Authorisation and notification systems for companies transporting radioactive substances on French territory

  • Transport of radioactive substances

  • Regulation

22/08/2025
Pursuant to Article R. 1333-146 of the French Public Health Code, on 28 March 2025, the ASNR adopted the new resolution

Pursuant to Article R. 1333-146 of the French Public Health Code, on 28 March 2025, the ASNR adopted the new resolution, reference no. 2025-DC-011, in order to introduce, in addition to the current notification system, an authorisation system for transport operations involving the most highly radioactive sources, in view of the security issues involved. 

Accordingly, this resolution:

  • requires authorisation for operations involving the carriage, on public highways in France, of radioactive sources or batches of radioactive sources in category A, B or C [1] (known as high-activity sealed sources or HASS),
  • requires that companies transporting radioactive substances that are not covered by the authorisation system remain within the notification system,
  • and repeals the previous ASNR resolution 2015-DC-0503.

The arrangements for notification and for applications for authorisation are set out in ASNR Resolution 2025-DC-011. In particular, the new authorisation requirement will come into force on 1 January 2026. As a result, starting from that date, any carrier intending to carry out carriage by road of radioactive sources or batches of radioactive sources in categories A, B or C will require authorisation from the ASNR. As the statutory deadline for assessment of applications for authorisation has been set to six months, any carrier wishing to continue its transport activities of such sources at the beginning of 2026 is invited to submit its application promptly to the ASNR. 

The supporting file specified in Annex 1B of the resolution shall be consistent with the provisions of the order of 29 November 2019, as amended, relating to the protection of sources of ionising radiation and batches of radioactive sources of categories A, B, C and D against malicious acts. This order specifies the technical and organisational provisions to be implemented both within the installations and during transport operations. Annexes 5 to 7 of this order deal specifically with the transport of sources or batches of sources in categories C, B and A, respectively. All the provisions of this order are now applicable.

In addition, the new ASNR resolution introduces the obligation for any authorisation holder or notifying party to submit, at the latest by 30 April of each year, in an email addressed to DTS-transport@asnr.fr, information about the transport operations carried out during the previous year.

At last, the ASNR must be informed of any cessation of transport operations.

Any questions concerning the application of the new arrangements can be sent to DTS-transport@asnr.fr. 

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[1] The French regulations define four categories (A, B, C and D), in descending order of radiological risk. This classification is set out in the French Public Health Code (annexes 13-7 and 13-8).

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