24. 4. 89 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 102/13 
Opinion on a proposal for a Council Decision adopting a research and training programme 
for the European Atomic Energy Community in the field of remote handling in nuclear 
hazardous and disordered environments (1989-1993) (TELEMAN) (!) 
(89/C 102/09) 
On 23 November 1988, the Council of the European Communities decided to consult the 
Economic and Social Committee, under Article 170 of the Treaty establishing the European 
Atomic Energy Community on the abovementioned proposal. 
The Section for Energy, Nuclear Questions and Research, which was responsible for preparing 
the Committee's work on the subject, adopted its Opinion on 3 February 1989. The rapporteur 
was Mr Campbell. 
At its 263rd plenary session (meeting of 22 February 1989) the Economic and Social Committee 
adopted the following Opinion unanimously. 
The Committee welcomes and supports the Com­
mission's proposal to allocate resources for research 
work in the field of remote handling in nuclear hazard­
ous and disordered environments. This support is based 
on the considerations set out below. 
1. Introduction 
1.1. Chapter 5.1 of the framework programme for 
Community activities in the field of research and tech­
nological development (1987-1991) (2), under the head­
ing 'Fission: nuclear safety', has provided for a new 
activity on remote handling in nuclear hazardous and 
disordered environments. 
1.2. Its main objective is the development of manipu­
lation and guidance systems which can operate in the 
rigorous environment of a nuclear plant; such extreme 
conditions involve combinations of the following: radi­
ation, heat/cold, humidity, smoke and dust, darkness 
and corrosive fumes. 
1.3. The programme will be implemented through 
shared cost contracts with a financial appropriation, 
from the Community budget of 19 million ECU over 
the five years 1989-1993, and will cover four areas of 
research: 
— components and sub-system development, 
— environmental tolerance, 
— research machine projects, 
— product evaluation and studies. 
2. General comments 
2.1. The Committee can see great benefit from this 
programme, particularly in reducing the risks of radi-
(') OJNoC311, 6. 12. 1988, p. 6. 
(2) OJ No L 302, 24. 10. 1987, p. 1. ation exposure of workers in the nuclear industry by 
removing man from potentially radioactive environ­
ments. 
2.2. The development and application of advance 
remote handling technology will also enhance the 
ability of nuclear plant operators to deal with conse­
quences of mishaps and malfunctions. 
2.3. The availability of remotely operated equipment 
should also contribute to increasing the number of 
routine operations which can be carried out in hazard­
ous environments and their effectiveness. 
2.4. The programme is to be devoted to the develop­
ment of handling devices, control mechanisms and pro­
grammes capable of operating in both normal environ­
ment of nuclear operations and under special conditions 
of disruption. 
2.4.1. In view of the relatively small budget appropri­
ation to the programme, these are essentially specialist 
'add-on' features to the large variety of robotic type of 
plant which has already been developed and is being 
further developed both at Community level, with 
research programmes like ESPRIT, and at national 
level, in industry. 
2.5. In fact, there is already in progress a wide range 
of projects, either under Community research pro­
grammes within the framework programme or under 
national programmes, which are relevant to nuclear 
tele-operation covered by the TELEMAN programme. 
Some of these projects, of which a list and a detailed 
description has been provided to the Committee, are 
directly concerned with tele-operator development, 
others will lead to the creation of relevant technology 
useful for nuclear remote handling, for instance under 
the ESPRIT and the BRITE/EURAM programmes. 
2.5.1. Therefore, cooperation, coordination and con­
sultation will continue to be of prime importance, not 
No C 102/14 Official Journal of the European Communities 24. 4.. 89 
only between the Commission services concerned but 
also with all those involved in this type of research at 
national level in industry, universities, research insti­
tutes and laboratories. Expert workers engaged in the 
nuclear industry should also be involved. Only by such 
action can the results of the TELEMAN programme be 
maximized and nuclear safety improved. 
2.5.2. In addition, the Committee calls for appropri­
ate arrangements to be made to allow the transfer of 
relevant results achieved under other programmes to 
TELEMAN in order to get maximum benefit of the 
small Community financial allocation to it. 
2.6. The Committee notes that the Commission pro­
posal for a 'Council Decision adopting a research and 
technological development programme in the field of 
the decomissioning of nuclear installations' (1989-
1993) (*), on which it is also consulted, provides for 
an allocation of 1,8 million ECU to research into the 
qualification and adaptation of remote-controlled semi-
autonomous manipulators systems. 
2.6.1. Considering the close affinity between this 
work and the TELEMAN programme there will have 
to be particularly close coordination mechanisms and 
procedures to get best value for money. It may, in 
fact, be preferable to combine the resources of both 
programmes for certain projects. 
2.7. Research and development programmes, such 
as the TELEMAN programme, appear to be eminently 
(!) OJ No C 250, 24. 9. 1988, p. 7. 
Done at Brussels, 22 February 1989. appropriate for the participation of small and medium-
sized enterprises (SME) in high technology fields both 
at the research stage and the application of its results. 
Therefore the Committee hopes that measures will be 
taken to encourage and facilitate the participation of 
SME also to this programme. 
2.8. The Committee understands that restricting 
Community involvement and funding to precompetitive 
research should not appear to be an inhibition in this 
programme. Most of the successful results which will 
be achieved will be tested on existing or adapted 
machines and will be eventually available for appli­
cation in production machines on a competitive basis. 
2.9. Given the relatively small allocation of funds to 
the programme, the Committee asks for a most rigorous 
selection of the most worthwhile projects. 
2.10. The Committee stresses the need to ensure that 
successful results of the TELEMAN programme are 
made known widely both within the nuclear industry 
and in industries with similar problems, as for instance 
the chemical industry through appropriate arrange­
ments. Ideally, there should be a central Community 
register of available equipment and a procedure for 
making it available rapidly when mishaps occur. 
2.11. Finally, it regrets that, yet once again, it is 
necessary to draw attention to the omission of the 
Economic and Social Committee from Article 4 of the 
Commission's proposal, dealing with the review of the 
programme and the evaluation of the results. This is in 
the Committee's view a deliberate omission and will 
not be accepted, since the Committee will be required 
to give an opinion on any future extension of the 
TELEMAN under the Euratom Treaty provisions. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Alberto MASPRONE