Convention on Nuclear Safety

The aim of the Convention is to legally commit participating States operating land-based nuclear installations to maintain a high level of safety by setting international benchmarks to which States would subscribe. The obligations of Australia as a Contracting Party is based to a large extent on the principles contained in the IAEA Safety Fundamentals document The Safety of Nuclear Installations. These obligations include, siting, design, construction, operation, the availability of adequate financial and human resources, the assessment and verification of safety, quality assurance and emergency preparedness.

The Convention is an incentive instrument. It is not designed to ensure fulfilment of obligations by Contracting Parties through control and sanction but is based on their common interest to achieve higher levels of safety which will be developed and promoted through regular meetings. The Convention obliges Australia to submit reports on the implementation of their obligations for 'peer review' at meetings of the Contracting Parties held at the IAEA. This mechanism is the main innovative and dynamic element of the Convention.

Since its ratification in March 1997, Australia has submitted six National Reports to Convention Review Meetings.

• August 2016 - Australian National Report:
  Convention on Nuclear Safety - Australian national report - Extraordinary meeting of contracting parties - August 2016
  Convention on Nuclear Safety - Australian national report - Extraordinary meeting of contracting parties - August 2016
• August 2013 - Australian National Report:
  Convention on Nuclear Safety - Australian national report - Extraordinary meeting of contracting parties - August 2013
  Convention on Nuclear Safety - Australian national report - Extraordinary meeting of contracting parties - August 2013
  Answers to questions posted to Australia in 2014:
    Convention on Nuclear Safety 2013 - Answers to questions posted to Australia
    Convention on Nuclear Safety 2013 - Answers to questions posted to Australia
• September 2010 - Australian National Report:
    Convention on Nuclear Safety - Australian national report 2010
• September 2007 - Australian National Report:
    Convention on Nuclear Safety - Australian national report 2007
• September 2004 - Australian National Report:
    Convention on Nuclear Safety - Australian national report - 2004
• October 2001 - Australian National Report:
    Convention on Nuclear Safety - Australian national report 2001
  Answers to questions of contracting parties on Australia's National Report to the Convention on Nuclear Safety Second Review Meeting Group 3:
    Convention on Nuclear Safety 2001 - Answers to questions posted to Australia

August 2012 meeting

August 2012 meeting to consider actions and developments following the accident at Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station

As part of the IAEA Action Plan on Nuclear Safety which was developed with Member States following the nuclear accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station, parties to the Convention on Nuclear Safety held an extraordinary meeting in August 2012 to consider:

1. actions and developments at a national and international level that have been initiated or influenced by the accident, and
2. ways to improve the effectiveness of the Convention.

Convention on Nuclear Safety - Australian national report - Extraordinary meeting of contracting parties - August 2012

Additional information on the Convention on Nuclear Safety is available from the International Atomic Energy Agency.