The 25th bilateral meeting under the Nuclear Information Agreement between Austria and Switzerland took place this year in Baden, Switzerland. Discussions focused on current developments in the field of deep geological disposal of radioactive waste in Switzerland. The Swiss delegation, led by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE), provided an update on the status of the sectoral plan procedure and on the ongoing review of the documentation submitted by Nagra, by ENSI and other federal authorities. The involvement of the public and neighbouring countries in the further proceedings was also discussed.

In addition, ENSI provided an update on the findings from the past year concerning the operation and supervision of Swiss nuclear power plants. Other key topics included radiation protection, radiological monitoring, and international cooperation in the field of emergency preparedness, including emergency preparedness exercises and the flow of information in the event of an incident.

“The regular exchange between Austria and Switzerland makes an important contribution to transparency and cross-border cooperation in the field of nuclear safety,” emphasised ENSI Director General Marc Kenzelmann at the meeting.

The Swiss delegation consisted of representatives from the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE), the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), the Federal Office for Civil Protection (FOCP, NAZ) and ENSI. The Austrian side included representatives from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Climate and Environmental Protection, Regions and Water Management (BMLUK) and the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (BMEIA).

The 26th bilateral meeting between Austria and Switzerland will take place in Austria in 2027.