The French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) evaluated by 12 international experts coordinated by the AIEA

The French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN), at its request, had an “Integrated Regulatory Review Service” (IRRS) international audit mission conducted from 29 March to 3 April 2009. This mission concluded that the ASN has taken effective measures to meet the recommendations and suggestions of the international guidelines and consolidates the ASN’s position with regard to international best practices in the areas of nuclear safety and radiation protection.

 
This IRRS mission, coordinated by the International Atomic Energy  Agency (AIEA), was carried out by twelve experts from the nuclear safety authorities of Germany, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Spain, the United States, Finland, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Sweden. The auditors evaluated the solutions in use along with their implementation in meeting the recommendations and suggestions put forward in 2006 during the previous audit of all ASN sectors: the monitoring of nuclear reactors, research facilities, the medical profession, radiation protection of workers... in each of its professional areas: regulation, monitoring and the provision of information.
 
At the conclusion of their mission, the international experts concluded that the ASN had satisfactorily met 90% of the recommendations and suggestions put forward in 2006. They also highlighted the ASN’s good practices, in particular:

• its international role in improving nuclear safety and radiation protection
• the relations it has built at the national level to ensure efficient monitoring of nuclear safety and radiation protection
• the effective implementation of measures set out by the law relating to nuclear-related transparency and security.

Certain areas requiring improvement were identified, particularly in relation to management of ASN human resources, follow-up of assessments carried out by the Institute for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN) in support of the ASN, and the action plan to be implemented when the ASN assumes responsibility for monitoring the security of sources.
 
All these findings will be recorded in the mission report which the ASN will use to amend its action plan in order to guarantee that its practices and management comply with the highest international standards. As in the case of the previous mission, this report will be accessible on the ASN website.