42nd IAEA General Conference

European Union: Mr. Errki Tuomioja, Minister of Trade and Industry of Finland:

The EU supports all initiatives to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the Agency; appreciates the MTS, "one house" approach and the three pillar grouping of Agency programmes. Prioritisation is crucial. Phasing out of outdated or low priority activities would enable resources to be used for higher-priority activities. EU believes that all statutory activities should be funded from the Regular Budget. Human resource management is also crucial in this regard, including internal training programmes. For EU, the NPT is the cornerstone of the global non-proliferation regime. EU calls on all non-nuclear States to conclude and ratify comprehensive safeguards agreements with the IAEA, as well as the Additional Protocols to them; EU invites States with no comprehensive safeguards agreements to negotiate Additional Protocols with the Agency; welcomes Cuba's decision to sign the Additional Protocol, and views integrated safeguards system as a high priority, especially the shift from quantitative to qualitative verification. EU has continued concern regarding DPRK: it urges cooperation with safeguards obligations. EU also believes that the Agency monitoring and verification activities in Iraq should be re-established without delay. On safety, EU urges contracting parties to the Convention on Nuclear Safety to exercise greater openness and transparency. Regarding the Agency's safety standards, EU supports recommendations of the Senior Expert Group that, once the current programme on these standards has been completed, the Agency should concentrate on implementation, the analysis of results and the introduction of the necessary amendments. With regard to technical cooperation, EU stresses that the programme as a whole should be given careful consideration in view of budgetary constraints and the Agency's mandate. A significant contribution from recipient states should be pursued. On illicit trafficking, EU supports the Agency's activities in revising recommendations for the physical protection of nuclear materials and facilities and in the provision of advice to States through the International Physical Protection Advisory Service. On the proposed amendment to Article VI, the EU does not itself see any reason for enlargement of the Board, but it is sensitive to concerns of some States, and was thus prepared to join consensus at the Board and accept the proposal of the Chairman which included enlargement. It regrets that no final conclusion on the matter was reached. EU is hopeful that this Conference can make a final decision. EU believes that fissile material designated as no longer required for defence purposes should be placed under an appropriate system of safeguards under IAEA. For some time, EU has supported the commencement and conclusion of negotiations on a multilateral and internationally-binding treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices; EU is ready to discuss a verification role for the Agency with regard to such an agreement.

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European Union: Mr. Errki Tuomioja, Minister of Trade and Industry of Finland:



The EU supports all initiatives to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the Agency; appreciates the MTS, "one house" approach and the three pillar grouping of Agency programmes. Prioritisation is crucial. Phasing out of outdated or low priority activities would enable resources to be used for higher-priority activities. EU believes that all statutory activities should be funded from the Regular Budget. Human resource management is also crucial in this regard, including internal training programmes. For EU, the NPT is the cornerstone of the global non-proliferation regime. EU calls on all non-nuclear States to conclude and ratify comprehensive safeguards agreements with the IAEA, as well as the Additional Protocols to them; EU invites States with no comprehensive safeguards agreements to negotiate Additional Protocols with the Agency; welcomes Cuba's decision to sign the Additional Protocol, and views integrated safeguards system as a high priority, especially the shift from quantitative to qualitative verification. EU has continued concern regarding DPRK: it urges cooperation with safeguards obligations. EU also believes that the Agency monitoring and verification activities in Iraq should be re-established without delay. On safety, EU urges contracting parties to the Convention on Nuclear Safety to exercise greater openness and transparency. Regarding the Agency's safety standards, EU supports recommendations of the Senior Expert Group that, once the current programme on these standards has been completed, the Agency should concentrate on implementation, the analysis of results and the introduction of the necessary amendments. With regard to technical cooperation, EU stresses that the programme as a whole should be given careful consideration in view of budgetary constraints and the Agency's mandate. A significant contribution from recipient states should be pursued. On illicit trafficking, EU supports the Agency's activities in revising recommendations for the physical protection of nuclear materials and facilities and in the provision of advice to States through the International Physical Protection Advisory Service. On the proposed amendment to Article VI, the EU does not itself see any reason for enlargement of the Board, but it is sensitive to concerns of some States, and was thus prepared to join consensus at the Board and accept the proposal of the Chairman which included enlargement. It regrets that no final conclusion on the matter was reached. EU is hopeful that this Conference can make a final decision. EU believes that fissile material designated as no longer required for defence purposes should be placed under an appropriate system of safeguards under IAEA. For some time, EU has supported the commencement and conclusion of negotiations on a multilateral and internationally-binding treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices; EU is ready to discuss a verification role for the Agency with regard to such an agreement.