ARCHIVESHISTORIQUES
DELACOMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEEDES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM(78)148
Vol.1978/9021

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COM(78)148final.
COMMISSION Brussels,April1978*
OFTHE
EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES FOROFFICIAL USEONLY
GeneralSecretariat
INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ONTHEPHYSICAL
PROTECTION OPNUCLEARMATERIALS
(Communication fromtheCommissiontotheCouncil)
COM(78)148final.

COMMUNICATION TOTHECOUNCIL
Subject:International Convention onthePhysicalProtection
ofNuclearMaterials
On21October1977,theCommissibn forwardedtotheCouncilacommunica^\.x
tionconcerningtheInternational Convention ontheProtectionofNuclear
Materials. , i
I
AfterhavingpointedoutthatsuchaConvention wasbeingdrawnupunder
theaegisoftheIAEA,theCommission analysedthedrafttextandstressed
that,althoughmostofitsclausescamewiththecompetenceoftheMember
states,otherclausesconcernedfieldsinwhichtheCommunityhasrespon­
sibilities.Theseclauses,setoutinArticle4ofthedrafttext,con­
cernedtheimportandexportofnuclearmaterials.IntheCommission's
opinion,theyraisedseriousproblemsfortheCommunity.
Tosolvetheseproblems,theCommission recommended thatalltheMemberi
statesandtheCommunityshouldbecomepartiestotheConvention.Accor­
dingly,theCommissioncalledupontheMemberstatesthathadtakenpart
inthepreparatory workontheConventiontomakeeveryefforttobring
aboutsuchparticipation . j
I '
Thiscommunication fromtheCommission wasthesubjectofanexchangeof
viewswiththeWorkingPartyonAtomicQuestionson3November1977.f
• J
I
• .ï■....Thefirstpreparatory meetingforthepurposeofdrawinguptheConven-j
tionwasheldinViennafrom31Octoberto10November1977ontheinitia­
tiveoftheIAEA.Representations ofcertainmemberStatesattendedt;his
meeting,asdidrepresentatives oftheCommission,thelatterinthecapa­
cityofobservers. .j .;
!
LittleprogresswasmadeatthemeetingindrawinguptheConvention.
Theworkperformedwasmoreconcernedwithidentifyingthebasicquestibns
thatwouldhavetobe'settledbeforeatextcouldbeprepared. j
! '
Forthisreason,thememberStatesthatparticipated intheworkdidnot
consideritnecessary,atthatpreliminary stage,toactontherequest
thattheCommission hadmadetothemwiththeaimofsecuringtheCommuni­
ty'sparticipation . :
Inthemeantime,attherequestoftheWorkingPartyonAtomicQuestioris,
theCouncilLegalServicehaspreparedanopinionontheCommunity'sj
participation intheConvention (Doc.1/44/78JUR7-ATO3of10Febr.
1978).Inbrief,theconclusionsofthisstudyarethattheCommunity's
participation ispossiblebutnotsufficient,andthatitisnotnecessary

Initsturn/theCommissioncarriedoutafreshanalysisofthequestion*
Thisanalysis/whichwasdistributed tothemembersoftheWorkingParty
asa"workingdocument"inMarch1978/isannexedtothiscommunication
(AnnexI). !
»
Forthereasonssetoutinthisdocument/theCommissionconsiders :
a)that/fromthelegalstandpoint/thememberStatesarenotinaposi­
tiontoenterintotheundertakings containedinArticle4ofthe
Convention;wheretransfersofnuclearmaterialswithintheCommunity
andimportsofsuchmaterialsfromnon-membercountriesareconcerned
theseobligations couldprecludetheapplication of■-basicprinci­
plesoftheEuratomTreaty; !
!
b)that/ontheotherhand/theCommunityhasthepowersnecessarytoi
undertakethesecommitments andthatitpossessesthelegalmeansto
implementthem; j
c)that/inconsequence/theCommunity'sparticipationintheConvention
isnotmerelypossiblebutnecessary. j
!
Theworkdoneuptonowwasofpreparatorynature.Thenextmeetingthe|
IAEAisorganizingfrom10to21April1978couldhoweverbethestarting'
pointofaveritablenegotiation,j j
TheCommissionthereforeconsidersthatitwouldbeadvisableforthe
Counciltogiveitinstructions/inaccordancewithArticle101ofthe
EuratomTreaty,toundertakeatthepropertimethenegotiations neces­
saryforthepurposeofensuringthjattheCommunityisapartytothe
Convention .
Forthispurpose,asetofdraftdirectivesisannexedtothiscommuni­
cation(AnnexeII). i !
I
Moreover/withtheabove-mentioned imeetinginmind/theCommissionrepeats
therequestthatitalreadymadetotheMemberStateswhichwillbetaking
partinthework/andmoreparticularly totheMemberStateoccupyingthe
Chair,tomakeeveryefforttoensurethataclauseenablingtheCommun­
itytoacceedtotheConventionis,included.
!
" I
i

