Public invited to comment on nuclear safeguards guide

Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation draft provides licensees involved with guidance

The UAE’s Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) yesterday released a draft safeguards regulatory guide and invited the public to review the draft and comment.

FANR has drafted Regulatory Guide 15 for the Implementation of the Obligations and Requirements of the Additional Protocol to the UAE Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement, which provides guidance to FANR’s licensees involved in activities such as handling nuclear material and conducting nuclear fuel cycle-related research and development.

This is one of three regulatory guides being prepared by FANR to assist its licensees to implement the requirements of FANR’s Regulation 10 for the System of Accounting for and Control of Nuclear Material and Application of Additional Protocol. This regulation is pivotal as it establishes the requirements for the UAE to meet its international nuclear non-proliferation obligations agreed between the UAE and the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Available for 30 days

The draft regulatory guide is available on the FANR website, www.fanr.gov.ae. Members of the public can send their comments to regulation@fanr.gov. ae for the next 30 days (until June 25). FANR’s Safety, Security and Safeguards Glossary can help interested readers understand the specific terminology used in this regulatory guide. FANR will consider all comments before preparing the final regulatory guide.

As with previous regulatory guides, this draft regulatory guide has already been made available for 30 days to local and federal government entities for their comments.

FANR recognises the importance of the public’s comments and maintains the highest standards of transparency in accordance with Article 9 of Federal Law by Decree No 6 of 2009 concerning the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.