[en] ESOREX project has been presented several times already in international forum (e.g. IRPA11, Madrid, Eurados Conference IM2005, 2nd European IRPA Congress, Paris 2006, IRPA Regional Congress in Brasov, Romania 2007). The Survey consists of two parts. Each project contains always a qualitative information survey (Part I) and a quantitative data survey (Part II). Part I surveys the structure of national systems applied to monitor and register individual occupational radiation exposures in each country involved in the project. The surveys of part II provide data for a comparable overview over the exposure of radiation workers in the European countries. It was the aim of ESOREX 2005 to cover a ten-years time series of the calendar years 1995 to 2004. A special web site has been in preparation and currently awaits EC approval to publish all collected data and results. Some general information are already available on the address www.esorex.eu. Based on the data and information collected in ESOREX for 1996 - 2004 (2005) we can give a first valuable assessment of dose trends for radiation workers in different work sectors in Europe for last ten years. The first evaluation of the results shows that the number of workers increased from app. 1,030 millions up to 1,100 millions and the collective dose decreased from 564 manSv to 407 manSv. This situation leads of course also to the decreasing of the average doses for workers from 0,55mSv to 0,37mSv resp. from 1,54 mSv to 1,21 mSv for those with doses higher that 0 mSv (resp. MDL). The form of the available data from the different European countries is not still standardized. However many countries during this survey developed their own system of the national central register and what could be seen as positive they used also ESOREX platform for the sharing of the information about the systems and structures of the registers operated in other countries. This is good beginning for the establishment of the sustainable platform where countries can discuss, solve and share the problems on this specific field. And this could be seen also as one on the main objective of the ESOREX project in the future. (author)

[en] The radiation protection community has observed intensively the development of basic safety standards concerning protection against hazards of ionizing radiation. The new core part of the European radiation protection legislation is complemented by several specialized regulations relevant for radiation protection. Besides the existing regulations in the field of emergency protection the European Commission initiated a drinking water guideline that will be published in the near future. Furthermore the European commission approved a revised regulation concerning the maximum permissible contamination limits for food products and feeding stuff in case of a future nuclear accident. Together with the new radiation protection basic standards a new complete, coherent and modernized European regulation package will be accomplished.

[en] The European Commission has established a modernization and consolidation of the European radiation protection legislation by the development of basic safety standards for ionizing radiation protection. The new guideline offers with a single coherent document the basic standards considering according to the state-of-the-art for all relevant radiation sources, including natural sources, and allows the protection of workers, public, patients and environment for all exposure situations, planned, existing or in case of emergence. The evaluation of numerical data will be harmonized with international standards.

[en] With the publication of new basic safety standards for the protection against the dangers arising from exposure to ionising radiation, foreseen in Article 2 and Article 30 of the Euratom Treaty, the European Commission modernises and consolidates the European radiation protection legislation. A revision of the Basic Safety Standards was needed in order (1) to take account of the scientific and technological progress since 1996 and (2) to consolidate the existing set of Euratom radiation protection legislation, merging five Directives and upgrading a recommendation to become legally binding. The new Directive offers in a single coherent document basics safety standards for radiation protection, which take account of the most recent advances in science and technology, cover all relevant radiation sources, including natural radiation sources, integrate protection of workers, members of the public, patients and the environment, cover all exposure situations, planned, existing, emergency, and harmonise numerical values with international standards. After the publication of the Directive in the beginning of 2014, Member States have 4 y to transpose the Directive into national legislation and to implement the requirements therein. (authors)

[en] The European Union has a long and successful history of legislating in the area of radiation protection of the public, workers and individuals submitted to medical exposure, the first Euratom “Basic Safety Standards” (BSS) adopted in 1959 and subsequently updated and supplemented with other Directives. The recent revision of this legislation aims to update it in the light of the latest knowledge and experience and to simplify it by consolidating the current legal acts into one Directive. The draft of the revised Euratom BSS Directive has been approved by the group of scientific experts under Euratom Treaty Article 31 and is currently undergoing the European Commission’s procedures. This draft contains several new or amended provisions relating to protection of medical staff, among them: (i) a streamlining of the annual dose limit provisions, (ii) enhancing the use of dose constraints in optimization of protection, and (iii) ensuring better recording and transfer of occupational dose data including in cases of trans-border movement of workers. The Community action to radiation protection of workers is not restricted to passing relevant legislation but also includes ‘soft action’ as issuing guidance, supporting research and stakeholders’ involvement, etc. In August 2010 the Commission issued a Communication to the Council and the European Parliament dealing with the issues in the medical uses of ionizing radiation, including those relating to radiation protection of medical staff.

