Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management, Second Review Meeting of the Contracting Parties, 15 to 24 2006, Vienna, Austria, Summary Report

1. Recognizing the importance of the safe management of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste, the international community agreed upon the necessity of adopting a convention describing how such safe management could be achieved: this was the origin of the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management (the “Joint Convention”), which was adopted on 5 September 1997 and entered into force on 18 June 2001. 2. The objectives of the Joint Convention are: (i) To achieve and maintain a high level of safety worldwide in spent fuel and radioactive waste management, through the enhancement of national measures and international cooperation, including, where appropriate, safety-related cooperation; (ii) To ensure that during all stages of spent fuel and radioactive waste management there are effective defences against potential hazards so that individuals, society, and the environment are protected from the harmful effects of ionizing radiation now and in the future, in such a way that the needs and aspirations of the present generation are met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs and aspirations; and (iii) To prevent accidents with radiological consequences and to mitigate their consequences should they occur during any stage of spent fuel or radioactive waste management. 3. To deliver these objectives, the Joint Convention adopted a review process. The Joint Convention requires each Contracting Party to: (i) Submit in advance to all other Contracting Parties a National Report describing how it implements the obligations of the Joint Convention; (ii) Seek clarification on the National Reports of other Contracting Parties through a system of written questions and answers; and (iii) Present and discuss its National Report during a Review Meeting comprising Country Group sessions and Plenary sessions. The Joint Convention specifies that the interval between Review Meetings should not exceed three years. Documents annexed to the Joint Convention provide guidance on the form and structure of the National Reports and on the way to conduct Review Meetings. 4. The Second Review Meeting of the Contracting Parties pursuant to Article 30 of the Joint Convention was held at the Headquarters of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which is the depositary and Secretariat for the Joint Convention, from 15 to 24 May 2006. The President of the Review Meeting was Mr André-Claude Lacoste, Director General of the General Directorate for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection, France. The Vice-Presidents were Ms Patrice Bubar, United States Department of Energy, and Mr Young Soo Eun, Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety. 5. Forty-one Contracting Parties participated in the Review Meeting, namely: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Euratom, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States of America and Uruguay. Eight Contracting Parties participated for the first time: Brazil, Estonia, Euratom, Iceland, Italy, Lithuania, Russian Federation and Uruguay. 6. Brazil was a late ratifier. However, it had produced and distributed its National Report and had asked to participate fully in the Review Meeting. Under the rules, a late ratifier may be allowed to participate with the consensus agreement of the Contracting Parties at the Review Meeting. The Contracting Parties agreed by consensus to Brazil’s request at the Plenary session on 15 May. 7. China informed the President that it had completed the internal ratification procedures on 29 April 2006 with a view to becoming a Contracting Party, but had not yet deposited its instrument of accession with the depositary. However, it had requested to participate in the Review Meeting. At the Plenary session on 15 May, the Contracting Parties agreed by consensus to China’s request to participate as a full participant in the Second Review Meeting. 8. The Nuclear Energy Agency of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) was present as an observer.