US – NRC updates and clarifies rules for exports of nuclear material

On December 31, 2020, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) published in the Federal Register a final rule [NRC–2018–0294] amending its export and import regulations to maintain the regulatory status quo for nuclear exports to the United Kingdom (UK), upon the entry into force of a new civil nuclear cooperation agreement between the United States (US) and the UK (the US – UK 123 Agreement). The amendment will add the UK to the list of countries eligible to receive certain small quantities of special nuclear material under a general license, and to the list of countries whose export license applications do not require Executive Branch or Commission level reviews for certain exports of source material or low-enriched uranium. This amendment is necessary to bring the NRC’s regulations into conformity with US Government foreign policy and preserve existing provisions for nuclear exports to the UK.