# EUR-Lex - 22008A0124(02) - EN

Important legal notice

*|*

# 22008A0124(02)

**Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Atomic Energy Community and the Swiss Confederation on Switzerland’s membership in the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy **

*
Official Journal L 020 , 24/01/2008 P. 0017 - 0022 *

AGREEMENT

in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Atomic Energy Community and the Swiss Confederation on the application of the Agreement on the Establishment of the ITER International Fusion Energy Organization for the joint implementation of the ITER Project, the Agreement on the Privileges and Immunities of the ITER International Fusion Energy Organization for the Joint Implementation of the ITER Project and the Agreement between Euratom and the Government of Japan for the joint implementation of the Broader Approach Activities in the field of fusion energy research to the territory of the Swiss Confederation

A. Letter from the Swiss Confederation

Dear Commissioner,

I have the honour to inform you that the Swiss authorities have taken note of the contents of the EU Council Decision of 25 September 2006 (12731/06) on the conclusion of the Agreement on the Establishment of the ITER International Fusion Energy Organization for the joint implementation of the ITER project and of the Council Decision of 30 January 2007 (5455/07) on the conclusion of the Agreement between the Government of Japan and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) for the joint implementation of the Broader Approach Activities in the field of fusion energy research.

The Swiss Confederation ("Switzerland") agrees to apply the Agreement on the Establishment of the ITER International Fusion Energy Organization for the joint implementation of the ITER project (ITER-Agreement, Annex I) and the Agreement between Euratom and the Government of Japan for the joint implementation of the Broader Approach Activities in the field of fusion energy research (Broader Approach Agreement, Annex II) on its sovereign territory, as stated in Article 21 of the ITER-Agreement and in Article 26 of the Broader Approach Agreement, respectively. The application of these Agreements to Switzerland constitutes a continuation of its existing commitment in the area of fusion research in the spirit of Article 3,3 of the Cooperation Agreement of 14 September 1978 between Switzerland and Euratom in the area of controlled nuclear fusion and plasma physics. In addition, it constitutes the implementation of an intensive cooperation in the area of scientific and technical research, as stated in the Agreement on Participation in the 7th Framework Programmes of the European Community and Euratom.

Regarding the application of these Agreements to Switzerland, Euratom and Switzerland have agreed by mutual consent on the following points:

(a) Swiss nationals with full citizen’s rights shall be eligible on the same conditions as those for nationals from EU Member States to be:

- nominated by Euratom as representatives to the Council of the ITER Fusion Energy Organization (Article 6.1 of the ITER-Agreement),

- nominated by the Council of the ITER Fusion Energy Organization as senior staff (Article 6.7d of the ITER-Agreement),

- personnel seconded by Euratom to the ITER International Fusion Energy Organization (Article 7.2 of the ITER-Agreement),

- employed directly by the ITER International Fusion Energy Organization through an appointment by the Director-General of the ITER Fusion Energy Organization (Article 7.2 and 4b of the ITER-Agreement),

- nominated by Euratom as representatives to the Steering Committee on the Broader Approach activities and to the Project Committees of the Broader Approach activities (Article 3 and 5 of the Broader Approach Agreement),

- nominated by the Steering Committee as staff of the Secretariat (Article 4 of the Broader Approach Agreement),

- seconded by Euratom to the Broader Approach activities, i.e. as member of the project teams or as project leader (Article 6 of the Broader Approach Agreement).

(b) In accordance with Article 12 of the ITER-Agreement, Switzerland agrees that the Agreement on the Privileges and Immunities of the ITER International Fusion Energy Organization for the Joint Implementation of the ITER Project (ITER-API, Annex III) applies to Switzerland in accordance with Article 24 of the ITER-API. Switzerland also agrees that the Privileges and Immunities of the Broader Approach Agreement apply to its territory in accordance with Article 13 and 14.5 of the Broader Approach Agreement.

The Annexes I to III form an integral part of the present letter.

The Swiss authorities shall be consulted by Euratom if the ITER-Agreement, the Broader Approach Agreement or the ITER-API mentioned in this Exchange of Letters are to be amended. Any amendment that would affect Switzerland’s obligations requires its formal agreement before taking effect for Switzerland.

This agreed extension to Switzerland shall be applied provisionally on the date of the Commission’s reply to this letter. The application of this Exchange of Letters remains provisional until the Swiss Parliament decides on the extension of its content to Switzerland. Switzerland shall notify Euratom the completion of the Swiss internal approval procedures. The date of receipt of this notification by Euratom constitutes the coming into force of the Exchange of Letters. The application of the different agreements to Switzerland mentioned in this letter ends if Switzerland is no longer member of the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy.

Euratom shall notify the ITER International Fusion Energy Organisation and the Government of Japan of the present letter on the application of the ITER-Agreement and of the Broader Approach Agreement to Switzerland.

