ANVS visited by IAEA delegation
On 15 and 16 May, a delegation from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) visited the ANVS to prepare for the follow-up mission of the Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) in November.
From 18 to 26 November 2018 a team of international experts will be travelling to the Netherlands to analyse the progress of the implementation of the 26 recommendations and 19 suggestions that the team received during the 2014 IRRS mission. The report on this follow-up mission will be presented at the final meeting on Monday 26 November 2018.
Discussion, study and comparison
The purpose of an IRRS mission is to facilitate a discussion between experienced supervisors on technical and policy issues. The emphasis is on peer review; i.e. a thorough investigation of the host country and comparing their safety standards to the IAEA’s safety standards. This peer review includes interviews and a literature study and is not an audit or an inspection.
Findings
Based on the European directives, each European member state is required to carry out regular self-evaluations of national nuclear safety and radiation protection legislation and regulations, implementation, supervision and enforcement. International assessments are required following all self-evaluations. Member states may invite IRRS review teams of the IAEA for this purpose. The findings of these reviews consist of recommendations and suggestions to improve effectiveness and efficiency where needed. The review team also identifies good practices. These are methods that can serve as an example for other countries. The findings of the follow-up mission of the IRRS will most likely be sent to the House of Representatives and the European Commission in the first half of 2019.