Photo: front row from left to right: Maurus Alig (Nagra), Raphael Stroude (FOPH), Marc Kenzelmann (ENSI), Felix Altorfer (ENSI) and back row from left to right: Olivier Mauron (ENSI) and Nils Cordua (ENSI).

In March 2025, at the triennial review meeting of the Joint Convention of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, ENSI presented its National Report on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management. Together with the National Cooperative for the Disposal of Radioactive Waste (Nagra) and the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), ENSI addressed the questions of the Contracting Parties. The countries assessed each other’s compliance with the obligations of the Joint Convention as part of a peer review process.

« The critical examination of the national reports at the Joint Convention once again showed that this international convention is important for Switzerland. It facilitates further improvements in the safety of spent fuel and radioactive waste,» explained ENSI Director General Marc Kenzelmann.

Switzerland also provided a representative to serve as chair of a country group at the Review Meeting. This role enabled Switzerland to help shape the peer review process and actively put forward its views.

• Assessment of the Contracting Parties on the Swiss national report

  At the Review Meeting, Switzerland presented its Eighth National Report and answered questions about the status and progress of radioactive waste disposal. As a result of the peer review process, the Contracting Parties concluded that Switzerland fulfils the obligations of the Joint Convention. The countries also assess individual aspects of the safety of spent fuel and radioactive waste. Here, the IAEA differentiates between « good practices », « areas of good performance », « suggestions » and « challenges ».

  Switzerland received a « good practice » rating for its Radium Action Plan. This involved the investigation and remediation of potential contaminated sites resulting from the use of radium luminescent paints in the watch industry. The Contracting Parties emphasised that, although similar projects exist in other countries, Switzerland is the only country to have implemented the issue so comprehensively.

  Switzerland also received three « areas of good performance »: for the integrated safety case for the transport and storage container for high-level radioactive waste in compliance with IAEA-TECDOC-1938; for the realistic planning involving all stakeholders (authorities, operators, implementers and NGOs) to ensure the timely completion of projects in the Sectoral Plan for Deep Geological Repositories and the decommissioning of the Mühleberg Nuclear Power Plant; and finally for the fully digital general licence application for the deep geological repository.

  The next steps in the sectoral plan process for deep geological repositories were rated as a « challenge » for Switzerland, similar to the outcome of the Seventh Review Meeting.

• Focus of the Joint Convention

  The Joint Convention is the ‘Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management’. The aim of this international convention is to achieve and maintain a high level of nuclear safety in the handling and storage of spent fuel and radioactive waste by the Contracting Parties. The Joint Convention came into force in 2001.

  Switzerland signed the Joint Convention in 1997 and ratified it in 1999. Every three years, the Contracting Parties compile a National Report, which is reviewed by other Contracting Parties at a Review Meeting.

More information

• Radioactive Waste and Spent Fuel: ENSI submits the Eighth National Report to the IAEA
• Seventh Review Meeting of the Joint Convention: Switzerland honours its commitments