Yours very sincerely,

Bernhard Marfurt

Head of Swiss Mission

ANNEX I

Agreement on the Establishment of the ITER International Fusion Energy Organization for the Joint Implementation of the ITER Project

(The text of the Agreement on the Establishment of the ITER International Fusion Energy Organization for the Joint Implementation of the ITER [1] Project is not reproduced here)

ANNEX II

Agreement between the Government of Japan and the European Atomic Energy Community for the Joint Implementation of the Broader Approach Activities in the Field of Fusion Energy Research

(The text of the Agreement between the Government of Japan and the European Atomic Energy Community for the Joint Implementation of the Broader Approach Activities in the Field of Fusion Energy Research [1] is not reproduced here)

ANNEX III

Agreement on the Privileges and Immunities of the ITER International Fusion Energy Organization for the Joint Implementation of the ITER Project

(The text of the Agreement on the Privileges and Immunities of the ITER International Fusion Energy Organization for the Joint Implementation of the ITER Project [1] is not reproduced here)

B. Letter from the European Atomic Energy Community

Sir,

Reference is made to your letter of 5 November 2007 stating:

"Dear Commissioner,

I have the honour to inform you that the Swiss authorities have taken note of the contents of the EU Council Decision of 25 September 2006 (12731/06) on the conclusion of the Agreement on the Establishment of the ITER International Fusion Energy Organization for the joint implementation of the ITER project and of the Council Decision of 30 January 2007 (5455/07) on the conclusion of the Agreement between the Government of Japan and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) for the joint implementation of the Broader Approach Activities in the field of fusion energy research.

The Swiss Confederation ("Switzerland") agrees to apply the Agreement on the Establishment of the ITER International Fusion Energy Organization for the joint implementation of the ITER project (ITER-Agreement, Annex I) and the Agreement between Euratom and the Government of Japan for the joint implementation of the Broader Approach Activities in the field of fusion energy research (Broader Approach Agreement, Annex II) on its sovereign territory, as stated in Article 21 of the ITER-Agreement and in Article 26 of the Broader Approach Agreement, respectively. The application of these Agreements to Switzerland constitutes a continuation of its existing commitment in the area of fusion research in the spirit of Article 3.3 of the Cooperation Agreement of 14 September 1978 between Switzerland and Euratom in the area of controlled nuclear fusion and plasma physics. In addition, it constitutes the implementation of an intensive cooperation in the area of scientific and technical research, as stated in the Agreement on Participation in the 7th Framework Programmes of the European Community and Euratom.

Regarding the application of these Agreements to Switzerland, Euratom and Switzerland have agreed by mutual consent on the following points:

(a) Swiss nationals with full citizen’s rights shall be eligible on the same conditions as those for nationals from EU Member States to be:

- nominated by Euratom as representatives to the Council of the ITER Fusion Energy Organization (Article 6.1 of the ITER-Agreement),

- nominated by the Council of the ITER Fusion Energy Organization as senior staff (Article 6.7d of the ITER-Agreement),

- personnel seconded by Euratom to the ITER International Fusion Energy Organization (Article 7.2 of the ITER-Agreement),

- employed directly by the ITER International Fusion Energy Organization through an appointment by the Director-General of the ITER Fusion Energy Organization (Article 7.2 and 4b of the ITER-Agreement),

- nominated by Euratom as representatives to the Steering Committee on the Broader Approach activities and to the Project Committees of the Broader Approach activities (Articles 3 and 5 of the Broader Approach Agreement),

- nominated by the Steering Committee as staff of the Secretariat (Article 4 of the Broader Approach Agreement),

- seconded by Euratom to the Broader Approach activities, i.e. as member of the project teams or as project leader (Article 6 of the Broader Approach Agreement).

(b) In accordance with Article 12 of the ITER-Agreement, Switzerland agrees that the Agreement on the Privileges and Immunities of the ITER International Fusion Energy Organization for the Joint Implementation of the ITER Project (ITER-API, Annex III) applies to Switzerland in accordance with Article 24 of the ITER-API. Switzerland also agrees that the Privileges and Immunities of the Broader Approach Agreement apply to its territory in accordance with Articles 13 and 14,5 of the Broader Approach Agreement.

The Annexes I to III form an integral part of the present letter.

The Swiss authorities shall be consulted by Euratom if the ITER-Agreement, the Broader Approach Agreement or the ITER-API mentioned in this Exchange of Letters are to be amended. Any amendment that would affect Switzerland’s obligations requires its formal agreement before taking effect for Switzerland.

This agreed extension to Switzerland shall be applied provisionally on the date of the Commission’s reply to this letter. The application of this Exchange of Letters remains provisional until the Swiss Parliament decides on the extension of its content to Switzerland. Switzerland shall notify Euratom the completion of the Swiss internal approval procedures. The date of receipt of this notification by Euratom constitutes the coming into force of the Exchange of Letters. The application of the different agreements to Switzerland mentioned in this letter ends if Switzerland is no longer member of the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy.

Euratom shall notify the ITER International Fusion Energy Organisation and the Government of Japan of the present letter on the application of the ITER-Agreement and of the Broader Approach Agreement to Switzerland."

I hereby have the honour to express the agreement of the European Atomic Energy Community with this letter.

Please, accept, Sir, the assurance of my highest consideration.

On behalf of the European Atomic Energy Community

Janez Potočnik

[1] OJ L 358, 16.12.2006, p. 62.

[1] OJ L 246, 21.9.2007, p. 34.

[1] OJ L 358, 16.12.2006, p. 82.

--------------------------------------------------

ANNEX II

--------------------------------------------------