1. INTRODUCTION

The symposium will be organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in cooperation with the European Safeguards Research and Development Association and the Institute of Nuclear Materials Management. It will be the tenth in a series, the last of which was the “Symposium on International Safeguards: Verification and Nuclear Material Security” held from 29 October to 1 November 2001.

The purpose of the symposium is to foster dialogue and information exchange on current and future challenges to nuclear verification, focusing on safeguards concepts, technologies and experience.

2. BACKGROUND

A safeguards symposium has traditionally been organized by the Safeguards Department approximately every four years. The symposium provides an important forum for in-depth interaction between the IAEA and Member States on a wide variety of safeguards and verification issues.

There have been substantial developments in IAEA safeguards since the last symposium. Continuing efforts have been made to further strengthen the safeguards system. Many more countries have brought additional protocols into force and made ‘expanded’ declarations. Review of additional protocol declarations and conduct of complementary access have become routine IAEA activities. The IAEA has been able to draw ‘broader’ safeguards conclusions for many countries with additional protocols in force, confirming that no indications have been found of diversion of declared nuclear material or of undeclared nuclear material or activities. Several of the countries for which broader conclusions have been drawn have begun to implement ‘integrated’ safeguards, the most effective and cost-efficient combination of safeguards measures available to the IAEA. In addition, the ‘small quantities protocol’ has recently been revised to provide for stronger safeguards in countries with only small quantities of nuclear material.

While much has been accomplished, the safeguards-strengthening effort is an ongoing process. Additional protocols are still not being implemented in all States, which limits the IAEA’s ability to detect undeclared nuclear material and activities. Information that States provide to the IAEA is not always clear or complete. Independent information sources against which the IAEA can compare State-reported information are still limited, and methods for collecting and analysing information need further development. Environmental sampling has become an essential safeguards tool, but the IAEA needs additional sample analysis capacity as well as additional techniques for detecting undeclared nuclear material or activities. Even at nuclear facilities, there are still some types of nuclear materials (e.g., spent fuel) that cannot be measured adequately with the instruments at the IAEA’s disposal. These challenges and many others will be discussed in the symposium.
The symposium will also address challenges to IAEA safeguards that have emerged or grown more serious since 2001. The increase in size and flexibility of uranium enrichment plants, for instance, and the spread of enrichment technology to a wider circle of States, pose challenges to traditional safeguards approaches. The procurement and supply networks discovered in 2004, dealing in sensitive nuclear technology and information, have serious implications for the future effectiveness of IAEA safeguards. The symposium will provide an opportunity for the IAEA and Member States to discuss options for dealing constructively with trade in sensitive nuclear technology.

3. TOPICS OF INTEREST

Reflecting developments since 2001, the 2006 symposium will focus on the following:

a) Current Challenges to the Safeguards System

• Promoting universal implementation of safeguards agreements and additional protocols
• Drawing safeguards conclusions at the State level – experience and challenges
• Analysing procurement and supply networks in sensitive nuclear technologies and information

b) Further Strengthening Safeguards Practices and Approaches

• Applying quality management practices to safeguards
• Developing training for safeguards inspectors and State safeguards personnel in a strengthened safeguards system

• Improving safeguards approaches at both facility and State levels
• Safeguarding large-scale fuel reprocessing plants and uranium enrichment facilities – experience and challenges
• Further developments in integrated safeguards
• Improving guidance for States on safeguards implementation
• Enhancing cooperation with State and regional safeguards authorities
• Improving the effectiveness of the State safeguards authorities
• Performing complementary access – experience to date and further development

c) Improving the Collection and Analysis of Safeguards Information

• Further developing the safeguards State evaluation process – data collection, analysis, and evaluation
• Developing new capabilities for information gathering, processing, analysis, evaluation, storage and retrieval
• Improving reporting from States, including design information, material accounting reports and additional protocol declarations
• Expanding the sources and coverage of open source information
• Making the best use of satellite imagery
• Information security

d) Advances in Safeguards Techniques and Technology

• Improving environmental sampling implementation, including reducing analysis time, improving detection capabilities, and improving sample processing capability
• Advances in destructive analysis techniques
• Review of safeguards equipment and techniques – defining needs for the future
• Deploying improved non-destructive assay methods, including unattended systems
• Improving containment and surveillance methods
• Extending the application of remote monitoring
• Improving statistical analysis methods
• Developing innovative safeguards technologies for difficult nuclear material measurements
• Developing new techniques for detecting undeclared nuclear material and activities

e) Future Challenges

• Anticipating future vulnerabilities in IAEA safeguards
• Addressing future human resources issues, including IAEA recruitment and training
• Applying sound knowledge management practices to safeguards
• Future interactions between IAEA safeguards and trade in sensitive nuclear technologies
• Dual-use equipment and technology and implications for safeguards
• Safeguards for new types of nuclear facilities and fuel cycles (including geological repositories)
• Supporting the development of more proliferation-resistant nuclear fuel cycles

4. PAPERS AND POSTERS

All papers – other than invited review papers – must present original work and must not have been published elsewhere.

(a) Submission of synopses

Persons who wish to present a paper or poster at the symposium must submit an extended synopsis (in English) of 800 words maximum (i.e. two A4 format pages of single spaced typing or the equivalent, including any tables or diagrams and a few pertinent references) together with the completed Form for Submission of a Paper (Form B), and the Participation Form (Form A) to the competent national authority for official transmission to the IAEA in time for them to be received by the IAEA by 15 April 2006. In addition, the synopsis must be sent electronically to the Scientific Secretary, Mr. W. Park, email: W.Park@iaea.org.

