Western European Nuclear Regulators’ Association
Encyclopedia
The Association of Regulators of Western Europe (WENRA), created February 4, 1999, is a association
of agencies or regulatory agencies in the field of nuclear countries of Western Europe (including Switzerland).
WENRA want to be a European network of chief regulators of EU countries with nuclear power plants (and Switzerland as well as of other interested European countries which have been granted observer status) to improve nuclear safety
.
And three more observers invited (Armenia, Russian Federation and Ukraine) in 2009
Voluntary association
A voluntary association or union is a group of individuals who enter into an agreement as volunteers to form a body to accomplish a purpose.Strictly speaking, in many jurisdictions no formalities are necessary to start an association...
of agencies or regulatory agencies in the field of nuclear countries of Western Europe (including Switzerland).
WENRA want to be a European network of chief regulators of EU countries with nuclear power plants (and Switzerland as well as of other interested European countries which have been granted observer status) to improve nuclear safety
Nuclear safety
Nuclear safety covers the actions taken to prevent nuclear and radiation accidents or to limit their consequences. This covers nuclear power plants as well as all other nuclear facilities, the transportation of nuclear materials, and the use and storage of nuclear materials for medical, power,...
.
Missions
The main purpose of WENRA are to develop :- a european approach to nuclear safetyNuclear safetyNuclear safety covers the actions taken to prevent nuclear and radiation accidents or to limit their consequences. This covers nuclear power plants as well as all other nuclear facilities, the transportation of nuclear materials, and the use and storage of nuclear materials for medical, power,...
; - provide an independent capability to examine nuclear safety in applicant countries ;
- to be a network of chief nuclear safety regulators in Europe ;
- to be a place where exchanging experience and discussing significant safety issues for regulators.
Members
They are the representatives of authorities or nuclear regulators from 10 countries (in 1999) brought to 17 countries (March 2003), including at least :- BelgiumBelgiumBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
- Federal Agency for Nuclear Control (FANC) (http://www.fanc.fgov.be) - Belgium - BEL V (http://www.belv.be)
- BulgariaBulgariaBulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
- Nuclear Regulatory Agency (NRA) (http://www.bnsa.bas.bg) - Czech RepublicCzech RepublicThe Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
- State Office for Nuclear Safety (SÚJB) (http://www.sujb.cz) - FinlandFinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
- Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) (http://www.stuk.fi) - FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
- DGSNR - France - Agence de sûreté nucléaire (ASN) (http://www.asn.fr)
- France - Institute de Radioprotection et de sécurité nucléaire (IRSN) (http://www.irsn.fr)
- GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
- Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) (http://www.bmu.de) - HungaryHungaryHungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
- Hungarian Atomic Energy Authority (HAEA) (http://www.haea.gov.hu) - ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
- Department of Nuclear, Technological and Industrial Risk National Agency for Environmental Protection and for Technical Services (ISPRA) (http://www.apat.gov.it) - LithuaniaLithuaniaLithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
- State Nuclear Power Safety Inspectorate (VATESI) (http://www.vatesi.lt) - NetherlandsNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
- Inspectorate of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment (VROM) (http://www.vrom.nl/international) - RomaniaRomaniaRomania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
- National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control (CNCAN) (http://www.cncan.ro) - Slovak Republic - (Nuclear Regulatory Authority of the Slovak Republic (ÚJD) (http://www.ujd.gov.sk)
- SloveniaSloveniaSlovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
- SNSA (Ministry of Environment, Spatial Planning and Energy) (http://www.gov.si/ursjv) - SpainSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
- Spanish Nuclear Safety Council (CSN) (http://www.csn.es) - SwedenSwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
- Swedish Radiation Safety Authority (SSM) (http://www.stralsakerhetsmyndigheten.se) - Switzerland SwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
- Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate (ENSI) (http://www.ensi.ch) - UK - Health and Safety Executive (HSE) (http://www.hse.gov.uk)
- ArmeniaArmeniaArmenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
