Quintessa is a participant in the newly-established COWAM 2 project on radioactive waste management governance, which has been developed within the European Commission's Sixth Framework Programme. COWAM 2 is a follow up to the COWAM (Communities and Waste Management) concerted action, which ran as a networking activity from 2000 to 2003.
The aim of the new project is to move from an identification of common ground on key issues, which took place in COWAM through collective reflection on experiences in decision making processes, to partnership in the development and practical implementation of solutions. During 2003, Quintessa assisted the project co-ordinator to define the content of a work package within COWAM 2 concerned with the "Influence of Local Actors on the National Decision-Making Process" and we will participate in this area during the course of the new project. Initial activities to develop further the detailed content of the work package with interested parties will take place over the next 2-3 months, while the first plenary meeting of COWAM 2 is currently planned for early July 2004.