Authors are urged to make use of the Synopsis Template in Word 2000 on the symposium web page (see Section 14 for web site address). The specifications and instructions for preparing the synopsis and how to use the synopsis template are given in the attached instructions on “How to prepare the synopsis and how to submit it electronically”. Also attached is a “Sample Extended Synopsis”.

The synopsis should give enough information on the contents of the proposed paper to enable the selection committee to evaluate it. Introductory and general matters should not be included. The synopsis – if accepted – will be reproduced in unedited form in the Book of Extended Synopses; the original must therefore be submitted as a camera-ready copy in a form in which the author will wish to have the work presented. The general style and presentation should be as in the attached sample.

(b) Acceptance of Papers for Oral Presentation and Poster Presentation

Given the number of papers anticipated and the need to provide ample time for discussion, the number of papers that can be accepted for oral presentation is limited. Authors who would prefer to present their papers in a poster session are requested to indicate this preference on Form A with which they send the extended synopses.
Authors will be informed whether their papers/posters have been accepted for presentation on the basis of the extended synopsis. Guidelines for the preparation of the papers and the deadlines for their submission will be provided at that time.

The IAEA reserves the right to decline to present or publish any paper that does not meet expectations based on the information in the extended synopsis.
Further details about the preparation of papers and oral presentation at the symposium will be sent to the authors of the papers accepted together with notification of acceptance.


5. EXHIBITS

Limited space will be available for commercial vendors’ displays/exhibits during the symposium. Interested parties should contact Mr. M. Aparo, Installed Systems Section, Department of Safeguards, IAEA, at email: M.Aparo@iaea.org.

6. PARTICIPATION

All persons wishing to participate in the symposium are requested to complete a Participation Form (Form A) and to send it, as soon as possible, to the competent national authority (Ministry of Foreign Affairs or National Atomic Energy Authority) for subsequent transmission to the IAEA. A participant will be accepted only if the Participation Form is transmitted through the competent official authority of a Member State of the IAEA or by an organization invited to take part in the symposium.
Participants whose designations have been received by the IAEA will be notified two to three months before the symposium takes place. This information will also be posted on the symposium web page:

http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/Meetings/Announcements.asp?ConfID=148

7. EXPENDITURES

No registration fee is charged to participants.
As a general rule, the IAEA does not pay for the cost of attendance, i.e. travel and living expenses, of participants. However, limited funds are available to help meet the cost of attendance of selected participants from developing countries. Generally, not more than one grant will be awarded to any one country.

If governments wish to apply for such a grant, they should address specific requests to the IAEA to this effect. Governments should ensure that applications for grants:

(a) be submitted by 15 April 2006; and
(b) be accompanied by a duly completed and signed Grant Application Form (see attached Form C).

Applications which do not comply with the conditions stipulated in (a) and (b) above cannot be considered.
The grants awarded will be in the form of lump sums that usually cover only part of the costs of attendance.


8. PROCEEDINGS

The IAEA intends to publish the proceedings of the symposium in camera-ready (unedited) form as a CD ROM soon afterwards.
Each author is responsible for providing a camera-ready copy and a computer text file of the final version of each paper at the latest by the final day of the symposium. The paper will not otherwise be included in the proceedings.
All participants will receive a free copy of the proceedings.

9. WORKING LANGUAGE

The working language of the symposium will be English. All communications, synopses, abstracts and papers must be sent to the IAEA in English.

10. DISTRIBUTION OF DOCUMENTS

A preliminary programme of the symposium will be sent to participants in advance.
The final programme and the Book of Extended Synopses will be distributed on registration.

11. ACCOMMODATION

Detailed information on accommodation and other useful information will be sent to all designated participants well in advance of the symposium.

12. VISA

Designated participants who require a visa to enter Austria should submit the necessary application to the nearest diplomatic or consular representative of Austria as soon as possible. Please note that Austria is a Schengen State and therefore persons who require a visa will have to apply for a ‘Schengen visa’ at least 14 days before entry into Austria. In States where Austria has no diplomatic mission, visas can be obtained from the consular authority of a Schengen Partner State representing Austria in the country in question. At present the Schengen States are: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.


13. CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION

The Participation Form and the Form for the Submission of a Paper, together with two copies of each synopsis and, if applicable, the Grant Application Form, should be sent to the competent national authority (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Atomic Energy Authority) for official transmission to the IAEA.
Subsequent correspondence on scientific matters should be sent to the Scientific Secretary and correspondence on administrative matters to the IAEA Conference Services Section.

14. SYMPOSIUM WEB PAGE

Please visit the IAEA symposium web page regularly for new information regarding this symposium:

http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/Meetings/Announcements.asp?ConfID=148

15. SYMPOSIUM SECRETARIAT

Scientific Secretary:

Mr. W. Park
Section for System Studies
Division of Concepts and Planning
Department of Safeguards
International Atomic Energy Agency
Wagramer Strasse 5, P.O. Box 100
A-1400 Vienna, Austria
Telephone No.: (+43 1) 2600 21957
Telefax No.: (+43 1) 26007
Email: W.Park@iaea.org

Email address for paper submission: 2006sgsymposium@iaea.org

Administration and organization:

Ms. K. Morrison
Conference Services Section
Division of Conference and Document Services
IAEA-CN-148
International Atomic Energy Agency
Wagramer Strasse 5, P.O. Box 100
A-1400 Vienna, Austria
Telephone No.: (+43 1) 2600 21317
Telefax No.: (+43 1) 26007
Email: K.Morrison@iaea.org