1. 
Progress with the revision and consolidation of the European Basic Safety Standards Directive
Stefan Mundigl, Vesa Tanner
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
Reorganisation of legal texts
Revision of the Euratom Basic Safety Standards (Directive 96/29/Euratom)
Includes also new substance matters

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

6. Impact of the 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 (available for comments)
Existing exposure situations (rehabilitation of contaminated areas)

7. Topical issues for the BSS revision
Natural Radiation
NORM industries
Radon
Building materials
Cosmic radiation (exposure of 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 K-40)
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 (schools)
Building codes for new buildings
Provide information
House owners
Building profession
Occupational exposure
Radon measurements
Reference levels

10. 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

11. Regulatory control Graded approach to regulatory control
Exemption
Notification
Registration (new)
e.g. authorisation in cases of a limited risk
Licensing
Accommodate approach for NORM industries

12. Regulatory Control of Planned exposure situations
Authorised planned exposure situations
Magnitude & likelihood of exposures
Licensing
Notification
Registration
Specific Exemption
Generic (explicit) exemption (Art. 3)
Situations outside the Scope of the Directive

13. Occupational exposure
Most requirements remain unchanged
Incorporation of the Outside Workers Directive (90/641/Euratom)
Dose passbook
National dose registries
Information exchange between national dose registries
Dose limits
20 mSv/year versus 100 mSv/five consecutive years and 50 mSv/year

14. Monitoring individuals exposed to external radiation
Project to revise the Technical recommendations for monitoring individuals occupationally exposed to external radiation
(EC publication Radiation Protection RP73, 1994)
Update technical and scientific knowledge, e. g. on approved electronic dose meters,
International recommendations, guides, standards from ICRP, ICRU, ISO, IEC, CEN/CENELEC, ...
12 years experience with RP73
Draft recommendations expected for April 2009

15. 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

16. Further steps Long way to go: Working party on recasting
prepare a complete draft Basic Safety Standards Directive including
consolidated Directives
revised Directive 96/29
Discuss complete proposal with the Article 31 Group of Experts
June – November 2009
Commission proposal for a Directive (2010)
Discussion at the Council Atomic Questions Group
Information to the European Parliament
Adoption of the Directive
Transposition by the Member States

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

18. Summary
Consolidation of the 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 the IAEA BSS
Occupational exposure
Most requirements remain unchanged
Incorporation of the Outside Workers Directive
Requirements for national dose registries
Discussion of the dose limits