International Conference on Nuclear Security: Commitments and Actions
Vienna, Austria
5–9 December 2016
Conference ID:
50809
(CN-244)
Organized by the
International Atomic Energy Agency
in cooperation with
European Police Office (Europol)
European Union (EU)
Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT)
Institute for Nuclear Material Management (INMM)
International Criminal Police Organization – INTERPOL
International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)
International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
Nuclear Forensics International Technical Working Group (ITWG)
Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI)
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)
Police Community of the Americas (AMERIPOL)
United Nations Office of Disarmament Affairs (UNODA)
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
UNSCR1540 Committee
World Customs Organization (WCO)
World Nuclear Transport Institute (WNTI)
Announcement and Call for Papers
A. Introduction
Following the successful International Conference on Nuclear Security: Enhancing Global Efforts held in Vienna, Austria, in July 2013, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is organizing a second conference in this area — the International Conference on Nuclear Security: Commitments and Actions — at its Headquarters in Vienna, Austria, from 5 to 9 December 2016. The 2013 conference attracted more than 1300 registered participants from 125 Member States, 34 of which were represented at ministerial level, and 21 intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations. The 2016 conference is expected to engender an even greater level of interest.
The Ministerial Declaration made at the 2013 conference called on the IAEA to consider organizing international conferences on nuclear security every three years. Similarly, the resolution on nuclear security (GC(59)/RES/10) adopted at the 59th regular session of the IAEA General Conference in September 2015 called upon the Secretariat to continue to organize such conferences every three years and encouraged all States to participate at a high level. In this regard, the IAEA expects ministerial level participation in the 2016 conference, as well as the involvement of policymakers and legal, regulatory and technical experts.
The 2016 conference will have two main parts:
• A ministerial segment which will provide an opportunity for ministers to deliver messages on achievements, commitments and actions, and adopt a Ministerial Declaration; and
• A scientific and technical programme comprising high level policy discussions on six broad themes central to nuclear security and parallel technical sessions on specialized scientific technical, legal and regulatory issues concerning nuclear security.
The IAEA has provided assistance to States, upon request, and supported national efforts to establish and improve nuclear security since the early 1970s, when it began providing ad hoc training in physical protection. Following the tragic events of September 2001 in the United States of America, the IAEA’s first comprehensive action plan to protect against nuclear terrorism was approved in March 2002 by its Board of Governors, and three further Nuclear Security Plans were approved in 2005, 2009 and 2013, respectively.
The objective of the current IAEA Nuclear Security Plan (GOV/2013/42-GC(57)/19), which covers the period 2014–2017, is:
“[T]o contribute to global efforts to achieve effective security wherever nuclear and other radioactive material is in use, storage and/or transport, and of associated facilities by supporting States, upon request, in their efforts to meet their national responsibilities and international obligations, to reduce risks and to respond appropriately to threats. In achieving this objective, the Agency will:
• Assist States, upon request, in their efforts to establish effective and sustainable national nuclear security regimes;
• Serve as the focal point for strengthening international cooperation, and for coordination of nuclear security assistance given through regional and bilateral programmes and other international initiatives;
• Enhance global nuclear security efforts by completing international guidance in the Nuclear Security Series and, upon request, supporting its implementation by States;
• Encourage and assist States to adhere to relevant international instruments and support States, upon request, in their efforts to adopt implementing national legislation;
• Build on the progress made during the implementation of the first three Nuclear Security Plans to help States sustain and further improve their national nuclear security regimes.”
At the 59th regular session of the IAEA General Conference in September 2015, Member States reaffirmed the central role of the IAEA in strengthening the nuclear security framework globally and in coordinating international activities in the field of nuclear security, while avoiding duplication and overlap.
This second international conference on nuclear security will not only provide a timely global forum in which the progress made in strengthening nuclear security worldwide can be reviewed and future developments discussed; its results will also serve as important input for the preparation of the IAEA’s next Nuclear Security Plan, which will cover the period 2018–2021.
B. Purpose and Objectives
The conference is being convened to discuss the national and international community’s experiences and achievements to date in strengthening nuclear security; to enhance understanding of current approaches to nuclear security worldwide; to identify trends; and to provide an inclusive forum at which ministers, policymakers, senior officials and nuclear security experts can formulate and exchange views on future directions and priorities for nuclear security and how these may evolve.
The conference will be the ideal forum to:
• Raise awareness of nuclear security;
• Review the current status of nuclear security efforts and existing approaches, emerging trends and areas that may still need to be addressed;
• Consider the medium and long term objectives and priorities for nuclear security and how current approaches may evolve to address these and to meet future challenges;
• Promote universalization of the key international legal instruments for nuclear security;
• Promote international nuclear security guidance and its use by States;
• Review technological developments in nuclear security;
• Promote sharing of information and good practices in nuclear security, with due regard to the protection of sensitive information;
• Promote stronger nuclear security culture;
• Support capacity building to help sustain national nuclear security regimes;
• Encourage diverse participation in such conferences, including increased representation of women, early career professionals and individuals from developing countries; and
• Reaffirm and support the central role of the IAEA in strengthening the nuclear security framework globally and leading the coordination of international activities in the field of nuclear security, whilst avoiding duplication and overlap.
