ABSTRACT

International co-operation in the peaceful uses of atomic energy started in the mid-1950s as soon as industrially developed countries began their efforts to harness nuclear energy for civilian application. At the beginning, however, nuclear safety was not a priority concern of either governments and intergovernmental organizations or private developers. Although bona fide attempts to ensure nuclear safety were made, in particular on the national level, it was only after major accidents at civilian nuclear power plants occurred that the attention of the world community was focused on the need to establish a universally applicable and effective international regime of nuclear safety.