An information portal of the Federal government and the Länder

Competent federal and Land authorities

The Federation

Following the issuing of an organisational decree by the Federal Chancellor, responsibility for nuclear safety and radiation protection passed from the Ministry of the Interior, which had previously held this portfolio, to the newly established Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety in 1986 (December 2013 - March 2018: Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety - BMUB; March 2018 - Dezember 2021: Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety – BMU; since Dezember 2021: Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection - BMUV). In the exercise of its statutory responsibilities pertaining to the safe utilisation of nuclear energy, the BMUV’s remit includes clarifying fundamental issues of relevance to the safety of nuclear facilities. This includes, in particular, supervision of the legality and expediency of the action taken by the nuclear authorities of the Länder, the development and revision of legislation and technical regulations, and international cooperation. 

The Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) and the Federal Office for the Safety of Nuclear Waste Management (BASE) are among the authorities which fall within the purview of the BMUV. 

The Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) is a scientific and technical higher federal authority set up in accordance with the Act on the Establishment of a Federal Office for Radiation Protection of 9 October 1989, last amended by Article 3 of the Act on Organisational Restructuring in the Field of Radioactive Waste Management of 26 July 2016. 

BfS works for the safety and protection of people and the environment against damage caused by ionising and non-ionising radiation. In relation to ionising radiation, its work focuses, for example, on the use of X-rays for diagnostic purposes in medicine, safety in the handling of radioactive substances in nuclear technology, accident management and protection against enhanced natural radioactivity. The work in the field of non-ionising radiation includes protection against ultraviolet radiation and the effects of mobile communications.

The Federal Office for the Safety of Nuclear Waste Management (BASE) is a scientific and technical federal authority set up in accordance with the Act on the Establishment of a Federal Office for the Safety of Nuclear Waste Management of 23 July 2013, amended by Article 4 of the Act on Organisational Restructuring in the Field of Radioactive Waste Management of 26 July 2016.

The BASE is the regulatory authority for the site selection procedure for a repository for high-level radioactive wastes. It also coordinates the public consultation and undertakes task-related research. It acts as the supervisory authority for final storage schemes and is the planning approval authority. It is responsible, furthermore, for granting approval for nuclear fuel transport and interim storage of spent fuel elements from the operation of nuclear power plants or radioactive waste from reprocessing.

BASE staff members monitor the latest scientific and technological developments in the field of nuclear safety at the national and international level. The BASE’s Incident Registration Centre logs and documents all reportable events occurring in German nuclear installations. The reviews of these events and the findings of investigations are used by the BASE in order to propose improvements to nuclear safety, for example during the drafting of national and international safety standards.

Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV)

Robert-Schuman-Platz 3
53175 Bonn
Internet: www.bmuv.de (external link)

Federal Office for the Safety of Nuclear Waste Management (BASE)

10117 Berlin
Internet: www.base.bund.de (external link)

Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS)

Willy-Brandt-Straße 5
38226 Salzgitter
Internet: www.bfs.de (external link)

The German Atomic Energy Act (AtG) and the ordinances based on it are – with some exceptions – implemented by the Länder on behalf of the Federation (this is known as execution by the Länder on federal commission; Articles 87c and 85 of the Basic Law; Section 24, paragraph 1 of the Atomic Energy Act). The Land governments have assigned the tasks of licensing and supervision of the nuclear sector to the highest Land authorities (ministries). Subordinate authorities of the Länder rarely have a role in implementing nuclear legislation. The Federation is responsible for supervising the legality and expediency of the action taken by the Land authorities.

Baden-Württemberg



Ministry of Environment, Climate Protection and the Energy Sector Baden-Württemberg

Kernerplatz 9
70182 Stuttgart

The Free State of Bavaria

 

Bavarian State Ministry of the Environment and Consumer Protection

Rosenkavalierplatz 2
81925 München

Bavarian State Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy 

Prinzregentenstraße 28
80538 München

Berlin


Senate Department for Mobility, Transport, Climate Protection and the Environment 

Am Köllnischen Park 3
10179 Berlin

Brandenburg



Brandenburgian Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Integration and for Consumer Protection 

Henning-von-Treskow-Str. 2-13
14467 Potsdam

Brandenburgian Ministry of the Interior and for Municipal Affairst 

Henning-von-Treskow-Straße 9-13
14467 Potsdam

Bremen



Senator of Science, Women and Consumer Protection

Contrescarpe 72
28195 Bremen

Senator for Climate Protection, Environment, Mobility, Urban Development and Housing

Ansgaritorstraße 2
28195 Bremen

Hamburg


Ministry for Environment, Climate, Energy and Agriculture
Office for immission control and operations

Neuenfelder Straße 19
21109 Hamburg

Hesse



Hessian Ministry for Environment, Climate Protection, Agriculture and Consumer Protection

Mainzer Straße 80
65189 Wiesbaden

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern



Ministry for Climate Protection, Agriculture, Rural Areas and the Environment

Paulshöher Weg 1
19061 Schwerin

Lower Saxony



Lower Saxony Ministry for the Environment, Energy and Climate Protection

Archivstraße 2
30169 Hannover

North Rhine-Westphalia



Ministry for Work, Health and Social Affairs of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia

Fürstenwall 25
40219 Düsseldorf

Ministry of the Environment, Nature and Transport of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia

Emilie-Preyer-Platz 1
40479 Düsseldorf

Ministry of Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Action and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia

Berger Allee 25
40213 Düsseldorf

Rhineland-Palatinate



Ministry for Climate Protection, Environment, Energy and Mobility 

Kaiser-Friedrich-Straße 1
55116 Mainz

Saarland



Ministry for Environment, Climate, Mobility, Agriculture and Consumer Protection

Keplerstraße 18
66117 Saarbrücken

The Free State of Saxony



State Ministry of Energy, Climate Protection, Environment and Agriculture

Wilhelm-Buck-Straße 4
01097 Dresden

Saxony-Anhalt



Ministry for Science, Energy, Climate Protection and Environment 

Leipziger Straße 58
39112 Magdeburg

Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Health and Equality

Turmschanzenstraße 25
39114 Magdeburg

Schleswig-Holstein



Ministry for Energy Transition, Climate Protection, Environment and Nature

Mercatorstraße 3
24106 Kiel

The Free State of Thuringia



Thuringian State Ministry for the Environment, Energy and Nature Conservation

Beethovenstraße 3
99096 Erfurt