ANNEXI
PARTICIPATION OFTHEEAECINANINTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON
PHYSICAL PROTECTION INTHECOURSEOFPREPARATION UNDER
THEAUSPICES OFTHEIAEA
(LégalAnalysis)

A.Introduction
1.InItscommunication totheCouncil(Doc.COM/77/520final),theCommis­
sionexpressedtheopinionthattheMemberStatesassuchwouldnot,from
thelegalstandpoint,beinaposit.iontoenterintotheundertaking con­
tainedinArticle4(paragraph 1)ofthedraftConvention.
UnderthetermsofthisArticle,theContractingPartieswouldbeobliged
nottoimportorexportorpermittheimportorexportofnuclearmaterials
unlesssuchmaterialswereatalltimesduringinternational transferbe
subjecttothephysicalprotectionprecautionsdescribedindetailedform
inthatArticle.\
B.MemberStates'powers
2.AsfarastradewithintheCommunityisconcerned,thisundertaking would
entailrestrictions onintra-Community tradeinnuclearmaterials -
appeartobeincompatible withthebasicprinciples
oftheTreaty.Inparticular,theMemberStatescould,byvirtueofsuch
anundertaking,beobligedtotakemeasureswhichwouldhavethefollow­
ingconsequences :
(a)freemovementwouldbeaffected,sincecertainmaterialscouldno
longerbetransferred fromorveMemberStatetoanother;
(b)thesupplysystemwhich,basedasitisonthemonopolyoftheSupply
Agencyandontheprincipleofequalaccesstoresourcesandthere­
forenotcompatiblewithStateintervention,wouldalsobeaffected,
sinceCommunityuserswouldnolonger,byvirtueofsuchintervention,
beabletoobtaintheirsuppliesfromproducersinanotherMember
State.Moreover,certainproducerswouldforfeittheiroutletswith
usersinanotherMemberState;
(c)thesmoothandindependentoperationoftheJRCEstablishments would
beaffected,sincetheywouldnolongerbeabletoobtaintheirsup­
pliesfromsomeoftheMemberStates;
(d)thesamewouldbetrueofJointUndertakings,since,forexample,a
MemberStatewouldnolonger,beabletqsupplyaJointUndertaking
establishedinanotherMemberStatebutinwhichitisparticipating,
norbeabletoobtainsuppliesfromthatUndertakingitself.

-2-
3.Again,asfarasimportsfromoutsidetheCommunityareconcerned,Arti­
cle4ofthedraftConventioncouldnotbesignedbytheMemberStates
either.Itwouldinvolveacommitmenttoimplementrestrictions onsuch
importswhichwouldformanobstacletothetaskoftheAgencyandhinder
theprovisionofsuppliestotheJRCandtoJointUndertakings .
»
Inparticular,theAgency'sfunctions,asregardsthesupplyingofCommun­
ityusers,underthetermsofArticle52and64oftheTreatyandas
regardsitsrighttodecidethegeographicaloriginofmaterials,under
thetermsofthesecondparagraphofArticle65,wouldbeaffected.
4.Theparticipation ofallMemberStatesintheConventionwouldnotempower
themtoenterintotheobligations containedinArticle4.
TheMemberStateswouldstill,evenonthishypothesis,havetoundertake
tosubjectintra-Community tradetotheconditionslaiddownintheCon­
vention,tomonitorcompliancewithsuchconditionsforspecificshipments
byasystemoflicencesorauthorizations,andeven,whereappropriate,
toprohibitsuchexchanges.Suchanundertaking would,therefore,bein­
compatiblewiththeprinciplesdescribedinPoint2:thiswouldbetrue
evenif,inpractice,supposingthatallMemberStatesweretocomplywith
thephysicalprotectionobligationsderivingfromtheConvention,the
undertaking wereonlytoinvolveasystemofautomatically grantedautho­
rizationsinaccordancewiththe"anylicencegranted"principle.Sucha
systemwould,ofitself,constituteanobstacletothefullapplication
ofsuchprinciples.TheCourtofJusticehascfeliveredseveraljudgments
tothiseffect(cf.CaseN°41/76Donckerwolcke,CourtReports1976,
p.1935;Casen°68/76Commission/France,CourtReports1977,p.528).
Moreover,theproblemsrelatingtoimportsfromoutsidetheCommunity,
referredtoinPoint3,wouldalsoremainwhollyunresolvedevenifall
MemberStatesweretobecomesignatoriestotheConvention.
C.TheCommunity'spowers
5.TheCommunityis,however,endowedwiththenecessarypowertoundertake
thecommitmentreferredto.inA'rticle4CDofthedrafttext.Theprovi­
sionsoftheTreatyontheexclusiverightoftheAgencytoconclude
t
•/«t•

