WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has published regulations to implement the provisions of the Protocol Additional to the U.S.-IAEA Safeguards Agreement, which expands safeguards to the entire nuclear fuel-cycle.

“Implementation of the Additional Protocol Regulations demonstrates the U.S. Government’s commitment to a comprehensive strategy to stem the proliferation of nuclear weapons,” said Assistant Secretary for Export Administration Christopher R. Wall.  “We will work with affected U.S. companies and research institutions to establish their compliance with the Additional Protocol while minimizing their burdens and protecting their proprietary information.”

Companies engaged in activities subject to the Additional Protocol Regulations must provide BIS with annual reports, which will be transmitted to the IAEA, and will be subject to complementary access by IAEA inspectors. Subject activities include:

• Uranium mining;
• Certain nuclear-related equipment manufacturing;
• Exports and imports of nuclear-related equipment and nuclear-related non-nuclear material; and
• Civil nuclear fuel cycle-related research and development activities not involving nuclear material.

Initial reports are due to BIS on November 30, 2008. To assist industry to comply with the new regulations, BIS unveiled a new Web site ( www.ap.gov ) dedicated to U.S. implementation of the Additional Protocol.

BACKGROUND

BIS works to advance U.S. national security, foreign policy, and economic objectives by ensuring an effective export control and treaty compliance system and by promoting continued U.S. strategic technology leadership.

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