ESARDA Contributions to IAEA’s State Level Concept

With the introduction of integrated safeguards, the IAEA started developing State-Level Approaches (SLA) considering the State as a whole. The State-level concept (SLC), aimed at implementing safeguards based on SLAs and annual implementation plans, is planned to be extended to all States with CSAs in the future. The SLC represents an advancement from the “bottom-up” SLA based on the facility level to the “top-down” SLA focusing primarily on the State as a whole. However, it is worth mentioning that the State as a whole was always considered in the evaluation of safeguards activities. The development of SLAs is based on the synergy and evaluation of all safeguards relevant information for a State. The main sources of information are still the countries declarations and reports, as well as Agency safeguards-related activities in the field and at Headquarters, complemented by information from open sources and third-parties. Various aspects of the non-proliferation framework can also contribute to the State Level Concept, such as export control, safeguards implementation concepts and experiences, and verification methodologies and technologies, as discussed within the European Safeguards Research & Development Association (ESARDA). The paper aims at reviewing their importance and relevance.