Multi-sector workshop on innovative regulation: Challenges and benefits of harmonising the licensing process for emerging technologies
Introduction

The OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) in collaboration with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) hosted an international, multi-sector workshop on 14-18 December 2020 on safely regulating innovative and disruptive technologies.

Outcomes: Multi-sector workshop on innovative regulation: Challenges and benefits of harmonising the licensing process for emerging technologies

Recording Multi-sector workshop on innovative regulation - Closing session - YouTube

Regulatory frameworks vary across each sector and from country to country. Each has its own set of stakeholders, safety standards, history, and legal framework. Despite these differences, regulatory frameworks share a common goal: to allow society to reap the benefits of a particular activity or technology (e.g. commercial flights, medical devices) while ensuring that the risks to individuals and society are maintained at an acceptable level. Sharing this strategic goal means that regulators from different sectors and countries can learn from one another by exchanging best practices. 

Regulators in non-nuclear sectors have undergone recent changes that can help shape the collective intelligence of the regulatory community. This workshop provided a forum for them to share their experiences in standardisation, design review, licensing and reporting systems, and international co-ordination.

Objectives of the workshop

The objective of this workshop was to discuss best practices that the nuclear sector can adopt when licensing innovative technologies including, but not limited to, small modular reactors (SMRs). While many SMR concepts are under development, most involve the concept of modules where the majority of fabrication and construction takes place in a factory. Following assembly, the modules can be shipped anywhere in the world and installed where power is needed. This approach makes standardisation essential and requires a uniform approach to codes and standards. SMR deployment would likely be rendered impractical if each module were to be custom designed and fabricated according to country-specific requirements. Some limited-scope efforts at international co-operation are already underway and this workshop will discuss early observations from those projects. 

The workshop brought together regulators and stakeholders, including industry representatives, and international organisations to share information between nuclear and other highly regulated sectors towards harmonised, efficient, and effective regulatory processes in the context of innovation.

The workshop focused on practical examples of how regulators can address two key challenges:

  • How should regulators approach licensing of innovative and disruptive technologies?
  • How can regulators leverage international co-operation?

For both challenges, the workshop focused on pragmatic, real world examples rather than hypotheticals. Speakers and panellists from all sectors provided success stories and cautionary tales, according to their experiences.

Agenda

Day 1 - 14 December 2020

13:00-13:10 (UTC+1) Introductory information and Zoom logistics

Opening session - keynote speakers

13:10-13:40
(UTC+1)

Mr. William D. MAGWOOD, IV, Director-General of the Nuclear Energy Agency

 

Ms. Rumina VELSHI, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission

Session 2 - The nuclear sector innovative regulation process: challenges to serve safety of emerging technologies

13:40-14:05
(UTC+1)

The concept of a European Reactor Design Acceptance (ERDA) – JODA

Mr. William RANVAL, Director of ENISS (European Nuclear Installations Safety Standards)

25 min. 

14:05-15:00
(UTC+1)

Panel and Q&A session lead by moderator 

Ms. Maria G. KORSNICK, President and Chief Executive Officer, Nuclear Energy Institute, US

Mr. Mark FOY, Chief Nuclear Inspector for the Office for Nuclear Regulation in the UK

Mr. Ho NIEH, Director, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, US Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Mr. Simon IRISH, Chief Executive Officer, Terrestrial Energy

Mr. Anton MOSKVIN, Vice President, Marketing & Business Development, Rusatom Overseas, ROSATOM

Mr. William RANVAL, Director of ENISS (European Nuclear Installations Safety Standards)

Moderator: Mr. Ramzi JAMMAL, Executive Vice President and Chief Regulatory Operations Officer, Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission

55 min. 

 

Day 2 - 15 December 2020

13:00-13:10 (UTC+1) Introductory information and Zoom logistics

Session 3 - Moving safely from aircrafts to drones: licensing disruptive technologies

13:10-14:00
(UTC+1)

Presentations

Ms. Silvia GEHRER, Regional Director, ICAO European and North Atlantic (EUR/NAT) Office, United Nations International Civil Aviation Organisation

Ms. Jagoda EGELAND, Advisor to the Secretary-General, International Transport Forum at the OECD

25 min. 

 

25 min. 

14:00-15:00
(UTC+1)

Panel and Q&A session lead by moderator 

Mr. Christian SCHLEIFER-HEINGÄRTNER, Secretary General, EUROCAE

Mr. Simon MOORE, Assistant Secretary, Safety and Future Technology, Australian Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development & Communications

Mr. Vassilis AGOURIDAS, UAM Initiative Leader (EU Smart Cities Marketplace) / Head of EU Public Co-Creation & Ecosystem Outreach (AIRBUS Urban Mobility)

Ms. Silvia GEHRER, Regional Director, ICAO European and North Atlantic (EUR/NAT) Office, United Nations International Civil Aviation Organisation

Ms. Jagoda EGELAND, Advisor to the Secretary-General, International Transport Forum at the OECD

Moderator: Mr. Ramzi JAMMAL, Executive Vice President and Chief Regulatory Operations Officer, Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission

60 min. 

Day 3 - 16 December 2020

13:00-13:10 (UTC+1) Introductory information and Zoom logistics

Session 4 - The international licensing system for transportation of nuclear material: a success story and a look to the future

13:10-14:00
(UTC+1)

Presentations

Mr. Stephen WHITTINGHAM, Head of the Transport Safety Unit, United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency

Mr. Martin PORTER, Secretary General of the World Nuclear Transport Institute 



25 min. 

25 min. 

