The Reactor Safety Commission (RSK – Reaktorsicherheitskommission) advises the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Reactor Safety in matters of safety and related matters of safety regarding nuclear facilities and disposal of radioactive waste. As a rule the Reactor Safety Commission is made up of twelve members representing the technical fields required for the expert consulting of the Federal Ministry in the mentioned subjects. The members must guarantee expert and objective consultancy for the Federal Ministry. To ensure a balanced consultancy, the members of the Reactor Safety Commission should represent the overall range of opinions justifiable in accordance with the state of science and technology. Membership of the Reactor Safety Commission is a personal honorary position. The members of the commission are independent and not bound by instructions. As a result of its deliberations, the commission decides on scientific and technical recommendations or comments for the Federal Ministry. The commission does not make any legal assessments. The state authorities are informed of the recommendations or comments submitted to the Federal Ministry, which are also made available to the public upon request.