ASN hopes to begin revising the order of 26 November 1999 concerning discharges from basic nuclear installations. This text defines the technical requirements to be guaranteed by the administration in the discharge licences. Its application has already led to a significant change in practices, especially with regard to the consideration given to chemical discharges. However, the lessons learned from implementation of this text show that it could be made even more efficient were the licensee to shoulder its full share of responsibility.

Finally, discharges and waste from small-scale nuclear activities (in particular hospitals) are also the subject of close scrutiny. This will in the short term lead to a decision to regulate them.

With regard to management of non-nuclear risks, much progress has been made by the licensees, particularly through implementation of the order of 31 December 1999. Even if some improvements are still required, what is important today is to ensure that the steps taken will be sustainable on a long-term basis.

Finally, ASN will ensure that the nuclear licensees correctly apply the revised criteria for declaring significant events within BNIs, particularly in the environmental field. This review will be conducted with the goal of maximising the lessons learned from experience.

The law entrusts ASN with the role of carrying out a radiation protection watch. This in particular involves coordinating the work being done to monitor the radiological state of the nation. ASN aims to enhance information in this area.

In this context, ASN oversees the work to set up the national network of environmental radioactivity measurements. A web portal was opened this year: www.mesure-radioactivite.fr. but this is only the first step in the move towards publication of all environmental radioactivity measurements on the internet. ASN is working to ensure that all stakeholders can contribute to the national measurements network.

The need to obtain approval for measurement of environmental radioactivity, which is a counterpart to the national network, is gradually being assimilated by the laboratories. There is no doubt that gradual implementation over the past three years has led to improvements in their practices.

The work of the national environmental radioactivity measurement network steering committee showed that these measurements were many and varied in nature. The committee highlighted the need for efforts to clarify the objectives assigned to this supervisory action. Together with all the measurement stakeholders, ASN thus initiated a redefinition of the nationwide monitoring strategy.

In the same way as any other human activity, nuclear activities can have an effect on the environment. Ensuring that the licensees do all to ensure that this is as low as reasonably achievable is one of the ASN's duties. ASN therefore draws up rules applicable to discharges from these activities and checks the conditions in which they are applied. In particular with regard to basic nuclear installations, it supervises management not only of the radiological impact, but also of chemical, thermal or microbiological effects.

Sustained efforts devoted to supervision and the reduction of the impact of discharges from basic nuclear installations have led to significant falls in certain discharges. These falls mean that the spotlight is now turned more on discharges which in the past may have seemed to be of lesser importance. ASN aims to continue this movement, which will lead to the revision of a number of discharge licences in 2007.