[en] In 1996, the European Commission (EC) initiated the creation of a European ALARA Network (EAN) to specify European research on topics dealing with optimisation of all types of occupational exposure, as well as to facilitate the dissemination of good ALARA practices within all sectors of the European nuclear industry and research. Up to now the NORM sector was not explicitly included in this network. Therefore, in the next two years it is planned to develop an ALARA Network for NORM which will interconnect groups of experts and provide experience for implementation of the ALARA principle in non-nuclear industries. This network shall maintain Codes of Practice for NORM industry managers and promote good radiation protection practice. It intends to improve and support appropriate radiation protection training, to identify problems to be solved and to propose solutions. Furthermore, proposals to the EC on harmonisation issues and areas of further work will be formulated. As a basis for the work to be done the actual situation regarding optimisation of radiological protection in the NORM industry of the European Community will be reviewed within a first step. As a consequence an internet communication system will be created that includes interactive websites, a document management system (DMS), discussion rooms and contact databases. With these facilities the EAN for NORM will be able to provide, via an internet portal, online support, recommendations and guidelines, decision support and scientific information concerning NORM related topics. In the paper, the concept and the milestones of the EAN for NORM are presented and the possibilities of external experts to contribute to its further development will be shown. (author)

[en] On 5 December 2013, the Council of the European Union adopted Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom laying down basic safety standards for protection against the dangers arising from exposure to ionising radiation.1 Member States have to transpose the new Basic Safety Standards Directive (BSS Directive) into their national legal systems by 6 February 2018 at the latest. At the 13. meeting of the Board of HERCA (BoH) in Vilnius in June 2014, a proposal to establish a special Task Force (TF) to make proposals in relation to HERCA activities in support of the transposition and implementation of the new Euratom BSS Directive was agreed. The BSS-TF was established, commenced its work on the basis of a 'non-questionnaire' and a discussion document. It met on one occasion on 7 October 2014 and agreed an action plan for consideration by the BoH. The agreed action plan proposal was approved by the BoH on the occasion of its 14. meeting in Stockholm, on 21-22 October 2014. The approved Action Plan covers the following areas: - Identification of HERCA's role in the transposition of the new Euratom BSS; - Definition of actions for HERCA in relation to the transposition of the BSS; - Coordination between HERCA and the EC in relation to BSS transposition activities. The Actions identified relate to several subject areas: Emergency preparedness and response; Medical exposures; Radon; Non-medical imaging exposures; RPE/RPO; General exchange of information. HERCA is a voluntary association, in which the Heads of European Radiological Protection Competent Authorities work together in order to identify common issues and propose practical solutions for these issues. It has no statutory role in relation to the transposition of the Euratom BSS. However, additional work by HERCA can support the transposition process as indicated in the Action Plan. Uniform transposition or implementation in the Member States is not an objective of HERCA activities. Clearly it will remain a matter for individual Member States as to the extent to which they avail of HERCA's work in transposing the BSS into their national regulations

[en] Following the publication of the new European Basic Safety Standards Directive (the Council Directive 2013/59/EURATOM ), published in January 2014, Member States of the European Union have 4 years to incorporate it and to prepare or update their strategy for reducing radon concentration and the associated national radon action plan. Under a joint initiative from ASN and NRPA, 20 European countries, represented by authorities in charge of Radiation Protection, Health, Labour and Housing and Landscaping were brought together during a workshop on national radon action plans. The objective of the workshop, held in ASN's premises, was to share the views and experiences concerning national strategies for reducing radon exposure of the population and associated lung cancer risk. The radon workshop was supported by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Heads of European Radiation protection Control Authorities (HERCA) and the European Commission (EC). Authorities from USA (EPA, CRCPD), Canada (CNSC) and Russia (FMBA) and the European Radon Association (ERA) also participated in the workshop. This radon workshop has offered the opportunity to compare the actions in place or in preparation in different countries aiming at reducing radon exposure in home and dwellings, in buildings with public access (i.e. schools) and in workplaces. Preventive and corrective solutions, associated with incentives and communication to increase the public awareness, as well as education and training actions for different actors concerned, have been presented and discussed. The question about the relative place of regulation in the national strategy has been considered as an important key point. This document brings together the presentations (slides) given at the workshop. The main conclusions of the workshop are presented at the end of the document