Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management, Brazilian National Report

On 29 September 1997 the Join Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management was open for signature at the headquarters of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna. Brazil signed the Convention on October 11th, 1997 and ratified it by the Legislative Decree n. 1.019 of November 14th, 2005. Brazil deposited the instrument of ratification with the Depositary on 17 February 2006. The Convention objectives are to achieve and maintain a high level of nuclear safety worldwide in spent fuel and radioactive waste management. One of the obligations of the Parties to the Convention is the preparation of a periodical National Report describing the measures taken to implement each of the obligations of the Convention, including a description of the policies and practices related to spent fuel and radioactive waste management and an inventory of related material and facilities. Since Brazil has not participated in the First Review Meeting, neither in the Preparatory Meeting for the Second Review Meeting, this first National Report was prepared for presentation in the Second Review Meeting, under the condition of “late ratifier”. The National Report of Brazil was prepared by a group composed of representatives of the various Brazilian organizations with responsibilities related to safety of spent fuel and radioactive waste, and is presented to the Parties of the Convention. The National Report contains a description of the Brazilian policy and programme related to the safety of nuclear energy, and an article-by-article description of the measures Brazil is taking to implement the Convention obligations, according to the format of document INCIRC/604.