Zangger Committee

Welcome to the homepage of the Zangger Committee

Our Committee, named after its first Chairman Prof. Claude Zangger, was formed following the coming into force of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), to serve as the "faithful interpreter" of its Article III, paragraph 2, to harmonize the interpretation of nuclear export control policies for NPT Parties.


The Committee has been focussing on what is meant in Article III.2 of the Treaty by "especially designed or prepared equipment or material for the processing, use or production of special fissionable material." The Zangger Committee maintains a Trigger List (triggering safeguards as a condition of supply) of nuclear-related strategic goods to assist NPT Parties in identifying equipment and materials subject to export controls.


Today the Zangger Committee has 39 members including all the nuclear weapon States. Its Trigger List includes illustrative examples of equipment and materials judged to be within the understandings of the Committee. The Trigger List and the Zangger Committee's understandings are published by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in the INFCIRC/209 series.


The first Chairman of the Committee, Prof. Claude Zangger of Switzerland, was succeded by Mr. Ilkka Mäkipentti of Finland, Dr. Fritz W. Schmidt of Austria, Dr. Pavel Klucký of the Czech Republic, and Mr. Shawn Caza of Canada.


Current Chairperson, since November 2015, is Ms. Louise Fluger Callesen of the Embassy and Permanent Mission of Denmark in Vienna.


Prof. Claude Zangger passed away on 16 September 2009, shortly after his 83rd birthday. Professor Zangger's work in the field of nuclear non-proliferation, his expertise and knowledge were deeply appreciated and recognized. Thus his work contributed to world peace and security.