Chair,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The Candidate Countries North Macedonia^*, Montenegro^*, Albania^*, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, the country of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidate Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as Georgia, Monaco and San Marino align themselves with this statement.

Let me congratulate you on your election as Main Committee III Chair and assure you of the full support and cooperation of the EU and its Member States.

The EU recognises the NPT’s historic and ongoing achievements in facilitating cooperation on nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and reaffirms its support for the inalienable right of all NPT Parties to develop research, production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes without discrimination and in conformity with the NPT.

We support the IAEA and Member States in the peaceful uses of nuclear technology, being the second largest donor to the IAEA’s Technical Cooperation (TC) Programme and providing technical expertise and know-how. We encourage results-oriented, needs-based and demand-driven TC projects and gender mainstreaming in all activities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the IAEA’s technical assistance once again proved to be a valuable instrument, capable of effectively and swiftly responding to the needs of Member States.

The EU and its Member States recognise the role of nuclear science and technology in human health, agriculture and food security, water management, climate change, environmental protection, preservation of cultural heritage, and the IAEA activities such as Rays of Hope which contribute to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We recognize the existence of other avenues to facilitate technology transfer, complementing the activities of the IAEA, such as bilateral and regional cooperation and other relevant international organisations. The private sector, civil society and academia also have an important role to play.

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. Nuclear technologies can also be of great help to fight global warming, mitigate its consequences and monitor its impact.

The EU and its Member States give due priority to nuclear safety, security and safeguards which are essential to the safe and responsible development of the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, including in the implementation of all technical co-operation projects. Establishing and maintaining a comprehensive national nuclear safety and security framework, based on the internationally recognised IAEA Safety Standards and Nuclear Security Series, is in the interest of all Member States. Continuously improving nuclear safety, security and safeguards is essential. We are aware of additional challenges and opportunities resulting from the increasing interest in the deployment of new technologies, including Small Modular Reactors. The EU and its Member States recognize that international cooperation is essential, also to contribute to building the public trust and confidence needed to widen the use of nuclear technology applications worldwide.

Chair,

The EU expresses its strong concern about the Russian Federation’s disregard of the seven indispensable pillars of nuclear safety and security as set out by the IAEA Director General. The indiscriminate attacks of the Russian armed forces in and around Ukraine’s nuclear sites have increased the risk of a nuclear accident, with potentially severe adverse consequences for human health and the environment. Also the nuclear security risks are global, bearing in mind that radioactive material has been reported lost or stolen, and it could be subject to illicit trafficking across the borders. The Russian war of aggression once again underlines the urgent need for legally binding international rules specifically prohibiting armed attacks against any nuclear installation devoted to peaceful purposes, as called for by IAEA General Conference resolutions in accordance with the UN Charter. We urge the Russian Federation to immediately withdraw its military and other personnel from the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant so that the Ukrainian authorities can resume their sovereign responsibilities and that the legitimate operating staff can conduct their duties without outside pressure and interference. The EU fully supports the work of the IAEA and its Director General to assist Ukraine in the area of nuclear safety and security and ensure safeguards implementation during the ongoing military conflict. In this regard, the EU and its Member States will continue to provide also significant bilateral assistance to Ukraine in the areas of nuclear and radiation safety and security.

The EU and its Member States are resolved to ensure the highest standards of nuclear safety, security and safeguards and recognise the IAEA’s central role in this regard. Over the past decades, we have established and further developed an advanced, legally-binding nuclear safety framework applicable in all EU Member States. The new European Instrument for International Nuclear Safety Cooperation, with a budget of €300 million for 2021-2027, will provide support and help strengthen nuclear safety and radiation protection, waste management and safeguards in countries outside the EU. Nuclear stress tests have been conducted within the EU and in neighbouring countries, and we encourage further participation therein.

We call on all States that have not yet done so to join all international nuclear safety and security conventions and fully implement them, also taking into account the important review meetings of the Convention on Nuclear Safety and the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel and Radioactive Waste Management. We also encourage all Member States, especially those that have not done so recently and embarking countries, to make full use of the IAEA’s peer review missions and advisory services.

The EU and its Member States commend the Practical arrangement signed between the IAEA and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO) in 2016 in the framework of the Joint Radiation Emergency Management Plan. This is a concrete example of interagency cooperation that benefits the international community and draws the best of our common investment in both organisations.

Given the growing use of radioactive materials and sources, we encourage all States to adhere to the IAEA Code of Conduct on the safety and security of radioactive sources and the related supplementary guidance.

While recognising that nuclear security remains the responsibility of each State, strengthening nuclear security through international cooperation is essential to prevent unauthorised access to nuclear and radioactive material. The EU emphasises the importance of timely, reliable and sufficient IAEA resources in this area. The EU and its Member States remain a major donor to the IAEA Nuclear Security Fund with nearly €60 million committed from the EU budget alone for the period 2005–2023 to assist countries to upgrade the physical protection of facilities, ensure the safety and security of nuclear and other radioactive material and to enact the necessary legislation and regulatory framework.

The EU encourages all States to minimise the use of Highly Enriched Uranium in civilian applications, where technically and economically feasible.

Furthermore, the EU fully recognises the benefits of multilateral approaches to the nuclear fuel cycle. The EU has contributed to the establishment of the IAEA Low Enriched Uranium Bank with nearly €25 million.

Thank you, Chair.

* North Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.