The European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020 has now received Royal Assent and the Withdrawal Agreement has now been signed and ratified by both the UK and EU.
As part of its preparations for Brexit, the UK Government announced its commitment to leaving Euratom. The Euratom treaty includes the provision of safeguards arrangements for non-proliferation of nuclear materials.
ONR was asked by the government to establish a domestic safeguards regime, setting up a UK State System of Accountancy for and Control of Nuclear Materials in 2017.
As part of the Withdrawal Agreement, existing Euratom laws and regulations will continue to apply in the UK during a transition period until 31 December 2020. All arrangements currently in place will remain until ONR assumes its duties from 1 January 2021.
During this transition period, we will continue to build up capacity and capability in nuclear materials accountancy, inspection and assessment and continue working on operational readiness, while undertaking our current role monitoring safeguards performance supporting and intervening as necessary to ensure that safeguards obligations in the UK are met.