Antinuclear

From:

Foreign & Commonwealth Office  

Details

Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of Australia on Cooperation in the peaceful uses of Nuclear Energy

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM ON THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND AND THE GOVERNMENT OF AUSTRALIA ON COOPERATION IN THE PEACEFUL USES OF NUCLEAR ENERGY

SubjectMatter

1.              The UK participates in a number of international agreements as a result of, or relevant to, its membership of the European Union (EU) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) and which help underpin the UK’s relationships with third countries and international organisations. This agreement is intended to replicate, as between Australia and the UK, the effect of the “Agreement between the Government of Australia and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) for Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy (2011)” (the Australia-Euratom Nuclear Cooperation Agreement (NGA)). It will enter into force when the Australia-Euratom NGA ceases to apply to and in the UK. This is expected to be at the end of the Implementation Period. 

 Title of the Agreement

Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of Australia on Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy

Command  Paper No   9731

1.   Ahead of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU and Euratom the Government has committed to put in place all the necessary arrangements to ensure that the UK can continue to demonstrate its commitment to nuclear safeguards and non-proliferation when Euratom arrangements no longer apply in the UK. Given there is not an existing NGA in force between the UK and Australia that would maintain the benefits of the Australia-Euratom NGA, the Government has concluded a bilateral NGA with Australia, which the Government is now laying before Parliament.

2.   This new “Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of Australia on Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy” (the UK-Australia NGA) sets out the intention of the UK and Australia to continue our mutually beneficial cooperation in the civil nuclear sector, and provides a framework for doing so.

3.  The UK-Australia NGA was signed on 21 August 2018 by Menna Rawlings, the British High Commissioner to Australia for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and by Julie Bishop, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade for Australia.

Ministerial Responsibility

1.  Civil nuclear policy falls within the remit of the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, and policy on nuclear export controls belongs with the Secretary of State for International Trade.

2. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has responsibility for the overall relationship between the UK and the Overseas Territories. The Secretary of State for Justice has overall responsibility for the relationship between the UK and the Crown Dependencies.

Policy considerations

 (i)    General

 NCAs provide a useful framework for nuclear co-operation. They are legally binding treaties that allow states to formally recognise their willingness to cooperate with each other on civil nuclear matters and can be useful in helping to focus efforts where cooperation would be particularly beneficial to both parties. NCAs can cover a range of issues, including the exchange of personnel and technology and cooperation on areas such as training, standards, and safety. They can simplify export control of goods/services and can be used to encourage the spread of good practice of accepted standards in civil nuclear programmes.