Sentence Verification Task

SITEX_NETWORK FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SUSTAINABLE AND

function calls for the support of an independent Expertise Function that develops and maintains the necessary know-how and skills in the field of safety of radioactive waste management. For complex issues such as those associated with the operational and long-term safety of waste disposal facilities, this can be notably achieved by performing and/or overseeing R&D activities in support of safety analyses and activities such as exchanging on practices, establishing states of the art and transferring knowledge. These activities are important for developing the technical expertise of organizations with an Expertise Function and are necessary to build the credibility of their technical competences (e.g. vis-a-vis the civil society), integrity and judgement. Moreover, the need in such activities is clearly identified in international recommendations and requirements For instance, Article 8 of the 2011/70/EURATOM directive requires all parties, i.e. Expertise Function included, to carry out education, training and R&D activities. It is also stressed in IAEA safety guides that the Regulatory Body (RB), and thus its supporting organisations (see Fig. 1), may need to conduct or commission R&D in support of regulatory decisions (see IAEA GS-G-1.1 [3] (see §3.33) and IAEA GS-G-1.2 [4] (see §3.68)). The European Commission (EC) has considerably supported collaborative R&D projects involving TSOs, notably through the EURATOM programme on radioactive waste management. Today, the EC supports the implementation of a Joint Programming (JP) on radioactive waste management including disposal between the European Member States, considering the stage and the priorities of their national programmes. The objective for the EC is to promote and co-fund ambitious joint programmes rather than individual projects, bringing together entities from EU Member-States and associated countries.

FIG. 1. The Expertise Function and its interactions [1].

1.2 From SITEX projects to SITEX_Network

The EC FP7 SITEX and H2020 SITEX-II [5] projects (SITEX stands for “Sustainable network for Independent Technical EXpertise of radioactive waste disposal”, and II for “Interactions and Implementation”) gathered NRAs, TSOs and REs fulfilling an Expertise Function, as well as civil society (CS) experts, interacting with a wider group of European CS organisations involved in the field of radioactive waste management. The overall objective of these projects was to prepare the foundation of the SITEX_Network aiming at consolidating at the international level the knowledge base and expertise upon which organisations fulfilling an Expertise Function in the context of radioactive waste management can rely on, and to stimulate its sharing amongst all stakeholders, including CS. The possible activities and interaction modes of this network were respectively identified and tested in the SITEX and SITEX-II projects. In particular, the following tasks were carried out in the SITEX-II project:

— The definition of a Strategic Research Agenda (SRA) of the Expertise Function, taking into consideration the concerns and proposals of the CS. This SRA [6, 7] has been an important input for identifying the TSOs priorities [8] to be considered in the establishment of the future JP.

— Terms of references for the implementation of future R&D activities [9];

— The production of guidance on the technical review of the safety case [10, 11];

— The development of a training module for generalist experts involved in the SC review process [12];

— The development of interactions between institutional experts and CS [13];

— The preparation of the administrative framework for the SITEX_Network [14].

1.3 The SITEX_Network

Based on the results from SITEX and SITEX-II projects, the SITEX_Network was set up in 2018 in the form of a French non-profit Association by the following organizations: Bel V, EIMV, ENERGIAKLUB, FANC, GI-BAS, IRSN, MKG, Mutadis, NTW, PSI, SURO, SYMLOG, TS Enercon and VTT. The purpose of the network is to enhance and foster cooperation at the international level in order to achieve a high quality Expertise Function, independent from organizations responsible for the implementation of waste management programmes, aiming at supporting the Nuclear Regulatory Authorities (NRAs), as well as the CS, in the field of safety of radioactive waste management and disposal. SITEX_Network objective is achieved through close cooperation between its Members with a plurality of views and competencies, involved or willing to be involved in different waste management programmes at different stages of development: NRAs, TSOs, REs with an Expertise Function and non-institutional CS experts. Though the CS does not have any formal regulatory or Expertise Function, its views and concerns shall nevertheless be considered while developing a disposal facility, in respect of the Aarhus Convention that recognizes that “improved access to information and public participation in decision-making enhance the quality and the implementation of decisions” [15]. The Societal Function (carried out by non-institutional experts, CS groups and the public) therefore exerts vigilance and gives inputs that constitute a complementary contribution to safety case reviews. The added value to other existing TSOs and regulator’s networks is seen in bringing together different categories of contributors to /end-users of the expertise, such as TSOs, REs, NRAs and CS. In addition to bringing to its members the benefits from its activities, SITEX_Network intends to maintain and further develop the position of the Expertise Function within the international R&D scene. Specifically concerning the R&D and other activities that will be performed within the first JP (if approved by the EC), being a SITEX_Network Member will allow to exchange and to develop common views on [16]:

— the joint activities implemented at EU level on radioactive waste management (including disposal);

— the development of high quality and balanced proposals having more chance to be selected for funding through the JP.

