L 400/404 EN Official Journal of the European Union 30.12.2006 
 COUNCIL DECISION 
of 19 December 2006 
concerning the Specific Programme implementing  
the Seventh Framework Programme 
of the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) 
for nuclear research and training  activities (2007 to 2011)  
(2006/976/Euratom) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the Euro pean Atomic Energy Community, and in particular 
the first paragraph of  Article 7 thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament1, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Eu ropean Economic and Social Committee2, 
Having consulted the Scientif ic and Technical Committee, 
                                                 
1 Opinion of 30 November 2006 (not yet published in the Official Journal). 
2 OJ C 185, 8.8. 2006, p. 10. 
30.12.2006 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 400/405 
 Whereas: 
(1) In accordance with Council Decision 2006/970/Euratom of 18 December 2006 concerning 
the Seventh Framework Programme of th e European Atomic Energy Community 
(Euratom) for nuclear research and training activities, (2007-2011)* 1 (hereinafter referred 
to as "the Framework Programme"), the Framework Programme is to be implemented through specific programmes that define deta iled rules for their implementation, fix their 
duration and provide for the means deemed necessary. 
(2) The Framework Programme is structured in tw o types of activities: (i ) indirect actions in 
fusion energy research and research on nuc lear fission and radiation protection, and 
(ii) direct actions for activiti es of the Joint Research Centre  in the field of nuclear energy. 
The activities under (i) should be impl emented by this specific programme. 
(3) The rules for the participati on of undertakings, research centr es and universities and for the 
dissemination of research results, for the Fram ework Programme (hereinafter referred to as 
'the rules for participation and dissemi nation') should apply to this programme. 
(4) The Framework Programme should complement  other EU actions in the area of the 
research policy that are necessa ry for the overall strategic e ffort for the implementation of 
the Lisbon strategy, alongside in particul ar those on education, training, culture, 
competitiveness and innovation, industry, he alth, consumer protection, employment, 
energy, transport and environment. 
                                                
 
* Note for OJ: please insert number and date. 
1 See p. … of this Official Journal. 
L 400/406 EN Official Journal of the European Union 30.12.2006 
 (5) With reference to the Council Decision of 26 November 2004 amendi ng the directives of 
negotiations on ITER, the realisa tion of ITER in Europe, in a broader approach to fusion 
energy, will be the central feature of the act ivities on fusion research  carried out under the 
Framework Programme. 
(6) The EU activities to contribute to the realis ation of ITER, and in pa rticular those necessary 
for starting the construction of ITER at Cadarache and executing the ITER 
Technology R&D during the Framework Progr amme should be steered by a joint 
undertaking within the m eaning of Title II, Chapter 5 of the Treaty. 
(7) Aspects of research and technological deve lopment in the field of  nuclear fission science 
and technology may also be amenable to implementation through Joint Undertakings 
established under Title II, Chapter 5 of the Treaty. 
(8) In accordance with Article 101 of the Treaty, the Community has concluded a number of 
international agreements in the field of nucl ear research, and efforts should be made to 
strengthen international research cooperati on with a view to further integrating the 
Community into the world-wide research co mmunity. Therefore, this specific programme 
should be open to the participation of countries  having concluded agreements to this effect 
and should be also open on the project level, and on the basis of mutu al benefit, to the 
participation of entities from third countries a nd of international organi sations for scientific 
cooperation. 
30.12.2006 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 400/407 
 (9) Research activities carried out within th is programme should respect fundamental ethical 
principles, including those which are reflected in the Charter of  Fundamental Rights of the 
European Union. 
(10) The Framework Programme should cont ribute towards promoting sustainable 
development. 
(11) Sound financial management of the Fram ework Programme and its implementation should 
be ensured in the most effective and user-f riendly manner possible, while ensuring legal 
certainty and the accessibility of the programme for all partic ipants, in accordance with 
Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 of 25 June 2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the genera l budget of the European Communities
1 and 
Commission Regulation (E C, Euratom) 2342/20022 laying down detailed rules for the 
implementation of that Financial Regulation and any future amendments. 
                                                 
1 OJ L 248, 16.9.2002, p. 1. 
2 OJ L 357, 31.12.2002, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Commissi on Regulation (EC, 
Euratom) No 1261/2005 (OJ L 201, 2.8.2005, p. 3). 
