This book is the result of a collaboration that began over two years ago between researchers from the social sciences and Andra engineers and natural scientists. Contributions to the various chapters have been discussed and enhanced, especially during the workshop and the interdisciplinary conference both held by Andra in 2008 and 2009<br>respectively.

Andras goal of Sustainability

The European project COWAM in Practice (CIP) was aimed to lead for three years (2007-2009) a process of monitoring, analyzing and evaluating the governance linked with radioactive waste management. This project, in cooperation with a research group and stakeholders, was conducted in parallel in 5 European countries (Spain, France, United Kingdom, Romania, Slovenia).

The case study presented in this document was carried out in the framework of the second work package (influence of local actors on national decision-making processes) of the European research project COWAM 2. The study aims at analysing the process of independent assessment of the research programme of the French National Radioactive Waste Management Agency (ANDRA), commissioned to the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research (IEER) by the Local Committee of Information and Monitoring (CLIS) associated to the underground research laboratory of Bure.