19. 12. 83 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 341/9 
(b) expected easing of congestion in conurbations or on the links between them. 
9. Environmental repercussions (expected reduction in environmental pollution — exhaust 
gases, noise, use of land) in: 
(a) conurbations; 
(b) recreation areas. 
10. Repercussions on energy consumption (expected reduction in energy used per passenger/ 
tonne mile, especially scare types of energy (petroleum)). 
11. Social repercussions through improvement of the working conditions of those employed in 
transport. 
12. Distribution of overall repercussions between: 
(a) the Member State or national traffic; 
(b) Community or cross-frontier traffic. 
The answers to the individual questions should as far as possible be illustrated by tables. 
13. Has a cost-benefit assessment (cost-benefit analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis, multi­
dimensional effect analysis, etc.) been carried out for the scheme? What is the gist of this 
assessment? 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Decision adopting a research programme to be 
implemented by the Joint Research Centre for the European Atomic Energy Community 
and for the European Economic Community (1984 to 1987) 
The text referred to the Committee has been published in Official Journal of the Euro­
pean Communities No C 225 of 23 August 1983, page 7. 
A. LEGAL BASIS FOR THE OPINION 
On 24 June 1983 the Council referred the abovementioned proposal to the Economic 
and Social Committee in accordance with Article 7 of the Treaty establishing the 
European Atomic Energy Community and Article 235 of the Treaty establishing the 
European Economic Community. 
B. OPINION OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE 
The Economic and Social Committee prepared its opinion on the above matter at its 
210th plenary session held in Brussels on 28 and 29 September 1983. 
The full text of the opinion is as follows: 
THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the Euro­
pean Atomic Energy Community, and in particular 
Article 7 thereof and the Treaty establishing the 
European Economic Community, and in particular 
Article 235 thereof, of the European Communities on 1 July 1983 for an 
opinion on the proposal for a Council Decision 
adopting a research programme to be implemented 
by the Joint Research Centre for the European 
Atomic Energy Community and for the European 
Economic Community (1984 to 1987) ('), 
Having regard to the request made by the Council (') OJ No C 225, 23. 8. 1983. 
No C 341 /10 Official Journal of the 
Having regard to the decision taken by its Bureau 
on 5 July 1983, instructing the Section for Energy 
and Nuclear Questions to draw up an opinion on 
the matter, 
Having regard to the opinion adopted by the Sec­
tion for Energy and Nuclear Questions at its 82nd 
meeting held on 9 September 1983, 
Having regard to the oral report made by the rap­
porteur, Mr von der Decken, 
Having regard to the discussions on 28 September 
1983 during the 210th plenary session held on 28 
and 29 September 1983, 
HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING OPINION 
by a unanimous vote: 
1. Inclusion in a common research policy 
1.1. The Committee considers research and 
development to be one of the key factors in bringing 
about an economic upturn in the Community and 
improving the employment situation. It therefore 
attaches considerable importance to a research 
policy and a research strategy and welcomes the fact 
that the Commission is in the process of framing 
such a common research policy. 
1.2. The Committee welcomes the fact that 
research in the Community's Joint Research Centre 
(JRC) is to be included in a general framework pro­
gramme for Community research and development 
and is to be organized in the form of 'action pro­
grammes'. As a result, the JRC will be better 
equipped to act as a catalyst, coordinator and guide 
with regard to Community research and develop­
ment policy. Accordingly, the Committee also wel­
comes the fact that the Commission intends to use 
the JRC mainly to achieve the present objectives of 
its research strategy. 
1.3. The inclusion of JRC research in the action 
programmes will enable the JRC and national 
research establishments to work more closely 
together, and increase cross-fertilization. There 
should also be closer contacts between the JRC and 
the large private research establishments. 
2. Main programme topics 
2.1. The Council decided at its 10 March 1983 
meeting to terminate the Super Sara project, fix the European Communities 19. 12. 83 
JRC's staff numbers at 2 260 and put a ceiling on 
the funds available. Consequently, the Commission 
has been forced to draw up a completely new pro­
gramme, on which the Committee has the following 
comments to make: 
2.2. The Committee applauds the concentration on 
two main topics, viz.: 
— safety and protection of the environment; and 
— standardization. 
