Vienna: Over 100 delegates met in Vienna last month to accelerate the establishment of a global nuclear liability regime under the framework of a global convention. The Fifth Meeting of the Contracting Parties and Signatories to the Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage (CSC) was held at the IAEA’s headquarters in Vienna, Austria, on 23-26 June 2025.
According to EMM, the meeting brought together parties, signatories, and observers to discuss the convention’s objectives. Industry participants emphasized the necessity of a global nuclear liability regime based on the CSC to provide legal certainty for stakeholders in the nuclear industry, including operators, insurers, suppliers, and investors. The gathering also served as a platform for practical discussions on the CSC’s operation.
Ben McRae, Chair of the Fifth Meeting and Assistant General Counsel for Civilian Nuclear Programs at the US Department of Energy, stated that the CSC is crucial for addressing nuclear liability, as it ensures legal certainty, minimizes supply chain concerns, and boosts investor confidence. A specialist panel highlighted the CSC’s impact on nuclear project costs and discussed potential amendments to the CSC to remove the obligation for states without nuclear reactors to contribute to the supplementary international fund, encouraging broader participation.
The meeting highlighted growing momentum towards widespread adherence to the CSC, which currently covers about forty percent of nuclear power plants worldwide. McRae emphasized that a global regime based on the CSC is essential for realizing nuclear power’s potential to provide safe, secure, clean, and affordable energy. The CSC ensures prompt and equitable compensation for damages, offering the legal certainty necessary for stakeholders to engage in nuclear projects.
Anthony Wetherall, Head of the Nuclear and Treaty Law Section in the IAEA Office of Legal Affairs, described the CSC as a significant step in establishing a global nuclear liability regime, as called for annually by the IAEA General Conference. He noted efforts to amend the CSC to relieve states without nuclear reactors from making financial contributions to the supplementary fund.
The CSC, adopted under IAEA auspices in 1997, is the only international nuclear liability convention covering approximately 180 nuclear power reactors worldwide. It currently has 11 Parties and 11 Signatories, serving as an umbrella for countries with existing international nuclear liability conventions or national legislation conforming to CSC principles. The IAEA’s online CSC calculator allows countries to simulate potential contributions to the CSC’s fund. The inaugural meeting of CSC Parties and Signatories was held in Ottawa, Canada, in 2019, where the IAEA agreed to act as the Secretariat for future meetings.