L 400/408 EN Official Journal of the European Union 30.12.2006 
 (12) Appropriate measures – proportionate to th e European Communities' financial interests – 
should be taken to monitor both the effectiven ess of the financial support granted and the 
effectiveness of the utilisation of these funds  in order to prevent irregularities and fraud 
and the necessary steps should be taken to re cover funds lost, wrongly paid or incorrectly 
used in accordance with Regulation (EC,  Euratom) No 1605/2002, Commission Regulation 
(EC, Euratom) No 2342/2002, Council Regulatio ns (EC, Euratom) No 2988/95 of 18 
December 1995 on the protection of the Eur opean Communities' financial interests1, 
(Euratom, EC) No 2185/96 of 11 November 1996 concerning on-the-spot checks and 
inspections carried out by the Commission in order to protect the European Communities' 
financial interests against fr aud and other irregularities2 and Regulation (EC) 
No 1073/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerni ng investigations 
conducted by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF)3. 
(13) Each thematic area should have its own budge t line in the General Budget of the European 
Communities. 
(14) In the implementation of th is programme adequate attention needs to be paid to gender 
mainstreaming, as well as to, inter alia, work ing conditions, transpar ency of recruitment 
processes, and career development as regard s the researchers recr uited on projects and 
programmes funded under the actions of this programme, for which the Commission Recommendation of 11 March 2005 on the Europ ean Charter for Researchers and on a 
Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Res earchers offers a reference framework, while 
respecting its voluntary nature, 
                                                
 
1 OJ L 312, 23.12.1995, p. 1. 
2 OJ L 292, 15.11.1996, p. 2. 
3 OJ L 136, 31.5.1999, p. 1. 
30.12.2006 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 400/409 
 HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: 
Article 1 
The specific programme for nuclear research and training activities in the fields of Fusion Energy, 
Nuclear Fission and Radiation Protection under the Seventh Eu ratom Framework Programme, 
hereinafter the "Specific Programme", is here by adopted for the period from 1 January 2007 to 
31 December 2011. 
Article 2 
The Specific Programme shall support the activi ties for research and training on nuclear energy, 
supporting the whole range of research actions carried out in the following thematic areas: 
(a) fusion energy research; (b) research on nuclear fissi on and radiation protection. 
The objectives and the broad lines of t hose activities are set out in the Annex. 
L 400/410 EN Official Journal of the European Union 30.12.2006 
 Article 3 
In accordance with Article 3 of the Framework Programme, the amount deemed necessary for the 
execution of the Specific Programme shall be EUR 2 234 million, of which up to 15 % shall be for the Commission's administrative expenditure. This amount shall be allocated as follows: 
Fusion energy research
1 1 947
Nuclear fission and radiation protection 287
 
Article 4 
1. All research activities carried out under th e specific programme shall be carried out in 
compliance with fundament al ethical principles. 
Article 5 
1. The specific programme shall be impl emented by means of the funding schemes 
established in Annex II to the Framework Programme. 
2. The rules for participation and disseminati on shall apply to this Specific Programme. 
                                                 
1 Within the amount foreseen for fusion ener gy research, at least EUR 900 million will be 
reserved for activities other than the c onstruction of ITER, listed in the Annex. 
30.12.2006 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 400/411 
 Article 6 
1. The Commission shall draw up a work progra mme for the implementation of the specific 
programme, setting out in great er detail the objectives and scientific and technological 
priorities set out in the Annex, the funding schemes to be used for the topic on which proposals are invited, and the timetable for implementation. 
2. The work programme shall take  account of relevant research  activities carr ied out by the 
Member States, Associated States and European  and international orga nisations. It shall be 
updated where appropriate. 
3. The work programme will specify the criteria on which proposals for indirect actions under 
the funding schemes shall be evaluated and projec ts selected. The criter ia will be those of 
excellence, impact and implementation and within  this framework additional requirements, 
weightings and thresholds may be further specified or complemented in the work 
programme. 
4. The work programme may identify: 
(a) organisations that receive subscriptions in the form of a membership fee; (b) support actions for the activiti es of specific legal entities. 
