information campaign (by post) targeting the RANs concerned. The actions have been effective. The number of checks performed pursuant to the Public Health Code doubled in all sectors in 2024. The breakdown per field is given in Table 2 (see previous page). The reports of the verifications performed in each facility by the AORP verifications are at the disposal of and examined by ASN personnel on the occasion of: ∙licence renewals or modifications requiring ASN authorisation; ∙inspections. ASN also approves laboratories to conduct analyses requiring a high level of measurement quality if the results are to be usable. It thus approves laboratories to monitor radioactivity in the environment (see point 4.3). In addition, on the advice of the standing sub-committee in charge of the transport of hazardous goods within the High Council for the Prevention of Technological Risks (CSPRT), ASN approved: ∙the training organisations for drivers of vehicles carrying radioactive materials; two organisations have been approved; ∙the organisations responsible for certifying the conformity of packaging designed to contain 0.1 kilogramme (kg) or more of uranium hexafluoride (UF6); ∙the organisations responsible for type approval of tank containers and swap tanks intended for the carriage of class 7 dangerous goods; ∙the organisations responsible for the initial and periodic inspections of tanks intended for the carriage of class 7 dangerous goods. Two organisations are approved for the qualification of tank-containers and for certification of the conformity of UF6 packaging. As at 31 December 2024, the following are approved or accredited by ASN: ∙nine organisations responsible for radiation protection verifications. One approval renewal was delivered in 2024; ∙72 organisations responsible for measuring radon activity concentration in buildings (level 1), 15 of which are also approved to identify sources and routes for entry and transfer of radon in buildings (level 2). In 2024, 14 new approvals or approval renewals were issued, 11 of which were level 1 and 3 of level 2; ∙four organisations qualified for NPE inspections as part of the new NPE conformity assessment; ∙two organisations qualified for NPE inspections as part of in-service monitoring; ∙three organisations qualified for PE and simple pressure vessels within the perimeter of BNIs (in-service monitoring); ∙18 inspection departments qualified for in-service monitoring of NPE and simple pressure vessels within the perimeter of NPPs; ∙67 laboratories for environmental radioactivity measurements covering 966 approvals currently valid as at 1 January 2025, of which 149 are approvals or approval renewals delivered or maintained during the course of 2024. Since 2020, the regulations have gradually restricted the scope of intervention of the AORP by delegating the verification duties set out in the Labour Code to verification organisations accredited by the French Accreditation Committee (Cofrac). All of these verifications (Labour and Public Health Codes) were carried out under the previous regulations solely by the AORPs. In addition, the Public Health Code verifications no longer concern the BNIs. The number of AORP has significantly fallen as a result of these changes to the regulations. In 2023, the regulations concerning the verifications and services performed by the AORPs changed. Since 1 January 2023, the Order of 24 October 2022 relative to the procedures and frequency of the verifications of the rules put in place by the RANs, abrogated ASN resolution 2010-DC-0175 of 4 February 2010 defining the AORP verification procedures. This text modifies the scope of the AORP verifications. The Order applies to medical and industrial nuclear activities subject to the systems set out in Article L. 1333-8 of the Public Health Code when these activities generate effluents or waste contaminated by radionuclides, or liable to be so contaminated, including by activation. It does not apply to nuclear activities from which the only waste generated is inseparable activated parts of a particle accelerator, as defined in Appendix 13-7 to the Public Health Code. ASN resolution 2022-DC-747, which entered into force on 5 February 2023, supplements this Order. This resolution defines the rules specified in the Order of 24 October 2022, that the party in charge of a nuclear activity is required to have verified by an AORP. This resolution is based on rules defined in ASN resolution 2008-DC-0095 of 29 January 2008, specifying the technical rules to be met by the elimination of effluents and waste contaminated by radionuclides, or liable to be so contaminated as a result of a nuclear activity, as well as resolution 2014-DC-0463 of 23 October 2014 relative to the minimum technical rules for the design, operation and maintenance of in vivo nuclear medicine facilities. Finally, ASN resolution 2010-DC-0191 of 22 July 2010 was replaced by resolution 2022-DC-0748 which entered into force on 5 February 2023. This resolution sets the conditions and procedures for approval of organisations responsible for the verifications mentioned in Article R. 1333-172 of the Public Health Code. 3 Performing efficient regulation and oversight 3.1 Inspection 3.1.1 Inspection objectives and principles The inspection carried out by ASN is based on the following principles: ∙The inspection aims to verify compliance with the provisions that are mandatory under the regulations. It also aims to assess the situation with regard to the nuclear safety and radiation protection implications; it seeks to identify best practices, practices that could be improved and assess possible developments of the situation. ∙The scope and depth of the inspection is adopts a graded approach to the risks inherent in the activity and the way they are effectively taken into account by those responsible for the activity. ∙The inspection is neither systematic nor exhaustive; it is based on sampling and focuses on the subjects with the highest potential significance. 3.1.2 Inspection resources implemented To ensure greater efficiency, ASN action is organised on the following basis: ∙inspections, at a predetermined frequency, of the nuclear activities and topics of particular health and environmental significance; ∙inspections of other nuclear activities decided on the basis of topical events (OEF, whistle-blower reports, context demonstrating difficulties, etc.); ∙inspections of approved organisations and laboratories. The inspections may be unannounced or notified to the licensee a few weeks beforehand. They take place mainly on the site or during the course of the activities (work, transport operation, etc.). They may also concern the head office departments or design and engineering departments at the major nuclear licensees, the workshops or engineering offices of the subcontractors, the construction sites, plants or workshops manufacturing the various safety-related components. 152 ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2024 Regulation of nuclear activities and exposure to ionising radiation
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