The International Atomic Energy Agency and the European Commission will celebrate 30 years of cooperation on the control of nuclear materials in a ceremony on Thursday, 13 October at the IAEA headquarters in the Vienna International Center (VIC).
The ceremony will feature IAEA Deputy Director General Herman Nackaerts and Thomas Fanghaenel, Director, the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC). The ceremony will be held on the ground floor of the M-Building in the VIC, at 17:30.
The European Commission Support Programme started in 1981 and was among the first programmes of its kind, strengthening the IAEA Department of Safeguards by providing specific services and development work. In particular, support to the Agency's nuclear verification work has included significant contributions to equipment development, information analysis, environmental sample analysis and the supply of reference materials.
As the in-house science service of the European Commission, the JRC provides scientific and technical support to this work with over 100 scientists and technicians working on more than 25 projects. It facilitates the transfer of technology and expertise, including training, to the Department of Safeguards of the IAEA, thus contributing to the enhancement of international safeguards by improving their effectiveness and efficiency.