International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was founded in 1957 as an autonomous intergovernmental organisation. It reports regularly to the United Nations General Assembly and has a duty to notify the United Nations Security Council directly if a threat to world peace has been ascertained (IAEA Statute, Article III B 4). Germany has been a member of the IAEA since it was founded in 1957 and has been permanently represented on its monitoring and governing body, the IAEA Board of Governors since 1973.
All member states (181 as at September 2025) are represented at the annual General Conference. The Board of Governors meets four times a year, while the Programme and Budget Committee (PBC) and the Technical Assistance and Cooperation Committee (TACC) each convene twice a year.
The focus of the IAEA’s work is nuclear technology and applications, nuclear power, nuclear safety and security and safeguards.
In Germany, the Federal Environment Ministry (BMUKN) is lead liaison for IAEA activities.
Nuclear power
The IAEA globally promotes the peaceful use of nuclear power by means of technical conferences, coordinated research contracts, services (in particular review services in the form of expert-led international missions dedicated to specific issues), databases and comprehensive documentation and publication activities.
It provides support to developing countries, for example on the use of nuclear applications in the fields of medicine, water and agriculture.
Nuclear safety and security
The IAEA supports international cooperation and harmonisation in the field of regulatory control by drawing up safety standards and recommendations for reactor safety, radiological protection, nuclear waste management, transport of radioactive substances, emergency preparedness and security of nuclear facilities and nuclear material. It fosters the physical protection of nuclear material against misuse such as nuclear smuggling.
The Federal Environment Ministry is represented on the Commission on Safety Standards (CSS), as well as on the Safety Standards Committees on nuclear safety (NUSSC), radioactive waste (WASCC), radiation protection (RASSC), transport (TRANSSC) and emergency preparedness and response (EPReSC).
In addition, the Federal Environment Ministry is represented on the Nuclear Security Guidance Committee.
Safeguards
The IAEA monitors both the use and the location of nuclear material in nuclear facilities in the framework of the Safeguards Agreements concluded with its member states. The aim is to ensure that the facilities monitored confine their activities solely to the peaceful use of nuclear energy.