The nuclear fleet supervised by the ASN is one of the largest and most diverse in the world. The ASN's therefore aims to ensure that its nuclear and radiation protection supervisory activities constitute an international reference.

The ASN's international duties were confirmed in decree 2002-255 of 22 February 2002, creating the Directorate General for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection, which in particular stipulates:

"Together with the departments of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Directorate General for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection shall, within its areas of competence, prepare and propose France's positions with a view to international and community debates."

The ASN's main international objectives are as follows:

• To develop information exchanges with its foreign counterparts concerning regulatory systems and practices, problems encountered in the field of nuclear safety and radiation protection, and the steps taken with a view to:
– enhancing its approach;
– improving its knowledge of how foreign nuclear safety and radiation protection authorities really work and learning lessons for its own operating methods;
– and improving its position in technical discussions with the French operators, as its arguments would be strengthened by practical knowledge of conditions abroad.

• In the fields of nuclear safety and radiation protection, to make known and explain the French approach and French practices and provide information on the steps taken to resolve the problems encountered. This approach involves action in a number of areas:
- to make known French positions on certain issues such as very low level waste, the creation of a radiation protection incident and accident classification scale, or the French policy of lowering the authorised limits for basic nuclear installation discharges;
- to provide assistance to countries wishing to create or develop their nuclear safety authority, such as the states of the ex-USSR, and certain emerging countries;
- when requested, to help foreign nuclear safety authorities required to issue permits for nuclear equipment of French origin or design.

• To inform the French public on what is happening abroad;

• To inform foreign States of events that have happened in France and provide the countries concerned with all useful information about French nuclear facilities located close to their borders;

• To help ensure that changes in European and international rules and practices are based on the best practices, in particular by taking part in the think-tanks set up by the international bodies and in the drafting of texts by these bodies describing nuclear safety and radiation protection principles and practices;

• To play an active role in the work being done to harmonise nuclear safety and radiation protection principles and standards and to define community law;

• To implement the undertakings of the French government concerning nuclear safety and radiation protection, in particular within the framework of international agreements.

These objectives are pursued within the framework of bilateral agreements, but also through ASN participation in the work coordinated by international bodies such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the European Union, as well as that being done by the nuclear regulators’ associations.

Congresses and conferences are also prime opportunities for exchanges, in which the ASN presents its approaches and its practices.

In order to meet these goals, the ASN calls on the expertise of technical support organisations whenever necessary. The Institute for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety is the leading organisation of this type.