The main aim of ENSI’s international cooperation is the continuous improvement of nuclear safety and security, and the strengthening of nuclear oversight in Switzerland. This is to be achieved through active participation in the exchange of international regulatory information and experience, through international review missions and the support of other federal bodies.
Furthermore, ENSI’s international activities should contribute to the continuous improvement of nuclear safety and security, and to the strengthening and independence of nuclear oversight at a global level.
As a neutral state, Switzerland is in a good position to initiate changes, although with only five commercial reactors it is not one of the largest nuclear energy nations in the world.
For this reason, ENSI is heavily involved in the committees of the International Atomic Energy Agency of the United Nations (IAEA), in the working groups of the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), in the European Nuclear Security Regulators’ Association (ENSRA) and in particular in the Western European Nuclear Regulators’ Association WENRA.
International cooperation allows ENSI to follow developments in international safety regulations and foreign supervisory authorities and thus to be up-to-date with the latest scientific and technological developments, as well as offering an opportunity to shape and influence them.
Strategy International Activities
News
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Long-term strategy for IAEA safety standards adopted
The Commission on Safety Standards (CSS) of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has unanimously adopted the “Long-term Plan”, a strategy for the long-term development of safety standards. The plan aims to keep these globally applicable standards fit for purpose and forward looking, and to maintain their effectiveness in a rapidly evolving environment. A concrete…
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EU Topical Peer Review on fire protection in nuclear facilities: ENSI assessments confirmed
Switzerland participated in the EU’s Topical Peer Review on fire protection in nuclear facilities. The now published report summarizes the expertise and in-depth discussions of the other supervisory authorities. As ENSI had already explained in its national report at the end of 2023, fire protection concepts need to be updated for certain nuclear facilities.
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8th Review Meeting of the Joint Convention: Switzerland receives positive overall assessment
From 17 to 28 March 2025, ENSI participated in the Eighth Review Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management. The Swiss National Report received one « good practice », three « areas of good performance » and one…
Background articles
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Ten Years on from Fukushima (6/6): Conclusions
The disastrous accident in Fukushima Daiichi occurred exactly ten years ago, on 11 March 2011. In the last few weeks, our article serie has highlighted the causes, the sequence and the effects, as well as describing the conclusions that we have been able to draw from the accident.
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Ten years on from Fukushima, the ENSI Board still holds that safety has priority over political or economic interests
Where there are conflicts of interest between politics, safety and profitability, safety must always take priority. This is one of the most important lessons learnt from the Fukushima nuclear accident.
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‘Switzerland is regarded as very reliable in nuclear matters’ – a commentary by former Federal Councillor Doris Leuthard
At the time of the fateful accident in Fukushima, Doris Leuthard was head of the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC). To commemorate the tenth anniversary of the nuclear disaster, the former Federal Councillor explains why it was essential to provide political support for nuclear safety after the accident.