Exchange of information across borders
«I do a lot of travelling for ENSI. On bilateral and international committees we discuss safety requirements and initiate measures to make them more stringent where necessary. The safety authorities cultivate a frank exchange of information. Swiss experts, for instance, support French colleagues during inspections of their nuclear power plants – and vice-versa. In this way we learn from each other and share our wealth of experience for the benefit of all countries.»
Nathalie Studer, specialist for international relations
With five commercial reactors Switzerland is not among the major nuclear energy nations in a global comparison. However, as a neutral country it is in a good starting position to initiate technical safety improvements on an international level.
Thus ENSI representatives are to be found
- On the committees of the International Atomic Energy Agency of the United Nations (IAEA)
- In the working groups of the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
- In the European Nuclear Security Regulators Association (ENSRA)
- In the Heads of European Radiological Protection Competent Authorities (HERCA)
- and especially in the Western European Nuclear Regulators‘ Association (WENRA), where ENSI Director Hans Wanner currently holds the chair.
The primary aim of the international co-operation is the continual improvement of nuclear safety worldwide.
ENSI comprehensively follows the development of international safety requirements. ENSI takes account of relevant innovations among foreign safety authorities and innovations from the field of science and technology in its own supervisory activities as it does of the operating experience of nuclear power plants worldwide.
ENSI staff cultivate intensive relations with the responsible bodies in neighbouring countries. Recently issues such as waste management and decommissioning have become increasingly important. By actively participating in the international exchange of information and experience, ENSI at the same time contributes towards strengthening the regulation of nuclear installations in Switzerland.