The advisory committees of experts

In order to improve transparency regarding nuclear safety and radiation protection, ASNR publishes documents relating to meetings of these advisory committees (referral of a given topic by ASNR to the advisory committee, opinion of the advisory committee, and position of ASNR). This publication took effect for documents relating to advisory committee meetings held after 1st October  2008, and occurs when ASNR makes known its position.

The advisory committees are consulted by the Director General of ASNR on the nuclear safety and radiation protection of facilities and activities falling within their remit. They receive reports presenting the results of analyses carried out by the ASNR experts and issue an opinion, possibly accompanied by recommendations.

The advisory committees of experts are composed of members appointed for their expertise. They may be drawn from civil society, university research laboratories, inspection agencies, institutions (ANCCLI, OPECST), expert organizations, operators concerned by the issues addressed, and foreign safety authorities.

The advisory committees currently in existence:

  • advisory committee for nuclear reactors (groupe permanent pour les réacteurs nucléaires – GPR)

     
  • advisory committee for laboratories and plants (groupe permanent pour les laboratoires et les usines – GPU)

     
  • advisory committee for waste (groupe permanent pour les déchets – GPD)

     
  • advisory committee for transport (groupe permanent pour les transports – GPT)

     
  • advisory committee for nuclear pressure equipment (groupe permanent pour les équipements sous-pression nucléaires – GPESPN)

     
  • advisory committee for decommissioning (groupe permanent pour le démantèlement – GPDEM)

     
  • advisory committee for advanced reactors (groupe transverse d’experts sur les réacteurs innovants – GT-RI)

     
  • advisory committee for radiation protection (groupe permanent d’experts en radioprotection – GPRP)

The International relations of the advisory committees of experts

United States

The advisory committee for nuclear reactors (GPR) and the advisory committee for nuclear pressure equipment (GPESPN) are in contact with the American Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS). In March 2023, at the initiative of ACRS, members of the GPR and GPESPN took part in the International Meeting of Nuclear Regulatory Advisory Committees, which was also attended by the Advisory Committees on Nuclear Safety and Radiation Safety (Finland), the Nuclear Fuel Safety Examination Committee (NFSEC) and Reactor Safety Examination Committee (RSEC), of the Nuclear Regulation Authority (Japan), and the Chief Nuclear Inspector’s Independent Advisory Panel, Expert Panel on Natural Hazards, and Graphite Technical Advisory Committee of the Office of Nuclear Regulation (United Kingdom).

The final report of this meeting is published on the NRC website:

International Meeting of Nuclear Regulatory Advisory Committees

Germany

The advisory committee for waste (GPD) and its German counterpart, the ESK (“Entsorgungkommossion,” or waste management commission) regularly exchange views on radioactive waste management issues at meetings held alternately in France and Germany. The last two meetings were held at ANDRA’s Centre de Meuse/Haute-Marne (CMHM), located in the Grand Est region of France in 2019, and then at the KTE storage center in Karlsruhe, Germany.

An ASN expert is a member of the RSK (“Reaktor-Sichereitskommission,” or reactor safety commission).

Ireland

An ASN expert is a member of the Radiological Protection Advisory Committee of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).