and efficiency. This goal must be achieved at an acceptable cost to the persons concerned (in terms of fatigue or stress) and provide a benefit to them (the feeling of a job well done, recognition by both peers and the hierarchy, development of new skills). Thus, an operating situation or a task achieved at very high cost to the operators is a potential source of risks: a small variation in the working context, human environment or working organisation can prevent the persons concerned from performing their tasks as expected. Integration of SHOF ASN considers that SHOF must be taken into account in a manner commensurate with the safety implications of the facilities and the radiation protection of workers during: ∙the design of a new facility, equipment, software, transport package, or the modification of an existing facility. ASN in particular wants to see design focusing on the human operator, through an iterative process comprising an analysis phase, a design phase and an evaluation phase; ∙operations or activities performed by the workers during the commissioning, operation and decommissioning of nuclear facilities, as well as during the transportation of radioactive substances. ASN also considers that the licensees must analyse the root causes (often organisational) of the significant events and identify, implement and assess the effectiveness of the corresponding corrective measures, on a long-term basis. ASN’s SHOF requirements The Order of 7 February 2012 setting the general rules for BNIs, requires that licensees define and implement an Integrated Management System (IMS) designed to ensure that the safety, radiation protection and environmental protection requirements are systematically taken into account in all decisions concerning the facility. The IMS specifies the steps taken with regard to all types of organisation and resources, in particular those adopted to manage important activities. ASN thus asks the licensee to set up an IMS able to maintain and continuously improve safety, notably through the development of a safety culture. 2 The oversight stakeholders The organisation of the regulation and oversight of nuclear safety in France is compliant with the requirements of the Convention on Nuclear Safety, Article 7 of which requires that “Each Contracting Party shall establish and maintain a legislative and regulatory framework to govern the safety of nuclear installations” and Article 8 of which requires that each Member State “shall establish or designate a regulatory body entrusted with the implementation of the legislative and regulatory framework referred to in Article 7 and provided with adequate authority, competence and financial and human resources to fulfil its assigned responsibilities” and […] “shall take the appropriate steps to ensure an effective separation between the functions of the regulatory body and those of any other body or organization concerned with the promotion or utilization of nuclear energy”. These provisions were confirmed by European Council Directive 2009/71/Euratom of 25 June 2009 concerning Nuclear Safety, the provisions of which were in turn reinforced by the amending Directive of 8 July 2014. The regulation of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France depends essentially on three players: Parliament, the Government and ASN until 31 December 2024. The role and missions of this latter were transferred to ASNR on 1 January 2025. 2.1 Parliament Parliament’s principal role in the field of nuclear safety and radiation protection is to make laws. Three major Acts were therefore passed: Act 2006-686 of 13 June 2006 on Transparency and Security in the Nuclear field (TSN Act); Programme Act 2006-739 of 28 June 2006 on the sustainable management of radioactive materials and waste; the Act of 21 May 2024 on the organisation of nuclear safety and radiation protection governance in order to address the challenges of the renewal of the nuclear sector. In 2015, Parliament adopted Act 2015- 992 of 17 August 2015 concerning Energy Transition for Green Growth (TECV Act), an entire section of which is devoted to nuclear matters (Title VI – “Reinforcing nuclear safety and information of the citizens”). This Act reinforces the framework which was created in 2006. Pursuant to the provisions of the Environment Code, ASN regularly reports on its activity to Parliament, notably to the Parliamentary Office for the Evaluation of Scientific and Technological Choices (OPECST) and to the parliamentary commissions concerned. The role of the OPECST is to inform Parliament of the consequences of scientific or technological choices so that it can make informed decisions; to this end, the OPECST gathers information, implements study programmes and conducts evaluations. ASN regularly reports on its activities to the OPECST, particularly by submitting the annual Report on the State of Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection in France to it each year. ASN also reports on its activities to the Parliamentary Commissions of the National Assembly and the Senate, notably on the occasion of hearings held by the commissions responsible for the environment or economic affairs. The exchanges between ASN and elected officials are presented in more detail in chapter 5. 2.2 The Government The Government exercises regulatory powers. It is therefore in charge of laying down the general regulations concerning nuclear safety and radiation protection. The Environment Code also tasks it with taking major decisions concerning BNIs, for which it relies on proposals or opinions from ASN. It also has advisory authorities such as the High Committee for Transparency and Information on Nuclear Safety (HCTISN). The Government is also responsible for civil protection in the event of an emergency. 2.2.1 The Ministers responsible for nuclear safety and radiation protection On the advice of and, as applicable, further to proposals from ASN, the Minister responsible for nuclear safety defines the general regulations applicable to BNIs and those concerning the construction and use of Pressure Equipment (PE) specifically designed for these installations. Also on the advice of and, as applicable, further to proposals from ASN, this same Minister takes major individual resolutions concerning: ∙the design, construction, operation and decommissioning of BNIs; ∙the design, construction, operation, closure and decommissioning, as well as the surveillance, of radioactive waste disposal facilities. If an installation presents serious risks, the above-mentioned Minister can suspend the operation of an installation on the advice of ASN. 128 ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2024 The principles of nuclear safety and radiation protection and the regulation and oversight stakeholders
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