Photo credit: Andra
The Forum on Stakeholder Confidence (FSC) supports dialogue and learning among stakeholders involved in radioactive waste management. Following the successful 2024 Swedish National Workshop, the 2025 French National Workshop provided a new opportunity to explore the evolving nature of stakeholder engagement, especially in the context of long-term projects such as deep geological repositories.
France’s project for managing radioactive waste, led by the French National Agency for Radioactive Waste Management (Andra - L'Agence nationale pour la gestion des dechets radioactifs), is entering a more mature stage. The Cigéo project, near Bure, represents one of the world's most advanced deep geological repository disposal programmes. Its development offers valuable insights into public communication, stakeholder confidence and the continuity of dialogue across different stages of implementation.
This workshop explored how public participation is evolving in response to political and generational change and explored the emergence of local expectations. It also offered an opportunity for mutual learning, from both the French experience and international perspectives.
This workshop aimed to increase shared understanding of key issues, including:
Through case studies, discussions and site visits, the workshop fostered learning from both the French experience and international perspectives, while offering constructive external feedback to the French programme.
Expected participants included:
Please note attendance was limited to 50 participants. Given a maximum of 36 visitors allowed in the underground laboratory over the two-day period, priority will be given to those who have not yet had the opportunity to visit. As a result, access to the underground facility cannot be guaranteed for all attendees. However, all participants had the chance to visit the exhibition on the Cigéo project as well as the ecolibrary.
This in-person workshop took place over two and a half days and included:
To manage logistics, participants were divided into smaller groups for visits and discussions. Group assignments were confirmed after registration.
Day 1 – 20 October 2025 | Bure
• Morning: Opening session, presentations on visitors’ centres and discussions
• Afternoon: Rotating group sessions – underground laboratory, ecolibrary, Cigéo exhibition, group discussions
• Evening: Return to Nancy
Day 2 – 21 October 2025 | Bure
• Morning: Presentations on siting processes in non-nuclear regions and discussions
• Afternoon: Rotating group sessions – underground laboratory, ecolibrary, Cigéo exhibition, group discussions
• Evening: Return to Nancy
Day 3 – 22 October 2025 | Nancy
• Morning: Final session on long-term stakeholder dialogue in the context of political and generational changes, discussions
The language of the workshop will be English
Locations:
- Day 1–2: Bure (Andra site)
- Day 3 (morning) : Nancy
Transportation:
- Transport between Nancy and Bure will be provided by Andra (approx. 1 hour each way).
- Travel options to Nancy from Paris will be detailed in the logistics note.
Accommodation:
- Recommended hotels in Nancy will be listed in the logistics note.
Please refer to the “Logistics Note” in the download section of this page for more information.
Important Note on the 2025 FSC Annual Plenary Meeting
The FSC Annual Plenary Meeting took place immediately following the workshop, from 22–24 October 2025 in Nancy and Châtenay-Malabry (near Paris).
This meeting was open to FSC members only.
Hannah ROMSES
fsc@oecd-nea.org
