In a new publication launched today, the contribution of the International Expert Group on Nuclear Liability (INLEX) over the past two decades is set out. Titled “International Expert Group on Nuclear Liability (INLEX): A Collective View on The First Two Decades”, the publication marks the 20th Anniversary of INLEX’s establishment, first commemorated during an event held on the margins of the 67th IAEA General Conference, last September.
Established in September 2003 as an expert advisory body by the IAEA Director General, INLEX brings together experts from around the world with recognized competence in the field of civil liability for nuclear damage and related issues, including from nuclear and non-nuclear power generating countries. These expert members serve in their individual capacity and do not represent their government or organization.
IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi has highlighted that “nuclear liability and compensation are global issues, requiring the participation of every country. INLEX fulfils a vital role in providing authoritative advice, in assisting the Secretariat, and in raising worldwide awareness and understanding of these crucial topics. This publication is a valuable contribution to these efforts. I am committed - as INLEX is - to increasing the reach of the Global Nuclear Liability Regime.”
Over the course of the past two decades, the Group has played a pivotal role in shaping discussions and offering authoritative advice on various nuclear liability issues. From reaching conclusions and making recommendations on possible gaps and ambiguities in the scope and coverage of the existing legal instruments adopted under IAEA auspices, to assisting the Secretariat in conducting outreach activities to promote adherence to the instruments, the Group has been instrumental. An important milestone came in 2007 with the finalisation of explanatory texts on the nuclear liability instruments adopted under the IAEA’s auspices in 1997, namely, the Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage and the 1997 Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage. Revised texts were most recently published in 2017 (IAEA International Law Series No. 3 (Revised)). In 2013, INLEX also finalized an explanatory text on the 1988 Joint Protocol Relating to the Application of the Vienna Convention and the Paris Convention (IAEA International Law Series No. 5).
In 2012, the Group adopted recommendations to facilitate the achievement of the Global Nuclear Liability Regime, as requested by the IAEA Action Plan on Nuclear Safety. In 2022, the Group adopted a statement on the benefits of joining the Global Nuclear Liability Regime.
To mark the 20th anniversary, the publication includes papers on several nuclear liability topics and the work of INLEX, contributed by some of the Group’s current members. Topics range from INLEX’s role in facilitating the achievement of the Global Nuclear Liability Regime to coastal State perspectives on this regime. The publication also covers specific cases of compensation, comparison of the regime on nuclear liability and other regimes on civil liability for ultra‑hazardous activities, as well as to the nuclear insurance perspective. Cooperation on nuclear liability between INLEX and the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency, is also covered.
Designed to serve as a valuable resource, the publication targets nuclear law professionals, academics, practitioners, and policy makers alike. Through its comprehensive exploration of INLEX's contributions and the broader domain of nuclear liability, the publication aims to elevate awareness and understanding of this critical branch of nuclear law.
The publication is available here.
