |
| 1980 | Convention on Physical Protection of Nuclear Materials is signed in New York | |
| 1981 | US ratifies Additional Protocol I to Treaty of Tlateloclo which submitted US territories in Latin America to nuclear-weapons-free-zones | |
| 1986 | Treaty of Rarotonga establishes nuclear-weapon-free zone in South Pacific | |
| 1990 | South Africa begins deconstruction of 6 nuclear weapons | |
| 1991 | Iraq Action Team is created to implement nuclear inspections within the country[9]
Iraq found in non-compliance with IAEA safeguards agreement | |
| 1992 | North Korea concludes IAEA comprehensive safeguards agreement, six years after acceding to the NPT. Inconsistencies with declared materials in North Korea initiated the IAEA to act and demand verification at facilities, but North Korea denied access. | |
| 1993 | North Korea announces withdrawal from the NPT but "suspends" withdrawal notification one day before it would have become effective
The IAEA reports DPRK non-compliance with its safeguards agreements and verification of nuclear material being used for only peaceful purposes cannot be confirmed[9] | |
| 1994 | The DPRK withdraws its IAEA membership | |
| 1997 | INFCIRC/540 (Model Additional Protocol) adopted[9]
Treaty of Bangkok establishes nuclear-weapon-free zone in Southeast Asia | |
| 2005 | IAEA Board of Governors finds Iran in non-compliance with its safeguards agreement for undeclared nuclear fuel cycle activities | |
| 2009 | Treaty of Pelindaba establishes nuclear-weapon-free zone in Africa
Central Asian Nuclear Weapon Free Zone enters into force | |
| 2011 | IAEA Board of Governors finds Syria in non-compliance with its safeguards agreement for construction of an undeclared plutonium production reactor | |
| 2015 | Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was signed by the US, Russian Federation, China, the UK, France and Germany with the Islamic Republic of Iran to provide assurances that Iran's nuclear program remained solely peaceful.[9] | |
| 2021 | Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons enters into force |
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