-3-
supplycontracts,withinthemeaningofArticles52and64oftheTreaty,
constitutethebasisfortheinternalpoweroftheCommunitywhich,under
Article101,isnecessaryinordertoprovidethegroundfortheCommun­
ity'sexternalpowersforthepurposesofsigningtheConvention;thisis
applicablejustasmuchtointra-Community suppliesastosuppliesfrom
outsidetheCommunity.
TheCommunitywouldhavelegalpowerstoundertaketoensurethatsupplies
frominsideoroutsidetheCommunitywhichwerecontrarytotheConvention
werenotdelivered.
Article52(2)andArticle61oftheTreatymakeexpressprovisionfor
theAgencytorefusetoexerciseitsexclusiverightsasregardsaparti­
cularshipment,thusmakingitlegallyimpossible,ifsuchashipmentis
unlawfulorotherwisesubjecttolegalobstacles.Inpractice,theunlaw­
fulnessandthelegalobstaclesaffectingashipmentwhichcontravenes
ArticleAoftheConventionwouldarise,becauseofthenon-compliance
withaninternational undertakingenteredintobytheCommunityandwith
thephysicalprotectionmeasurestowhichalltheMemberStateswouldbe
committedunderthatConvention.
6.AdoubtcouldariseastowhethertheCommunitycould(inplaceofthe
MemberStates)enterintocommitments whichmightinvolverestrictions
onthefreemovementofmaterialswithintheCommunity.
Suchasituationwouldnot,however,becompatiblewiththeTreaty,since
suchrestrictions wouldinpracticeresultinlimitations onthesupply
functionoftheAgency,whichwouldberequiredtorefuseaparticular
shipment-suchrestrictions being,asindicatedabove,providedforby
Article52(2)andArticle61oftheTreaty.
NorwoulditbepossibletomaintainthattheAgency'spowerscoveronly
economicorcommercialaspectsandthatotherareasareexclusivetothe
MemberStates.
ThebasisoftheTreatyprecludessuchaconclusion.Article77(b)cre­
atesanindissoluble linkbetweenCommunityactivitiesinthefieldof
supplies(ChapterVI)andof-safeguards "(ChapterVII).Article52makes
theactivitiesoftheAgencysubjecttotheconditionslaiddownbyex­
ternalsuppliers :thelatterwould,obviously,imposeconditionsofa
•/•••

