The 70th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency has concluded: the HAEA held numerous professional discussions

International Atomic Energy Agency

The 70th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) took place in Vienna from September 14 to 18, 2026, with the participation of a delegation from the Hungarian Atomic Energy Authority (HAEA) led by President Andrea Beatrix Kádár. Every year, the event provides an opportunity for delegations from IAEA member states to hold bilateral and multilateral discussions and to organize thematic meetings.

During the General Conference, the President of HAEA held bilateral discussions with the heads of nuclear authorities from other member states, as well as with Mr Hua Liu, the IAEA’s Deputy Director General and Head of Department of Technical Cooperation, and Ms Karine Herviou, the IAEA’s Deputy Director General and the Head of Nuclear Safety and Security. During the meetings, the President of HAEA provided information on the measures taken to ensure the safe operation of the Paks Nuclear Power Plant in light of the summer drought and low water levels in the Danube, as well as on related regulatory activities. The parties also discussed how the IAEA could support member states in addressing the impacts of climate change on nuclear power plants.

On the margins of the General Conference, the president of HAEA delivered a presentation as part of a side event organized to mark the 20th anniversary of the Multinational Design Evaluation Programme (MDEP) of the Nuclear Energy Agency of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The President of HAEA provided an overview on the current challenges related to regulatory activities and the key role of international cooperation in addressing them. In her presentation, the President highlighted the role of the MDEP in preparing the Authority for the oversight of new nuclear power plant units, as well as the importance of international cooperation in supporting the effective functioning of the regulatory authority.

Hungary organized a thematic event titled “Effective Regulatory Oversight – Looking Back to Ensure Readiness for Future Challenges.” At the event, in addition to the President of HAEA, representatives of the U.S., Canadian, Pakistani, and French nuclear regulatory authorities, as well as the IAEA presented their views on the effective operation of regulatory authorities and the role of these approaches in addressing future challenges. You can read our detailed summary of the event here.

The HAEA delegation held bilateral meetings with several delegations from, among others, Uzbekistan, Serbia, the Netherlands, Romania, France, Türkiye, the United States, Bulgaria, Egypt, the Czech Republic, Finland, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Croatia. Among the key objectives of the consultations were identifying further areas of cooperation with partner authorities and discussing current technical issues, with special focus on the impact of climate change and the drought affecting Europe, as well as the impact of low water levels and reduced flow in the Danube on nuclear power plants. The HAEA shared information related to its activities concerning the oversight of new reactor units and small modular reactors, as well as the experience gained from the IAEA’s 2025 Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission conducted in Hungary.

Hosted by Slovenia, a working lunch was organised, attended by the heads of the nuclear regulatory authorities of Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Finland, and Poland. During the meeting, the participants reviewed key organizational and legal changes related to their operation and shared recent developments regarding their national nuclear programmes, regulatory activities, and international cooperation.