Commissioner Javier Dies represents CSN in oversight of IAEA nuclear safety standards

The CSN’s participation enables the Spanish regulator to actively contribute to the development of the IAEA’s safety standards

Attendees at the 59th meeting of the Safety Standards Committee

The Spanish Nuclear Safety Council (CSN,by its acronym in Spanish) has participated in the 59th meeting of the Commission on Safety Standards (CSS) of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna. The CSN delegation was led by Commissioner Javier Dies, who represents the Spanish regulatory body in this high-level international forum.

In this 59th meeting, a key objective of the Commission's work was the review and approval of new publications and Document Preparation Profiles (DPPs) within the safety standards programme. These include Safety Guides on the licensing process for nuclear installations and the management of regulatory experience, as well as documents relating to nuclear power plant design and seismic design against other external events at facilities.

Another significant part of the meeting focused on the Long-Term Plan of the IAEA's suite of Safety Standards. In this area, the CSS analysed the strategic vision for updating these standards.

Nuclear security also formed a prominent part of the debates. The Commission examined draft documents dedicated to the cybersecurity of instrumentation systems, among other matters, seeking to strengthen the integration of this subject within the global framework of the safety standards.

Furthermore, the meeting serves as a platform to exchange experiences on the application of the IAEA standards across different Member States and for coordination with other international bodies. In this context, interventions were presented by various countries, alongside updates from entities such as the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP), the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR), the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the European Commission (EC). This contributes to reinforce the coherence of the international nuclear and radiological safety framework.

The IAEA Commission on Safety Standards

The Commission on Safety Standards was established in 1996, alongside four specialised committees covering various branches: nuclear, radiation, transport, and waste safety, as well as emergency preparedness and response. It plays a primary role in the oversight of IAEA safety standards and provides advice to the Director General on all regulatory aspects of safety.

The standards approved by the Commission are used as a benchmark by the majority of States worldwide during the development or modification of their nuclear and radiological safety regulations.