Appointement of Dr. Jean-Christophe Niel as Chair of the Committee on Nuclear Regulatory Activities of the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA)

Jean-Christophe Niel, Director-General of the ASN, has been appointed Chair of the Committee on Nuclear Regulatory Activities (CNRA) of the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA). This election took place during the 28th CNRA meeting which was held on 3-4 December 2012 at the NEA in the Paris area. Jean-Christophe Niel succeeds Mike Weightman, Chief Inspector of the British nuclear regulatory body (HSE/ONR).

Created in 1989, the CNRA provides an international forum for the exchange of information, experience and practices among senior representatives of the regulatory bodies of its 31 member countries, including the United-States, France, the United Kingdom, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Germany and Switzerland.

The CNRA coordinates the activities of several working groups focusing on regulation, inspection practices and the integration of operating experience from nuclear power plants in operation.

Following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident, the CNRA has also established working groups dedicated to analysing experience from this event.