-Armenian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (ANRA) (http://www.anra.am) - AustriaAustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
(observateur) - Ministry for Agriculture and Forestry, Environment and Water Management (BMLFUW) (http://www.lebensministerium.at/en) - IrelandIrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
(observateur) - Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII) (http://www.rpii.ie) - LuxembourgLuxembourgLuxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
(observateur) - Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII) (http://www.ms.etat.lu) - NorwayNorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
(observateur) - Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority (NRPA) (http://www.nrpa.no) - PolandPolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
(observateur) - Nuclear Atomic Energy Agency (PAA) (http://www.paa.gov.pl) - Russian Federation - Federal Service for Environment, Technological and Nuclear Supervision (Rostechnadzor) (http://www.gosnadzor.ru/)
- UkraineUkraineUkraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
- State Nuclear Regulatory Committee of Ukraine (SNRCU ) (http://www.snrc.gov.ua/nuclear/en/index)
And three more observers invited (Armenia, Russian Federation and Ukraine) in 2009
Publications by WENRA
- RHWG Progress towards harmonisation of safety for existing reactors in WENRA countries (January 2011)
- WGWD Waste and spent fuel storage safety reference levels report (version 2.1, February 2011)
- WENRA statement on safety objectives for new nuclear power plants (November 2010)
- 2010: Revised WENRA Terms of Reference
- WGWD Waste and spent fuel storage safety reference levels report (version 2.0, March 2010)
- RHWG Safety Objectives for New Power Reactors (Study report December 2009, safety objectives in their final wording are presented in the statement November 2010)
- WENRA Presentation (August 2009)
- RHWG Safety Reference Levels (January 2008)
- RHWG Safety Reference Levels (Modifications of March 2007)
- RHWG PSA Explanatory Note (March 2007)
- WGWD - Waste and Spent Fuel Storage Safety Reference Levels Report (version 1.0, working document)
- WGWD - Decommissioning Safety Reference Levels Report (version 1.0, working document)
- WENRA Reactor Safety Reference Levels January 2007
- WENRA policy statement on harmonised safety approches
- Harmonisation of Reactor Safety in WENRA countries (Main Report, January 2006)
- WENRA, 2003: Common views on the significance of national responsibility for nuclear safety
- WENRA, 2003: Pilot study on Harmonisation of Reactor Safety in WENRA Countries (pdf 71 kB)
- WENRA, 2000: WENRA Report on Nuclear Safety in the Candidate Countries to the EU (pdf 291 kB)
- WENRA, 2000: WENRA Report on Nuclear Safety in the Candidate Countries to the EU - Summary (pdf 101 kB)
See also
- Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear TerrorismGlobal Initiative to Combat Nuclear TerrorismThe Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism is an international partnership of 82 nations and 4 official observers working to improve capacity on a national and international level for prevention, detection, and response to a nuclear terrorist event. Partners join the GICNT by endorsing the...
- IAEA AreasIAEA AreasThe Statute of the International Atomic Energy Agency defines eight areas from which candidate governments for election to the IAEA Board of Governors are chosen...
- Institute of Nuclear Materials ManagementInstitute of Nuclear Materials ManagementThe Institute of Nuclear Materials Management is an international technical and professional organization that works to promote safe handling of nuclear material and the safe practice of nuclear materials management through publications, as well as organized presentations and meetings.The INMM's...
- Proliferation Security InitiativeProliferation Security InitiativeThe Proliferation Security Initiative is a global effort that aims to stop trafficking of weapons of mass destruction , their delivery systems, and related materials to and from states and non-state actors of proliferation concern. Launched by United States President George W...
- United Nations Atomic Energy CommissionUnited Nations Atomic Energy CommissionThe United Nations Atomic Energy Commission was founded on 24 January 1946 by Resolution 1 of the United Nations General Assembly "to deal with the problems raised by the discovery of atomic energy."...
- Nuclear Energy AgencyNuclear Energy AgencyThe Nuclear Energy Agency is an intergovernmental multinational agency that is organized under the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development...
- International Energy AgencyInternational Energy AgencyThe International Energy Agency is a Paris-based autonomous intergovernmental organization established in the framework of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in 1974 in the wake of the 1973 oil crisis...
- European Organization for Nuclear Research
- Lists of nuclear disasters and radioactive incidents