Abstract

The Nuclear Suppliers Group gathers the main global nuclear technology producers and exporters States, in order to try and prevent nuclear proliferation by harmonizing their national legislation on export control.

Created in 1974 in order to overcome the weaknesses of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, the Group had fallen into disuse at the end of the Cold War. After the discovery in 1992 of the Iraqi clandestine nuclear programme, the Group resumed its activities and extended its prerogatives to dual-use technologies and goods.

Today, the Nuclear Suppliers Group is again at a crucial stage, as the USA, one of its members, are willing to undertake a nuclear cooperation with India. This would require a revision of the Group’s guidelines which may alter the vision of non-proliferation which so far was at the basis of its action.