2.5 ASN’s technical support organisations ASN benefits from the expertise of technical support organisations when preparing its decisions and resolutions. IRSN is the main one. For several years now, ASN has been devoting efforts to ensuring greater diversification of its experts. 2.5.1 Institute for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety The Institute for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN) was created by Act 2001‑398 of 9 May 2001 setting up a French environmental Health Safety Agency and by Decree 2002‑254 of 22 February 2002 as part of the national reorganisation of nuclear safety and radiation protection regulation, in order to bring together public expert assessment and research resources in these fields. Since then, these texts have been modified, notably by Article 186 of the TECV Act and Decree 2016‑283 of 10 March 2016 relating to the IRSN. IRSN reports to the Ministers for the Environment, Defence, Energy, Research and Health respectively. Article L. 592‑45 of the Environment Code specifies that IRSN is a State public industrial and commercial institution which carries out expert analysis and assessment and research missions in the field of nuclear safety – excluding any responsibility as nuclear licensee. IRSN contributes to information of the public and publishes the opinions requested by a public authority or ASN, in consultation with them. It organises the publicity of scientific data resulting from the research programmes run at its initiative, with the exception of those relating to defence matters. For the performance of its missions, ASN receives technical support from IRSN. As the ASN Chairman is 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 ionising radiation 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 31 December 2022, IRSN’s overall workforce stood at 1,744 employees, of whom 433 are devoted to ASN technical support. IRSN budget The IRSN budget is presented in point 3. A five-year agreement defines the principles and procedures for the technical support provided to ASN by the Institute. It was renewed at the end of 2021 for the period 2022‑2026. This agreement is clarified on a yearly basis by a protocol identifying the actions to be performed by IRSN to support ASN. TECV Act This 17 August 2015 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 2 concerning “The French 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 analysis and assessment activities “supported by research”. ∙ It clarifies the relations between ASN and IRSN, indicating that ASN “guides IRSN’s strategic programming 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. 2.5.2 Advisory Committees of Experts In preparing its decisions, ASN relies on the opinions and recommendations of seven Advisory Committees of Experts (GPEs). A distinction is made between the expert assessment requested from IRSN (see point 2.5.1) and that requested from the GPEs. At ASN’s request, the GPEs issue an opinion on certain technical dossiers with particularly high potential consequences prior to decisions being taken. The GPEs consist of experts appointed individually for their competence and are open to civil society. Their members come from university and association backgrounds and from expert assessment and research organisations. They may 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. ASN renews the composition of the GPEs every 4 years (see box next page). In 2022, they were broken down according to their areas of expertise: ∙ The Advisory Committee of Experts for Decommissioning (GPDEM) created in October 2018 for which the mandate expired on 31 October 2022; ∙ The Advisory Committee of Experts for Reactors (GPR) renewed in October 2018 for which the mandate expired on 31 October 2022 and was extended until 31 December 2022; ∙ the Advisory Committee of Experts for Laboratories and Plants (GPU) renewed in October 2018, for which the mandate expired on 31 October 2022; ∙ the Advisory Committee of Experts for Waste (GPD) renewed in October 2018, for which the mandate expired on 31 October 2022; ∙ the Advisory Committee of Experts for Transports (GPT) renewed in October 2018, for which the mandate expired on 31 October 2022; ∙ the Advisory Committee of Experts for Nuclear Pressure Equipment (GPESPN) renewed in October 2018, for which the mandate expired on 31 October 2022 and was extended until 31 December 2022; ∙ The Advisory Committee of Experts for Radiation Protection of workers, the public and the environment, for the medical and forensic, veterinary, industrial and research applications of ionising radiation, as well as for naturally occurring ionising radiation (radon, cosmic or telluric radiation), as well as for the radiation protection of patients (GPRP) created in January 2022. For most of the subjects covered, the GPEs examine the reports produced by IRSN, by an expert working group or by one of the ASN departments. The representatives of the ASN departments or external structures which carried out the expert assessment prior to a GPE meeting, present their conclusions to the group. Following each consultation, the GPE consulted can send the ASN Director General a written opinion, plus recommendations where necessary. The contents of the dossier are made available to the members of the GPEs so that they can reach an informed and independent conclusion. This independent perspective is of use for the decision-making process. ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2022 135 • 02 • The principles of nuclear safety and radiation protection and the regulation and oversight stakeholders 01 02 07 08 13 AP 04 10 06 12 14 03 09 05 11
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