politicalnatureconcerning,inthefirstplace,,securityasregards
materials (e.g.,themajorco-operation agreementswiththeUnitedStates
andCanada).Inparticular,experiencehasshownthat,inthepresent "
circumstances,therequirements whichrelatetophysicalprotection,such
asthoseimposedbyexternalsuppliers(e.g.USA,Canada,Australia),
havebecomeanessentialprecondition formaintaining Communitysupplies.
Thus,unlesstheCommunityis,throughtheactivityoftheAgency,ina
positiontoguaranteecompliancewithsuchconditions,itcannot.fulfiI
theobligationsconferredonitbyArticle2(d)oftheTreaty,namely,
toensurethatallusersreceivearegularandequitablesupply.
Thefactthatthepracticalimplementation oftheCommunity'scommitments
would,underthetermsoftheConvention,requirecloseco-operation
betweentheCommission andtheauthorities intheMemberStateswithin
theCommunitycouldnotinanywayaffecttheCommunity'sabilitytosign
theConvention.Suchco-operation intheimplementation ofCommunity law
(whichistheoutwardmanifestation ofconcertedpolicy.asbetweenthe
Communityinstitutions andtheMemberStates)isnotatallunusual
(levyingofcustomsduties,sanctions,thefisheriessector).
7.Itwouldappearfromtheforegoingthat,asregardsintra-Community trans­
fersandimportsfromoutsidetheCommunity,ontheonehand,Member
StateshavenopowersunderArticle4(1)ofthedraftConventionand,
ontheotherhand,theCommunity,byvirtueoftheexclusiverightsof
theAgencywithinthecommonmarket,isendowedwithexternalauthority
inthisarea.Suchauthoritycanthereforeonlybeexclusive.
D.ExportsfromtheCommunity
8.TheCommunitycouldequallyundertaketoprohibitsuchexportsfromthe
CommunityaswouldbebannedundertheConvention.Article59ofthe
TreatysubjectstheexportofmaterialsfromtheCommunitytoauthoriz­
ationfromtheCommission,whichisobligedtosatisfyitselfthatthe
operationinquestiondoesnotadverselyaffectthegeneralinterestsof
,theCommunity.Henceanexporttransaction whichdidnotcomplywiththe
physicalprotectioncommitmentundertakenbyalltheMemberStateswould,
automatically,prejudicesuchgeneralinterests.

-5-
However,sincetheauthorization referredtoinArticle59isnotexclu­
sive(MemberStatescanalwayspreventanexportshipmentauthorizedby
theCommission),nolegalconditionswouldexistwhichwouldofnecessity,
asinthecasepfinternaltransfersorofimportsfromnon-membercoun­
tries,requiretheCommunity'sparticipation intheConventionasregards
t
exportsoutsidetheCommunity.
E.OperationssubjecttoArticle75ofthe-Treaty
9.ParticularmentiofSshouldbemadeofoperationscoveredbyArticle75of
theTreaty,sincethesearenotsubjecttointervention bytheAgencyor
totheotherprovisionsofChapterVI.Asregardsintra-Community trans­
fers,sinceMemberStatescannotundertaketopreventthesebecauseof
theprincipleoffreemovement,anotherlegalinstrumentmustbefound
whichwouldallowArtifcleA(1)tobeapplied.Thisonlywayofachieving
thiswouldbetomakeprovisionforacommitmenttobeundertakenbythe
Community;thiscouldperhapsinvolvetheapplicationofinternalimple­
mentingproceduresusingaCommunityinstrumenttobeadoptedbythe
CouncilonthebasisofArticle203.Suchaninstrumentcould,for
example,berestricted .toauthorizing MemberStatestoadoptasystemof
monitoringofthetransfersinquestion.
Asregardsextra-Community operations,insofarastheCommissionwould
notbeabletopreventapplication ofArticle75(operationswithcoun­
triesoutsidetheCommunity)itwouldbetheMemberStateswhichwould
havetotakethenecessarymeasures:thiswouldnotentailanylegal
difficulties,sincetheprincipleoffreemovementwouldnotbeatrisk
andsuchoperationsarenotconnectedwithsupplies.
F.Article195
10.Article195oftheTreatywouldinnowayjustifytheabove-mentioned com­
mitmentsbeingundertakenbytheMemberStatesinpursuanceofArticle4
ofthedraftConvention.
Sinceitisaderogatoryprovision,Article195hastobeinterpretedvery
strictly:suchanapproachis'allthemoreimperativeinanareasuchas
thatofnuclearpower,wherepublicsafetyandhealthprotectionare,in
$
■/·>·

