Nuclear Safety and Waste Regulation

Nuclear safety and the safe management of radioactive waste and spent fuel are national responsibilities. EU Member States have national regulatory bodies (members of ENSREG) and national legislation to regulate their own nuclear activities, including the management of spent fuel and radioactive waste. The three main influences on the development of national nuclear safety legislation and practices are:

• The international frameworks, in particular the International Safety Conventions;
• EU legislation in the field of nuclear and radioactive waste safety, in particular the Directive on Nuclear Safety from 2009 and the Directive on Management of Spent Fuel and Radioactive Waste from 2011. These two framework directives supplement the Basic Safety Standards Directive on radiation protection; and
• The international guidance and regulatory methodologies, such as those promulgated by international bodies like the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA, part of the OECD), and other groups.

As national regulators, ENSREG members contribute to, and indeed lead, the development and improvement of international, EU and national safety standards in co-operation with bodies such as the IAEA. In addition, there are other groups that contribute to EU nuclear safety initiatives, such as the Western European Nuclear Regulators Association (WENRA).