In 2024: ∙WENRA celebrated its 25 years in Poland during the association’s plenary meeting in November. This event was the opportunity for WENRA to confirm the importance of its publications and its work, as well as its unique place in the landscape of international organisations; ∙in-depth exchanges were held with various international bodies, including IAEA, ENSREG, ETSON (European Technical Safety Organisations Network) and ENISS (European Nuclear Installations Safety Standards) in order to identify the possible areas for future cooperation and avoid duplication of activities, in line with WENRA’s new strategy; ∙on the basis of the latest work of the RHWG, WENRA considered that the reference safety levels currently applicable to nuclear reactors will remain valid for the next ten years, barring any urgent need to update them; ∙WENRA continued its work on the safety objectives applicable to Small Modular Reactors (SMRs); ∙WENRA has started work to reach a joint position on the important subject of the long-term operation of the existing reactors, by defining criteria to be taken into 1. The European “Taxonomy” regulation designates the classification of economic activities with a favourable environmental impact. Its aim is to steer investments towards “environmentally sustainable” or “green” activities favourable to the energy and ecological transition, notably those contributing to the fight against climate change. account by its members when reviewing the corresponding authorisation applications; ∙in its additional analysis concerning the notion of accident-tolerant fuels, as mentioned by the EC in the additional delegated act passed within the framework of the European regulation on taxonomy(1), WENRA considered that it would be unrealistic to attempt to define an accident- tolerant fuel and that it is up to the national safety regulators to issue the necessary authorisations for use of a fuel in the reactor, on the basis of their regulations; ∙the WGWD published an update of its 2014 and 2018 reports, reviewing the implementation in the national regulations of the WENRA member countries of some 300 reference safety levels applicable to the field of radioactive waste and decommissioning; ∙the working groups increased their exchanges to identify subjects of a cross- cutting nature, for which cooperation could be beneficial; ∙PAA (Państwowa Agencja Atomistyki), the Polish safety regulator, which hitherto had observer status, joined WENRA as a permanent member in the light of its past involvement in and contributions to the association, its current missions in the development of the Polish nuclear programme and Poland’s status as an EU member; ∙NRA (Nuclear Regulation Authority), the Japanese nuclear safety regulator, which hitherto had observer status, joined WENRA as an associated member in the light of its involvement in and contributions to the association, in particular with respect to implementation of the reference safety levels in the Japanese regulation. In addition, with respect to the war in Ukraine, WENRA maintained its exchanges with the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine (SNRIU) so that it could provide it with any support necessary. 2.8 The association of the Heads of European Radiological Protection Competent Authorities (HERCA) In the field of radiation protection, HERCA, founded in 2007, also at the instigation of ASN, is an association of the Heads of the European radiological protection competent authorities. Its aim is to reinforce European cooperation in radiation protection and to harmonise national practices. HERCA now comprises 56 authorities from 32 European countries, comprising the 27 members of the EU, Iceland, Norway, the United Kingdom, Serbia and Switzerland. Since June 2023, JeanLuc Lachaume, an ASN Commissioner, has chaired HERCA with the support of two vice-chairs, one from the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (OFSP) and the other a Commissioner of the Spanish nuclear safety regulator (Consejo de Seguridad Nuclear – CSN). Six expert groups are currently working on the following themes: ∙practices and sources in the industrial and research fields; ∙medical applications of ionising radiation; ∙preparedness for and management of emergency situations; ∙veterinary applications; ∙natural radiation sources; ∙education and training. HERCA also hosts a network of experts which collaborate at several levels: collection, registration and reporting of occupational doses. WENRA plenary meeting in Warsaw (Poland) – November 2024 HERCA meeting in Brussels (Belgium) 200 ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2024 International relations
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