6
onewayoranother,alwaysinvolved.Abroadinterpretation ofArticle195
isalsoinadmissible becausetheTreatyalreadycontainsstrictrulingson
areasundertheheadsofhealthprotectionandsafeguards.
NotonlydothepreliminaryprovisionsoftheTreaty(Articles2(b)and
(e))conferontheCommunitybasicresponsibilities intheseareasin
orderforittofulfilitsfunctions,butinadditiontheTreatyconfers
ontheCommunityinstitutions specificandfar-reaching powerswhichcan
(Article80)extendtotherequirementthatcertainfissilematerialsbe
depositedincertaincircumstances andattheCommission'srequest.
ItisthereforeunthinkablethatArticle195couldenableaMemberState
unilaterally torestrictthescopeoftheCommunity'sbasicpowers.
ItisclearthattheCommunity,byvirtueofthisprovision,isobliged/
insofarastheyarenotincompatible withthemandatoryprovisionsofthe
Treaty,tocomplywithnationalmeasureswhich,forreasonsconnected
withpublicsafetyorhealthprotectionwould,withinaparticular
MemberState,imposerules(e.g.,asregardshealthprotection)relating
totheuseortransportofnuclearmaterials.
AMemberStatewouldnot,however,onthebasisofsuchrulesandthrough
restrictions onexportsorimports,beabletolimitaccesstomaterials
bynationalsofotherMemberStatesnorbyitsownnationalsbecauseof
externalsituations (inthecasewi"thwhichwearedealing,non-compliance
byotherStateswithphysicalprotectionmeasureswhichmayhavebeen
introducedbytheMemberStateinquestion);inotherwords,the"natio­
nalrulesandregulations"referredtoinArticle195couldonlyapply
toadomesticsituationintheMemberStateinquestion.
Furthermore,Article195couldnotprovideabasisforaMemberState
havingauthoritytoundertakeinternational commitmentsinfieldswhich
fallwithintheexclusivepoweroftheCommunity.
Fromallpointsofview,Article195couldnotbeinvokedwithanyjusti­
ficationinviewof.theexistenceofalegalinstrument (participation
bytheCommunity)whichcan-preventanyunilateralrestrictionwhileat
thesametimemakingitpossibleforthedesiredobjectivesofphysical
protectiontobeachieved.

ANNEXII
DRAFTCOUNCILDECISION
Layingdowndirectivesfopnegotiationoftheinternational Con­
ventiononthePhysicalProtectionofNuclearMaterialscurrently
beingpreparedundertheaegisoftheIAEA
TheCounciloftheEuropeanCommunity, '
HavingregardtotheTreatyestablishing theEuropeanAtomicEnergy
Community/andinparticularthesecondparagraphofArticle101thereof,
HavingregardtothedraftfromtheCommission,
WhereasanInternational Convention onthePhysicalProtectionofNuclear
MaterialsiscurrentlybeingpreparedundertheaegisoftheIAEA,
Whereasitisimportanttoreconciletherequirements ofthisConvention
withdueobservanceoftheprinciplesoftheEuratomTreaty,
WhereastheprovisionsinthedrafttextofthisConventionincludea
clausemakingitbindingonthecontractingpartiesnottoimportor
export,ornottopermittheimportorexport,ofnuclearmaterials,
unlessthesematerialsaremakesubjectthroughouttheperiodinvolved
intheinternational transfertothephysicalprotectionmeasureslaiddown
bytheConvention,
WhereasinthecaseofexchangesinvolvingtheMemberStatesofthe
Communityitisnecessaryforsuchacommitmenttobeendorsedbythe
Communityassuch,
WhereastheCommunityhasthenecessarypowerstoendorsesuchacommitment
andtoensurethatitisimplemented,
Whereas,inconsequence,theCommunitymustbeapartytotheConvention,
HASDECIDEDASFOLLOWS:
1.TheCommissionshallenterintothenegotiations necessarytoensure
thattheCommunitywillbeapartytotheInternational Convention on
PhysicalProtection.
2.TheCommunityshallbeapartytothisConventiontotheextent
necessarytoassumetheresponsibilitiesconferredtoitby.theTreaty
withrespecttothesupplyofnuclearmaterialtotheusersoftheCom­
munityandtosafeguarddueobservanceoftheprovisionsoftheEuratom
Treaty,whileenablingthephysicalprotectionmeasureslaiddownby
theConventiontobeapplied.
3.Theresultingcommitments maybe-includedinanagreementgovernedby
theprovisionsofArticle102oftheEuratomTreaty,towhichtheCom­
munityandtheMemberStateswillbeparties,eachtotheextentto
whichitisconcerned.'