Nuclear supervision administration by the Federal States on behalf of the Federal Government or Direct Federal Administration for Optimum Achievement

One year ago, Federal Minister for the Environment Jurgen Trittin expressed doubt about the long-term viability of the federal states' acting on behalf of the federal government in the field of atomic energy law administration. An alternative to this type of administration was mentioned, namely direct execution by the federal government, and a thorough examination was announced. This was to show which type of administration would achieve maximum safety for the residual operating lives of nuclear power plants. Kienbaum Management Consultants were commissioned to evaluate the current status and potential alternative structures. That study was performed within the framework of one of the key projects in reactor safety of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety (BMU), namely the reform of nuclear administration. Further steps to be taken by the BMU by the end of this parliamentary term are presented. The federal states are to be approached in an attempt to conduct an unbiased discussion of the pros and cons of the alternatives to administration by the federal states on behalf of the federal government. Questions will be clarified which need to be examined in depth before direct administration by the federal government can be introduced. These include constitutional matters and matters of costing in financing the higher-level federal authority as well as specific questions about the organization of that authority. The purpose is to elaborate, by the end of this parliamentary term, a workable concept of introducing direct federal administration of nuclear safety.