Draft law “On the use of atomic energy for peaceful purposes” adopted

On July 2, deputies of the Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis considered and adopted in the second and third reading the draft law “On the use of atomic energy for peaceful purposes”.

The purpose of the document is to create a legal framework for the functioning of newly introduced state institutions and systems for ensuring the safety of the use of atomic energy, as well as introducing into national legislation effective safety mechanisms.

The draft law provides for the following basic principles in implementation of activities on the use of atomic energy:

- priority of protecting the life and health of citizens, property of individuals and legal entities, as well as environmental protection;

- ensuring security;

- availability of information;

- ban on the production of nuclear weapons and other nuclear explosive devices.

In preparing the draft law, international experience of foreign countries that successfully use nuclear power engineering — the USA, France, Japan, Russia, India, Great Britain and others — was studied, and the best legislative practice as well as recommendations of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) were applied.

It should be noted that the bill was passed in the first reading during the discussion in the lower house of the Parliament of Uzbekistan on March 5, 2019.

At the plenary meeting on June 13, deputies of the Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis made recommendations to strengthen certain norms, further clarify the rights and duties, powers of government bodies. In order to introduce direct action norms into the draft law, a separate working group was formed. The draft law was finalized taking into account the recommendations provided by deputies.