NPT Second Preparatory Committee EU Statement on Cluster III

European Union

EU Statement on Cluster III (peaceful uses of nuclear energy)

Second Preparatory Committee for the 11th Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)

Geneva, 22 July - 2 August 2024

Mr. Chair,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The candidate countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Ukraine, Republic of Moldova[1]and Georgia as well as the EFTA country Iceland, member of the European Economic Area, align themselves with this statement.

The EU reaffirms its support for the inalienable right of all NPT States Parties to develop research, production and use of nuclear energy and technology for peaceful purposes without discrimination and in conformity with the NPT.

Since the last NPT Review Conference, the EU and its Member States have continued to support activities to facilitate cooperation on peaceful uses of nuclear technology, and provide technical expertise and know-how. EU Member States are among the largest donors to the IAEA Technical Cooperation Programme. Let me also highlight the contributions of the European institutions and the in-kind support provided by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre to the IAEA in the area of nuclear medicine and other nuclear applications. We encourage results-oriented, needs-based and demand-driven technical cooperation projects and gender mainstreaming in all activities.

Ahead of the Summit of the Future in September 2024, we are mindful of the contributions of nuclear science and technology to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development and the Paris Climate Agreement. We welcome the IAEA activities that help improve human health, agriculture, food security and water management; combat climate change and its effects; and preserve cultural heritage, including important initiatives such as Rays of Hope, ZODIAC and NUTEC Plastics. The upcoming Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Science, Technology and Applications and the Technical Cooperation Programme on 26-28 November 2024 in Vienna provides an opportunity to raise further awareness of these issues.

We acknowledge the growing need to ensure energy security at affordable cost and respect the right of countries to decide on their energy mix and choose the most appropriate technologies to collectively achieve the 2030 climate target and climate neutrality by 2050. Nuclear technologies can help fight global warming, mitigate its consequences and monitor its impact. A number of EU Member States actively contributed to such discussions at the Nuclear Energy Summit in Brussels in March 2024.

The EU and its Member States give due priority to and are resolved to ensure the highest standards of nuclear safety, security and safeguards. This is essential to the responsible, safe and secure development of peaceful uses of nuclear energy, including for technical cooperation. We encourage all States to establish and maintain comprehensive national nuclear safety and security frameworks, based on the internationally recognised IAEA safety standards and security guidance. Continuously improving nuclear safety and security is required also for the development and deployment of new technologies, including small modular reactors (SMRs). International cooperation should be therefore in the interest of all States. It will contribute to building public trust and acceptance needed to facilitate nuclear science and technology applications worldwide. We reiterate that the nuclear safety standards and nuclear security guidance facilitate the development of peaceful uses of nuclear technology.

The EU welcomes the International Conference on Nuclear Security held in Vienna in May 2024. While regretting that no consensus could be reached on a Ministerial Statement, the EU thanks the Co-Presidents for their efforts. The IAEA has a central role in sustaining and strengthening the global nuclear security architecture, facilitating international cooperation and building capacities and developing guidance in coordination with its Member States. We call on all States that have not yet done so to adhere to the international nuclear safety and security conventions and fully implement their provisions, notably the Convention on Nuclear Safety, the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management, the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and its Amendment, and the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism, as well as to adhere to the Code of Conduct on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources and its two supplementary Guidance. We encourage all IAEA Member States, especially those that have not done so and embarking countries, to make full use of the IAEA's peer review missions and advisory services.

Mr. Chair,

Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, its illegal seizure of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant and its deliberate attacks against Ukraine's energy infrastructure are posing multiple threats to nuclear safety and security. The EU recalls its statement delivered under Cluster II on this issue and stresses once again that Russia must withdraw its troops, military equipment and all other Russian personnel from the entire territory of Ukraine, implement the resolutions adopted by the IAEA policy-making organs and fully respect Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. We once again recall the importance of upholding the IAEA's seven pillars for ensuring nuclear safety and security in armed conflicts and the five principles established for the ZNPP.

The EU and its Member States participated in the Summit on Peace in Ukraine in June. We welcome the wide-ranging dialogue and the Joint Communiqué, including the common vision related to nuclear energy and nuclear installation, and we support the continuing work of the co-chairs on radiation and nuclear safety.

The EU provides extensive support to Ukraine, both bilaterally and through the IAEA Support and Assistance Missions in Ukraine and will continue to do so as long as needed. The EU stands with Ukraine.

Mr. Chair,

The European Instrument for International Nuclear Safety Cooperation, with a budget of €300 million for 2021-2027, provides further support and helps strengthen nuclear safety and radiation protection, radioactive waste management and nuclear safeguards in a number of partner countries outside the EU. Ongoing activities include worldwide projects on education and training in nuclear safety and radiation protection, remediation activities in Central Asian countries, on uplifting nuclear safeguards in Africa and cooperation with nuclear safety regulators in several African countries.

The EU and its Member States remain major donors to the IAEA Nuclear Security Fund, with contributions from the EU budget alone amounting to more than €65 million. Furthermore, the EU Centres of Excellence facilitate regional cooperation with 64 partner countries to mitigate chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) risks, with a budget of €175 million for the period 2021-2027.

The EU encourages all States to minimise Highly Enriched Uranium in civilian stocks and use Low Enriched Uranium, where technically and economically feasible, and to share experiences including updates on progress in this regard.

We recall that effective and transparent export controls are important for facilitating the fullest possible exchange of equipment, materials and scientific and technological information for the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, as set out in Article IV of the NPT. Multilateral export control regimes contribute to the prevention of the proliferation of WMDs and their means of delivery and promote transparency and greater responsibility in transfers of dual-use goods and technologies. The EU therefore fully supports the existing multilateral export control regimes, including the Nuclear Suppliers Group and the Zangger Committee.

The EU remains a steadfast supporter of the civil and scientific applications of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). Data deriving from its International Monitoring System (IMS) can be of relevance in the case of a radiological emergency, in preventing consequences of natural and man-made disasters and for climate change research, among others. Together with capacity building activities promoted by the CTBTO Provisional Technical Secretariat, these are valuable contributions to the SDGs.

Furthermore, the EU and its Member States remain committed to promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, and gender mainstreaming in all IAEA, CTBTO and other nuclear-related activities. The EU remains the largest donor to the IAEA Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship Programme and supports the Lise Meitner Programme and the CTBTO Mentoring Programme for Early Career Women in STEM.

We were encouraged by the constructive engagement of an overwhelming majority of States Parties at last year's working group on further strengthening the NPT review process. Although it could not agree on an outcome, the working paper issued by its Chair (WP CONF.2026/PC.1/WP.34) clearly demonstrates that there is scope for progress. We fully support continuing this debate, giving it appropriate time and space at this session of the Preparatory Committee and the rest of this cycle. We stand by the proposals in the EU working papers "A stronger review process for a stronger NPT", submitted to last year's Working Group, and "Enhancing transparency and accountability in the implementation of NPT obligations and commitments", submitted ahead of this session.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[1]North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Albania continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.

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