It is vital not to cover too wide a range of activities 
for the simple reason that the JRC is to serve the 
Community's research strategy. Similarly, the Com­
mittee approves the action programmes' concentra­
tion on: 
— industrial technologies, 
— fusion, 
— fission, 
— non-nuclear energy sources, 
— environment. 
However, the Committee wonders whether the 
Commission has managed to concentrate the JRC's 
work as much as it set out to do, bearing in mind the 
criteria referred to in 1.2 which the Commission pro­
poses. 
2.3. The Committee welcomes the restoration to 
life of a number of research activities which had to 
be shelved because of the Super Sara project. 
2.4. It regrets, however, that the switch in emphasis 
from fission to other activities, which despite diffi­
culties got off to such a good start between 1972 and 
1983, has now come to a complete halt. Fission still 
accounts for more than 50% of a staff and the 
funds. The ESC regretted in its opinion on the 
revised JRC multiannual research programme (•) 
that the Super Sara project prevented continuation 
of the switch from fission activities. Following the 
termination of the Super Sara project, the Com­
mittee would have expected this switch in emphasis 
to have taken place now. 
2.5. Above all, the Committee regrets that the 
activities in the non-nuclear energy sector have been 
pruned so savagely. Even though the decision to 
(') OJ No C 326, 13. 12. 1982. 
19. 12. 83 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 341/11 
end research into hydrogen production by thermo-
chemical means may be correct, the question arises 
as to whether other work in the non-nuclear energy 
sector could not be tackled. The Committee also 
thinks that the JRC's activities in the field of envi­
ronment protection should be expanded still more, 
though great care should be taken to ensure that the 
work of national and other international research 
establishments is not duplicated. 
3. Powers of the JRC Council of Administration 
3.1. The Committee is aware of the difficulties of 
drawing up a balanced programme so quickly after 
such a drastic event as the ending of the Super Sara 
project. It therefore considers a high degree of flexi­
bility to be absolutely necessary. The Committee 
accordingly welcomes the proposed establishment 
of a Council of Administration, though it would 
emphasize that the powers of the Council must be 
defined very clearly. It is suggested by the Com­
mittee that consideration should be given to whether 
a scientists' representative could be appointed to sit 
on the Council as an observer. 
i 
3.2. In the interests of flexibility the Committee 
also recommends that 5 % of the funds should be set 
aside for exploratory research and new highly prom­
ising work. 
4. Large-scale projects 
4.1. No decision has to be taken for the moment 
on the large-scale projects currently in the process of 
being studied. The mistakes made with the Super 
Sara project should not be repeated. Above all, it is 
vital not to underestimate initially the expenditure 
which these large-scale projects will involve. When 
the Ignitor Plasma experiment, the tritium testing 
laboratory and the vibrating table project are exam­
ined, consideration should be given to national and 
international facilities and experience. The deci­
sions to be taken should be based as far as possible 
on objective considerations and should not be influ­
enced by political pressures. 
Done at Brussels, 28 September 1983. 5. Programme management 
5.1. The Committee hopes that programme man­
agement can be made more effective and thus less 
unwieldy by the new approach to management 
through research action programmes. 
5.2. The Commitee considers that beside providing 
advice on programmes the CGC's proposed in the 
new systems and procedures should also be more 
purposeful in fulfilling their role as carriers of infor­
mation between the JRC and national research estab­
lishments. 
6. Staffing 
The JRC's staffing problems are shared by prac­
tically all large-scale national research centres. The 
problem of the increased ageing of staff is com­
pounded by the need to change the research pro­
grammes more. 
The Committee generally considers that the pro­
posed releasing of older staff and taking-on of a 
temporary surplus in their place is a suitable solu­
tion. However, this is naturally a financial problem. 
The Committee would also point out that these 
measures are no substitute for a long-term staff 
policy, of which there are no signs so far and which 
is urgently required. The problem of temporary con­
tracts must also be discussed in this connection. 
7. General 
Subject to the comments made above, the Com­
mittee endorses the Commission's proposal for a 
research programme to be implemented by the Joint 
Research Centre for the European Economic Com­
munity (1984 to 1987). 
The Committee assumes that the programme will be 
revised after three years. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Francis CEYRAC