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Pillar 3

Action 50

Give preferential treatment to the non-nuclear-weapon States parties to the Treaty, taking the needs of developing countries, in particular, into account.

United Kingdom

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What has the NWS done so far (prior to the current Review Cycle)?

The UK’s Export Control Act 2002 and Export Control Order 2008 provide an updated legal framework for the UK to restrict exports that could be used for nuclear weapons, including dual-use items and related technology. Exporters must obtain a license from the Export Control Joint Unit (ECJU) for any controlled export. The UK uses its export control legislation to implement the guidelines of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and fulfill its NPT obligation to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons. The effect is that non-NPT states without comprehensive safeguards (India, Pakistan, Israel, North Korea) are ineligible for UK nuclear exports. This constitutes a structural mechanism to ensure ‘preferential treatment’ for NPT parties.

India is an exception following the 2008 statement on civil nuclear co-operation with India by the NSG. This provides an exception from the NSG guidelines for exports to civil nuclear facilities in India that are safeguarded by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The UK subsequently reviewed its policy towards nuclear-related exports to India. In 2010, the UK and India signed a Civil Nuclear Co-operation Declaration. The licensing policy to India was reviewed in 2010 in the Written Ministerial Statement by Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Alistair Burt. This resulted in the 2017 UK/India: Agreement for Co-operation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy.

In addition, the UK and Pakistan, which is not a member of the NPT, regularly discuss the peaceful uses of nuclear technology during their bilateral Dialogue on Arms Control, Non-Proliferation, and Disarmament. These dialogues allow both countries to exchange views on the topic, but they are not part of a civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement or Memorandum of Understanding on civil nuclear cooperation.

The UK currently has a Nuclear Cooperation Agreements and Memorandum of Understanding on civil nuclear cooperation with Australia, Canada, China, Czechia, Euratom, Finland, India, Japan, Jordan, Netherlands, Republic of Korea, Russia, Sweden, United Arab Emirates, and the US.

What is the NWS doing on this action in the current Review Cycle?

The UK has continued its current practice and signed a number of Nuclear Cooperation Agreements and Memorandum of Understanding on civil nuclear cooperation since leaving the European Union and Euratom over the current NPT review cycle, but none with developing countries.

Sources

  • Alistair Burt. Ministerial Statement. UK Civil Nuclear Trade Policy (India). House of Commons. 29 November 2010. https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2010-11-29/debates/1011294000012/UKCivilNuclearTradePolicy%28India%29
  • Communication dated 10 September 2008 received from the Permanent Mission of Germany to the Agency regarding a ‘Statement on Civil Nuclear Cooperation with India’. INFCIRC/734 (IAEA, Vienna). 18 September 2008. https://www.iaea.org/publications/documents/infcircs/communication-dated-10-september-2008-received-permanent-mission-germany-agency-regarding-statement-civil-nuclear-cooperation-india
  • UK/India: Agreement for Co-operation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy. TS No.1/2017 (Foreign and Commonwealth Office, London). 12 January 2017. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ts-no12017-ukindia-agreement-for-co-operation-in-the-peaceful-uses-of-nuclear-energy
  • Louisa Brooke-Holland. An introduction to UK arms exports (House of Commons LIbrary, London). 24 January 2024. https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-8312/CBP-8312.pdf
  • Department for Energy and Net Zero and the Office for Nuclear Regulation. Importing and exporting nuclear-related items and the role of Nuclear Cooperation Agreements between the United Kingdom and international partners. 2024https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65d31e920f4eb1f5bba98118/nuclear-cooperation-agreements-guidance.pdf

United States

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What has the NWS done so far (prior to the current Review Cycle)?

Between the 2010 and 2020 NPT Review Conferences, under the auspices of the Peaceful Uses Initiative (PUI) the United States made several notable financial and diplomatic contributions to expand access to peaceful uses of nuclear energy to States parties. Several of these contributions were specifically aimed to address the needs of non-nuclear weapon states and developing countries, including:

The establishment of the American Assured Fuel Supply to function as a backup fuel supply for U.S. domestic or international partners;

The contribution of nearly $50 million to the establishment and operationalization in 2019 of the IAEA’s Low Enriched Uranium Bank;

The reallocation of €10 million to activities under the Programme of Action for Cancer Therapy and technical cooperation projects managed by the African Regional Cooperative Agreement for Research, Development, and Training related to Nuclear Science and Technology and the Regional Cooperation Agreement for the Promotion of Nuclear Science and Technology in Latin America and the Caribbean;

The signing of five Nuclear Cooperation Memoranda of Understanding with Bulgaria, Ghana, Poland, Romania, and Slovenia to boost nuclear cooperation and support between the United States’ and these countries’ nuclear sectors.

The collaboration between the U.S. Department of Energy and their counterparts in more than 100 countries––including many low- and medium-income countries––to promote regulation, oversight, and accessibility of peaceful uses projects.

What is the NWS doing on this action in the current Review Cycle?

