1. 
Progress with the revision and consolidation of the European Basic Safety Standards Directive
Stefan Mundigl
European Commission
DG Energy and Transport
Radiation Protection Unit
EUROPEAN COMMISSION

2. Role of the European Union
Euratom Treaty (1957)
allow the development of nuclear energy while protecting the Health and Safety of workers and members of the public
Establish uniform Basic Safety Standards
Ensure their application (transposition; implementation; infringement procedure)
Ensure the protection of the “environment”
“air, water, soil”
Research (fission/fusion Framework Programmes)
radiation biology

3. Development of a new European Basic Safety Standards Directive
Consolidation of existing European radiation protection legislation
Revision of the Euratom Basic Safety Standards (Directive 96/29/Euratom)

4. Consolidation of European Radiation Protection Legislation
Basic Safety Standards, Directive 96/29/Euratom
Medical Exposures, Directive 97/43/Euratom
Public Information, Directive 89/618/Euratom
Outside Workers, Directive 90/641/Euratom
Control of high-activity sealed radioactive sources and orphan sources, Directive 2003/122/Euratom
Radon, Commission Recommendation 90/143/Euratom

5. Motivation for revision of Euratom BSS
More binding requirements on
Natural radiation sources
Criteria for clearance
Cooperation between Member States for emergency planning and response
Review of regulatory control system
Graded approach to regulatory control
Cover NORM industries
New recommendations by ICRP
Revision of International Basic Safety Standards
Strive for greater harmonisation

6. Impact of new ICRP Recommendations
Based on three different exposure situations
Planned
Existing
Emergency
Constraints and Reference levels
Source related prospective tool for optimisation
Societal basis – Bands of constraints
Forthcoming ICRP Documents on
Emergency exposure situations
Existing exposure situations
Radiological Protection of the Environment

7. Topical issues for BSS revision
Natural Radiation
NORM industries
Building material
Radon
Cosmic radiation (exposure to aircrew)
Exemption and Clearance
Graded approach to regulatory control
Education and training
Emergency preparedness and response
Occupational Exposure (Outside workers)
Protection of the Environment

8. NORM industries “Positive” list of types of industries
Identification of industries of concern
Activity concentrations above 1 Bq/g (10 Bq/g for K40)
Not applicable to recycling in building materials
Higher values for segments of the decay chain
Lower values where appropriate in specific cases
Assessment of doses to workers
1-6 mSv: keep under review – apply ALARA
> 6 mSv: controlled areas
Assessment of effluents and disposal of waste
Recycling rather than radioactive waste disposal

9. Radon Requirement for a national action plan Provide information
All sources: soil, building material, water
Definition of radon prone areas
Reference levels for existing dwellings, new dwellings, workplaces and public buildings
Building codes for new buildings
Provide information
House owners
Building Profession
Occupational Exposure
Radon measurements
Reference levels

10. Building Material
Placing on the market and use of building materials managed as an existing exposure situation
for types of building materials identified by national authorities, based on an indicative list given in BSS
Establishment of national reference levels
Exemption
Placing on the market subject to regulatory control
Categorisation of building materials for trade across national borders
Labelling and information

11. Exemption and clearance
Enhance clarity of the concepts
Same levels for both concepts
Basis: IAEA RS-G-1.7
Study launched to
evaluate differences with EC RP 122,
assess impact of lowering the exemption levels

12. Regulatory Control Graded Approach to Regulatory Control
Exemption
Notification
Registration
e.g. authorisation in cases of a limited risk
Licensing
Accommodate approach for NORM industries

13. Protection of the Environment
... not much available for the time being ...
Reference to other applicable EC legislation
Reference to the Drinking Water Directive
Expect input from
PROTECT
ICRP
...
Harmonise with international Basic Safety Standards

14. What do we need?
A regulatory approach to radiological protection of the environment has to be
Transparent & clear
Easy to understand
Easy to communicate to stakeholders
Public, operators, other regulators (environmental area)
Broadly accepted/agreed
Practicable to implement
Consistent with the system in place

15. What can/shall be regulated? When? How?
Planned exposure situations
Environmental impact assessment
New built
Granting discharge authorisations
Additional criteria
Further focus on the optimisation principle
New built / existing installations
Probably no impact on clearance of material?

16. What can/shall be regulated? When? How? (2)
Existing exposure situations
Remediation of contaminated sites after nuclear accidents or radiological emergencies / legacy of past practices?
Justification and optimisation - Doing more good than harm!
Decision-making process involving stakeholders
Case specific
Natural occurring radioactivity?
Emergency exposure situations
Main priority: Protection of humans
Clean-up (see existing exposure situations)

17. Numerical Guidance - Input from PROTECT
Any numerical guidance has to be
Transparent, clear, understandable, easy to communicate
No moving target
Graded (tiered) approach
Generic screening level
Threshold to enter the system
What do we do if we are above?
Taxonomic screening levels? Practicability?
Regulatory action levels?
Flexibility - case by case assessment?
Implementation - check compliance
Guidance on assessment (quantities to be measured, measurements, calculation codes, ...)

18. Outline of new Euratom BSS
Preamble
Title I Subject matter and Scope
Title II Definitions
Title III: System of Protection
Title IV: Responsibilities for regulatory control
Title V: Requirements for Education and Training
Title VI: Justification and Regulatory control of planned exposure situations
Title VII: Protection of Workers, Apprentices and Students
Title VIII: Protection of Patients and other individuals submitted to medical exposure
Title IX: Protection of Members of the Public
Title X: Protection of the Environment
Title XI: Emergency exposure situations
Title XII: Existing exposure situations
Title XIII: Final provisions

19. Further Steps Working Party on Recast
prepare a complete draft Basic Safety Standards Directive including
consolidated Directives
revised Directive 96/29
Discuss complete proposal with the Group of Experts referred to in Article 31 of the Euratom Treaty
June – November 2009

20. International Basic Safety Standards
European Commission is formally
Co-sponsoring the Safety Fundamentals
Joining the secretariat for the review of International Basic Safety Standards
In view of potential co-sponsorship
Representatives of IAEA participate as observers in
Article 31 Group of Experts
and its Working Parties

21. Summary
Consolidation of existing European radiation protection legislation
Revision of the Euratom Basic Safety Standards
Impact of new ICRP Recommendations
Integrate natural and artificial radiation
Strive for greater harmonisation with international BSS
Protection of the environment
Title foreseen in the European BSS
Harmonisation with international BSS
... wait for further input ...