L 400/412 EN Official Journal of the European Union 30.12.2006 
 Article 7 
1. The Commission shall be responsible for th e implementation of th e specific programme. 
2. For the purposes of implementing the sp ecific programme the Commission shall be 
assisted by a consultative committee. The members of this committee can vary according to the different subjects on the committee's agenda. For fission-related aspects, the 
composition of this committee and the detailed op erational rules and procedures applicable 
to it shall be as laid dow n in Council Decision 84/ 338/Euratom, ECSC, EEC of 
29 June 1984 dealing with structures and pro cedures for the management and coordination 
of Community research, developm ent and demonstration activities
1. For the fusion-related 
aspects they shall be as laid down in th e Council Decision of 16 December 1980 setting up 
a Consultative Committee for the fusion programme2. 
3. The Commission shall regularly inform th e committee of the overall progress of the 
implementation of the specific programme, and shall provide it with timely information on 
all RTD actions proposed or funded under this programme. 
                                                 
1 OJ L 177, 4.7.1984, p. 25. 
2 Not yet published, but as last ame nded by Decision 2005/336/Euratom (OJ L 108, 
29.4.2005, p. 64). 
30.12.2006 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 400/413 
 Article 8 
The Commission shall arrange for the independent monitoring , assessment and review provided for 
in Article 6 of the Framework Programme to be conducted concerning the ac tivities carried out in 
the fields covered by the Specific Programme. 
Article 9 
This Decision shall enter into force on the third day following its publication in the Official Journal 
of the European Union. 
This Decision is addressed to the Member States. Done at Brussels, 19 December 2006. 
 For the Council 
 The President 
J. KORKEAOJA 
L 400/414 EN Official Journal of the European Union 30.12.2006 
 ANNEX  
SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL OBJECTIVES,  
BROAD LINES OF THE TH EMES AND ACTIVITIES 
1. INTRODUCTION 
Nuclear power currently generates one third of all electricity consumed in the EU and, as the most 
significant source of base load electricity that, during the operation of a nu clear power plant, does 
not emit CO 2, constitutes an important element in the debate on the means of combating climate 
change and reducing Europe's dependence on imported energy. 
Fusion has the potential to make a major contributi on to the realisation of a sustainable and secure 
energy supply for the EU a few decades from no w after the market penetration of commercial 
fusion reactors with ITER being the major step in the progress towards this goal. The realisation of 
the ITER project therefore lies  at the heart of the present EU strategy, though it must be 
accompanied by a strong and focused European R&D programme to prepare for the exploitation of 
ITER and to develop the technologies and knowledge base that will be need ed during its operation 
and beyond. 
30.12.2006 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 400/415 
 On the other hand, nuclear fission remains a viable option for those Member States wishing to avail 
themselves of this technology for a balanced mi x of their energy supplies.  Research and training 
activities are of paramount importance in ensuring continued high levels of nuclear safety both now 
and in the future, maintaining the progress towards implementation of sustainable waste management solutions, and improving efficiency a nd competitiveness of the sector as a whole. 
Research in radiation protection constitutes an es sential aspect of this policy, ensuring optimal 
safety of the public and workforce in all medical and indus trial applications. 
In all domains, the right level of investment in research is essential if Europe is to remain 
competitive; for maximum effectiveness this requir es a concerted approach at the EU level with 
continued cooperation between Member  States and significa nt efforts to mainta in infrastructures, 
competences and know-how. In general, research will also be needed to explore new scientific and 
technological opportunities and to respond in a flexible way to ne w policy needs that arise during 
the course of the Framework Programme. 
L 400/416 EN Official Journal of the European Union 30.12.2006 
 2. Thematic areas of research 
2.1. Fusion energy 
The construction of ITER at Cadarache in France, and of "Broader Approach " projects to accelerate 
the development of fusion energy, will take pl ace within the framew ork of international 
cooperation. An international ITER agreemen t will establish the ITER Organisation. The 
construction of ITER and Broader Approach project s, and their exploitati on together with other 
facilities in internationa l collaboration will expand such collaboration to an unprecedented level. 
