Executive Decree 001-2019

This decree creates the National Commission for Atomic Energy, an organization bringing together various government secretaries to coordinate safe and peaceful use of nuclear energy in Honduras. The commission promotes nuclear applications in medicine, agriculture, industry, and research, and works with international organizations to ensure Honduras complies with radiation safety standards and nuclear non-proliferation commitments.

Whereas, in accordance with Article 245, numerals 2) and 11) of the Constitution of the Republic, it is the responsibility of the President of the Republic to administer the general State affairs, having among other attributions, the direction of the general policy of the State and the issuance of Agreements and Decrees.

Whereas, Article 11 of the General Law of Public Administration literally states: "The President of the Republic has charge of the supreme direction and coordination of the Centralized and Decentralized Public Administration. The President of the Republic in the exercise of his functions, may act by himself or in Council of Ministers".

Whereas, the State of Honduras has a Law on Nuclear Activities and Radiological Safety, created in 2009 that establishes the use of nuclear applications for peaceful purposes in the country and with a Long-Term National Programming Framework to establish the priorities of nuclear applications.

Whereas, important regulations have been approved on this matter, such as: Regulation on Radiological Protection; Regulation on Authorizations for Nuclear and Radioactive Installations and Ionizing Radiation Generating Equipment; Regulation on Radioactive Waste Management; General Regulation on Transport of Radioactive Sources; Regulation on Physical Security of Nuclear Material and Radioactive Sources for the Safe Application of nuclear applications, allowing the peaceful use of atomic energy in a controlled manner.

Whereas, the State of Honduras has ratified the Additional Protocol for the application of Safeguards in relation to the treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, by means of Decree No. 9-2017. In addition to this normative framework, Honduras has advanced in the application of nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, through the application of measures and controls in line with the international standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). And whereas, the regulation, control and supervision of nuclear activity, handling of radioactive sources, nuclear energy, security of installations and radiological protection constitute essential aspects for national development, and must be addressed through a comprehensive long-term energy policy, in accordance with the agreements entered into by the State of Honduras for the use of atomic energy for peaceful purposes.

Whereas, in recent decades the State of Honduras has been promoting the application of atomic energy to different areas of the country's social and economic development, specifically in areas such as health, agriculture, radiological safety, and isotopic hydrology.

Whereas, by means of Executive Decree number PCM-048-2017 of August 7, 2017, the President of the Republic in Council of State Secretaries decreed the creation of the State Secretariat in the Office of Energy "SEN", as the governing institution of the National Energy Sector and regional and international energy integration, to which is ascribed the General Directorate of Radiological Safety, the national regulatory entity in radiological safety, which will be supported by a National Commission of Atomic Energy (CNEA).

Whereas, the National Commission of Atomic Energy according to Executive Decree number PCM-048-2017 of August 7, 2017, shall be the inter-institutional coordination body for the implementation of the national programming framework of atomic energy in Honduras.

Whereas, compliance with the action plan of the national programming framework of atomic energy requires a coordination unit for policy related to the use of atomic energy, the training of highly specialized human resources, the development of science and technology in matters of atomic energy, creating appropriate national and international synergies for the proper coordination of efforts and actions, for the achievement of its objectives.