Supplely regulating nuclear risks: The origins of a French exception (1960-1985)

France has a historical tradition of codifying rules and regulations into an elaborate corpus of public law applied by a powerful administration. However the nuclear industry seems to have been spared this tradition for a long time. This analysis of the development and operation of the French system for regulating nuclear risks between 1960 and 1985 brings to light a suppleness that was reflected in the first rules, standards and orientations for this risk-management. This French exception has two explanations: the structure of the network of actors institutionally involved in regulations; and the political, industrial and social context in which the 'small world' of nuclear safety evolves. This analysis leads to thoughts about how the French system for regulating risks is evolving in the current context. (authors)