The preliminary approval on the basis of a principles decision - is it a bill drawn on a radiating future?

The preliminary approval on the basis of a principles decision is a third-party protecting instrument of a partial licence and states that the licensing authority, upon examination of the planning documents, has found satisfying reasons to conclude the licensability of the installation in question. The required protective and safety measures have to be taken into account already in the planning and the construction of the installation. The examination has to be made the more intensively the more hazardous the plant is, and the more there is uncertainty whether the conditions and requirements of licensing can be maintained and met in the future. The licensing authority must prevent that construction work is started although the planning documents presented show that the plant in question is not licensable in principle. Any licence granted in such case is illegal. The same applies if a licence is granted although valid and informative planning documents have not been presented, as any approving principles decision must be based on detailed planning documents and design information. (orig./HSCH)