For the ESK, the exchange of experiences with international partner organisations plays an important role. The knowledge about the waste management situation in other states and the exchange of experiences and information through personal contact enrich own work and consultations. The joint discussion of technical issues, the exchange on different approaches to safety concepts and the information about the status of repository projects in the different states form an essential prerequisite for the further development of safe disposal of radioactive wastes in an effective manner.

The importance attributed to international co-operation is also reflected in the staffing of the ESK; two of the present ESK members are from abroad: one member of the French Groupe permanent d’experts pour les installations destinée au stockage a long terme des déchets radioactifs (GPD) – an advisory committee on waste management issues which advises the French Autorité de Sûreté Nucléaire (ASN, Nuclear Safety Authority) – is member of the ESK. Further, one member was appointed to the ESK who works at the Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate (ENSI).

International co-operation shall be further enhanced by regular meetings with international partner organisations. The ESK continues the long tradition of regular meetings of the former RSK Committee on Fuel Supply and Waste Management (VE) with the GPD. A first joint meeting with GPD on selected topics took place in Bure/France in May 2009. Within the framework of the meeting the commissions visited the French underground research laboratory in Bure (about 35 km east of Joinville/Marne) and the two near-surface repositories in Soulaines and Morvilliers (about 40 km west if Joinville). In a joint expert meeting, the commissions informed each other about the status of waste disposal in Germany and France as well as about their current activities. A second meeting took place on 25/26 May 2010 in Karlsruhe. A third meeting will take place at the beginning of May 2011 in Cherbourg.

Further, there was a first meeting with the Swiss Federal Commission for Nuclear Safety (KNS) in Brunswick. Reports on the respective tasks, ways of working and results of consultations achieved so far were followed by an exchange of information and experiences with regard to current topics of consultations. After the meeting, there was a visit of the Konrad information centre and an inspection of the Konrad mine. The meetings shall take place at regular intervals.

Further, the ESK chairman participates in the consultations of the “Chairs of National Advisory Bodies to Government (ABG)” to which the OECD/NEA regularly invites the chairs of advisory bodies of different states dealing with the final disposal of radioactive material. The participants so far are Sweden, Great Britain, France, Switzerland, Germany, the USA and Japan. The last meeting took place in Stockholm in May 2010.