The French government announced last February its plan to merge the French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) and the Institute for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN). A decision that has raised concerns among the unions of both organizations, who expressed their opposition in a joint statement issued Wednesday.
The concerns of the unions
The four unions of the ASN and IRSN have unanimously expressed their concerns about the merger of the two organizations, denouncing a “destabilization” harmful to the entire sector. They argued that this decision may affect their ability to investigate and decide quickly and in a reasoned and rigorous manner. According to them, this comes at the worst possible time, when the government has decided to revive the atom in 2022 and will have to find the necessary arms as well as the support of the public opinion.
The unions also criticized the sudden announcement of this merger, which was not preceded by any impact study or inventory. They denounced the absence of a defined budgetary framework, of a precise reflection of the missions concerned by the merger and of concrete guarantees for the personnel of the two structures. The merger risks wasting a lot of time and resources at a time when the French nuclear industry will need the availability of teams to provide rigorous, agile, transparent and independent controls.
Nuclear safety at stake
The ASN and IRSN staff representatives pointed out that their rigor, competence, independence and transparency are internationally recognized and are the foundation of the credibility of the current system. They believe that the maintenance of transparent, independent and effective control and expertise in terms of nuclear safety is an indispensable guarantee of the safety of workers, the public, the environment and the installations. This is also the condition for the social acceptability of this revival of civil nuclear power, they warn.
A reform to rethink
The unions do not exclude the possibility of a reform, but they believe that it must be better thought out, prepared and accompanied. They are asking for a constructive dialogue with the government and guarantees for the future of the two organizations and their employees. They call for concerted reflection on the future of the French nuclear industry and its safety, with a view to a reform better adapted to current and future challenges.
In conclusion, the merger of the ASN and IRSN does not seem to have the unanimous support of the unions of both organizations, which fear a destabilization of the nuclear sector.
