[en] In Paraguay there were two technically contradictory laws which established the two regulatory authorities in Radiological Protection. The National Atomic Commission reported to the University of Asuncion and the Minister of Health. The regulatory control of radiation sources was very poor, and the country did not have the infrastructure required to carry out all the activities necessary related with a good Radiological Protection Program. So, there was an urgent need for Paraguay to establish a State Policy in the Regulatory Control of radiation sources in the country. With the assistance of the Agency (IAEA) through the Model Project, the country now has an unique law that was signed by the President of Paraguay according to the Decree 10754/2000 of the Radiation Protection Regulatory that actually is in force. Now there are two Regulatory Authorities, the Minister of Health and the National Atomic Energy Commission integrated by a unique law but with the functions and responsibilities of both institutions well defined

[en] Paraguay is a country situated in the middle of South America, limits with three important countries that has great movement in a special place called 'three frontiers' and between Paraguay and Brazil there is an international bridge and for that passes all kind of many charges and merchandise because that place has great commercial activities and is also very cosmopolitan with people from every part or the world. For these reason is very important to control the merchandise that enter of pass the country. The CNEA-UNA initiated in October 2004, many activities with training courses for people from customs, airport and others to teach them how to control the frontier with Argentina, Brazil and Bolivia and also our country could be used as a way for passing radioactive material. It is very important to create an important group to make an adequate detection, that could be used by malevolent and for this reason CNEA-UNA will continue with these activities with workshop at the airports, mainly two: Asuncion and Ciudad del Este. CNEA-UNA has the appropriate equipment to do that and has also training people for this purpose. The CNEA-UNA began on October 23th, 2003 with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the OIEA an important international 'Regional Seminar on Detection and Control of Radioactive Materials at border crossing' with the principal people of MERCOSUR, Bolivia and Chile, with forty five participants. The principal objective of this workshop was to share the responsibilities of fighting against the illicit traffic and to do an appropriate control of radioactive material in the borders. Also Paraguay has signed and is part of the group of IAEA Illicit Trafficking Database since July, 2003. To continue with this activity of control the CNEA-UNA presented a Regional Project 'Establecimiento de un Sistema Nacional para Detectar y Contrarrestar el Trafico Ilicito de Materiales Radiactivos y Nucleares' to the OIEA and we hope to be approved by the Agency. (author)

[en] In Paraguay there were two technically contradictory laws which established the two regulatory authorities in Radiological Protection, the National Atomic Comission reported to the University of Asuncion and the Minister of Health. The regulatory control of radiation sources was very poor, and the country did not have the infrastructure required to carry out all the activities necessaries related with a good Radiological Protection Program.So, there was an urgent need for Paraguay to establish a State Policy in the Regulatory Control of radiation sources in the country. So with the assistant of the Agency (IAEA) through the Model Project, the country now has an unique law, that was signed by the President of Paraguay according the Decree 10754/2000 of the Radiation Protection Regulatory that actually is in force. Now, there are two Regulatory Authorities, the Minister of Health and the National Atomic Energy Comission integrated by an unique law, but with the functions and responsibilities of both institutions well defined. (author)

[en] Paraguay has implemented diverse mechanisms for the safe transport of radioactive material. Among the first of these was the adoption and implementation of national regulations based on the latest edition of the IAEA's Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material (IAEA Safety Standards Series No. TS-R-1). The National Regulation for Protection against Ionizing Radiation and for the Safety of Radiation Sources, in Article 34, states that any transport of radioactive materials must fulfil the IAEA's Transport Regulations. In addition, Resolution No. 4097/00 of the Rector of the National University of Asuncion approved the latest edition of the IAEA's Transport Regulations, as the only instrument to be used by the National Commission of Atomic Energy - the competent authority - in authorizing the safe transport of radioactive material, for exports and especially within MERCOSUR, the Common Market of the South. (author)

[en] Paraguay shares its borders with Argentina, Brazil and Bolivia. Import and/or export loads must be subjected to several types of controls before arriving at their destination; this includes controlling for radioactive substances and anticipating illicit trafficking of radioactive material. In order to improve control at border points, the National Direction of Customs of Paraguay decided to install detectors in the primary zones of ports, airports and railway terminals, and of areas of automotive transport, as well as at other locations where loading and unloading of goods takes place. Adequate control of exported and imported merchandise diminished for several reasons: false declaration of the weight of products, irresponsible personnel, robberies, political influences, camouflaged or hidden drugs, lack of detectors and qualification of civil employees. These are some of the reasons why merchandise from Paraguay is given low credibility and is not accepted in foreign ports. For this reason, the National Direction of Customs of Paraguay decided to change the image of the country and adapted to the international exigencies of worldwide commerce. The normative framework to ensure and to facilitate global commerce, with the support of the World Customs Organization (WCO), was signed in Brussels on 25 June 2005. Thus, Paraguay fulfils Law 2422/04, implementing systems of control that avoid trafficking in drugs, robbery of radioactive material, dangerous arms and substances, which appear to be camouflaged between imported and exported merchandise. (author)