The management bodies of SITEX_Network are:

— the General Assembly (GA) organized in 3 colleges,

— the Management Board (MB) elected by the colleges and its Bureau.

Both are composed of Members of SITEX_Network. Each Member belongs to one of the 3 following colleges:

— College 1: Technical Expertise Function (comprises Technical Safety Organisations (TSOs) or other entities fulfilling this function for the Regulators, such as Research Entities (REs));

— College 2: Regulatory Function (comprises Nuclear Regulatory Authorities (NRA));

— College 3: Civil Society Function (comprises CS stakeholders who may either be individuals or groups, such as non-institutional experts, NGO’s … ) .

Members elect their college representatives in the MB, adopt a Roadmap and an annual plan of activities, bring forward proposals for activities, and assess the work to be performed by the network. The paramount activities of SITEX_Network may entail:

— R&D related activities, programmed via the SITEX_Network SRA and Deployment Plan: development of, or contribution to, high quality R&D project proposals, coordination or facilitation of participation in international projects (e.g. European Joint Programming), or of joint research within the network, guidance and advice to organizations fulfilling an Expertise Function in initiating R&D activities related to waste management safety;

— Activities related to Safety Case Review methodology and practices: exchanging on guidance and requirements, when appropriate formulating position papers or harmonizing approaches and practices (e.g., development of safety case reviewing procedures, development of safety case reviewing tools);

— Training activities: development of professional capabilities, preparation and delivery of training programmes at European level for generalist experts and about specific technical domains, that may include training courses, seminars, visits to disposal facilities sites and underground research facilities, safety case review exercises;

— Work on how to promote efficient interaction with CS and its experts: establishing principles and ways for the dialogue and transparent information between the Expertise Function and the CS, strengthening knowledge and skills, adapting culture and practices of the Expertise Function to accommodate the active contributions of CS and its experts, acting in complement to WMOs where public expects an independent view on its scientific and safety concerns and expectations.

Further, SITEX_Network carries out dissemination and planning activities, such as:

— Knowledge exchange: providing a forum for information exchange and sharing data among Members;

supporting Less Advanced RWM Programmes (LAPs);

— Interaction with international entities: organize interactions with other entities involved in regulatory and Expertise Function activities (e.g. WENRA, ETSON, ENSREG, ENEN, IAEA, OECD/NEA) or in implementing activities (e.g. IGD-TP): possible interactions could be dissemination, consulting for harmonization of the existing regulations and guidance, regular informing of the progress and outcomes of activities, establishing cooperation with specific projects (e.g. IAEA GEOSAF), etc.;

— Presenting its activities and results of joint effort at different international events.

2. SITEX_Network INTERACTIONS WITH CIVIL SOCIETY

Towards the end of the SITEX project there was an effort to have an outreach to a few selected civil society (CS) organisations to explore the possibility of including an effort of interaction between TSOs and CS in the SITEX-II project. This endeavour was successful and in the SITEX-II project there was a special work package on CS interaction involving three tasks; formulating key technical and socio-technical issues that from a CS perspective could be interesting to be included in European R&D on RWM, investigating how safety culture for RWM can be shared through different interested parties and what the concrete conditions and means necessary for efficient public engagement are, and issues involving intergenerational governance in RWM [17].

The CS experts involved as research partners in the task were from Mutadis and Symlog in France, REC in Slovenia, Energiaklub in Hungary and MKG in Sweden. The small group of research partners interacted all along the project with a larger group of CS organisations representatives co-ordinated by the Brussels-based organisation Nuclear Transparency Watch (NTW). In all there were 35 environmental non-governmental organisations (NGOs) from 18 countries in Europe making an input into the work done, reflecting a variety of partly very specific situations at national level. Much of the work done and the results achieved in the SITEX-II project can be expected to be the basis of the work on CS interaction in the SITEX_Network and is therefore described in a little more detail.

The first task formulated R&D key technical and socio-technical issues that CS expects to be developed in R&D programmes and contributed actively to review the SITEX SRA by trying to place the CS interests into the research matrix developed by the experts community of the SITEX-II project, by discussing with them the possibility to include citizen and social science in the SRA and by developing a concept of “Knowledge Sharing and Interpretation” for allowing CS interactions in future EU research projects on RWM. This concept is now first tested in the Euratom Horizon EU project Beacon [18]. The task also started thinking about new R&D topics, including the incorporation of citizen and social science, that would allow European discussions on potential crosscutting areas, i.e. the discussion of uncertainties. These were to possibly be included in future European Joint Programming R&D in RWM. The second task investigated how safety culture can be shared through different interested parties and what the concrete conditions and means necessary for efficient public engagement are. Through a questionnaire and a set of 27 personal interviews of various representatives of non-institutional CSOs and non-institutional actors in Europe (regulators, TSOs, researchers), the task identified commonalities and differences in the vision on safety culture in RWM and investigated the expectations of non-institutional as well as non-institutional actors regarding the engagement of CS in the safety case review of GD facilities. Based on the performed analyses, conclusions on the conditions and means to involve CS along the safety case review process of GD facilities were drawn.The third task was dedicated to intergenerational governance and performed desk review and analyses of the literature of the past and existing research and on-going reflections of international projects related to the intergenerational aspect of RWM (EU projects MoDeRn, Insotec, SITEX, …), as well as perception and ideas from CS organisations (national, international).

