It is essential that all parties involved have access to comprehensive information in order to facilitate effective discussions about nuclear waste disposal. The Federal Office (BASE) deemed it appropriate to host a public information event in Waldshut on 9 December, which was well received. Approximately 250 interested parties attended the town hall to inquire about the current status of the Swiss search for a final storage site, including questions regarding groundwater protection, potential earthquake risks, and compensation.

The Swiss Nagra (National Cooperative for the Disposal of Radioactive Waste) recently submitted its commitment to the selected Nördlich Lägern site, in the immediate vicinity of the German border, to the Swiss Federal Office of Energy in approximately 30,000 pages. This submission, known as the general licence application, is comprised of extensive documentation. These documents are now being subjected to rigorous examination by both the Swiss and German authorities. The objective is to ensure the highest standards of safety, both for the deep geological repository and the corresponding packaging plant for the waste from Swiss nuclear energy use.

Christian Kühn, President of BASE and host of the evening in Waldshut, also emphasised: 'When it comes to the disposal of nuclear waste, safety for people and the environment is of paramount importance - on both sides of the Rhine. As regards the site selection procedure in Switzerland, BASE will represent German interests in partnership with its neighbours.‘

Other guests on the podium, in the audience and as discussion partners included, on the German side, Thekla Walker, Minister of the Environment of the State of Baden-Württemberg, the District Administrator of Waldshut, the Mayor of Hohentengen, the District President of Freiburg, the German Ambassador to Switzerland, a representative of Escht (the Swiss repository expert group) and, on the Swiss side, the Government of the Canton of Aargau, representatives of Nagra, the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) and the Nördlich Lägern Regional Conference.

With the possible designation of a repository, Switzerland is literally reaching its limits, i.e. its national borders. The aim is therefore to work together as good neighbours on the challenge posed by a repository site close to the border. The German side has legally enshrined opportunities for participation that go far beyond previous international standards. For example, German municipalities and authorities are treated like Swiss cantons when it comes to reviewing the licensing documents.

German citizens are also invited to participate and contribute by submitting comments and information. A cross-border commenting procedure is expected to be in place by 2028. However, it is also clear that an actual political decision has yet to be taken on the Swiss side. According to Nagra, the Swiss parliament could take a decision in 2030, possibly followed by a referendum.