www.wenra.org
WENRA turns 10!
For its members, Western European Nuclear Regulators’ Association (WENRA) has always represented a unique platform for exchange of information and experience, enabling frank and open discussion of significant safety issues among chief regulators. WENRA has enjoyed their high attention from its very beginning (its original Terms of Reference were signed on 4 February 1999).
Originally, it associated the heads of nuclear regulatory authorities from 10 Western European countries (Belgium, France, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom) with the two main objectives: to harmonize approaches to nuclear safety and regulation in participating countries, and to provide an independent review of nuclear safety and regulations in the candidate countries to the EU.
In 2003, seven more countries (Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Lithuania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Romania), joined WENRA, bringing the total number of its members to 17. As in the meantime WENRA has become a well recognized and credible “trademark”, it was decided to keep its name including the expression “Western” even though since then it comprised all EU member states operating or decommissioning nuclear power plants and Switzerland. The WENRA enlargement brought a new spirit and ideas to the organization, permitting access to knowledge of and experience from different reactor design as well as different regulatory practices.
A time has now come for WENRA to consider possible benefits from a broader cooperation with other entities. To that end, WENRA has decided to open its door also to “non-nuclear countries” in Europe. This will permit both sides to work together towards the main common objective which is achieving and maintaining high level of nuclear safety worldwide. So far Austria, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway and Poland have expressed their interest in getting involved in WENRA activities as observers.
On the occasion of the 10. Anniversary of WENRA we asked its former chairpersons as well as the current leader for some comments:
Mr. André-Claude LACOSTE from the French Nuclear Regulatory Authority, the first WENRA chairperson (1999-2003).
Mrs. Judith MELIN from the Swedish Nuclear Power Inspectorate, a successor of Mr. Lacoste (2003-2006).
Ms. Dana DRÁBOVÁ from the Czech State Office for Nuclear Safety, the current chairperson of WENRA with mandate until Autumn 2009 (2006-2009).
Originally, it associated the heads of nuclear regulatory authorities from 10 Western European countries (Belgium, France, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom) with the two main objectives: to harmonize approaches to nuclear safety and regulation in participating countries, and to provide an independent review of nuclear safety and regulations in the candidate countries to the EU.
In 2003, seven more countries (Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Lithuania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Romania), joined WENRA, bringing the total number of its members to 17. As in the meantime WENRA has become a well recognized and credible “trademark”, it was decided to keep its name including the expression “Western” even though since then it comprised all EU member states operating or decommissioning nuclear power plants and Switzerland. The WENRA enlargement brought a new spirit and ideas to the organization, permitting access to knowledge of and experience from different reactor design as well as different regulatory practices.
A time has now come for WENRA to consider possible benefits from a broader cooperation with other entities. To that end, WENRA has decided to open its door also to “non-nuclear countries” in Europe. This will permit both sides to work together towards the main common objective which is achieving and maintaining high level of nuclear safety worldwide. So far Austria, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway and Poland have expressed their interest in getting involved in WENRA activities as observers.
On the occasion of the 10. Anniversary of WENRA we asked its former chairpersons as well as the current leader for some comments:
Mr. André-Claude LACOSTE from the French Nuclear Regulatory Authority, the first WENRA chairperson (1999-2003).
Mrs. Judith MELIN from the Swedish Nuclear Power Inspectorate, a successor of Mr. Lacoste (2003-2006).
Ms. Dana DRÁBOVÁ from the Czech State Office for Nuclear Safety, the current chairperson of WENRA with mandate until Autumn 2009 (2006-2009).
Published: 2009-03-02 12:35