The task also developed a new approach, entitled Pathway Evaluation Process (PEP), conceptualized as an exercise of participative and comparative assessment of different parallel alternative scenarios on long-term management of radioactive waste. The method is presented as a board game that can be used by different stakeholders to support discussion and identification of possible strategies for RWM. In addition, the task moderated discussions to reflect on and challenge the provisions and requirements related to intergenerational aspects of RWM and spent nuclear fuel (SF) management, as set out in different international treaties/conventions and other EU binding legislation.

As a result of the work done in the SITEX-II project it was decided that CS interaction could also be part of the work carried out within the SITEX_Network and a separate college that allows the membership of CS organisations was organised. There is therefore also representation from the CS in the Management Board.

As described above the expectations are to be able to do work on how to promote efficient interaction with CS and its experts: establishing principles and ways for the dialogue and transparent information between the Expertise Function and the CS, strengthening knowledge and skills, adapting culture and practices of the

Expertise Function to accommodate the active contributions of CS and its experts, acting in complement to WMOs where public expects an independent view on its scientific and safety concerns and expectations.

REFERENCES

[1] EC FP7 SITEX project, “D6.1 Conditions for establishing a sustainable expertise network”, 2014.

[2] European Commission, “Directive 2011/70/Euratom establishing a Community framework for the responsible and safe management of spent fuel and radioactive waste”, 2011.

[3] IAEA, “Safety guide GS-G-1.1 - Organization and staffing of the regulatory body for nuclear facilities”, 2002.

[4] IAEA, “Safety guide GS-G-1.2- Review and assessment of nuclear facilities by the regulatory body IAEA”, 2002.

[5] J. Miksova, L. Nachmilner, D. Pellegrini, V. Detilleux, F. Bernier, A. Narkuniene, G. Heriard-Dubreuil,

“Horizon 2020 – Project SITEX-II”, paper presented at the International Conference on Effective Nuclear Regulatory Systems, Vienna, Austria, April 2016

[6] EC H2020 SITEX-II Project, “D1.1 Strategic Research Agenda of the Expertise Function in the field of geological disposal of radioactive waste”, 30/11/2016.

[7] V. Detilleux, D. Pellegrini, F. Bernier, G. Heriard-Dubreuil, J. Miksova, A. Narkuniene, “Overview of the Strategic Research Agenda in the field of safety of radioactive waste geological disposal developed by the Expertise Function in the EC-H2020-SITEX-II project.” Paper presented at EUROSAFE Forum 2016, Munich, Germany, November 2016

[8] EC H2020 JOPRAD Project, Deliverable 3.4 “Aspects of the SITEX SRA to be included in a JP”, 2017 [9] EC H2020 SITEX-II Project, “D1.2 Setting the Terms of References for the SRA implementation”,

30/11/2017.

[10] EC H2020 SITEX-II Project, “D2.1 Developing a common understanding on the interpretation and implementation of safety requirements”, 15/01/2018.

[11] EC H2020 SITEX-II Project, “D2.2 Technical Guide on the Review of a Safety Case”, 31/01/2018.

[12] EC H2020 SITEX-II Project, “D3.2 Development of a training module for generalist experts in geological disposal”, 15/10/2017.

[13] EC H2020 SITEX-II Project, “D4.1 Conditions and means for developing interactions with Civil Society”, 30/11/2017.

[14] EC H2020 SITEX-II Project, “D5.5 Action plan for establishing SITEX network”, 31/01/2018.

[15] “Convention on access to information, public participation in decision-making and access to justice in environmental matters”, Done at Aarhus (Denmark) on 25/06/1998.

[16] V. Detilleux, F. Lemy, J.-D. Barnichon, E. Salat, G. Heriard-Dubreuil, J. Miksova, D. Pellegrini,

“European Joint Programming on Radioactive Waste Management and Disposal: What changes for TSOs?”, Paper presented at EUROSAFE Forum 2017, Paris, France, November 2017.

[17] EC H2020 SITEX-II Project, “D4.1 Conditions and means for developing interactions with Civil Society”, 30/11/2017.

[18] EC H2020 Bentonite Mechanical Evolution Project (Beacon), http://www.beacon-h2020.eu

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

SITEX and SITEX-II projects received funding from the EURATOM research and training programmes 2012-2013 and 2014-2018 under grant agreements No 295889 and 662152.