2
III
4
DEVELOPMENTS OF INTEREST
Austria confirmed that although their referendum had decided against the development of nuclear power the events at Chernobyl had prompted them to decide in favour of ratification of the Paris and Brussels Conventions (which they had signed). Elections the previous week meant it was not possible to speak definitively for the new Government, but no problems were expected and the necessary legislation should be passed in 1987. Some practical difficulties remained, however, as Austria favoured unlimited liability on the German/Swiss model and the extension of cover to non-contracting parties.
5 Denmark explained that delay in ratifying the Protocols was simply due to the heavy Parliamentary workload, but it was proposed to put forward a Bill in the autumn of 1987. Finland, Netherlands, Spain and France also hoped to put the necessary amendments to their respective Parliaments in 1987. France noted that wider changes to French law on nuclear liability would be implemented at the same time.
6
The Chairman concluded that if all went to plan the 1982 Protocols should come into force by the end of 1987.
IV
7
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PARIS AND VIENNA CONVENTIONS
This item led to protracted discussion. IAEA noted that the meeting of the Standing Committee (on the Vienna Convention) in March 1987 would be considering the report of the informal meeting between IAEA and NEA experts in September 1986 and looking more widely at the level of support for a joint Protocol between the two Conventions. They would also be considering the need for changes to the Vienna Convention to reflect the changes to the Paris Convention introduced by the 1982 Protocol, including changes to the unit of account. IAEA Secretariat was proposing to the Board of Governors meeting in December that further studies should be undertaken of the provisions of existing treaties and case law on liability issues.
The
8 Austria expressed the view that the most important aim was to persuade the Eastern Bloc countries to join the Vienna Convention, and suggested that the IAEA might ask these countries to explain why they could not/would not join. There was general agreement that difficulties arose in many Eastern Bloc countries over questions of State liability and that such an approach might expose these difficulties to discussion. The Chairman welcomed these views, but noted that these were matters for IAEA, not this Group or NEA. It was agreed that the views of this Group should be made known to the IAEA Standing Committee.