EU Statement at the IAEA Board of Governors on the Safeguards Implementation Report for 2024, 10 June 2025

Chair,I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine align themselves with this statement. We recall that IAEA safeguards are a fundamental component of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and help create an environment conducive to peaceful nuclear cooperation. The EU attaches utmost importance to the integrity of the IAEA safeguards system and strongly supports the Agency's efforts to strengthen its effectiveness and improve its efficiency. For the EU, the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreements, together with Additional Protocols, represent the current verification standard under the NPT. We encourage the Director General and all IAEA Member States to actively promote the universalisation of these instruments, as outlined in the Joint Working Paper entitled “Strengthening the IAEA Safeguards” presented to the third NPT Preparatory Committee this year. Additional Protocols are indispensable for the IAEA to fulfil its mandate and provide credible assurance not only about the non-diversion of declared nuclear material, but also about the absence of undeclared material and activities. We congratulate all those whose agreements have recently entered into force and call upon all remaining States to conclude and bring into force Comprehensive Safeguards Agreements and Additional Protocols without further delay. We are pleased to...