French centralized nuclear material accounting: a tool at the heart of national
security and safeguards implementation

In the context of a revision of the national regulations for the protection and control of nuclear materials, the French authorities have reexamined their expectations in terms of the security of nuclear materials and the links with the implementation of safeguards. The existence of a nuclear material accounting has been reaffirmed as a pillar of security and safeguards. The principles of nuclear material accounting in France are presented, on the one hand at the local level of nuclear material holders, and on the other hand at the national level within a so-called centralized accounting system. The organization of centralized accounting is also detailed: the actors of this accounting system as well as all its interlocutors and stakeholders. The contributions of centralized accounting for security purposes and for the implementation of agreements and texts relating to safeguards on nuclear materials are explained, including some of the contributions of accounting for certain national needs that go beyond security and safeguards issues alone. A reflection is also proposed on the fundamental elements of nuclear material accountancy (e.g., time step or granularity of the follow-up) and on the constraints induced on this accountancy according to the objectives assigned to it, in particular with regard to security objectives or in terms of safeguards.