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NUCLEAR POWER

Reader question: Did France really try to cover up the 1986 Chernobyl disaster?

On April 26, 1986, reactor 4 at the Chernobyl nuclear plant - in Soviet-era Ukraine - exploded. A radioactive ‘cloud’ covered large parts of Europe, but did France really try to hide the danger from the population?

Published: 7 March 2022 13:17 CET
Reader question: Did France really try to cover up the 1986 Chernobyl disaster?
Archive image of the Chernobyl nuclear plant days after the explosion in reactor four (Photo by Vladimir Repik / AFP)

Question: When people in France are discussing the risks to nuclear safety because of the war in Ukraine, I keep hearing people say sarcastically ‘but of course radiation clouds stop at the French border’ – what are they talking about? I don’t get it?

The Chernobyl nuclear plant in Ukraine was in the news in recent days, after invading Russian forces clashed with the country’s national guards protecting the decommissioned plant – which is still leaking radioactive material after the disaster 36 years ago.

The 1986 Chernobyl disaster triggered the release of radioactive contamination into the atmosphere – to date the world’s largest known release of radioactivity into the environment. What became known as a ‘radioactive cloud’ travelled west over Europe. It passed over Germany, France, the Netherlands and the UK.

The French government of the time, headed by Jacques Chirac, was widely criticised for its handling of the crisis. While officials in Germany warned consumers not to eat fresh produce and distributed iodine pills, the government here took no special measures.

But the truth is, there was no need for France to take special measures, as Germany did. The government’s worst mistake was not to explain the situation fully to an understandably-worried population – an error it had made previously, and has made since.

An apparently apocryphal comment, attributed to the head of the Service central de protection contre les rayonnements ionisants at the time, that “The Chernobyl cloud has stopped at the French border,” has been frequently repeated and widely mocked as an example of the French attitude.

It also led to suggestions that France covered up the truth about the cloud and even concealed information about its effects.

In fact, most of France did escape relatively lightly: parts of the Vosges, the Jura, the Southern Alps and Corsica were the most affected as weather conditions at the time pushed the plume northwards.

In 2001, several hundred people, mainly in eastern France and Corsica, filed a lawsuit against the government after suffering thyroid issues, a classic symptom of radioactive contamination.

They claimed it was caused by the radiation from Chernobyl, and that the government had covered up the severity of the situation.

But, after a 10-year legal battle, a court dismissed the case and cleared nuclear scientist Pierre Pellerin – who was reported to have uttered that fateful ‘borders’ phrase – of charges that he covered up the true effects of the cloud.

And a 2000 report titled Birth of a myth: the Chernobyl fallout in France, by the International Nuclear Information System – part of the International Atomic Energy Agency – found that France’s official position at the time was accurate and proportional to the relatively low danger.

“In France the average dose due to the Chernobyl accident represented less than 10 percent of the yearly dose produced by natural radioactivity, so French authorities were right not to be alarmed,” an abstract of the report said. 

“In Germany the radioactive fallout was 10 times higher than in France and German authorities expected a far more intense contamination. As a consequence, health measures taken in Germany were nothing like those taken in France; that difference made journalists say that the radioactive contamination had stopped at the Franco-German border.”

As we can see from the fact that this line is still circulating, however, it did cause long-lasting damage to trust in the French authorities.

Last week saw reports of people buying iodine tablets in response to the worrying news from Ukraine, apparently unconvinced that the government would distribute these if it became necessary.

READ ALSO What to do in case of a nuclear alert in France

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LIVING IN FRANCE

Reader question: Will I need to do a French ‘integration’ class to renew my carte de séjour?

France's new immigration law contains extra provisions for 'integration' - including promising to adhere to French values and attending classes on French history and culture. Here's what they mean for foreigners in France.

Published: 19 April 2024 17:23 CEST
Reader question: Will I need to do a French 'integration' class to renew my carte de séjour?

Question: I read that France will now be requiring foreigners to sign a contract promising to respect French values, and to take civics classes – does that mean I will have to do that when I next renew my carte de séjour?

The short answer to this is – maybe, it depends on the type of card you have and what change you’re hoping to make.

