One of the conditions for the safe application of nuclear energy is the development of a legislative and regulatory system prescribing the definition and regular updating of safety requirements in compliance with international expectations. In view of this, it is vital to create and operate an independent regulatory body with appropriate authorisation, competence and financial base, whose objective is to ensure that nuclear energy can be applied only if it is subject to regulatory licensing and is under regular supervision in order to ensure adherence to the strict and legally-defined safety requirements.

This condition is met by Act CXVI (1996) coming into force on 1st June 1997. This Act (hereafter referred to as the Act on Atomic Energy), in accordance with international expectations, has established the basis for further development of the legislative and regulatory system to enhance the safe application of nuclear energy and to strengthen the regulatory bodies responsible for nuclear safety and radiation protection.

In accordance with the provisions of the Act, the control and supervision of the safe application of nuclear energy is a government task, which is performed through the Hungarian Atomic Energy Authority (HAEA) as well as the ministers concerned. In the field of the peaceful application of atomic energy the HAEA is a government-directed, central public administrative organisation with its own general scope of authority and its own tasks and regulatory competence. Under the Act on Atomic Energy, the HAEA both regulates certain activities (in particular, the licensing of nuclear facilities) and coordinates the regulation of those activities carried out by the ministries and administrative bodies specified under the Act. The Director General of the HAEA and his deputies are appointed and dismissed by the Prime Minister. The Government exercises supervision over the HAEA through a minister - appointed by the Prime Minister - acting independently of his ministerial duties. At present the Minister of Transport, Energy and Telecommunication is performing this task.