Board of Governors International Atomic Energy Agency - EU Statement on Agenda item 5: Strengthening the Agency’s activities related to nuclear science, technology and applications

Chair,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The following countries align themselves with this statement: Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Iceland, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, the Republic of Moldova, San Marino, Serbia, Türkiye and Ukraine.

The European Union would like to thank the Director General for his report on "Strengthening the Agency’s Activities Related to Nuclear Science, Technology and Applications". These activities underpin the inalienable right of all States Parties to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes without discrimination and in conformity with Articles I and II of the Treaty, as reflected in its Article IV.

The Agency’s work assists Member States and fosters international cooperation in further developing the application of radiation and nuclear technologies. This significantly contributes to peace, health and prosperity around the world. The EU commends the Agency’s important role in assisting Member States to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through nuclear science, technology and applications under the highest possible safety, security, and non-proliferation conditions.

Chair,

We welcome the IAEA activities that help improve human health and nutrition, agriculture, food safety and security and water resources management; combat environmental and water pollution; and preserve cultural and natural heritage. The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre collaborates with the IAEA for developing innovative technologies using radioactive compounds in all these areas, notably in medical applications, providing hope for millions of cancer patients in our partner countries.

We appreciate the Director General (DG)’s flagship initiatives, including Rays of Hope, ZODIAC, NUTEC Plastics, Atoms4Food, as well as other relevant initiates such as Atoms4Heritage, which translate research into real-world impact to the benefit of Member States. Recognising the Agency’s engagement in the field of food security, we welcome the role of the Group of Friends of Food Security in Vienna, co-chaired now by the EU Delegation and Sudan.

We applaud the completion of the construction and the operationalisation of all ReNuAL (Renovation of the Nuclear Application Laboratories) 2 project elements.

Chair,

The EU acknowledges the need to ensure energy security and respects the right of Member States to decide on their energy mix and choose the most appropriate technologies to collectively achieve our climate target. 

We recognize that nuclear technologies can be of great help to mitigate the consequences of global warming and monitor its impact. We strongly support the Agency’s commitment to contribute to tackling climate change, and support its participation in the Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP).

The EU appreciates the support provided by the Agency for the safe and secure operation of nuclear power plants and research reactors, including for long-term operation, fuel cycle, spent fuel and radioactive waste management. We also appreciate the attention given to nuclear knowledge management and the collaboration with European and international stakeholders in this area. We note the Agency-wide platform on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and their Applications and to its coordination with the Nuclear Harmonisation and Standardisation Initiative (NHSI). We finally commend the IAEA’s support to Member States embarking on or expanding existing nuclear science, technology and applications’ programmes.

We welcome the Agency’s activities related to nuclear fusion, including the upcoming meeting of the World Fusion Energy Group in Vienna, the IAEA Fusion Energy Conference in Seoul in 2027, and the Joint ICTP–IAEA Fusion Energy School in Italy. The EURATOM Research and Training Programme 2026-2027 has dedicated € 222 Mio towards advancing fusion energy from laboratories to the power grids. It will address several areas vital to accelerate the commercialisation of fusion energy and includes ITER, R&D needs and the creation of a European industrial ecosystem, supported by a new European Public-Private Partnership. The Programme also covers regulatory frameworks, technical standards, strengthening international collaborations and a streamlined European governance for fusion. We encourage the IAEA to pursue its work on fusion safety standards, which will be of considerable value to all Member States.

Chair,

As its largest donor and strong supporter of gender equality and gender mainstreaming, the EU commends the success of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship Programme and the Lise Meitner Programme and call on all Member States to support them.

With these comments, Chair, we support the recommended Board action set forth in GOV/2026/43-GC(70)/8.

Thank you, Chair.