Meeting the challenge of permanent nuclear waste disposal in an expanding Europe: Transparency, trust and democracy

Experiences of siting nuclear waste disposal facilities in Sweden and the Czech Republic are examined in order to explore differences in state – society relations between the established democracies of western Europe and the fledgling democracies of post-communist Central and Eastern Europe. Sweden's success in moving toward selection of a publicly acceptable nuclear waste disposal site contrasts with the failure of the siting exercise in the Czech Republic, and highlights the importance of three key variables: open public consultation: widespread and reciprocal trust between society and government and industry; and resilient democratic institutions to efficiently channel opinion. The legacy of communist rule continues to undermine the ability of post-communist states to cope with the demands on their political systems that have accompanied membership in the European Union.