ZANGGER COMMITTEE

ZANGGER COMMITTEE (ZAC)

and non-nuclear material. These are commonly Membership: 38 States — , , Aus- known as the Trigger List, and were published as tria, , , , , , IAEA document INFCIRC/209 of 3 September 1974. , , , , , , , , Ireland, , , Attached to the original Trigger List was an annex , Republic of Korea, Luxemburg, The clarifying the items described in the list in some de- tail. Since then, additional clarification exercises, , , , , , conducted on the basis of consensus and then trans- Russian Federation, , , , mitted to the IAEA, have taken place. They contain , , , , , United new items on plants for the production of heavy wa- Kingdom and of America. ter, technological development in the field of isotope separation by the gas centrifuge process, and fuel Permanent Observer: . reprocessing plants. Other items on the list are cur- Background: The Committee was formed in 1971, rently under review. The IAEA maintains a collection under the chairmanship of Claude Zangger (Switzer- of all past INFCIRC/209 documents. The latest revi- land), to draft a “trigger list” of (a) source or special sion of INFCIRC/209 took place on 9 March 2000. fissionable materials, and (b) equipment or materials especially designed or prepared for the processing, Since 1974, the Zangger Committee has continuously use, or production of special fissionable materials. reviewed, updated, and amended its Trigger List. Six Under Art. III.2 of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation major revisions have taken place: Treaty (NPT), these items should be subject to Inter- · November 1977 – heavy water production equip- national Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards ment added, and clarification on zirconium; if supplied by NPT parties to any non-nuclear weap- on States (NNWS). In 1974, the Zangger Committee · February 1984 – isotope separation by gas centri- published a Trigger List, a list of items that would fuge process added; “trigger” a requirement for safeguards and guidelines · August 1985 – clarification on reprocessing plants; (“common understandings”) governing the export of · February 1990 – clarification on isotope separation those items to NNWS not party to the NPT. These plant equipment from the gaseous diffusion meth- guidelines establish three conditions of supply: a non- od; explosive use assurance, an IAEA safeguards re- · 1994 – further clarification to the enrichment sec- quirement, and a re-transfer provision that requires tion and a modification of the entry on “primary the receiving state to apply the same conditions when coolant pumps” (to include water pumps), and the re-exporting these items. The Trigger List was first same year an understanding was reached on the published in September 1974 as IAEA document safeguards procedural management of bulk quanti- INFCIRC/209 and has been amended several times ties of source material for non-nuclear use; and since then. · 1996 – further clarification of the less sensitive The Committee decided that its status was informal Trigger List items (Sections 2 and 5). and that its decisions would not be legally binding The Committee has agreed to exchange information upon its members. The decisions are put into legal about actual exports or issue of licenses for exports to effect by unilateral declarations of each member to any NNWS not party to the NPT through its system the other members, with subsequent letters to the of “Annual Returns,” which are circulated on a con- Director-General of the IAEA requesting him to pub- fidential basis among its Member States each year in lish these unilateral policy declarations in IAEA doc- April. ument INFCIRC/209. The Committee meets in twice a year, in May By 1974, the Zangger Committee arrived at a consen- and in October. These meetings are informal and con- sus on the basic guidelines, which were set out in two fidential. The members also exchange confidential separate memoranda dated 14 August 1974. The first annual reports in April detailing actual exports and defined the list of source and special fissionable ma- the issuance of any export licenses to any NNWS not terial, and the second defined exports of equipment party to the NPT.

Inventory of International Nonproliferation Organization and Regimes Center for Nonproliferation Studies Last Update: 7/19/2011 ZANGGER COMMITTEE

Verification and Compliance: This regime is a vol- submitted a working paper for the NPT 2008 Pre- untary association, not bound by a treaty, and there- paratory Meeting. At its meeting on 18 November, fore has no formal mechanism to enforce compliance. the Zangger Committee accepted Kazakhstan as a The Committee adopted voluntary measures to new member. strengthen confidence, such as the agreement to ex- change information about actual exports or issue of 2007: The Committee submitted a Trigger List clari- licenses for exports to any NNWS not party to the fication to the IAEA. On 10 May, the chairman of the NPT through its system of “Annual Returns,” which Zangger Committee, Pavel Klucky, delivered a are circulated on a confidential basis among its statement regarding the activities of the Committee to Member States each year in April. the Cluster II of the first meeting of the Preparatory Committee for the 2010 NPT Review Conference. Chairmanship: The term of office of the chair of the

Committee is indefinite and is for the duration of the 2006: Croatia joined the Committee on 30 June. On 1 professional life (in the nuclear field) of the incum- August, Mr. Pavel Klucký of the Czech Republic bent. Four chairs have held the office thus far: Pro- became the chairman of the Committee. fessor Claude Zangger of Switzerland from 1971 until 1989, Mr. Ilkka Makipentti of Finland from 2005: After the passing away of the long-time chair 1989 to 1993, Dr. Fritz Schmidt of from 1993 of the Committee, Mr. Fritz Schmidt, the election of to 2005, and Mr. Pavel Klucky since 2006. a new chair was pending. Until a new chairperson was elected, the Mission to the Developments: United Nations in Vienna acted as the Secretariat and 2011: The Zangger Committee finalized the member- interim chair of the Committee. ship procedure for Belarus. At the NPT Review Conference, the Joint Member

