What is nuclear safety?
In the EU, nuclear safety means:
- Ensuring nuclear facilities meet proper operating conditions
- preventing accidents and mitigating the consequences of accidents at nuclear facilities
To protect the population and workers from the risks posed by nuclear facilities, Euratom issued a number of directives that together form the Euratom regulatory framework. This framework aims to ensure the safety of nuclear installations, protect workers and the general public from the dangers of ionising radiation, and guarantee emergency preparedness and response.
More information on nuclear safety.
Who ensures nuclear safety in the EU?
Nuclear safety in the EU is a shared responsibility, with clear roles for everyone involved.
- EU Member States. Each country is ultimately responsible for ensuring the safety of its nuclear installations; this includes the obligation to put in place a robust legal and regulatory framework and an effective regulatory system.
- Regulatory authorities. Independent national regulators are responsible for laying down safety rules, licensing nuclear installations (where applicable), overseeing compliance with safety rules through inspections, and enforcing the rules.
- Nuclear operators. Companies responsible for operating nuclear installations bear primary responsibility for ensuring the safety of their nuclear installations, conducting regular safety assessments and implementing safety upgrades
- European Commission. Although nuclear safety is a national responsibility, the Commission supports safety through legislation (Nuclear Safety Directive), facilitates cooperation between EU countries, supports peer reviews and funds research.
Who is responsible for nuclear safety?
Nuclear plant operators and national authorities must:
- develop and test emergency plans at local, national and international levels
- assign clear responsibilities for preparedness and response
- ensure resources are available to handle an emergency effectively.
To minimise harm, national authorities must prepare for:
- immediate action, such as evacuations or sheltering indoors
- long-term effects, such as cleaning up contamination.
International agreements ensure that all countries are ready and cooperation mechanisms are in place in an emergency.
The Commission has made the EU’s early warning and information and radiological data exchange systems available to EU countries:
the European Community Urgent Radiological Information Exchange (ECURIE).
ENSREG has a working group dedicated to Nuclear Safety. Find more information on the group here.