NEA Mandates and Structures

Forum on Stakeholder Confidence (FSC)

Chair(s):	Pascale KÜNZI, Switzerland	Secretary:	Kamishan MARTIN (kamishan.martin@oecd-nea.org)
Vice-Chair(s):	Sigrid EECKHOUT, Belgium Jo-Ann FACELLA, Canada Lucie STEINEROVA, Czech Republic Nuria PRIETO SERRANO, Spain David BRAZIER, United Kingdom
Member(s):	All NEA member countries^*
	Russia (Suspended*)
	^*Russian Federation suspended pursuant to a decision of the OECD Council.
Full participant(s):	European Commission Under the NEA Statute
Observer(s)(International Organisation):	International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) By agreement
Date of creation:	01 August 2000
End of mandate:	31 December 2019

Mandate (Document reference):

Mandate of the RWMC Working Party “Forum on Stakeholder Confidence” [NEA/RWM/FSC(2000)1]
Forum on Stakeholder Confidence – Mandate: Phase 2 [NEA/RWM/2003)4/REV2]
FSC Mandate [NEA/RWM(2005)13/REV1]
Mandate of the RWMC Working Party “Forum on Stakeholder Confidence (FSC)” [NEA/RWM(2005)13/REV3]
Extension of the mandate of the Forum on Stakeholder Confidence (FSC) [NEA/RWM(2011)1]
Mandates of the RWMC Regulators' Forum and the RWMC Working Parties FSC, IGSC and WPDD [NEA/RWM(2013)2/PROV]
Summary Record of the 46th Session of the RWMC [NEA/RWM/M(2013)1]
Summary Record of the 47th Session of the RWMC [NEA/RWM/M(2014)1]
Forum on Stakeholder Confidence (FSC) – Mandate extension: April 2016-December 2019 [NEA/RWM/FSC(2016)3]
Summary Record of the 49^th Meeting of the RWMC [NEA/RWM/M(2016)1]

Mandate (Document extract):

Extract from document NEA/RWM/FSC(2016)3

MANDATE

Preamble

Because of changes in society’s decision-making environment and heightened public sensitivity to all matters connected with environmental protection, nuclear power, radioactivity, and especially radioactive waste, any decision regarding whether, when and how to implement waste management solutions will typically require thorough public examination and the involvement of many relevant stakeholders. The latter include waste management agencies, safety authorities, local communities, elected representatives, and technical intermediaries between the general public and decision makers. The involvement of stakeholders will become increasingly important as countries develop their strategic choices for long-term radioactive waste management, and/or move towards siting and developing final repositories. Since the decision-making process and avenues for stakeholders’ involvement differ from country to country, it is important to identify similarities and differences, understand the key concerns of various stakeholders, and develop means to interact effectively with the different audiences.

Description and membership

The Forum on Stakeholder Confidence (FSC) is the RWMC main support group to keep under review the world-wide experience of its participating organisations in outreach programmes and to identify and examine stakeholder confidence issues. The FSC is a discipline-oriented working party of the RWMC and is composed of representatives of national organisations with responsibility, overview and experience in the field of building stakeholders’ confidence. Participation of RWMC members in the FSC is considered a good means to enhance the coordination of the work of the FSC with that of the RWMC and other working parties.

Remit

As directed by the RWMC, the FSC will define, oversee and carry out work programme activities in the strategic area of public understanding, expectations and stakeholder confidence.
To advise the RWMC on major and emerging issues in the area of public understanding and stakeholder confidence related to radioactive waste management.
To analyse, document and provide recommendations on current and future processes for embedding waste management programmes into a socio-political decision-making context.
In close co-operation with the Working Party on Decommissioning and Dismantling (WPDD) examine and further develop the link between decommissioning, decision-making and public confidence and acceptance, keeping in mind the long timescales for planning and carrying out decommissioning projects.
To share FSC members’ experiences, information and current practices to help advance their skills in establishing and maintaining confidence among stakeholders in radioactive waste management projects and programmes.
To provide a diverse and supportive setting for FSC members, stakeholders and academic community to engage in dialogue on finding long-term solution for RWM and enhance mutual learning.
To provide input to the national and international processes and dialogue.

Mode of operation

The FSC shall establish: (i) a highly task-oriented working programme to identify resources and schedules for the issues at hand; (ii) expert groups and/or task groups and workshops can be envisaged, as appropriate; (iii) means to review the working programme and the effectiveness of the FSC.

Communication within the group takes place through at least a yearly plenary meeting. The plenary meeting will be devoted to:

Exchange of information on recent development in the Member countries;

In-depth discussions of current developments and of topical issues, where specialists from outside the FSC can also be invited;

The discussion and co-ordination of the working programme;

The identification of main lessons to be reported to the RWMC, including organising topical sessions at the RWMC plenary meetings; and

The discussion and co-ordination of working programme.

Duration of the mandate

The FSC was set into force at the 33^rd session of the RWMC on 9-10 March 2000. Its mandate was extended in March 2003 until the first session of RWMC in 2005. Extension was then accorded for an additional three years extendible to five; this option was put into effect until 31 December 2010. Further extension was accorded until 31 December 2016 by NEA/RWM(2013)2/PROV.

By the current document, this mandate was further extended until 31 December 2019 by the RWMC during its 49th session on 12-13 April 2016.