Urenco developed from a joint Dutch, German and British initiative set up in the 1970s following the signing of the Treaty of Almelo. Since that time, Urenco has been a leader in the field of uranium enrichment by the gas centrifuge. It provides low enriched uranium for nuclear power utilities worldwide. It has enrichment plants in the three countries. All its enrichment facilities and enriched uranium are under International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards.