The National Inspectorate for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection (ISIN) is the independent regulatory authority responsible for nuclear safety and radiation protection, in accordance with the Directives 2009/71/Euratom and 2011/70/ Euratom.
The Inspectorate absorbs all the functions concerning nuclear safety and radiation protection already assigned by the national legislation to the CNEN, ENEA DISP, ANPA, APAT and, finally, to the nuclear Department, technological and industrial risk, to the National Center for nuclear safety and radiation protection and to the
Physics Area of the National Center for the national network of laboratories for ISPRA radioactivity activities.
For the development of the functions and tasks attributed to it, the Inspectorate:
- carries out the inquiries related to the authorization processes, the technical assessments, the control and supervision of the nuclear installations no longer in use and in decommissioning, research reactors, plants and activities related to the management of radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel, nuclear material, passive physical protection of nuclear materials and installations, use of ionizing radiation sources and transport of radioactive materials;
- issues the certifications required by current legislation on the transport of radioactive materials;
- issues technical guides in matters of competence;
- provides support to the competent ministries in the preparation of legislative acts;
- provides support to the Civil Protection Authorities in the field of planning and response to nuclear and radiological emergencies;
- carries out the environmental radioactivity monitoring activities required by current legislation;
- ensures the Italian State’s fullfillment of the obligations deriving from international agreements on safeguards;
- ensures the representation of the Italian State in the activities carried out by international organizations and by the European Union in the areas of competence;
- ensures participation in international and community processes for assessing nuclear safety of nuclear plants and for the management of irradiated fuel and radioactive waste in other countries;
- provides information on nuclear safety of nuclear installations and on relevant legislation.
ISIN is the National Warning Point and the competent national authority, in accordance with the International Conventions, on prompt notification in case of a nuclear accident and on assistance in the event of a nuclear accident or a radiological emergency as well as in the scope of the European Commission's system for rapid exchange of information in case of a radiological emergency (Decision 87/600/Euratom). Furthermore, ISIN represents Italy in the international system for the communication of information on events classified according to the International Scale of Nuclear and Radiological Events, INES Scale.
The Inspectorate is also assigned the inspection functions for compliance with the provisions on nuclear safety and radiation protection, exercised by its inspectors, as Judicial Police Officers (Article 10 of Legislative Decree no. 230/1995 and subsequent amendments).
The Inspectorate represents Italy in the activities carried out by international organizations:
- The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA);
- The Nuclear Energy Agency at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD/NEA);
- The European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group Working Groups (ENSREG). Within ENSREG, the presidency of the specific waste management working group is attributed to Italy;
- The Western European Nuclear Regulators Association (WENRA);
- The Heads of the European Radiological Protection Competent Authorities (HERCA);
- The European Association of Competent Authorities for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material (EACA);
- Groups of experts established by the European Commission under the Euratom Treaty;
- The Nuclear Skills Strategy Group (NSSG) of the G7.
The ISIN authorities are the Director, the Council and the Board of Auditors.
The Director has the representation of the Inspectorate and exercises tasks and authorities entrusted to him in the institutional decree. The Director of ISIN is Maurizio Pernice.
The ISIN Council, which expresses mandatory advices on activities and has the function of steering and verification, is composed of three experts: Stefano Laporta, with functions of internal organizational coordination of the Council, Vittorio D'Oriano and Laura Porzio.
The Board of Auditors determines the regular keeping of the accounts and the consistency between the final balance and the accounting entries. It’s appointed for a three-year term with the provision of the Minister of Economy and Finance dated 13 November 2017 and is composed of Gianluca Palamara, acting as Chairman, Maria Grazia Bonelli and Giuseppina Oliva.
ISIN operates with its own organizational regulation adopted by the Director.