This will provide significant benefits to Europe, in particular in terms of efficiency and possible cost sharing. The Domestic Agency for ITER will  be established as a Joint Undertaking under the 
EURATOM Treaty. It will provide the means fo r EURATOM to discharge its international 
obligations under the ITER Agreement and to ensu re that EURATOM provides in an efficient and 
coherent manner the European contribution to ITER  and to Broader Approach projects, including 
the R&D activities in support of these projects. 
30.12.2006 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 400/417 
 Europe's leading position in fusion energy research is due to the combination of a single and fully 
integrated European fusion programme of the European Research Area (ERA) type, strong 
continuous Community support, coordination by EURATOM, and the development of human 
capital in the EURATOM Fusion A ssociations. The Fusion Associati ons are centres of excellence 
in fusion research and have an extensive ne twork of collaborations, largely based on their 
experimental facilities. The outstanding tec hnology developments achieved by EURATOM in 
contributing to the ITER Engineering Design Ac tivities and the successful exploitation of the 
JET facilities have contributed significantly to  further enhancing the strong cohesion of the 
European fusion programme. This has also given Europe the knowledge and experience needed for 
broad collaborative efforts in all aspects of fusi on energy research, including the realisation of ITER 
and Broader Approach projects. Building on these achievements, the organisation and management 
of FP7 will ensure that the R&D will be effectively and efficiently coordinated for the fulfilment of 
the near and long term goals of the programme. 
The rapid development of fusion also requires a wide  industrial base to ensure a timely deployment 
of fusion energy. European industry has already cont ributed substantially to  the ITER Engineering 
Design Activities. During FP7, European industry, in cluding SMEs, will play a central role in the 
construction of ITER and will position itself to part icipate fully in the development of fusion power 
technologies for DEMO (a "demonstration" fusion power station) and future fusion power plants. 
L 400/418 EN Official Journal of the European Union 30.12.2006 
 ITER and the European fusion energy research pr ogramme will contribute to some of the urgent 
actions identified in the report of the High Le vel Group ("Kok Report") as necessary to make 
progress in the Lisbon strategy. In  particular, ITER will become a magnet for the best fusion 
scientists and engineers and high technology indu stries. This will create benefits for both the 
European fusion programme and the overall scientific  and technical knowledge  base. The skills and 
knowledge which will be acquired by European i ndustry when building systems and components to 
meet the highly demanding technical requirement s of the ITER device will help boost its 
competitiveness. 
Overall Objective To develop the knowledge base for, and to realise ITER as the major step towards, the creation of 
prototype reactors for power stati ons that are safe, sustainable, environmentally responsible, and 
economically viable. 
Activities 
(i) The realisation of ITER 
This includes activities for the join t realisation of ITER as an inte rnational research infrastructure, 
as follows: 
the Community will have a specia l responsibility within the ITER Organisation as the host of the 
project and will assume a leading role, in partic ular regarding site preparation, establishing the 
ITER Organisation, management a nd staffing, plus general techni cal and administrative support; 
30.12.2006 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 400/419 
 Community participation in ITER as a Party wi ll include contributions to the construction of 
equipment and installations which are within the pe rimeter of the ITER site and necessary for its 
exploitation and support to the project during construction; 
the R&D activities in support of ITER constructi on will be carried out in the Fusion Associations 
and European industries. They will include the development and testing of components and systems. 
(ii) R&D in preparation of ITER operation 
A focused physics and technology programme will aim at consolidation of ITER project choices 
and preparation for a rapid start-up of ITER ope ration, reducing significantly the time and cost 
needed for ITER to achieve its baseline obj ectives. It will be execu ted through coordinated 
experimental, theoretical and modelling activitie s using the JET facilities and other magnetic 
confinement devices, existing, future or those und er construction (Tokamaks, Stellarators, RFPs),  
and other devices in the Associat ions, it will ensure that Europe  has the necessary impact on the 
ITER project, and it will prepare for a strong Europ ean role in its exploitation. This programme will 
include: 
– assessment of specific key technologies fo r ITER operation through the completion and 
exploitation of the JET Enhancements (fir st wall, heating systems, diagnostics), 
– exploration of ITER operating scenarios by means of targeted experiments on JET and 
other facilities, and coordi nated modelling activities. 
