The Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Research Policy Committee is a consultative body assisting the Board of Directors. It is developing an overall approach to the orientation of the Institute’s research, including social and political aspects. This approach is complementary to that of the IRSN’s Scientific Council, which is more geared to the quality and scientific relevance of our research programmes and results obtained.
The Committee was set up in response to a request from Jean-Louis Borloo, Secretary of State, Minister of Ecology, Energy, Sustainable Development and National Development, and Valérie Pécresse, Minister of Further Education and Research, at the end of 2007 during a meeting of the Atomic Energy Committee. They wished to reinforce governance of nuclear safety and radiation protection research by opening it out to stakeholders, on the model of the "Grenelle" campaign for the environment.
The research Policy Committee’s role is to ensure that:
- France retains its position as a world leader in the field of nuclear safety and radiation protection research;
- research carried out best fulfils the requirements of the authorities and the expectations of society in general.
It submits recommendations to the IRSN’s Board of Directors with respect to objectives and priorities for research to be conducted in the fields of nuclear safety and radiation protection.
It is made up of members of the authorities, companies, professional bodies, employees from the nuclear sector, elected representatives, associations, research bodies, other key figures, and persons from other countries.
The Policy Committee meets in plenary session at least once a year and organises hearings and work groups that prepare their findings. The submissions are given first to the Board of Directors, before being made public at a later date.
Members of the Research Policy Committee
Public authorities
A representative of each of IRSN’s supervisory ministries
A representative of the Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) and the Directorate General for Labor
Companies and professional bodies
Areva, EDF, Andra
Professional bodies : SFRO, SFRP
Employees in the nuclear sector
One representative of each of the 5 main representative national labor unions (CGT, CGE, FO, CFDT, CFTC)
Elected representatives
2 representatives of the French Parliamentary Office for the Evaluation of Scientific and Technological Choices (OPECST)
1 Local Information Committee (CLI) chairperson
2 municipal councilors from towns with a nuclear facility, proposed by the Association of French Mayors
Associations
5 representatives of the associations also represented on the High Committee for Transparency and Information on Nuclear Safety
Advisory members
Chairman of the National Association of Commissions for Local Information on Nuclear Activities (ANCLI)
President of the High Committee for Transparency and Information on Nuclear Safety
Chairperson of the IRSN Board of Directors (ex officio Chairperson of the Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Research Policy Committee)
Research bodies
5 members appointed by the chief research bodies involved: CEA, CNRS, INSERM, French Conference of University Presidents, Paristech
Foreign members
4 members
Ex officio members in an advisory capacity
Government Commissioner
Atomic Energy High Commissioner
Director General of IRSN
IRSN Scientifi c Council Chairman