The Second Workshop on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage, held on 14 May 2013, was one of the many activities carried out by the IAEA in implementing the IAEA Action Plan on Nuclear Safety. The first such Workshop was held at the IAEA's Headquarters in May 2012.
Based on the positive feedback from the Workshop's participants, the International Expert Group on Nuclear Liability (INLEX), at its 12th Regular Meeting, also held in May 2012, called upon the IAEA to organize similar workshops in the future. The Second Workshop on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage was held in response to that request.
The Workshop introduced diplomats and experts from Member States to the international legal regime of civil liability for nuclear damage.
An opening address was delivered by W. Tonhauser, Head of the Nuclear and Treaty Law Section of the IAEA's Office of Legal Affairs (OLA). Presentations were made on INLEX and its role in the implementation of the IAEA Action Plan on Nuclear Safety by W. Tonhauser, on the basic principles of nuclear liability and their continuing relevance, by S. McIntosh, Chairman of the INLEX, and on the international legal instruments on civil liability for nuclear damage adopted under IAEA auspices, by A. Gioia, Senior Legal Officer in the Nuclear and Treaty Law Section (OLA).
A Round Table on Topical Issues of Nuclear Liability, covering inter alia the Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage (by B. McRae, INLEX member), civil liability for nuclear damage from a coastal States' perspective (by S. McIntosh), the role of insurance (by S. Reitsma, INLEX member), and the IAEA's legislative assistance programme (by W. Tonhauser) was held in the afternoon.
The Workshop was attended by 49 participants from 34 Member States and is planned to be repeated in 2014.