P6_TA(2006)0524

Specific programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (Seventh Nuclear Research and Training Framework Programme, 2007-2011) *

European Parliament legislative resolution on the proposal for a Council decision concerning the specific Programme implementing the seventh Framework Programme (2007-2011) of the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) for nuclear research and training activities (COM(2005)0445 — C6-0386/2005 — 2005/0190(CNS))

(Consultation procedure)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the Commission proposal to the Council (COM(2005)0445) [1] and the amended proposal (COM(2005)0445/2) [1],

- having regard to Article 7 of the Euratom Treaty, pursuant to which the Council consulted Parliament (C6-0386/2005),

- having regard to Rule 51 of its Rules of Procedure,

- having regard to the report of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy and the opinion of the Committee on Budgets (A6-0333/2006),

1. Approves the Commission proposal as amended;

2. Considers that the indicative financial reference amount indicated in the legislative proposal must be compatible with the ceiling of heading 1a of the financial framework for 2007-2013 and points out that the annual amount will be decided within the annual budgetary procedure in accordance with the provisions of point 38 of the Interinstitutional Agreement between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline and sound financial management of 17 May 2006 [2];

3. Calls on the Commission to alter its proposal accordingly, pursuant to Article 119, second paragraph, of the Euratom Treaty;

4. Calls on the Council to notify Parliament if it intends to depart from the text approved by Parliament;

5. Asks the Council to consult Parliament again if it intends to amend the Commission proposal substantially;

6. Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council and Commission.

TEXT PROPOSED BY THE COMMISSION | AMENDMENTS BY PARLIAMENT |

Amendment 1

Recital 12

(12) Appropriate measures should also be taken to prevent irregularities and fraud and the necessary steps should be taken to recover funds lost, wrongly paid or incorrectly used in accordance with Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 of 25 June 2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities, Commission Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2342/2002 of 23 December 2002 laying down detailed rules for implementation of the Financial Regulation and any future amendments, Council Regulations (EC, Euratom) No 2988/95 of 18 December 1995 on the protection of the European Communities financial interests, (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 fraud and other irregularities and Regulation (EC) No 1074/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning investigations conducted by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF). | (12) Appropriate measures should also be taken to prevent irregularities and fraud and the necessary steps should be taken to recover funds lost, wrongly paid or incorrectly used in accordance with Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 of 25 June 2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities, Commission Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2342/2002 of 23 December 2002 laying down detailed rules for implementation of the Financial Regulation and any future amendments, Council Regulations (EC, Euratom) No 2988/95 of 18 December 1995 on the protection of the European Communities financial interests, (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 fraud and other irregularities and Regulation (EC) No 1074/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 May 1999 concerning investigations conducted by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF). All funds recovered on the basis of those regulations should be allocated to the implementation of activities under the Framework Programme. |

Amendments 22 and 23

Article 2, paragraph 2

Within the field of Fusion energy research, a joint undertaking established under Title II, Chapter 5 of the Treaty shall be created for managing and administering the European contribution to ITER as well as complementary activities aimed at the fast realisation of fusion energy. | Within the field of Fusion energy research, a joint undertaking established under Title II, Chapter 5 of the Treaty shall be created for managing and administering the European contribution to the ITER Organisation, as well as the activities in support of ITER construction, set out in the sub-heading "The realization of ITER" in the Annex. All other activities in the field of fusion energy will be implemented and managed separately from the ITER Joint Undertaking, whilst maintaining an integrated approach and the full involvement of the Fusion Associations. |

Amendment 2

Article 3, paragraph 1, before the table

In accordance with Article 3 of the Framework Programme, the amount deemed necessary for the execution of the Specific Programme shall be EUR 2234 million, of which 15% shall be for the Commission's administrative expenditure. | In accordance with Article 3 of the Framework Programme, the amount deemed necessary for the execution of the Specific Programme shall be EUR 2234 million, of which less than 15% shall be for the Commission's administrative expenditure. |

Amendment 3

Article 3, paragraph 1a (new), after the table

| The Commission shall take all necessary steps to verify that the actions financed are carried out effectively and in compliance with the provisions of Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002. |

Amendment 4

Article 3, paragraph 1b (new), after the table

| The overall administrative expenditure of the Specific Programme, including internal and management expenditure for the executive agency, should be proportional to the actions established under the Specific Programme and is subject to the decision of the budgetary and legislative authorities. |

Amendment 5

Article 3, paragraph 1c (new), after the table

| Budget appropriations shall be used in accordance with the principle of sound financial management, namely in accordance with the principles of economy, efficiency and effectiveness, as well as proportionality. |

Amendment 6

Article 4, paragraph 1

1. All research activities carried out under the specific programme shall be carried out in compliance with fundamental ethical principles. | 1. All research activities carried out under the specific programme shall be carried out in compliance with fundamental ethical principles. Their essential aim shall be both to contribute to the safe peaceful use of nuclear energy (safety) and to help avert its misuse for military purposes (security). |

Amendment 7

Article 5a (new)

| Article 5a The Commission shall provide prior information to the budgetary authority whenever it intends to depart from the breakdown of expenditure stated in the remarks in and annex to the general budget of the European Union. |

