ABSTRACT
In this chapter the author assesses the allure of atomic energy at the time of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)'s establishment, and how it affected its founding, United States agreements on nuclear cooperation, and the development of safeguards. Formally established in March 1957, Euratom took its place with the Common Market of the European Economic Community, along with the earlier European Coal and Steel Community, to form the core of what is now the European Union. It thus preceded the IAEA by several months, but preparatory work was well underway in both organizations by the time of their formal establishment. To mitigate the conflict to the degree feasible, the United States-Euratom Agreement was modified before its adoption by including hortatory language foreseeing a role for IAEA safeguards in due course. That opportunity came much later, with the adoption of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and its assignment of primary safeguards responsibility to the IAEA.
