The Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN), created by the AFSSE law (1), then by a decree approved on February 13, 2002, is a public establishment of an industrial and commercial nature (EPIC), under the joint authority of the Ministers of Defense, the Environment, Industry, Research and Health."

It groups together more than 1 500 experts and researchers from the Institut de protection et de sûreté nucléaire (IPSN) (Institute for Nuclear Protection and Safety) and the Office de protection contre les rayonnements ionisants (OPRI) (Office for Protection against Ionising Rays), and persons with expertise in nuclear safety and radioprotection as well as in the field of the control of nuclear and sensitive materials.

Expertise and Research
The IRSN carries out research, analysis and work within the fields of nuclear safety, protection against ionising rays, the control and protection of nuclear materials and protection against acts of malevolence.
Creation of the IRSN is similar to that of agencies for health and safety. Like them, the IRSN will play an active role in providing information to the public within its fields of expertise : nuclear and radiological risks.

Separate Control and Analysis
The IRSN will not exert any authority of control. For greater transparency, the government has decided to separate the technical analysis from the function of authority of control (authorisations and decisions of a regulatory nature).

(1) AFFSE: Agence française de sécurité sanitaire environnementale
(French Agency for Environmental Health and Safety)