Here’s the longer answer;

France’s new immigration law, passed back in January, brought in three main changes for foreigners in France – language tests, a contract promising to ‘respect the values of the French republic’ and expanded classes in civics (French culture, history and values).

Language tests

Undoubtedly the biggest change for most people is the language tests – we have covered this topic extensively HERE.

Contracts 

Then there is the Contrat d’engagement au respect des principes de la République française – which is a promise to respect the ‘values of the French republic’ such as personal freedom, freedom of expression and equality between men and women.

In practical terms, this is just a form that you will need to sign as part of the application process for a visa or residency card – you can find full details on exactly what you’re agreeing to respect HERE.

This applies to all types of visa and residency card, including renewals. It is not yet in force, but is expected to come into effect later this year.

Classes

Then there are is the contrat d’intégration républicaine (CIR), which has a confusingly similar name. This involves extra courses in civics and language that certain groups can be required to attend.

The CIR is a lot more than just signing a form, you also agree to take several hours of classes – but the key thing is that many groups are exempt from this requirement.

The immigration law doesn’t actually change who is required to sign the CIR and do the classes, it just expands the scope of the classes themselves and adds a test at the end.

These don’t apply to people applying for visa, it’s only when you get your residency permit – carte de séjour/titre de séjour – that you may be required to meet with OFII (the French office of immigration and integration) and take the classes.

Exemptions – Let’s start with exemptions – if you are applying for or renewing any of the following carte de séjour types you do not need to do the classes; 

  • Visitors (carte de séjour temporaire “visiteur”)
  • Students (carte de séjour temporaire portant la mention “étudiant”)
  • Trainees/interns (carte de séjour temporaire portant la mention “stagiaire”)
  • Temporary workers (carte de séjour temporaire portant la mention “travailleur temporaire”)
  • People who were born in France and have resided here for at least eight years (you fall under the jeune étranger né en France status of the carte de séjour temporaire portant la mention “vie privée et familiale”)
  • People with serious illness (you fall under the ‘étranger malade‘ category of the carte de séjour temporaire portant la mention “vie privée et familiale”)
  • Seconded employees and their families (carte de séjour pluriannuelle portant la mention “salarié détaché”)
  • Seasonal workers (carte de séjour pluriannuelle portant la mention “travailleur saisonnier”)
  • Talent passport holders and their families (carte de séjour pluriannuelle portant la mention “passeport talent”)
  • People who completed at least three years of French secondary school or one year of higher education in France
    EU/EEA/ Swiss nationals
  • Holders of the post-Brexit Article 50 TUE carte de séjour
  • People who qualify for the carte de résident due to service in the French foreign legion or military

So who does have to do the classes? – The new law does not change who has to sign the CIR (and by extension, agree to take the classes), certain groups have always been required to do this, including;

  • Workers on a salarié carte de séjour
  • Self-employed people on a entrepreneur/profession libérale status
  • Certain groups on the ‘vie privée et familiale‘ statuses, including parents of French minors and foreign spouses and partners (PACs) of French nationals.
  • Applicants for the carte de résident de longue durée-UE card, which is given to people after five years of residency in France
  • Refugees

You only have to sign the CIR and take the assigned courses once, and the certificate then applies to all future card applications and renewals. 

How to access the classes

In most cases, people do the classes shortly after arriving in France when they request their first carte de séjour (usually after three months of residence, although it can be longer for different card types).

It is part of the general summons by the OFII which can also include language classes and a medical test.

OFII: Your questions answered on France’s immigration office

However if you are swapping from a card type that is exempt onto a card type that is not exempt you may also have to do them – for example if you apply for the carte de résident de longue durée-UE after five years of residence and were previously on a ‘visiteur’ card.

In this case you won’t receive a summons from OFII, you will need to contact them and request the relevant form. You will be called to an interview and from this interview they will decide whether you need to do the classes or not – it depends on your level of French and whether you can demonstrate that you are integrated into French society and understand French values.

In the case of the carte de résident de longue durée-UE, the opinion of your local mayor or commune can be taken into account – so if you know your mayor you could ask them to write an attestation stating that you are well integrated into local life, which may help.

So that’s the long answer – we did warn you. 

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