C. List of Topics
Consistent with the objectives set out above, the overall themes for the conference will be the future of nuclear security worldwide having regard to:
• International legal instruments for nuclear security: universalization and implementation of binding international legal instruments;
• International bodies and initiatives for nuclear security: role of the IAEA in coordinating international efforts;
• Nuclear material and nuclear facilities: national approaches, emerging trends and areas to be addressed;
• Radioactive material and associated facilities: national approaches, emerging trends and areas to be addressed;
• Nuclear and other radioactive material out of regulatory control: existing approaches, emerging trends and areas to be addressed; and
• National nuclear security regimes: existing approaches, emerging trends and areas to be addressed.
These themes will be discussed during the high level policy sessions of the conference.
While the final determination of the number and scope of the technical sessions will be based on the nature and number of abstracts received, it is anticipated that the technical sessions may deal with subjects as diverse as the following:
• National legislative and regulatory framework for nuclear security;
• Regulatory oversight for nuclear security;
• Threat and risk assessment;
• Insider threats;
• Physical protection of nuclear material and nuclear facilities;
• Security of radioactive material and associated facilities;
• Security of nuclear and other radioactive material in transport;
• Nuclear security culture;
• Information security and computer security;
• Detection systems and measures for nuclear and other radioactive material out of regulatory control;
• Nuclear forensics;
• Response to nuclear security events;
• Enhancing skills and knowledge of nuclear security personnel;
• Human and organizational factors in nuclear security;
• Strengthening nuclear security networks;
• Enhancing international and regional cooperation and assistance for nuclear security;
• IAEA coordinated research projects — research and development in nuclear security;
• Technological developments in nuclear security with the objective of risk reduction;
• Public messaging, communication about nuclear security, including considerations for the protection of sensitive information;
• Nuclear security exercises;
• Peer reviews and advisory services;
• Security aspects of decommissioning and end-of-life issues associated with nuclear installations; and
• Security challenges arising from the development of new technologies (e.g. small modular reactors, unmanned aerial vehicles).
D. Structure
The conference is aimed at ministers, senior government officials, high level staff from all of the agencies involved in making policy for, and managing, nuclear security, and at technical and legal experts working in all areas of nuclear security.
The conference is intended to attract industry and civil society representatives, including non governmental organizations and academic institutions. The IAEA welcomes and encourages the participation of women, early career professionals and individuals from developing countries.
The conference programme includes a ministerial segment that will be held on the first day of the conference and will conclude with the adoption of a Ministerial Declaration. The scientific and technical programme will commence on the second day of the conference and will comprise an opening plenary session, six high level discussions, two or three streams of parallel technical sessions, and a concluding plenary session with a report from the President of the conference.
Each high level discussion will be comprised of invited papers and a concluding panel discussion. Each technical session will include presentations by invited speakers on topical areas identified through the submission of abstracts. A panel discussion will also conclude each technical session.
The conference programme will also include poster sessions, and sufficient time will be provided throughout the conference for discussion and interaction with colleagues.
E. Synopses, Papers and Proceedings
Concise papers on topics falling within the scope of the conference (see Section ?C) may be submitted as contributions to the conference. All papers, apart from invited papers, must present original work and must not have been published elsewhere.
E.1. Submission of synopses
Anyone wishing to present a paper at the conference — either orally or in the form of a poster — must submit a synopsis of between 400 and 800 words in electronic format through the conference’s web browser-based file submission system (IAEA-INDICO). Paper copies cannot be accepted.
Instructions on how to upload the synopsis to IAEA-INDICO will be available on the conference web page (see Section ?N) as of 29 January 2016. The synopses must be submitted through this system between 29 January 2016 and 13 May 2016. No other form of submission will be accepted.
In addition, authors must submit the following two forms to their appropriate governmental authority (see Section ?F) for transmission to the IAEA. These forms must be received by the IAEA no later than 13 May 2016:
- Participation Form (Form A)
- Form for Submission of a Paper (Form B)
IMPORTANT: The electronically received synopses will be considered by the Programme Committee only if these two forms have been received by the IAEA through the established official channels (see Section ?F).
E.2. Acceptance of synopses
Given the number of synopses anticipated and the need to provide ample time for discussion, the number of papers that can be accepted for oral presentation is limited. Authors who prefer to present their papers as posters are requested to indicate this preference on Form A.
Authors will be notified by 29 July 2016 as to whether their papers have been accepted.
