23.12.2021
The European regulation on ionizing radiation is essentially laid down in the Council Directive 2013/59/EURATOM. This Directive implements the basic safety standards for the protection of humans and the environment against the dangers arising from exposure to ionizing radiation [1].
The practical implementation of the regulations is, however, due to the lack of metrological implications and adaptation to new technological developments have become more complex. It is therefore necessary to provide access to identified problems and metrological solutions at European level.
A European Metrology Network (EMN) is required as a single point of contact between the metrology communities and the relevant radiation protection stakeholders, including regulators, standardization bodies, manufacturers, users of radiation sources and international organizations and platforms dealing with radiation protection, such as HERCA, IAEA and EURADOS to cover and meet all metrological needs in a coordinated manner.
The development of such a metrology network under the umbrella of EURAMET was planned by the consortium of the JNP EMPIR project 19NET03 supportBSS from June 2020 for a period of four years [2]. The plan was successfully evaluated by EURAMET and the EMN Radiation Protection was approved by the EURAMET General Assembly in June 2021 [3-4]. The construction of this network is planned during the five technical work packages (WP) of the project (see figure).
1. Implementation of a long‑term dialogue
2. Conception and development of a web portal as a contact point
3. Development of a Strategic Research Agenda (SRA) and roadmaps for metrology services underpinning radiation protection regulation.
4. Development of a knowledge‑sharing program and
5. Development of an initial plan for a sustainable European metrology infrastructure underpinning radiation protection regulation (see deliverable number 7 under [2]).
Figure: The WP in EMPIR 19NET03 supportBSS. The figure describes the route for the construction of the EMN Radiation Protection. The stakeholder needs are central for all work packages.
As the first interaction of the project with stakeholders and as part of the WP, a scientific stakeholder workshop took place on September 11, 2020. It was organized by the supportBSS consortium and carried out by the Physikalisch‑Technische Bundesanstalt. It should open a continuous and constructive dialogue on the identified stakeholders’ needs and gaps in radiation protection metrology. A summarizing result has been published [5].
On October 5, 2020, the supportBSS coordinator held a webinar for the Comité consultatif des rayonnements ionisants (CCRI) on the subject of " Metrology for Radiation Protection". This webinar summarized the technical issues that need to be addressed in the coming years [6].
The published summary, a project overview and the first EURAMET newsletter are also available on the EURAMET website [2].
Literature
[1] Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom of 5 December 2013 laying down basic safety standards for protection against the dangers arising from exposure to ionising radiation, CELEX number: 32013L0059, 2013
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32013L0059
[2] Support for a European Metrology Network on reliable radiation protection regulation
https://www.euramet.org/research-innovation/search-research-projects/details/project/support-for-a-european-metrology-network-on-reliable-radiation-protection-regulation/
[3] EMN for Radiation Protection
https://www.euramet.org/european-metrology-networks/radiation-protection/
[4] Ensuring radiation protection together in Europe – EURAMET to start a new European Metrology Network (vom 23.09.2021)
[5] B. Khanbabaee et al., “Support for a European metrology Network on reliable radiation protection: Gaps in radiation protection metrology”, RAD Conference Proceedings, vol. 5, pp. 1–4, 2021, ISSN 2466-4626
https://doi.org/10.21175/RadProc.2021.04
[6] A. Röttger, “Metrology for radiation protection: Our route to an European Metrology Network” CCRI-Webinar, 5th November 2020
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2B77LyY62I
Contact
Behnam Khanbabaee, Department 6.3, Working Group 6.31