Belgium [1]
Nuclear regulatory authority
The Belgian public authorities are: The Federal Agency for Nuclear Control (FANC) [2], and the Belgian Agency for Radioactive Waste and Enriched Fissile Materials (ONDRAF/NIRAS) [3].
The supervision of all nuclear activities is within the responsibility of the Federal Agency for Nuclear Control (FANC), which constitutes the Safety Authority. The Federal Agency for Nuclear Control is an autonomous public institution with legal personality. The Agency is supervised by the Federal Minister of Home Affairs via a government Commissioner who attends the meetings of the Board of Directors.
The management of radioactive waste and excess fissile materials is under the responsibility of the Organisation for Radioactive Waste and Enriched Fissile Materials (ONDRAF/NIRAS) which is the authority responsible for the management of all radioactive waste on the Belgian territory.
Nuclear activities
There are seven PWRs in operation; four research reactors (three located at the Belgian Research Centre, one of which is being dismantled, and one at Ghent university that has been definitively shut down); two fuel cycle plants (one being dismantled), one waste treatment and storage facility, one radioisotope production plant, medical units, radioactive sources (industrial, medical); and transportation of radioactive material. In addition to the fuel cycle facilities, nearly 1000 intermediate risk facilities (medical and industrial applications) and 10000 low-risk facilities using ionising radiations are in operation.
Radioactive waste and spent fuel management
Main legal instruments
The two basic Belgian regulations concerning nuclear safety are the Law of 15 April 1994 and the Royal Decree of 20 July 2001, known as the General Regulations regarding protection of the population, the workers and the environment against the dangers of ionizing radiation (GRR-2001). Other texts can be found at: www.jurion.fanc.fgov.be [4].
For what concern the waste management authority, ONDRAF-NIRAS, the legal acts are: the Law of 8 August 1980 on the budgetary proposals for 1979-1980, Art. 179 §2 and §3, as amended by the Laws of 11 January 1991 and 12 December 1997 and he Royal Decree of 30 March 1981 on the missions and tasks of ONDRAF/NIRAS, as amended. Other texts can be found at: www.nirond.be [3].