th States of the Zangger Committee submitted a docu- On 2 February Belarus became the 38 member of ment entitled “2005 Multilateral nuclear supply prin- the Zangger Committee after the membership proce- ciples of the Zangger Committee.” The paper was dure was completed. Already a member of the Nucle- intended to describe the work of the Committee and ar Suppliers Group, the country pledged to commit to further the understandings of its objectives. strengthening international non-proliferation and compliance to export controls. 2004: The Zangger Committee postponed its meeting that had been scheduled for early 2004 to 18-19 Oc- 2010: At the 2010 NPT Review Conference, the tober. On 19 October the Zangger Committee wel- Committee submitted a working paper outlining the comed the unanimous adoption of UN Security mission, history, principles, work, and membership Council Resolution 1540 and, furthermore, stated that of the Committee. The paper also contains statements its members stood ready to respond positively to the made during previous NPT review conferences refer- resolution and to provide any assistance required ring to the Committee. within the mandate of the Committee. 2003: The Committee met on 10 April to discuss On 9 November the Committee approved the mem- plans for updating its “common understandings” for bership of Belarus into the Zangger Committee. export control, including those relating to physical protection of materials and to the International Atom- 2009: In May, the Committee submitted a working ic Energy Agency Additional Protocol, and to con- paper for the NPT 2009 Preparatory Meeting. This tinue to discuss possible outreach activities with non- working paper acknowledged that Armenia, Bosnia member States parties to the NPT. It also considered and Herzegovina, Cape Verde, El Salvador, Iceland, Belarus’ application for membership on the Commit- Kazakhstan, Montenegro, Republic of Moldova, for- tee, but did not grant it. mer Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Timor- Leste joined in sponsoring the language contained in The Committee’s second 2003 meeting convened in the working paper submitted for the NPT Preparatory Vienna on the morning of 14 October, and was di- Committee in 2008. rectly followed later that day by a “friends of the chair” meeting. Members again addressed the issue 2008: In February, the IAEA circulated among its of Belarusian membership, but the U.S. would not Member States a letter from the chairman of the agree to its admittance, reiterating previously-stated Zangger Committee including the amended Memo- concerns regarding its nonproliferation efforts. randum B of the Trigger List. In May, the Committee Committee members identified Egypt, Mexico, Peru,

Inventory of International Nonproliferation Organization and Regimes Center for Nonproliferation Studies Last Update: 7/19/2011 ZANGGER COMMITTEE and Chile as current priorities for outreach efforts. 1999: Seeking to update the Trigger List, 32 Zangger Regarding the Trigger List, the U.S. suggested an Committee member governments communicated with amendment to the graphite entry, asking members to the Director-General of the IAEA in November. The address issues related to graphite control and to take a governments clarified their objective to apply certain questionnaire on graphite licensing. It was decided procedures in cases of export of source or special that the U.S. would create an updated report on fissionable material to NNWS not party to the NPT. graphite issues and on proposed Trigger List amend- China and did not send communications to the ments to be distributed to Committee members in the IAEA at that time. The procedures outlined in the spring of 2004. communication were the foundation for INFCIRC/209/Rev.2 of 9 March 2000. Another topic of discussion during the October meet- ing was the possibility of Zangger Committee States 1998: China joined the Zangger Committee in the fall holding a special meeting to formulate a response and took part in the October meeting. At the Commit- should Iran be found in noncompliance with its Inter- tee’s May meeting, members issued a statement de- national Atomic Energy Agency safeguards agree- ploring the nuclear tests conducted by India and Pa- ments. Some supported this, while others felt that this kistan, expressing regret at the damaging impact of would be contrary to the Committee’s function as a these tests on global prevention of nuclear prolifera- technical rather than a political organization. tion, calling on India and Pakistan to refrain from further testing, and urging them to adhere to the NPT 2002: The Committee held formal meetings in June unconditionally. and October. Issues under consideration included implementation of the NPT 2000 Review Conference Point of Contact: recommendations and discussion of where the Zangger Committee should focus its efforts to fulfill its technical role for the NPT to best effect. The Chairman of the Committee

2001: The Committee held its formal meeting in Mr. Pavel Klucky May. The issues under discussion were updating the Head of Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Unit Trigger List to include equipment for the separation United Nations Department of and uranium, IAEA safeguards on nu- clear facilities, outreach to non-members, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic NPT 2000 Review Conference recommendations. Loretanske Name. 5 Regarding outreach, the Committee decided to launch 118 00 Praha 1 a new program between its members and third coun- CZECH REPUBLIC tries with the objectives of establishing a “strong and Tel: (00420) 22418 2227 sustainable relationship” with them, increasing the Fax: (00420) 22418 2026 transparency of the Committee’s activities by ex- E-mail: [email protected] plaining its role, and providing opportunities for dia- logue regarding nonproliferation and nuclear export Secretary of the Zangger Committee: control issues. The program was to be restricted to States parties to the NPT. Mr. Graham Styles 2000: The October meeting was dedicated to discus- First Secretary sion of the results of the 2000 NPT Review Confer- UK Permanent Mission of the United Kingdom to the ence. The members reached an agreement to create United Nations in Vienna two informal “friends of the chair” groups to consider Jauresgasse 12 preparations for the 2005 NPT Review Conference. A-1030 Vienna The Committee also decided to continue considering Austria possible future adoption of a policy of requiring full- scope safeguards as a condition of supply to NNWS. Tel: (43-1) 716 13 – 4232 The members were able to reach agreement not to Fax: (43-1) 716 13 – 4900 include americium and neptunium on the Trigger Email: [email protected] List, while attempts to add equipment used in pluto- http://www.britishembassy.at/direct/ukmis.shtml nium enrichment—atomic vapor laser isotope separa- http://www.zanggerCommittee.org/Zangger/default.h tion has been suggested as a potential plutonium en- tm richment process—to the Trigger List were not suc- cessful.

Inventory of International Nonproliferation Organization and Regimes Center for Nonproliferation Studies Last Update: 7/19/2011