ASN also intends to intervene as far upstream as possible in the drafting of IAEA's recommendations. As, by their very nature, the regulations concerning the transport of radioactive materials are the subject of international exchanges, harmonised interpretation must be a major objective for ASN. The goal is not so much to ensure that the French stance is adopted, as to compare our respective experiences for the benefit of safety. It was in line with this principle that a protocol for mutual recognition of the certificates issued by each authority was signed with the British safety authority in February 2006.

Finally, ASN received an IAEA IRRS mission, with one of its aims being to follow-up the TranSAS appraisal conducted in 2004. IRRS experts observed that ASN had complied well with the recommendations and suggestions made in 2004 and moreover had implemented the good practices identified by TranSAS appraisals carried out in other countries.

Every year in France, large numbers of radioactive material consignments take place. Not only their number, but also the considerable radioactivity involved in some of them, require scrupulous enforcement of the regulations.

In 2006, ASN continued to strengthen the radioactive material transport inspections that it has been carrying out since 1997. It continued the inspections conducted on the radioactive material packaging designers, manufacturers, carriers and consignors; it once again tested its procedures for emergency response to an accident involving the transport of radioactive materials.

The inspections carried out in 2006 show that progress has been made, in particular in drafting the radiation protection programmes that have been mandatory since 2001, but that there is still room for improvement. ASN will be continuing its inspections in 2007.

Furthermore, as a result of the regulation contamination limit overshoots during spent fuel transport operations in 2005, ASN asked EDF to take corrective measures to prevent such deviations occurring again. EDF took immediate steps and initiated an in-depth analysis of the deviations, which could lead to additional measures. The measures taken would seem to have borne fruit in 2006, but ASN will remain attentive to ensuring that there are no further incidents in this area.

Finally, ASN continued the technical background work prior to issue of approval certificates: periodic safety reviews of existing package models and the approval of new models incorporating innovative design features contribute to the overall upgrading of transport safety. This work in particular led to a highly significant drop in the number of special arrangements issued (about fifty in 2000 and about ten in 2005 and 2006).

These actions as a whole have led to an improved and strengthened safety culture among carriers, through assimilation of experience feedback.