L 400/420 EN Official Journal of the European Union 30.12.2006 
 At an early stage of the Framework Programme, a revi ew will be carried out of the facilities in the 
programme, examining the possibility of phasing out  existing facilities, and considering the need 
for new devices in parallel to ITER  exploitation. The review will be used as a basis for the possible 
support of new or upgraded devices in order to ensure that the programme will maintain an 
adequate set of fusion facil ities for the relevant R&D. 
(iii) Technology activities in preparation of DEMO 
Key technologies and materials required for th e licensing, construction and operation of the 
DEMO power plant will be further developed in Associations and indus try in order to test them in 
ITER and to position European industry to be ab le to construct DEMO and develop future fusion 
power plants. The following activities will be implemented: 
– establishment of a dedicated project team  and implementation of the Engineering 
Validation and Engineering Desi gn Activities (EVEDA) to prep are for the construction of 
the International Fusion Materi als Irradiation Facility (IFMIF), which will be used for 
testing materials of a fusion power station - an  essential pre-condition for the licensing of 
DEMO, 
– development, irradiation testing and modelli ng of low activation and radiation resistant 
materials; development of the key technologi es required for fusion power plant operation, 
including blankets; conceptual design activities of DEMO, including safety and 
environmental aspects. 
30.12.2006 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 400/421 
 (iv) R&D activities for the longer term 
Building on the activities aimed specifically at  ITER and DEMO, the fusion programme will 
develop competences and enlarge the knowledge base in fields which are strategically relevant to 
future fusion power stations. These re search activities will lead to enhanced technical feasibility and 
economic viability of fusion power. Specific actions  for these purposes in the Seventh Framework 
Programme will include: 
– improved concepts for magnetic confinement schemes will be studied on those concepts 
offering a high reactor potential, includi ng stellarators. Work will concentrate on 
completion of the W7-X stellarator; utilisa tion of existing devices for expansion of the 
experimental databases; and a ppraisal of the future perspec tives for these configurations, 
– an experimental fusion physics programme, which will be carried out with the objective of 
realising a comprehensive unders tanding of fusion plasmas aimed at the optimisation of 
power station design, 
– theory and further modelling with the ultimate  aim of a comprehens ive understanding of 
reactor-grade fusion plasmas, 
– studies of the sociological aspects and econom ics of fusion power generation, and actions 
aimed at the promotion of public aw areness and understanding of fusion; 
The existing activity in Inertial  Fusion Energy, which maintains a watching brief on Member States' 
civil research activities on inertial confinement will continue. 
L 400/422 EN Official Journal of the European Union 30.12.2006 
 (v) Human resources, education and training 
Ensuring adequate human resources and a high leve l of cooperation within  the programme, both for 
the immediate and medium term needs of ITER, a nd for the further development of fusion, will be 
addressed by: 
– support for the mobility of researchers betw een organisations participating in the 
programme, in order to promote enhanced coll aboration and integra tion of the programme, 
and to foster international cooperation, 
– high-level training for engineer s and researchers at post-grad uate and post-doctoral level, 
including the use of facilities in the progr amme as training platforms and dedicated 
seminars and workshops. Action shall be taken to foster cooperation between participants 
in the programme in higher education, which may include masters and doctoral courses in 
Physics and Engineering for Fusion, 
– promotion of innovation and exchange of know -how with related uni versities, research 
institutes and industry, 
– encouragement in the generation of patents. 
(vi) Infrastructures 
The realisation of ITER in Europe , in the international framework of the ITER Organisation, will be 
an element of the new research infrastr uctures with a strong European dimension. 
30.12.2006 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 400/423 
 (vii) Technology transfer processes 
ITER will require new and more flexible organisational structure to enable the process of 
innovation and technological progress which it creates to be swiftly tr ansferred to industry, so that 
the challenges can be met to enable European industry to become more competitive.  
(viii) Responding to emerging and unforeseen policy needs 
A "fast track" fusion development programme could bring fusion energy earlier to the market, as 
part of a wider policy of addressing the issues of  the security of Europe 's energy supply, climate 
change, and sustainable development. The primar y objective and a major milestone of the "fast 
track" would be an earlier realis ation of DEMO. In FP7, this would involve act ivities and projects 
embedded in the international Broader Appro ach to fusion energy, undertaken by EURATOM in 
collaboration with ITER partners. 
