Knowledge management and competence building –
Safeguards implementation at STUK

The Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) has a long tradition in maintaining and developing the State System of Accountancy for and Control of nuclear materials (SSAC) and the national safeguards implementation. The building of competences started already in the 1970s and has continued since. In accordance with the legislation, STUK as a state regulatory authority is responsible of taking care that Finland meets its international obligations on peaceful use of nuclear energy and non-proliferation. At STUK, the Section for Nuclear Materials Safeguards is responsible for national safeguards implementation and has a key role in enabling the effective international safeguards by the IAEA and the European Commission in Finland, as required by the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement and the Additional Protocol (INFCIRC 193 and INFCIRC 193 add. 8) and the Euratom Treaty. From 2006 onwards the section is also responsible for the national data centre to the CTBT (The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty). To be able to fulfil our tasks and duties, we need to have certain skills and expertise. Recently, we have developed an inspector qualification programme for new staff members at STUK. In safeguards, we can also use the opportunities of international training courses organised by the IAEA and the European Commission. One way to learn and develop our competencies and knowledge is also to share experiences with other states, and in this context, we are actively contributing to the international co-operation and especially to the ESARDA (European Safeguards and Research Development Association) activities. And to ensure that we have adequate and capable resources in our section, we are rotating our staff duties from time to time. This aims to secure the continuity of knowledge and competence, offering also possibilities for personal development to the staff. It is important that we have experts that can back-up each other, if something unexpected happens. This paper describes how we at STUK and especially in the Safeguards Section are maintaining and developing the skills and expertise necessary for the national safeguards implementation, facilitating also the effective international safeguards implementation in Finland.