Speaker
Description
Undoubtedly nuclear security has surfaced as a subject of concern on the international agenda and has gained attention at the highest political level in several States. Argentina has demonstrated its strong commitment towards it and has recognized the unique role of the IAEA in strengthening global nuclear security. Argentina has also come to the conclusion that a number of stakeholders must be taken into account in order to define general requirements and necessary control standards.
At the regulatory level, the Nuclear Regulatory Authority (ARN) of Argentina is mandated by the Nuclear Activity National Act to carry out tasks with the objective of preventing the commission of intentional acts that may lead to severe radiological consequences or unauthorized withdrawal of nuclear material or other materials or equipment subject to regulation and control. It has federal competence to regulate the nuclear activity on physical protection and also on transport of radioactive materials, radiation and nuclear safety and non-proliferation.
ARN dictates regulatory standards, issues the permissions and licenses authorizing practices and installations, controls the compliance with standards, requirements and license conditions, enforces this compliance and has a leading role in the preparation and response to radiological and nuclear emergencies. It is worth highlighting that it is an autonomous body reporting to the country’s Presidency, and is independent of any organization dedicated to the use or the promotion of nuclear energy in any of its forms.
Regarding physical protection, ARN is the competent authority responsible for the implementation of the regulatory functions on the physical protection of nuclear material and facilities and the security of radioactive sources, and therefore has a key role in complying with the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and its Amendment (CPPNM, the single legally binding instrument on the matter).
The paper will describe and provide an update on the activities performed by ARN in the field of nuclear security between the 2016 and 2020 Ministerial International Conferences. It is worth noting that the chosen period includes a key development: the entry into force of the CPPNM Amendment.
The mentioned activities will be described in detail under three topics: the Argentine regulatory framework, capacity building, and international cooperation. The first one will summarize the ARN's education and training activities in nuclear security and the efforts made to enhance the nuclear security culture. The second area will deal with the process to adapt and adequate Argentine physical protection standards (in terms of normative, requirements and license conditions) to the current international legal instruments. Finally, the third part will cover cooperation activities at the regional and international level.
| State | Argentina |
|---|---|
| Gender | Female |
