NEA Mandates and Structures

Expert Group on Nuclear Liability and Radioactive Waste Disposal Facilities (EGLDF)

Chair(s):		Secretary:	Elena DE BOISSIEU (elena.deboissieu@oecd-nea.org)
Member(s):	All NEA member countries^*
	Russia (Suspended*)
	^*Russian Federation suspended pursuant to a decision of the OECD Council.
EU participation:	The European Union (EU) takes part in the work of the NEA, in accordance with the NEA Statute and the Supplementary Protocol to the Convention on the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Observer(s)(International Organisation):	International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) By agreement
Date of creation:	17 November 2025
End of mandate:	17 November 2027

Mandate (Document reference):

Synopsis of the Meeting of the members of the Bureaus of the Committee on Radiological Protection and Public Health, the Nuclear Law Committee and the Radioactive Waste Management Committee held on 16 June 2015 on Nuclear Liability for Damages Arising from Deep Geological Repositories (DGR) for Radioactive Waste Disposal held on 16 June 2015 [NEA/RWM(2015)10]
Summary Record of the Meeting of the Nuclear Law Committee held on 17-18 June 2015 [NEA/SEN/NLC(2016)2/REV1]
Summary Record of the Meeting of the Nuclear Law Committee held on 23-24 March 2016 [NEA/SEN/NLC(2016)4/REV1]
Summary Record of the Meeting of the Nuclear Law Committee held on 29-30 June 2022 [NEA/SEN/NLC(2023)1/REV2]
NEA (2023), Deep Geological Repositories and Nuclear Liability, OECD Publishing, Paris (DGR Report)
Summary Record of the Meeting of the Nuclear Law Committee held on 14-15 May 2025 [forthcoming]
Mandate of the Expert Group on Nuclear Liability and Radioactive Waste Disposal Facilities (EGLDF) [NEA/NLC/WPLDF(2025)1]

Mandate (Document extract):

Extract of document NEA/NLC/WPLDF(2025)1

Background

Deep geological repository (DGR) projects for radioactive waste containing long-lived radionuclides raise specific nuclear liability issues in light of the nature of the potential risks they represent and the very long timescales that need to be considered. Such issues – in particular the application of the nuclear liability regime(s) to post-closure phase – are also relevant to other types of installations for the disposal of nuclear substances, including near-surface disposal facilities.

With this purpose in mind, and in support of efforts to enhance horizontal co-operation within the NEA standing technical committees to resolve complex issues and contribute to the promotion of a system for third party liability and insurance with respect to nuclear damage, the Working Party on Deep Geological Repositories and Nuclear Liability (WPDGR) was established by the Nuclear Law Committee (NLC) during a meeting held on 16-17 November 2016. The working party prepared a report on Deep Geological Repositories and Nuclear Liability (DGR Report), which was published in 2023.

On the occasion of the renewal of the WPDGR mandate for 2022-2025, a decision was made to extend the WPDGR scope of work beyond DGRs to cover other types of radioactive waste disposal facilities and modify the name of the Working Party to “Working Party on Nuclear Liability and Radioactive Waste Disposal Facilities” (WPLDF).

Upon the renewal of the WPLDF mandate in 2025, a decision was made to review and refine the WPLDF scope of work to enhance efficiency and more accurately reflect its focused objective of analysing nuclear liability issues associated with DGRs and other radioactive waste disposal facilities during their pre- and post-closure phases, as well as fostering a common understanding among legal and technical experts of the long-term risks presented by facilities for the disposal of radioactive waste and their relationship to nuclear liability regimes. As part of this process, the working group was re-designated as the “Expert Group on Nuclear Liability and Radioactive Waste Disposal Facilities” (EGLDF).

Scope and Objectives

The EGLDF will:

evaluate whether the issues related to the application of nuclear liability regimes to DGRs, as identified in the DGR Report, are also relevant to other types of radioactive waste disposal facilities;
assess the applicability of the findings and conclusions of the DGR Report to other types of radioactive waste disposal facilities; and
subject to the outcomes of the above assessments, develop a follow-up report addressing nuclear liability issues related to radioactive waste disposal facilities in general.

Working Methods

A Bureau consisting of a Chair and Vice-Chair(s) elected among its members will co-ordinate and facilitate the work of the EGLDF.

The EGLDF will report to the NLC, the Committee on Radiological Protection and Public Health (CRPPH) and the Radioactive Waste Management Committee (RWMC) on its progress and activities as requested, and at least once a year.

In fulfilling its Mandate, the EGLDF will be supported by the staff of the NEA Division of Nuclear Law.

Membership

The EGLDF will be composed of experts in the fields of nuclear liability, radioactive waste management and radiological protection from ministries and other relevant organisations as nominated by the NLC, RWMC and CRPPH delegations.

Interactions

The EGLDF will interact, as appropriate, with the NLC, the CRPPH and the RWMC.

Deliverables

Report on radioactive waste disposal facilities and nuclear liability to be reviewed and approved by the NLC, the CRPPH, and the RWMC before being released to the public.