The potential for spent fuel to lead to proliferation of nuclear weapons is clear. The primary means of preventing this is the safeguards system established under the Treaty on Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) under which signatories agree to safeguards inspections of fuel and other nuclear material by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The NPT does not, however, cover the safety of spent fuel management nor is safeguards information publicly available. As a means, therefore, of promoting safety and transparency in this area, the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management was introduced. This came into force in 2001 and aims to incentivize the achievement and maintenance of a high level of safety in the worldwide management of radioactive waste and spent fuel. Contracting parties agree to participate in review meetings, which occur approximately every three years and to prepare a national report for each meeting. These national reports describe national policy on spent fuel and radioactive waste management and are a useful source of information on the disposition and actual quantities of these materials held by the contracting countries; they can usually be found on the IAEA web site.

Under the NPT, non-nuclear weapons states agree not to develop nuclear weapons. In return for this undertaking, they are entitled to technical advice and support from IAEA when establishing their own (peaceful) nuclear power programmes. A number of other avenues for support now exist; however, these include GNEP (Global Nuclear Energy Partnership), which evolved to IFNEC (International Framework for Nuclear Energy Corporation), and a 2006 Russian initiative to establish (amongst other things) an International Uranium Enrichment Centre.

These aim to ensure that nuclear fuel and energy are accessible to all countries without a need for developing their own fuel enrichment and manufacturing industries. To relieve the burden (and the proliferation risk) of spent fuel management, concepts such as leasing of fuel or fuel take-back contracts are being considered; these are seen as particularly helpful for countries with small nuclear programmes. Information on these initiatives can be found at various internet sites.