Update as of 05/01/2022: The First International Conference on Nuclear Law: the Global Debate has been postponed and will take place from 25 to 29 April 2022.
The IAEA is now accepting synopses submissions for the Agency’s First International Conference on Nuclear Law: The Global Debate, to be held in Vienna, Austria, from 25 to 29 April 2022. Those interested in shaping the global debate on nuclear law issues have until 30 June 2021 to submit synopses for oral presentations.
The conference will provide a unique global forum for representatives from governments, international and non-governmental organizations, the industry, the legal and insurance sectors, academia, and civil society to discuss current nuclear law issues. The conference will consist of topical sessions and high-level roundtable and panel discussions on cross-cutting issues. It will cover the four branches of international and national nuclear law - safety, security, safeguards and civil liability for nuclear damage - as well as the interaction of nuclear law with other fields of law. For the full list of topics and submission guidelines, see the Announcement and Call for Papers.
“This conference provides a unique opportunity for leading nuclear law experts to discuss nuclear law issues impacting us today and in the future,” said IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi. “Join us and be part of the global debate about whether nuclear law is keeping up with the developments and emerging technologies in the evolving nuclear sector.”
Nuclear law, whether international or national, is a body of special legal norms which balances the risks of ionizing radiation to persons, property and the environment, with the many benefits of nuclear applications. It permeates the entire nuclear sector as a prerequisite for safe, secure, and peaceful applications of nuclear science and technology. Nuclear law regulates the conduct of those engaged in activities related to nuclear and radioactive materials, ionizing radiation, and exposure to natural sources of radiation.
At the conference, participants will examine nuclear law in the broader context of current and emerging peaceful applications to identify areas for possible further development, as well as the interaction of nuclear law within the broader context of other fields of law at the national, regional, and international levels.
The IAEA plays a multi-faceted role in the development and implementation of nuclear law. As an example, upon request, the IAEA Office of Legal Affairs assists countries in adhering to and effectively implementing the international legal instruments adopted under the Agency’s auspices in the various areas of nuclear law.
