Physical protection of nuclear material and facilities in France. Implementation, sharing of responsibility and strengthening measures

Protection and control of nuclear material in France are governed by the Act of 25 July 1980. This Act defines the principles and provisions that must be implemented to prevent and detect, without delay, any disappearance, loss, theft or diversion of nuclear material. The Act is based on authorization, control and sanctions. It covers import, export, storage, manufacture, use, transfer and transport of nuclear material. The decree of 12 May 1981 defines: the scope of the Act, the list of the nuclear material involved and its classification in three categories, depending on the sensitivity of the material; the conditions for granting licences by the Ministry of Industry; the obligations for the operator with respect to control, including follow-up and accounting, containment, surveillance and physical protection (first level of control); general provisions concerning the inspections performed by the authorities (second level of control); and any sanctions. These clauses are supplemented by various orders, notably on physical protection of nuclear material during transportation. In support of these provisions, for storage areas containing Category I nuclear material, a ministerial instruction requires the operators to carry out a vulnerability study for the purpose of demonstrating the protection of the material has been achieved, in particular against internal and external threats notified by the authorities. This study is subject to an evaluation by the Institute for Protection and Nuclear Safety (IPSN) and then to a review by a group of experts nominated by the Ministry of Industry. All the information contained in these files is classified and the persons who need to know it are authorized by the authorities and sworn in. As an example, the paper presents the principles on which the implementation of the physical protection of Category I nuclear material is based