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Equivalent high standards of Euratom to be
maintained
The UK will establish a domestic nuclear safeguards regime under
measures contained in the Nuclear Safeguards
Bill, introduced to Parliament today (Wednesday 11 October).
As set out by Business Secretary on 14 September 2017, the
government is committed to a domestic nuclear safeguards regime
which will deliver to existing European Atomic Energy Community
(Euratom) standards, exceeding those required by the wider
international community.
The Bill, first announced in the Queen’s Speech, will
bolster the roles and responsibilities of the UK’s existing
nuclear regulator, the Office for Nuclear Regulation
(ONR), once the UK leaves Euratom.
The UK will continue to be a member of the International Atomic
Energy Agency (IAEA) and work is ongoing on new agreements with
international parties to ensure it continues to meet relevant
international standards.
Energy Minister said:
The Nuclear Safeguards Bill will help secure the future of the
UK’s nuclear industry and high standards of nuclear safety and
safeguards once we leave Euratom.
We are bringing forward the UK’s first new nuclear power plants
in a generation and it is in our mutual benefit to maintain the
successful working relationship we have now with Europe, and
the rest of the world, on nuclear matters. This is what we will
be looking to secure in negotiations with our partners.
Nuclear safeguards are processes which allow countries to show to
the international community that civil nuclear material is used
for peaceful purposes.
The UK will withdraw from Euratom in
2019 as a result of the decision to leave the EU and the
Nuclear Safeguards Bill will ensure that the UK has the right
regime in place for the ONR to regulate nuclear safeguards.