2.2. Nuclear fission and radiation protection 
Indirect actions will be undertaken in five princi pal areas of activity deta iled below. The overall 
objective is to enhance in particular the sa fety performance, resource efficiency and 
cost-effectiveness of nuclear fiss ion and uses of radiation in industry and medicine. However, 
important cross-cutting links ex ist throughout the programme, and in teractions between different 
activities must be adequately accommodated. Cruc ial in this respect are support for training 
activities and research infrastructures. Training needs must constitute a key aspect of all Community-funded projects in this sector, and these together with support for infrastructures will be 
an essential component in addressi ng the nuclear competence issue. 
L 400/424 EN Official Journal of the European Union 30.12.2006 
 A common European view on key problems and appr oaches is required in accordance with the 
needs of strengthening the Eur opean Research Area. Links wi ll be established among national 
programmes and networking will be promoted with international organisations and third countries 
including the USA, NIS, Canada and Japan. Where there is a clear Community interest, 
EURATOM must play a full role in existing foru ms coordinating RTD (res earch and technological 
development) activities at the international le vel. Coordination will also be assured where 
appropriate with the programme of di rect actions carried out by the J RC in this field as well as with 
indirect actions under fusion energy research. 
Equally important links must be established with  research in the EC Framework Programme, in 
particular in the activities of European standard s, education and training, environmental protection, 
material science, governance, common infrastr uctures, security, safety culture and energy. 
International collaboration will be a key feature of the activities in many of the thematic areas. 
(i) Management of radioactive waste 
Objectives 
Through implementation-oriented RTD, the activiti es aim to establish a sound scientific and 
technical basis for demonstrati ng the technologies and safety of  disposal of spent fuel and 
long-lived radioactive wastes in geological forma tions, to underpin the development of a common 
European view on the main issues  related to the management a nd disposal of waste, and to 
investigate ways of reducing the amount and/ or hazard of the waste by partitioning and 
transmutation or other techniques. 
30.12.2006 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 400/425 
 Activities 
Geological disposal:  RTD in the field of geological dispos al of high-level a nd/or long-lived 
radioactive waste i nvolving engineering studies and demonstration of repository designs, in-situ 
characterisation of repository host rocks (in both generic and site-specific underground research 
laboratories), understanding of the repository environment, studies on relevant processes in the near 
field (waste form and engineered barriers) and far-field (bedrock and pathways to the biosphere), 
development of robust methodologies for performan ce and safety assessment and investigation of 
governance and societal issues related to public acceptance. 
Partitioning & Transmutation:  RTD in all technical areas of partitioning and transmutation which 
could be the basis for the development of pilot fa cilities and demonstration systems for the most 
advanced partitioning processes and transmutatio n systems, involving sub-critical and critical 
systems, with a view to reducing the volumes and hazard of high-level long-lived radioactive waste 
issuing from treatment of spent nuc lear fuel. Research will also e xplore the potential of concepts 
that produce less waste in nuclear energy generati on, including the more efficient use of fissile 
material in existing reactors. 
(ii) Reactor systems 
Objectives 
The aims of these actions are to ensure the continue d safe operation of all relevant types of existing 
installations and, as a co ntribution to enhancing diversity a nd security of supply and combating 
global warming, to explore the potential of more advanced technology to deliver an even safer, 
more resource-efficient and more comp etitive exploitation of nuclear energy. 
L 400/426 EN Official Journal of the European Union 30.12.2006 
 Activities 
Nuclear installation safety:  RTD in operational safety of current  and future nuclear installations, 
especially plant life assessment and management, safety culture (minimising the risk of human and 
organisational error), advanced safety assessm ent methodologies, numerical simulation tools, 
instrumentation and control, and prevention and m itigation of severe accidents, with associated 
activities to optimise knowledge management and maintain competences. 
Advanced nuclear systems:  RTD to improve the efficiency of present systems and fuels and, in 
collaboration with the international efforts in th is field such as the Generation IV International 
Forum, to investigate aspects of selected advanced reactor systems in order to assess their potential, 
proliferation resistance and their effects on long -term sustainability, incl uding upstream research 
activities1 (especially material science) and the stu dy of the fuel cycle and innovative fuels and 
waste management aspects.  
