Prime Highlights
- NEA members advance nuclear safety laws with a focus on SMR licensing and regulatory frameworks.
- Brazil unveils new nuclear safety authority as countries share SMR regulatory progress.
Key Facts
- The NEA legal working party brought together 33 participants from 19 countries and major international organizations.
- Members reviewed priorities for 2027-2028, including future work on nuclear licensing approaches.
Background
The Nuclear Energy Agency’s Working Party on the Legal Aspects of Nuclear Safety held its 12th meeting on 8 June 2026, drawing 33 participants from 17 member countries, two non-member countries, the European Union, Euratom and the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Delegates exchanged updates on international and national developments in nuclear safety law, with Canada, the Netherlands and the United States presenting on legislative reforms, licensing frameworks and regulatory challenges currently facing their respective jurisdictions.
Brazil, attending as a non-member country, reported on the creation of its new National Nuclear Safety Authority, known as the ANSN. Czechia, Japan, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Spain also provided national updates during the session.
Small modular reactors dominated much of the agenda. The working party reviewed progress following the NEA’s December 2025 international workshop on legal frameworks for SMR deployment. Delegates from Brazil, Czechia, France, Korea, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Arab Emirates shared national experiences and ongoing work in this area.
The group reviewed its 2025-2026 programme of work, which centres on licensing and regulatory frameworks for SMRs and other advanced nuclear technologies. Early discussions also took place on priorities for the 2027-2028 period, with further consultations planned in the months ahead.
The meeting also noted the October 2025 publication of the second edition of Legal Frameworks for Long-Term Operation of Nuclear Power Reactors, offering a comparative overview of national approaches.
Participants marked the occasion to recognise outgoing Chair Lisa Thiele of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, who is retiring this year after leading the working party since 2019. A new chair will be appointed before year-end.
