FUTURE CHALLENGES IN INTERNATIONAL SAFEGUARDS

International safeguards will face important challenges in the near future. The aim of this paper is to further discuss some of these challenges, their background and possible implications for future safeguards. This includes the application of technical goals specified in Agreements with Member States and the possibility to retain the Level of Assurance for the coming decade. Additionally, public acceptance of the use of atomic energy is crucial for the nuclear future and is consequently considered a challenge of great importance. Likewise is the possible consequences to international safeguards that might result from nuclear-weapon disarmament agreements. Thus, changes in e.g. State/Operator needs, use of facilities, amounts and type of safeguarded items and in safeguards techniques, as well as changes in political considerations, energy demand and reallocation of workload between the IAEA and States are all vital matters that will influence the design of future international safeguards.