At the NPT Review Conference in 2022, the United States, in partnership with the United Kingdom and with the political support of 29 other countries, launched the Sustained Dialogue on Peaceful Uses (SDPU). The SPDU is particularly focused on how the peaceful uses of nuclear energy can help further progress on the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, particularly for those who are economically and socially vulnerable. The scope of the SPDU was shaped by subject matter experts and practitioners from the Global South and has spawned projects supporting water security in the MENA region; access to nuclear medicine in West Africa; sustainable financing to improve women’s health outcomes; food security in the context of climate change; and several others.

Under the auspices of the IAEA’s Technical Cooperation Program, the United States has provided more than $20 million in voluntary contributions to the IAEA’s Rays of Hope initiative, which aims to provide cancer care to regions that lack sufficient funding or facilities for radiation treatment. The United States has also supported the IAEA’s flagship Nuclear Technology for Controlling Plastic Pollution initiative using irradiation to develop new recycling techniques, as well as Atoms4Food, which supports food security efforts through nuclear science.

Sources

United States of America. "Actions 5, 20 and 21 of the Action Plan of the 2010 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons: Report Submitted by the United States of America." NPT/CONF.2020/47. Tenth Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, United Nations, New York, August 1–26, 2022. https://docs.un.org/en/NPT/CONF.2020/47.

Albania, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Ghana, Hungary, Iceland, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Norway, Paraguay, Romania, Republic of Korea, Senegal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Türkiye, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and United States. "Facilitating Dialogue to Support Enhanced Peaceful Uses Cooperation as Envisioned under Article IV of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons." Working Paper NPT/CONF.2020/WP.46/Rev.2. Tenth Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. United Nations, 2022. https://docs.un.org/en/NPT/CONF.2020/WP.46/Rev.2.

U.S. Department of State. "Year One: Building a Sustained Dialogue on Peaceful Uses for the NPT and a Brighter Future." Accessed October 24, 2025. https://2021-2025.state.gov/year-one-building-a-sustained-dialogue-on-peaceful-uses-for-the-npt-and-a-brighter-future/.

U.S. Department of State. "The United States Contributes Up to $4 Million in Funding to the International Atomic Energy Agency to Support the Rays of Hope Initiative." December 14, 2022. https://2021-2025.state.gov/the-united-states-contributes-up-to-4-million-in-funding-to-the-international-atomic-energy-agency-to-support-the-rays-of-hope-initiative/.

International Atomic Energy Agency. Technical Cooperation Report for 2024. GC(69)/INF/6. 69th Regular Session of the General Conference. Vienna: IAEA, 2025. https://www.iaea.org/sites/default/files/gc/gc69-inf6.pdf

France

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What has the NWS done so far (prior to the current Review Cycle)?

Previous to 2010, France had signed 19 bilateral nuclear cooperation agreements with third countries, including India (non party to the Treaty), and 6 as part of Euratom.

From 2010 to 2022, France signed 5 bilateral additional nuclear cooperation agreements with third countries, all parties to the NPT, as well as 3 as part of Euratom.

France maintains services both in Paris and embassies to promote nuclear cooperation.

What is the NWS doing on this action in the current Review Cycle?

France announced new nuclear cooperation agreements with NPT state parties (Netherlands in 2023, Bulgaria and Italy in 2024).

Sources

Accords France / Etats tiers pour l’utilisation de l’énergie nucléaire à des fins pacifiques (24), 22 May 2019, https://www.cte.gouv.fr/Documents/Liste%20des%20accords%20bilat%C3%A9raux%20France.pdf

National Report submitted by France. Report submitted by France under actions 5, 20 and 21 of the Final Document of the 2010 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (2022–2026). NPT/CONF.2026/PC.III/2. 7 March 2025, https://docs.un.org/en/NPT/CONF.2026/PC.III/2

EURATOM Technical Committee. Tableau des accords communautaires avec les États tiers concernant l’utilisation pacifique des matières et équipements nucléaires. [Table of Community agreements with third countries on the peaceful use of nuclear materials and equipment] 10 February 2010. https://www.cte.gouv.fr/Documents/Tableau%20des%20accords%20Euratom%20%C3%89tats%20tiers_FR_MC_2023.02.10.pdf

Ministry of Economy, Finance, and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty. Signature par Bruno Le Maire et Rumen Radev d’une déclaration d’intention pour l’établissement d’une coopération bilatérale dans le domaine de l’énergie nucléaire. [Signing by Bruno Le Maire and Rumen Radev of a declaration of intent to establish bilateral cooperation in the field of nuclear energy] Press Release. 21 February 2024. https://presse.economie.gouv.fr/signature-par-bruno-le-maire-et-rumen-radev-dune-declaration-dintention-pour-letablissement-dune-cooperation-bilaterale-dans-le-domaine-de-lenergie-nucleaire/

Ministry of Economy, Finance, and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty. La France et les Pays-Bas signent un pacte pour l'innovation et la croissance durable. [France and the Netherlands sign a pact for innovation and sustainable growth] Press Release. 13 April 2023. https://presse.economie.gouv.fr/13042023-la-france-et-les-pays-bas-signent-un-pacte-pour-linnovation-et-la-croissance-durable/