situation management, contributing to the informing of the various audiences and to ensuring transparency in its areas of competence. ASN is governed by a Commission comprising five Commissioners, including the ASN Chairman. They are appointed for a six-year term. Three are appointed by the President of the Republic and one by the President of each Parliamentary assembly. ASN comprises departments placed under the authority of its Chairman. ASN comprises an Administrative Enforce- ment Committee (see point 2.3.2). For the purposes of technical analysis and assessment, it more particularly draws on the services of IRSN and the Advisory Committees of Experts (GPEs). Act 2024-450 of 21 May 2024, relative to the organisation of nuclear safety and radiation protection governance, in order to address the challenges of the renewal of the nuclear sector, ratified the creation of an independent civil nuclear safety and radiation protection authority: the Authority for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection (ASNR), combining the activities of the Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) and part of those of the Institute for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN). The activities of the new ASNR started on 1 January 2025. 2.3.1 Towards expanded roles Regulation ASN is consulted on draft decrees and Ministerial Orders of a regulatory nature dealing with nuclear safety as defined in Article L. 591-1 of the Environment Code. It can take regulatory decisions of a technical nature to supplement the implementing procedures for Decrees and Orders adopted in the areas of nuclear safety or radiation protection, except for those relating to occupational medicine. These regulations must be approved by the Minister responsible for nuclear safety or the Minister responsible for radiation protection. Approval orders and approved resolutions are published in the Official Journal. Authorisation ASN reviews BNI creation authorisation or decommissioning applications, issues opinions and makes proposals to the Government concerning the decrees to be issued in these fields. It authorises significant modifications to a BNI. It defines the requirements applicable to these installations with regard to the prevention of risks, pollution and detrimental effects. It authorises commissioning of these installations and pronounces delicensing following completion of decommissioning. Some of these resolutions require approval by the Minister responsible for nuclear safety. ASN issues the licenses, carries out registration and receives the notifications provided for in the Public Health Code concerning small-scale nuclear activities and issues licenses or approvals for radioactive substances transport operations. The ASN resolutions and opinions resulting from the deliberations of its Commission are published in its Official Bulletin on its website asn.fr. Monitoring ASN verifies compliance with the general rules and specific requirements for nuclear safety and radiation protection applicable to BNIs, to the PE designed specifically for these facilities and to the transport of radioactive substances. It also regulates the activities mentioned in Article L. 1333-1 of the Public Health Code and the ionising radiation exposure situations defined in Article L. 1333-3 of the same Code. ASN organises a permanent radiation protection watch throughout the national territory. From among its staff, it appoints nuclear safety inspectors, radiation protection inspectors and inspectors carrying out labour inspectorate duties. ASN issues the required approvals and certifications to the organisations participating in the verifications and in nuclear safety or radiation protection monitoring, as well as with regard to Nuclear Pressure Equipment NPE. Ordinance 2016-128 of 10 February 2016, issued pursuant to the TECV Act, reinforces ASN’s regulatory and sanction powers and broadens the scope of its competences. The effect of ASN’s reinforced regulation, policing and enforcement powers will be to improve the effectiveness of the regulation of nuclear safety and radiation protection. These policing and sanction powers are extended to the activities, performed outside BNIs and participating in the technical and organisational measures mentioned in the 2nd paragraph of Article L. 595-2 of the Environment Code, by the licensee, its suppliers, contractors or sub-contractors and in the same conditions as within the facilities themselves. Administrative fines will be imposed by the Administrative Enforcement Committee in order to comply with the principle of separation between the investigation, charging and sentencing functions instituted in French law and in international conventions on the right to a fair trial. Chapter 3 of this report describes all of ASN’s oversight actions, including enforcement. Emergency situations ASN participates in the management of radiological emergency situations. It provides technical assistance to the competent Authorities for the drafting of emergency response plans, taking account of the risks resulting from nuclear activities. When such an emergency situation occurs, ASN verifies the steps taken by the licensee to make the facility safe. It assists the Government with all matters within its field of competence and submits its recommendations on the medical or health measures or civil protection steps to be taken. It informs the general public of the situation, of any releases into the environment and their consequences. It acts as the Competent Authority within the framework of international conventions, by notifying international organisations and foreign countries of the accident. Chapter 4 of this report describes ASN actions in this field. In the event of an incident or accident concerning a nuclear activity and, pursuant to Articles L. 592-35 and R. 592-23 et seq. of the Environment Code relative to technical inquiries into accidents or incidents concerning a nuclear activity, ASN may carry out a technical inquiry. Information and dialogue ASN participates in informing the public in its areas of competence. ASN informs the public about the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France and participates in ensuring transparency in France. It reports on its activities to Parliament. ASN enables all members of the public to take part in the drafting of its decisions with an impact on the environment. It supports the actions of the Local Information Committees (CLIs) set up around the nuclear installations. Chapter 5 of this report describes ASN actions in this field. Definition of orientations and oversight of research The quality of ASN’s resolutions and decisions relies primarily on robust technical expertise which, in turn, requires the best and most up-to-date knowledge. In this field, Article L. 592-31-1 of the Environment Code comprises provisions giving ASN competence to ensure that public research is tailored to the needs of nuclear safety and radiation protection. On the basis of the work of its Scientific Committee (see point 2.5.3), since 2012, ASN has regularly issued opinions on the need for research on subjects with major nuclear safety and radiation protection implications. In 2024, ASN published two opinions: one opinion on research subjects to be taken further in the field of nuclear safety regarding the ageing of metal components which cannot be replaced or which are hard to replace in the PWRs to ensure operation beyond 60 years, and one opinion in the field of radiation protection regarding active implantable medical devices, the case of microspheres of yttrium-90. Its opinions and those of its Scientific Committee are published on asn.fr and are transmitted to 130 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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