Nuclear Energy Act remains in place in addition to new Environment and Planning Act
Many of the Authority for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection's activities result from the Nuclear Energy Act. Examples include the licenses we issue to nuclear reactors and for the safe transport of radioactive materials. Or our monitoring of the safe use of ionising radiation. From 1 January 2024, the new Environment and Planning Act brings together many rules that have to do with the living environment of people. The Nuclear Energy Act will continue to exist separately, because this law applies to specific interests, such as the protection against ionising radiation.
Licensing and monitoring remain the same
The Environment and Planning Act brings together the set of rules for the living environment in one overarching law. It outlines a number of rules that ensure that residents of the Netherlands have a safe and enjoyable living environment. For example, the Water Act, the Environmental Permitting (General Provisions) Act and the Environmental Management Act will largely be integrated into the Environment and Planning Act. But, because the Nuclear Energy Act will not be part of the Environment and Planning Act, not a lot will change for the Authority for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection's professional field. The licensing processes and monitoring will therefore remain largely the same after 1 January 2024.
Changes to the EIA process
The new Environment and Planning Act does however impact our work. The Nuclear Energy Act in some areas refers to other legislation, for example when it comes to the environmental impact assessment (EIA). In that sense there will be some changes for the Authority for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection with regard to the Environment and Planning Act. For example, the procedure for an EIA or an EIA judgement is simplified due to the introduction of the Environment and Planning Act. EIAs are needed for example in the construction of nuclear power plants. The EIA will then show the possible effects on the living environment. In 2024, we will begin to integrate the changes to the EIA process in our licensing policy and our working processes.
Only 1 environment plan
Another change in the Environment and Planning Act is that the environment plan replaces the zoning plans (Spatial Planning Act). In accordance with the Environment and Planning Act, every municipality should have 1 environment plan for the entire territory. In this, a municipality can also indicate whether the construction of a nuclear reactor would be suitable for a specific area. But this also does not directly impact the Authority for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection's work.
Changes to the website
We still mention these old laws in a number of places on this website. We will adapt these texts, because this information has been changed as a result of the Environment and Planning Act. In news items and documents published before 1 January 2024 we will not do this as the previous laws and processes still applied at the time.