E.3. Submission of full papers
Only authors of papers selected for oral presentation are requested to submit a full paper. Full papers must be submitted through the IAEA-INDICO file submission system. Specifications for the layout and electronic format of the full papers will be made available on the conference web page. The deadline for electronic submission of the full papers as both PDF and Word files is 31 October 2016.
IMPORTANT: The system for electronic submission of papers, IAEA-INDICO, is the sole mechanism for submission of papers. Authors are encouraged to submit papers as early as possible.
E.4. Conference Proceedings
The proceedings containing summaries of the plenary and technical sessions as well as full papers presented at the conference will be published by the IAEA as soon as possible after the conference. Copies of the proceedings can be ordered, at a special discounted price, during or after the conference.
F. Participation and Registration
All persons wishing to participate in the conference are requested to register online in advance through the conference web page (see Section ?N). In addition, they must send a completed
o Participation Form (Form A),
o Form for Submission of a Paper (Form B) (if applicable), and
o Grant Application Form (Form C) (if applicable),
as soon as possible to a competent official authority:
o Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
o Permanent Mission to the IAEA, or
o National Atomic Energy Authority,
or to one of the organizations invited to participate for subsequent transmission to the IAEA, via email to: Official.Mail@iaea.org.
A participant will be accepted only if the above documents are transmitted through the competent national authority of a Member State of the IAEA or by an organization invited to participate.
Participants whose official designations have been received by the IAEA will receive further information on the conference at least three months before the start of the conference. This information will also be made available on the conference web page (see Section ?N).
G. Expenditures and Grants
No registration fee is charged to participants.
The IAEA is generally not in a position to bear the travel and other costs of participants in the conference. The IAEA has, however, limited funds at its disposal to help cover the cost of attendance of certain participants. Such assistance may be offered upon specific request to normally one participant per country provided that, in the IAEA’s view, the participant on whose behalf assistance is requested will make an important contribution to the conference.
If governments wish to apply for a grant on behalf of one of their specialists, they should address specific requests to the IAEA to this effect. Governments should ensure that applications for grants are:
1. Submitted by 13 May 2016;
2. Accompanied by a duly completed Grant Application Form (Form C) signed and stamped by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the National Atomic Energy Authority;
3. Accompanied by a completed Participation Form (Form A).
Applications that do not comply with the above conditions cannot be considered.
Approved grants will be issued in the form of a lump sum payment that usually covers only part of the cost of attendance.
H. Distribution of Documents
A preliminary programme of the conference will be made available on the conference web page (see Section ?N) before the start of the conference. The final programme and the Book of Synopses will be available free of charge upon registration at the conference.
I. Working Language
The working language of the conference will be English. All communications and papers must be sent to the IAEA in English.
J. Venue and Accommodation
The conference will be held at the IAEA’s Headquarters in Vienna, Austria. Participants must make their own travel and accommodation arrangements. Hotels which are offering a reduced rate for conference participants will be listed on the conference web page (see Section ?N). Please note that the IAEA is not in a position to assist participants with hotel bookings, nor can the IAEA assume responsibility for paying cancellation fees or for re-bookings and no shows.
K. Visas
Designated participants who require a visa to enter Austria should submit the necessary application to the nearest diplomatic or consular representative of Austria at least four weeks before they travel to Austria. Since Austria is a Schengen State, persons requiring a visa will have to apply for a Schengen visa. In States where Austria has no diplomatic mission, visas can be obtained from the consular authority of a Schengen Partner State representing Austria in the country in question.
L. Key Deadlines and Dates
Electronic submission of synopsis, including submission of Forms A and B, through official channels: 13 May 2016
Submission of Grant Application Form (Form C) and Participation Form (Form A) through official channels: 13 May 2016
Notification of acceptance of paper: 29 July 2016
Electronic submission of full paper (10 pages max.): 31 October 2016
M. Conference Secretariat
General postal address and contact details of the IAEA:
International Atomic Energy Agency
Vienna International Centre
PO Box 100
1400 VIENNA
AUSTRIA
Tel.: +43 1 2600
Fax: +43 1 2600 2007
Email: Official.Mail@iaea.org
Scientific Secretariat:
Ms Rhonda Evans
Senior Nuclear Security Officer
Office of the Director
Division of Nuclear Security
Department of Nuclear Safety and Security
Tel.: +43 1 2600 21837
Email address of the Scientific Secretariat: NuclearSecurity2016@iaea.org
Administration and organization:
Ms Martina Neuhold
Conference Services Section
Division of Conference and Document Services
Department of Management
IAEA-CN-244
Tel.: +43 1 2600 21314
Email: M.Neuhold@iaea.org
Subsequent correspondence on scientific matters should be sent to the Scientific Secretariat and correspondence on administrative matters to the Conference Services Section.
N. Conference Web Page
Please visit the IAEA conference web page regularly for new information regarding this conference:
http://www-pub.iaea.org/iaeameetings/50809/International-Conference-on-Nuclear-Security-Commitments-and-Actions
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