14:00-15:00
(UTC+1)

Panel and Q&A session lead by moderator 

Dr. Jean-Christophe NIEL, Director General of Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety, France, Chair of the OECD NEA Committee on the Safety of Nuclear Installations

Ms. Rebecca TADESSE, Head of Radioactive Waste Management and Decommissioning Division, OECD Nuclear Energy Agency

Mr. Serge GORLIN, Head of Industry Cooperation Department at World Nuclear Association (WNA)

Ms. Jennifer NUGENT, Head of Technical, and Member of the International Nuclear Services (INS) Executive Team

Mr. Stephen WHITTINGHAM, Head of the Transport Safety Unit, United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency

Mr. Martin PORTER, Secretary General of the World Nuclear Transport Institute 

Moderator: Mr. Ramzi JAMMAL, Executive Vice President and Chief Regulatory Operations Officer, Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission

60 min. 

 

Day 4 - 17 December 2020

13:00-13:10 (UTC+1) Introductory information and Zoom logistics

Session 5 - Innovation without borders: challenges and successes of international co-operation on emergent medical technologies

13:10-14:10
(UTC+1)

Presentations

Ms. Adriana VELAZQUEZ BERUMEN, MSc., Biomedical Clinical Engineer, Team Lead Medical Devices and In Vitro Diagnostics,  MDD, Health Product Policy and Standards Department,  HPS, Access to Medicines and Health Products Division,  MHP, World Health Organization

Ms. Francesca COLOMBO, Head of the Health Division, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

Dr. Harald ENZMANN, Chair of the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), Head of Section "European and International Affairs" at the German Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices

Dr. Carlos PEÑA, Ph.D., M.S., Director, Office of Neurological and Physical Medicine Devices (OHT5), Office of Product Evaluation and Quality (OPEQ), Center for Devices and Radiological Health, U.S. Food and Drug Administration



15 min.

15 min. 

15 min.

15 min.

14:10-15:00
(UTC+1)

Panel and Q&A session lead by moderator 

Dr. William HEETDERKS, PhD, MD, Consultant to the United States National Institutes of Health, Former Senior Regulatory Official at the United States Food and Drug Administration

Dr. Emmanuelle VOISIN, PhD, Founder & CEO, Voisin Consulting Life Sciences

Ms. Adriana VELAZQUEZ BERUMEN, MSc., Biomedical Clinical Engineer, Team Lead Medical Devices and In Vitro Diagnostics,  MDD, Health Product Policy and Standards Department,  HPS, Access to Medicines and Health Products Division,  MHP, World Health Organization

Ms. Francesca COLOMBO, Head of the Health Division, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

Dr. Harald ENZMANN, Chair of the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), Head of Section "European and International Affairs" at the German Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices

Dr. Carlos PEÑA, Ph.D., M.S., Director, Office of Neurological and Physical Medicine Devices (OHT5), Office of Product Evaluation and Quality (OPEQ), Center for Devices and Radiological Health, U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Moderator: Mr. Ramzi JAMMAL, Executive Vice President and Chief Regulatory Operations Officer, Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission

50 min. 

Day 5 - 18 December 2020

13:00-13:05 (UTC+1) Introductory information and Zoom logistics

Session 6: Harmonisation of licensing: beyond regulators and licensees, how do the other stakeholders view the situation?

13:05-14:45
(UTC+1)

Presentations followed by panel and Q&A session lead by moderator

Mr. Bruce CHEW, Federal Research Leader for Deloitte’s Center for Government Insights (DCGI) and Managing Director in Deloitte Consulting’s Government and Public Services (GPS), Deloitte

Ms. Kirsty GOGAN, Co-Founder, TerraPraxis, and Managing Partner of LucidCatalyst, Chair of the UK Government’s Nuclear Innovation Research and Advisory Board (NIRAB) Cost Reduction Working Group, and Co-Founder Energy for Humanity (EFH)

Ms. Marie-Françoise RENARD-GONDINET, Offshore Sales and Marketing Director &  Mr. Denis BOURGUIGNON, Nuclear Development and Technical Manager, BUREAU VERITAS

Ms. Kathryn MARTIN, Director, Asia & US, Access Partnership 

Mr. Jean-Jacques DOREAU, Executive Manager of the Agriculture Insurance Market, ALLIANZ France

Moderator: Mr. Ramzi JAMMAL, Executive Vice President and Chief Regulatory Operations Officer, Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission

 

Session 7 - Recommendations to the nuclear sector, the path forward

14:45-15:45
(UTC+1)

Panel and Q&A session lead by moderator 

Mr. Mark FOY, Chief Nuclear Inspector for the Office for Nuclear Regulation in the UK

Mr. Christian SCHLEIFER-HEINGÄRTNER, Secretary General, EUROCAE

Mr. Jean-Christophe NIEL, Director General of Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety, France, Chair of the OECD NEA Committee on the Safety of Nuclear Installations

Dr. Harald ENZMANN, Chair of the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), Head of Section "European and International Affairs" at the German Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices

Mr. Bruce CHEW, Federal Research Leader for Deloitte’s Center for Government Insights (DCGI) and Managing Director in Deloitte Consulting’s Government and Public Services (GPS), Deloitte 

Mr. Ramzi JAMMAL, Executive Vice President and Chief Regulatory Operations Officer, Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission 

Moderator: Mr. William D. MAGWOOD, IV, Director-General of the Nuclear Energy Agency

60 min. 

Closing session - keynote speakers

 

15:45-16:00
(UTC+1)

Mr. William D. MAGWOOD, IV, Director-General of the Nuclear Energy Agency

Ms. Rumina VELSHI, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission