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Public participation

     
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What types of participation are there?

Practices and the responsible organisations vary in different counties, but the following are examples:

1. Legally binding requirements

From a situation of only providing information to the public, evolving national legislation has gradually imposed the requirement for the best possible transparency on nuclear matters and, ultimately, an effective public participation in the decision making process.  Much of this national legislation has its roots in international conventions or EU legislation.
    Two examples of international conventions are:  
  • The Aarhus Convention: on access to information, public participation in decision-making and access to justice in environmental matters.   This United Nations convention links environmental and human rights and focuses on interactions between the public and public authorities.
  • The ESPOO Convention on environmental impact assessment in a trans-boundary context.  A United Nations convention that governs environmental impact assessments across borders and the need for public consultations.

There are also EU directives on public access to environmental information and public participation in respect of the drawing up of certain plans and programmes relating to the environment.

 

2. Hearings and debates coordinated by public entities other than regulators

Public consultation can be required in the context of the planned drafting of legislation or in the procedure leading to the issuing of a licence - often organised by local planning authorities, environmental authorities or government departments. Consultation can take place in the early stage of a licensing procedure, during the operation of the installation or at the end, for the decommissioning of the installation. Such procedures allow the local residents to participate in the drafting of decisions by authorities. While they may be compulsory, they are not binding. They include:
  • National debates - organised in the context of a draft law, major new policy or a nation-wide project such as the construction of a new nuclear power plant.
  • Local hearings - organised locally in the context of a specific project. For example the extension of the operating life of a nuclear installation, or a change in its operating licence.

 

3. Consultations initiated by national regulators
These can be found by visiting the website of your national regulator. National regulators list

4. Standing bodies
Local information committees (CLI) are an example. CLI are often set up in the vicinity of a nuclear power plant. They comprise interested groups, notably local representatives and members of civil society. The European Association of Local Information Committees and European Dialogue forums (EUROCLI) were created in 2006. EUROCLI provides CLIs with a debating platform and participative democratic forums where experiences are shared on the overall impact of nuclear activities at a European level. In different countries, similar types of groups can be known as site stakeholder groups or local liaison committees.

How to participate?

Information on public consultations led by the national safety regulators, can be obtained by visiting their websites.

National regulators list

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