Final report review study MPE-RPO-RPE available

The final report on 'Review and analysis of the transposition and implementation of the basic safety standards provisions on Radiation Protection Expert (RPE), Radiation Protection Officer (RPO), and Medical Physics Expert (MPE) in EU Member States' has now been published on the website of the European Commission.

This study, where EUTERP was heavily involved in, provides a comprehensive review and analysis of the legislative frameworks and practical implementation of the roles of experts defined in Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom (the Basic Safety Standards Directive (BSSD)) in EU Member States, Norway and Switzerland. The focus is on radiation protection experts (RPEs), radiation protection officers (RPOs) and medical physics experts (MPEs). The study’s key objectives were to examine national legislation and regulatory frameworks and evaluate their practical implementation, and to assess arrangements for the education, training, retraining and recognition of RPEs, RPOs (where appropriate) and MPEs, and the evaluation of the practical implementation of these frameworks. The study identified and engaged with Competent Authorities responsible for these roles, analysed how the BSSD’s requirements have been transposed into national laws and investigated their effectiveness in addressing recognised challenges, such as mutual recognition and the mobility of professionals. Several countries expressed ambitions to further develop and strengthen their frameworks for RPEs despite full compliance with BSSD requirements. Respondents also emphasised the value of introducing the RPO role, which has refined radiation protection measures in workplaces and facilitated the establishment of dedicated training frameworks in some Member States. The study was informed by a complete survey and data from additional documentation and network of information. The survey’s open-ended format allowed respondents to provide detailed insights and resulted in variability in the depth and scope of responses.

The Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom (BSSD) established the roles of the Radiation Protection Expert (RPE) and the Radiation Protection Officer (RPO), and re-enforced the role of the Medical Physics Expert (MPE) to strengthen radiation protection across Europe. However, while the role profiles and associated expectations are (respectively) defined and described in the directive, transposition into national legislation and interpretation in practice varies significantly across Europe. Within the study international guidance was reviewed, the approaches by national authorities in 29 European countries surveyed and national practices benchmarked against BSSD-aligned models. It became apparent that development pathways vary significantly, with differences in definitions, responsibilities, competence requirements and recognition/designation processes. The concept of “competence” is not applied in a consistent manner across Member States, which hinders harmonisation of these important roles across Europe and mutual recognition of RPEs and MPEs remains limited due to the varying national standards. To address these challenges, a number of recommendations have been proposed to the international organisations, member states, national authorities and the European Commission to further enhance and harmonize the radiation protection framework throughout Europe. These include updating EU-level guidance to clarify and promote a competence-based approach. Also proposed is the establishment of a European working group to define common development pathways and improve mutual recognition mechanisms. National authorities are encouraged to assess workforce needs, ensure adequate training opportunities, and clarify expectations for role involvement. 

The outcome of this publication will hopefully spark new initiatives at European level to further strengthen competence development of the RPE, RPO and MPE.