HERCA Advances European Radiological Protection: Key Outcomes from the 36th Board of Heads Meeting

The Heads of the European Radiological Protection Competent Authorities (HERCA) convened their 36th Board of Heads meeting at ANVS Headquarters in The Hague, Netherlands, on 27–28 November 2025, reaffirming their shared commitment to harmonised regulation, strategic innovation, and collective progress of radiological protection across Europe.

Main themes and discussions

The meeting welcomed new Board members and representatives from several member countries at the working groups, and officially appointed Claudia Engelhardt as Vice-President, reinforcing HERCA’s leadership and continuity. The Board also celebrated the continuous and thorough work of Léa Llorente as the technical secretariat and expressed appreciation to Mª Luisa Tormo for her strategic support to HERCA’s chairmanship during the current mandate.

HERCA’s Board and working groups have played a pivotal role in international forums, including the ICRP Symposium in Abu Dhabi, the IAEA General Conference, the European Commission’s Article 31 Expert Group and ENSREG. These engagements have strengthened HERCA’s influence and ensured that European RP Competent Authorities’ perspectives are represented in global radiological protection discussions.

The Board advanced the work of its Task Forces, focusing on two key areas:

• • Task Force Strategy, which is evaluating the degree of achievement of HERCA’s strategic objectives set in 2021, identifying those that still require development, and defining new priorities aligned with current sector challenges such as artificial intelligence, the expansion of nuclear programmes, nuclear fusion, radiological protection in situations of armed conflict, and the rapid pace of technological innovation in the medical sector. Joint work within HERCA to achieve harmonised criteria will be essential for the sake of efficiency and effectiveness in the regulation of these sectors.
  • Task Force ICRP: The interaction between HERCA and the ICRP is becoming increasingly fluid and productive, allowing both organisations to fulfil their roles to the highest standard for the benefit of radiological protection.

HERCA’s permanent working groups reported significant progress, including the publication of a comprehensive report on artificial intelligence in medical radiological protection, approval of a position paper on patient protection and quality management systems, the launch of coordinated inspection campaigns, and renewed public awareness initiatives such as the “Getting the Right Image for My Patient” campaign, now active in 21 countries. Ongoing collaboration with international partners continues to promote best practices and harmonised standards. A special note of appreciation was extended to Katrien Van Slambrouck for her outstanding service as Chair of the Working Group on Medical Applications (WGMA).

The Board approved the 2025 financial closure and the 2026 budget, ensuring the sustainability of HERCA’s activities.

HERCA has maintained a strong institutional presence through its official website and LinkedIn page, regularly publishing news, position papers, and meeting outcomes. The association’s commitment to open communication and transparency remains a cornerstone of its work.

External contributions and international cooperation

The meeting also benefited from external interventions by several major organisations and stakeholders: IAEA, European Commission (EC), NEA (Nuclear Energy Agency), and FNRBA (Forum of Nuclear Regulatory Bodies in Africa). These interventions underlined HERCA’s pivotal role at the European and global level for radiological protection, facilitating alignment of regulatory developments, international recommendations, and collaborative projects.

Outlook and next meeting

In closing, the meeting reaffirmed the shared conviction that competent authorities in radiation protection must move forward together towards approaches that enhance organisational efficiency, ensure proportionate regulation, and avoid unnecessary administrative burdens—without compromising safety or hindering innovation.

Stakeholders and the public are warmly encouraged to follow HERCA’s website and LinkedIn page for upcoming publications, reports, and updates on ongoing initiatives. HERCA remains committed to transparency and collaboration, and thanks all partners and the wider community for their continued engagement.