This article describes the recent legal frameworks adopted both in the United States and in Europe toward the concept of nuclear safety, security and safeguards. The article focuses on the activity of the IAEA, which promoted several initiatives regarding nuclear security and safety. It explores the safety and security interface during an emergency, taking into consideration the practice of Joint safety-security exercises and the implications of the Fukushima Daiichi accident in 2011. In conclusion, the article explores how the nexus between nuclear security and nuclear safety emerged in the Nuclear Security Summit.