ASN Report 2015

For the performance of its missions, ASN receives

technical support from IRSN. As the ASN Chairman is

now a member of the IRSN Board, ASN contributes to

setting the direction of IRSN’s strategic planning.

IRSN conducts and implements research programmes

in order to build its public expertise capacity on

the very latest national and international scientific

knowledge in the fields of nuclear and radiological

risks. It is tasked with providing technical support

for the public authorities with competence for safety,

radiation protection and security, in both the civilian

and defence sectors.

IRSN also has certain public service responsibilities,

in particular monitoring of the environment and of

populations exposed to ionising radiation.

IRSN manages national databases (national nuclear

material accounting, national inventory of radioactive

sources, file for monitoring worker exposure to ionising

radiation, etc.), and thus contributes to information

of the public concerning the risks linked to ionising

radiation.

IRSN workforce

As at 31st December 2015, IRSN’s overall workforce

stood at 1,700 employees, of which 400 are devoted to

ASN technical support.

IRSN budget

The IRSN budget is presented in point 3.

A five-year agreement defines the principles andprocedures

for the technical support provided to ASNby the Institute.

This agreement is clarified on a yearly basis by a protocol

identifying the actions to be performed by IRSN to support

ASN.

2.5.2 Advisory Committees of Experts

To prepare its resolutions, ASN relies on the opinions

and recommendations of seven Advisory Committees

of Experts (GPE), with competence for waste, nuclear

pressure equipment, reactors, transport and laboratories

and factories, medical radiation protection, radiation

protection in non-medical sectors and the environment,

respectively.

At the request of ASN, the GPE issue opinions on certain

technical dossiers with significant consequences. They

can also be consulted about changes in regulations or

doctrine.

For each of the subjects covered, the GPEs examine the

reports produced by IRSN, by a special working group

or by one of the ASNdepartments. They issue an opinion

backed up by recommendations.

The GPEs comprise experts nominated for their

individual competence. They are open to civil society,

to people from university and association backgrounds

and from appraisal and research organisations. They

can also be licensees of nuclear facilities or come from

other sectors (industrial, medical, etc.). Participation

by foreign experts can help diversify the approach

to problems and provide the benefit of experience

acquired internationally.

The desire to prevent any conflict of interest also led to

Advisory Committee members being required to submit

a declaration of interest and to the reinforcement of the

internal operating rules of the Advisory Committees to

ensure that experts with a direct interest in the subject

being addressed do not take part in establishing the

position of the Advisory Committee.

Since 2009, as part of its commitment to transparency

in nuclear safety and radiation protection, ASN has

published the GPE letters of referral, the opinions of

the GPEs and ASN’s position statements based on these

opinions. IRSN for its part publishes the syntheses of the

technical investigation reports it presents to the GPEs.

Advisory Committee for Waste (GPD)

The Advisory Committee for Waste (GPD) is chaired by

Pierre Bérest and comprises 36 experts appointed for their

competence in the nuclear, geological andmining fields.

In 2015, two plenarymeetingswere held, jointlywith the

Advisory Committee for Laboratories and Plants (GPU),

along with one three-day bipartitemeeting withGerman

experts inWolfenbüttel, duringwhich a visit wasmade to

ENERGY TRANSITION FOR GREEN

GROWTH ACT

This Act clarifies the organisation of the system built around

ASN and IRSN:

• It enshrines the existence and duties of IRSN within a new

section 6 of the Environment Code entitled “The Institute

for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety” in Chapter II

concerning “The Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN)” of Title IX

of Book V of the Environment Code.

• It recalls that ASN benefits from IRSN technical support,

indicating that this support comprises expert appraisal

activities “supported by research”.

• It clarifies the relations between ASN and IRSN, indicating

that ASN

“guides IRSN’s strategic decisions concerning this

technical support”

and that the ASN Chairman is a member

of the Board of the Institute.

• Finally, it also makes provision for the principle of the

publication of IRSN opinions.

CHAPTER 02:

PRINCIPLES AND STAKEHOLDERS IN THE REGULATION OF NUCLEAR SAFETY AND RADIATION PROTECTION

ASN report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2015