(iii) Radiation protection 
Objectives 
The safe use of radiation in medicine and industr y relies on a sound radiati on protection policy and 
its effective implementation, and remains a priority in the programme. Research plays a key role in 
maintaining and improving the standards of prot ection, and this is a common objective of all 
activities in the programme. Re search also has the importa nt objectives of underpinning 
Community policies and their effective implemen tation and responding rapidl y and effectively to 
emerging needs. 
                                                 
1 It is recalled that under EC  specific programme "Ideas" the ERC supports frontier research 
in any field of basic scientif ic and technological research. 
30.12.2006 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 400/427 
 A key objective of this research wi ll be to help resolve the controve rsy over the risk from exposures 
to radiation at low and protracted doses. Resolu tion of this scientific and regulatory issue has 
potentially important cost and/or health implicati ons for the use of radiation in both medicine and 
industry. 
Activities 
– Quantification of risks for low and protracted exposures : Better quantifica tion of the risks 
to health for low and protracted exposures,  including individual  variability, through 
epidemiological studies and an improved unde rstanding of the mechan isms from cellular 
and molecular biology research.  
– Medical uses of radiation : Enhance the safety and efficacy of medical uses of radiation in 
diagnosis and therapy (including nuclear  medicine) through new technological 
developments and achieving a proper balance betw een the benefits and risks of such uses. 
– Emergency management and rehabilitation : Improve the coherence and integration of 
emergency management (including the characterisation of contamination  and the 
rehabilitation of accidentally contaminated territories) in Europe through the development 
of common tools and strategies and demonstrat e their efficacy in operational environments. 
L 400/428 EN Official Journal of the European Union 30.12.2006 
 – Malevolent uses of radia tion or radioactive material : Develop robust and practicable 
approaches to manage the impact of ma levolent uses (including from diversion ) of 
radiation or radioactive mate rial covering direct and i ndirect health effects and 
contamination of the environment, partic ularly inhabited areas and food and water 
supplies.  Complementarity will be ensured and duplicati on avoided with the "S ecurity" theme of the 
"Cooperation" Specific Programme
1, which can also benefit from any relevant expertise 
acquired during previous Euratom actions. 
– Other topics: national research activities in other areas (e.g. natural radiation, radioecology, 
protection of the environment, dosimetry, occ upational exposure, risk governance, etc) will 
be more effectively integrated.  
                                                 
1 Part of the Seventh Framework Pr ogramme of the European Community. 
30.12.2006 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 400/429 
 (iv) Infrastructures 
Objectives 
Research infrastructures are an essential part of RTD in nuclear  science and technology and the 
radiological sciences, ranging in size from very large and expensiv e plant and laboratory networks 
to much smaller facilities such as databases,  numerical simulation tools and tissue banks. The 
objectives of the programme are to provide suppor t for key infrastructures where there is clear 
European added value especially in order to es tablish critical mass and for the replacement of 
ageing facilities such as e.g. rese arch reactors. This will conso lidate the success of previous 
Community programmes, which have facilitated transnational access to, as well as cooperation 
between , such infrastructures, and contribute to maintaining th e high standards of technical 
achievement, innovation and safety in  the European nuclear sector. 
Infrastructures also make an important contributio n to the training of scientists and engineers. 
Activities 
– Supporting infrastructures : support for the design, refurbishment, construction and/or 
operation of key research infras tructures required in any of the above thematic areas; for 
example: underground laboratories for research  on geological dispos al of radioactive 
waste, pilot/test facilities for partitioning and transmuta tion devices, reactor components 
and subsystems, hot cells, f acilities for severe accident testing and thermal hydraulic 
testing, material testing facilities, numerical  simulation tools and ra dio-biology facilities, 
databases and tissue banks for use in radiation prot ection research. 
L 400/430 EN Official Journal of the European Union 30.12.2006 
 – Access to infrastructures : facilitate transnational access to existing and future 
infrastructures by individual resear ch workers and research teams. 
