Legal Framework for IAEA Safeguards

The legal framework for IAEA safeguards has evolved significantly since the Board of Governors first approved ad hoc safeguards arrangements in 1959. It is multifaceted, and consists of a number of elements, including: the Statute of the Agency; the undertakings of States in connection with supply arrangements and other treaties requiring verification; the basic safeguards documents; the safeguards instruments themselves, including safeguards agreements, protocols and subsidiary arrangements; and, finally, the decisions and practices of the Board of Governors. This publication provides a succinct, yet comprehensive, review of the current legal framework and its historical development. It introduces IAEA safeguards to the reader and describes the legal framework for their implementation.