International Atomic Energy Agency General Conference (Unofficial electronic version)	GC(42)/11 10 August 1998 GENERAL Distr. Original: ENGLISH
Forty-second regular session of the General Conference Item 12 of the provisional agenda (GC(42)/2)

1. On 5 September 1997, the Diplomatic Conference convened to adopt the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management adopted a "Resolution Relating to Transboundary Movement of Radioactive Waste and Spent Fuel" in which it (i) urged all States parties to the Joint Convention to take into full consideration the Agency's Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material in the formulation and implementation of their national laws and regulations and (ii) invited the Agency, in consultation, and where appropriate in collaboration, with the competent organs of the United Nations and with the specialized organizations concerned, "to keep under review the existing rules and regulations with respect to the safety of the transboundary movement of spent fuel and radioactive waste".

2. On 3 October 1997, the General Conference, taking into account the "Resolution Relating to Transboundary Movement of Radioactive Waste and Spent Fuel", requested the Secretariat - in resolution GC(41)/RES/12 - "to prepare, for consideration at the June 1998 session of the Board of Governors, a report on legally binding and non-binding international instruments and regulations concerning the safe transport of radioactive materials and their implementation". Also, it requested the Board and the Director General to report to it on the implementation of that resolution at its forty-second session.

3. In response to the request made of it by the General Conference, the Secretariat prepared a report, contained in document GOV/1998/17 of 30 April 1998, on legally binding and non-binding instruments and regulations concerning the safe transport of radioactive materials and their implementation. In June 1998, the report was before the Board of Governors, which broadly welcomed it - although some speakers drew attention to the omission of what they regarded as relevant instruments - and authorized the Director General to inform the General Conference that it had considered the report.

4. Some Member States, although satisfied with the report, stated that, in the light of its contents, they considered that ways and means whereby the Agency's Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material could be applied more effectively and universally, should be explored. Some other Member States stated that there was no need to change the present status of the Regulations. The Board noted the fact that interested delegations could consult on the matter prior to the forty-second regular session of the General Conference.

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