In Vienna today, India signed the Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage (CSC), which seeks to establish a uniform global legal regime for the compensation of victims in the event of a nuclear accident. Indian Ambassador, Mr. Dinkar Khullar signed the CSC on behalf of his country at a brief ceremony held at IAEA headquarters.
At the moment four States have signed and ratified the Convention - Argentina, Morocco, Romania and the United States. India's signing brings a total of 14 States as current signatories to the Convention. The Convention is set to enter into force on the ninetieth day after date of ratification by at least five States who have a minimum of 400,000 units of installed nuclear capacity.
Background
Adopted on 12 September 1997, the Convention on Compensation for Nuclear Damage was opened for signature at the IAEA's 41st General Conference at Vienna that same month. The CSC is consistent with principles set forth in previous international agreements governing nuclear liability, including the Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage and the Paris Convention on Third Party Liability in the Field of Nuclear Energy. It provides a bridge between these two regimes, is open to States that are party to neither of these two regimes, and establishes an international fund to increase the amount available to compensate victims. The CSC also allows for compensating civil damage occurring within a State's exclusive economic zone, including loss of tourism or fisheries related income. It also sets parameters on a nuclear operator's financial liability, time limits governing possible legal action, requires that nuclear operators maintain insurance or other financial security measures and provides for a single competent court to hear claims.