Swiss federal authorities

International Affairs

In Switzerland, on-going activities regarding safety assessment of the different stages in the lifetime of nuclear installations consist of periodic assessments and assessments of long-term operation for existing Swiss NPPs.

When it comes to international affairs, Switzerland has signed the Convention on Nuclear Safety (CNS) on 31 October 1995. In November 2011, an IRRS Mission was conducted in Switzerland. The results of the mission are currently being implemented, and it is planned to have an IRRS Follow-Up Mission in 2015. In October 2012, an OSART Mission to the Mühleberg NPP was completed. Switzerland participated in the European Stress Test and its Follow-Up activities.

News

  • News

    “Japan wants to learn from Switzerland”

    A high-ranking representative of Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) has visited the Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate (ENSI) in Brugg to obtain information about the legal provisions on maintaining and continuously improving the safety of nuclear power plants in Switzerland. The focus was on Periodic Safety Reviews (PSR) and on the backfitting obligation.

  • News

    ENSI reports to the IAEA on radioactive waste and spent fuel elements

    The Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate (ENSI) today submitted the fifth Swiss National Report in connection with the international Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management (the “Joint Convention”) to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

  • News

    International Meeting at ENSI on Harmonisation of Emergency Preparedness in Europe

    The Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate (ENSI) welcomed the international experts of a working group of the Heads of European Radiological Protection Competent Authorities (HERCA). At the meeting in Brugg, almost 30 specialists discussed subjects including the implementation of the European radiation protection directive. For a number of years now, this working group has focused…

  • News

    International community adopts Swiss idea for improving nuclear power plant safety

    The international community has committed to continuously improving the safety of nuclear power plants around the world. The Contracting Parties participating in the Diplomatic Conference to the Convention on Nuclear Safety CNS in Vienna reached a consensus on the Vienna Declaration on Nuclear Safety. The Declaration includes safety principles derived from the original Swiss proposal…

  • News

    Federal Council Appoints ENSI’s Director General Wanner as Head of Delegation to Conference on Amending Convention on Nuclear Safety

    The countries which are contracting parties to the Convention on Nuclear Safety (CNS) will meet in Vienna on 9 February 2015 to discuss a Swiss proposal to improve the safety of nuclear power plants. On Wednesday, the Federal Council appointed Hans Wanner, Director General of the Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate (ENSI) to head the delegation,…

  • Ausserordentliche Konferenz zur Convention on Nuclear Safety CNS
    News

    Switzerland is lobbying to introduce stricter safety provisions for nuclear power plants throughout the world

    At the beginning of February 2015, the international community will discuss a Swiss amendment proposal to improve the Convention on Nuclear Safety: its aim is to enhance the safety of nuclear power plants throughout the world. ENSI is currently working to persuade Contracting Parties to amend the CNS.

  • News

    ENSI adopts a strategy for international cooperation

    The Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate (ENSI) has drawn up a strategy for international cooperation. Key aspects of the work with other countries and international bodies are defined in this strategy, which will also enable ENSI to play its part in improving nuclear supervision on a continuous basis.

  • News

    Switzerland achieves majority in favour of improving the Convention on Nuclear Safety

    A majority of the Contracting Parties to the Convention on Nuclear Safety (CNS) has supported Switzerland’s proposal to amend the Convention and have expressed their will to discuss it at a Diplomatic Conference. The Swiss proposal will serve as a basis to further improve the safety of nuclear power plants around the world.

  • Interviews, News

    “We shall make every possible effort to ensure that nuclear power plants throughout the world become safer”

    In the aftermath of the reactor accident at Fukushima, the Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate (ENSI) has submitted a proposal to amend the Convention on Nuclear Safety (CNS). In this interview, ENSI Director General Hans Wanner explains the reasons that prompted the motion.