The French defence ministry says it will reassess all compensation claims related to the effects of France's nuclear weapon tests in French Polynesia and Algeria.
The ministry issued a statement after talks of the consultative commission charged with examining the tests' aftermath.
A review was signalled in last month's special address to French Polynesia by the French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, who vowed to clear the air about the testing history.
As part of the new drive by Paris, a new decree has been tabled which adds more illnesses eligible for possible compensation and enlarges the eligible fall-out area to include Tahiti.
The ministry says unsuccessful applications for compensation will be revisited without the applicants needing to re-submit their files.
France carried out 210 atomic tests over 36 years, involving about 150'000 personnel.
