The International Atomic Energy Agency elected Hungary one of its 35 members of the Governing Board, its decision-making body on 22 September, 2011 in Vienna. In the next two years this position of outstanding professional and diplomatic significance will be held by Pál Kovács, Deputy State Secretary for Energy of the Ministry of National Development.

In addition to the nations having the most developed nuclear industry, the Governing Council includes member states elected from each region for two years. Hungary has already been a member of the Governing Council on several occasions, for the last time in 2004-2005.

The 55th annual general meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was held between 19 and 23 September 2011. The Hungarian delegation was led by Deputy State Secretary for Energy Pál Kovács.

The focal topic of the general meeting is the Action Plan containing twelve main proposals and submitted by Yukiya Amano, Director General of IAEA, made for the steps required for improving global nuclear security in view of the recommendations of the June 2011 ministerial conference, and based on the conclusions that can be drawn from the Fukushima disaster.

The "Nuclear Security Action Plan of the IEA" recommends every member state to undertake testing the designs of their nuclear power plants for site-specific extreme natural risks. According to the draft version, IAEA's periodic tests must be improved. Every member state needs to promptly, and at a later stage regularly, overview their emergency preparedness, prevention plans and opportunities.

IAEA promotes the spread of the peaceful uses of nuclear power through its technical and technological co-operation and assistance programme, and the elaboration of legal, technical and security recommendations. Through collateral agreements and auxiliary protocols concluded with the member states, IAEA oversees the authenticity of information provided by the member states on their nuclear activity and nuclear substances, and also performs checks on its own.

The reports of the director general of IAEA on Iran, Syria, North Korea, and in general the collateral transactions in the Near Eastern Region are in the focus of international interest. Its standards related to the designing, building, operation, life-cycle extension and disassembly of nuclear power plants, and the disposal of nuclear waste are used as minimum requirements in the relevant areas during the creation and modification of the internal legal and technical regulations.

(Ministry of National Development , Department of Communication)