(v) Human resources, mobility and training 
Objectives 
Owing to the concern in all sectors of nuclear fi ssion and radiation protec tion over maintaining the 
required high level of expertise and human resources , and the implications this may have especially 
on the ability to retain current high levels of nucl ear safety, the objectives of the programme will be 
to support, through a variety of measures, the sp reading of scientific competence and know-how 
throughout the sector. These measures aim to guarantee the earliest possible ava ilability of suitably 
qualified researchers, engineers a nd technicians, for instance thr ough joint training activities and 
improved coordination between EU educational ins titutions in order to ensure qualifications are 
equivalent across all Member Stat es, or by facilitating the training and mobility of students and 
scientists. Only a truly European approach can en sure the required incentives and harmonised levels 
of higher education and training, thus facilitating the mobility of a new generation of scientists and 
catering for the career-long training needs of e ngineers faced with tomorrow's scientific and 
technological challenges in an incr easingly integrated nuclear sector. 
30.12.2006 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 400/431 
 Activities 
– Training: Coordination of nati onal programmes and provision fo r general training needs in 
nuclear science and technology through a range  of instruments, including competitive 
ones, as part of general support to human re sources in all thematic domains. Includes 
support for training courses and training networks, and measures  to make the sector more 
attractive to young scientists and engineers. 
– Mobility of research workers : Support principally through grants and fellowships for the 
increased mobility of scientists and engineer s between different universities and institutes 
in Member States and also in countries outsi de the EU. Special assistance may be provided 
in the case of research workers from the NIS. 
L 400/432 EN Official Journal of the European Union 30.12.2006 
 3. Ethical aspects 
During the implementation of this programme an d in the research activities arising from it, 
fundamental ethical principles are to be respected. These include, in ter alia, the principles reflected 
in the Charter of fundamental rights of the EU, in cluding the following: prot ection of human dignity 
and human life, protection of personal data and pr ivacy, as well as animals and the environment in 
accordance with Community law and the latest vers ions of relevant inte rnational conventions, 
guidelines and codes of conduct, e.g. the Helsinki  Declaration, the Conve ntion of the Council of 
Europe on Human Rights and Bio- medicine signed in Oviedo on 4 April 1997 and its Additional 
Protocols, the UN Convention on th e Rights of the Child, the Univer sal Declaration on the human 
genome and human rights adopted by UNESCO, UN Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention 
(BTWC), International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for F ood and Agriculture, and the 
relevant World Health Orga nisation (WHO) resolutions. 
Account will also be taken to the opinions of  the European Group of Advisers on the Ethical 
Implications of Bio-technology ( 1991-1997) and the opinions of th e European Group on Ethics in 
Science and New technologies (as from 1998). 
In compliance with the principle of  subsidiarity and the diversity of  approaches existing in Europe, 
participants in research projects must conform to current legisl ation, regulations and ethical rules in 
the countries where the research will be carried  out. In any case, nationa l provisions apply and no 
research forbidden in any given Member State or other country will be supported by Community 
funding to be carried out in th at Member State or country. 
30.12.2006 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 400/433 
 Where appropriate, those carrying out research proj ects must seek the approval of the relevant 
national or local ethics committees prior to the star t of the RTD activities. An ethical review will 
also be implemented systematically by the Co mmission for proposals dealing with ethically 
sensitive issues or where ethical aspects have not been adequately addressed. In specific cases an 
ethical review may take place during  the implementation of a project. 
The Protocol on protection and welfare of animals annexed to the Treaty re quires the Community to 
pay full regard to the welfare re quirements of animals in formulating and implementing Community 
policies including research. Council Directive 86/609/EEC of 24 November 1986 on the 
approximation of laws, regulations and administra tive provisions of the Member States regarding 
the protection of animals used for expe rimental and other scientific purposes1 requires that all 
experiments be designed to avoid distress and unnecessary pain a nd suffering to the experimental 
animals; use the minimum number of animals; involve animals with the lowest degree of 
neurophysiological sensitivity; and cause the least pain, suffering, dist ress or lasting harm. Altering 
the genetic heritage of animals and cloning of animals may be c onsidered only if the aims are 
ethically justified and the conditi ons are such that the animals' welfare is guaranteed and the 
principles of bio-diversity are respected. During the implementation of this programme, scientific 
advances and national and international provisio ns will be regularly monitored by the Commission 
so as to take account of any developments. 
 
                                                 
1 OJ L 358, 18.12.1986, p. 1. Directive as amended by Directive 2003/65/EC of the European 
Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 230, 16.9.2003, p. 32).