Governmental Decree No. HG506/2020 validating the Regulation on on the primary response mechanism to nuclear or radiological events, associated with ownerless radioactive sources.

The objective of this Regulation is to establish a unified approach to prevention, risk assessment, investigation, intervention and enforcement in the event of nuclear and radiological events associated with unauthorized storage of radioactive or nuclear materials, as well as the discovery of ownerless radioactive sources. The purpose of this Regulation is to establish the roles and responsibilities of the parties directly involved in day-to-day operations, maintenance and management of equipment for detection and identification of primary ionizing radiation. These include monitoring, detection, alarm, response, reporting, submission to the interested authorities of the conclusions of nuclear expertise, training and support activities. This Regulation is based on a predetermined intervention in which intervention levels are expressed as predictable doses for the participating parties’ response, and does not apply to situations of major radiological accidents for which it is necessary to declare the state of radiation accidents or an emergency. This Regulation applies to all incidents related to unauthorized possession and illicit trafficking of nuclear or radioactive materials and detection of ownerless radioactive sources, including: (a) unauthorized possession, use or transfer of radioactive or nuclear materials, especially with criminal intent, possible or proven; (b) selling, buying or attempting to sell, or unauthorized purchase of radioactive or nuclear materials; (c) selling, buying or attempting to sell or buy a misleading material suspected of being radioactive or nuclear material; and (d) threats, fraud or theft related to the smuggling of radioactive or nuclear materials and other illegal actions or omissions with radioactive or nuclear materials. This Regulation is aimed at detecting and/or preventing emergencies arising as a result of events (incidents), related to illicit traffic in radioactive or nuclear materials and detection of ownerless radioactive sources by: (a) identification of radiological risks at the national level; (b) monitoring of potential sources generating nuclear or radiological incidents; and (c) evaluation of information and analysis of the initial situation.