Amendment 9

Article 7, paragraph 1a (new)

| 1a. The Commission shall draw up an evaluation report containing an assessment of the soundness of financial management and an evaluation of the efficiency and regularity of the budgetary and economic management of the Specific Programme. |

Amendment 10

Article 7, paragraph 3, subparagraph 1a (new)

| This information shall be available at all times and shall be transmitted on request to the European Parliament, the Committee of the Regions, the European Economic and Social Committee and the European Ombudsman. |

Amendment 11

Annex, Part 1, paragraph 1a (new)

| Without prejudice to the efforts which the European Union is making and must continue to make in research into renewable energies, nuclear energy can have a major role to play in achieving secure and sustainable energy supply within the European Union. |

Amendment 12

Annex, Part 1, paragraph 2

In the longer term, nuclear fusion offers the prospect of an almost limitless supply of clean energy, with ITER being the crucial next step in the progress towards this ultimate goal. The realisation of the ITER project therefore lies at the heart of the present EU strategy, though 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 needed during its operation and beyond. | In the longer term, nuclear fusion offers the prospect of an almost limitless supply of clean energy, with ITER being an important next step in the progress towards this ultimate goal. The realisation of the ITER project therefore lies at the heart of the present EU strategy, though 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 needed during its operation and beyond. |

Amendment 13

Annex, Part 2, Section 2.1, subtitle "Activities", point (ii), paragraph 1, introductory part

A focused physics and technology programme will aim at consolidation of ITER project choices and preparation for a rapid start-up of ITER operation, reducing significantly the time and cost needed for ITER to achieve its baseline objectives. It will be executed through coordinated experimental, theoretical and modelling activities using the JET facilities and other devices in the Associations, it will ensure that Europe has the necessary impact on the ITER project, and it will prepare for a strong European role in its exploitation. This programme will include: | A focused physics and technology programme will aim at consolidation of ITER project choices and preparation for a rapid start-up of ITER operation, reducing significantly the time and cost needed for ITER to achieve its baseline objectives. It will be executed through coordinated experimental, theoretical and modelling activities using the JET facilities, magnetic confinement devices (tokamaks, stellarators and RFPs, already in existence or in process of being constructed in all Member States) and other devices in the Associations, it will ensure that Europe has the necessary impact on the ITER project, and it will prepare for a strong European role in its exploitation. This programme will include: |

Amendment 14

Annex, Part 2, Section 2.1, subtitle "Activities", point (v), indent 3a (new)

| — encouragement in the generation of patents. |

Amendments 15 and 16

Annex, Part 2, Section 2.2, paragraph 1

Indirect actions will be undertaken in five principal areas of activity detailed below. However, important cross-cutting links exist throughout the programme, and interactions between different activities must be adequately accommodated. Crucial in this respect are support for training activities and research infrastructures. Training needs must constitute a key aspect of all EU-funded projects in this sector, and these together with support for infrastructures will be an essential component in addressing the nuclear competence issue. | In all of the European Union's nuclear fission research activities, safety and security will be the prime concerns. Specifically, the aim will be, on the one hand, to make generation installations safer (safety) and, on the other, to avert their misuse for military and terrorist purposes (security). Indirect actions will be undertaken in five principal areas of activity detailed below. However, important cross-cutting links exist throughout the programme, and interactions between different activities must be adequately accommodated. Crucial in this respect is support for training activities, scientific and technological information exchange and research infrastructures. Training needs must constitute a key aspect of all EU-funded projects in this sector, and these together with support for infrastructures will be an essential component in addressing the nuclear competence issue. |

Amendment 17

Annex, Part 2, Section 2.2, point (ii), subtitle "Activities", indent 1

—Nuclear installation safety: RTD in operational safety of current and future nuclear installations, especially plant life assessment and management, safety culture, advanced safety assessment methodologies, numerical simulation tools, instrumentation and control, and prevention and mitigation of severe accidents, with associated activities to optimise knowledge management and maintain competences. | —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 assessment methodologies, numerical simulation tools, instrumentation and control, and prevention and mitigation of severe accidents, with associated activities to optimise knowledge management and maintain competences. |

Amendment 18

Annex, Part 2, Section 2.2, point (iii), subtitle "Objectives", paragraph 2

A key objective of this research will be to help resolve the controversy over the risk from exposures to radiation at low and protracted doses. Resolution of this scientific and policy issue has potentially important cost and/or health implications for the use of radiation in both medicine and industry. | A key objective of this research will be to help resolve the controversy over the risk from exposures to radiation at low and protracted doses. Resolution of this scientific issue has potentially important cost and/or health implications for the use of radiation in both medicine and industry. |

Amendment 19

Annex, Part 2, Section 2.2, point (v), subtitle "Objectives"

Owing to the concern in all sectors of nuclear fission and radiation protection 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 nuclear safety, the objectives of the programme will be to support, through a variety of measures, the spreading of scientific competence and know-how throughout the sector. These measures aim to guarantee the availability of suitably qualified researchers and technicians, for instance through improved coordination between EU educational institutions in order to ensure qualifications are equivalent across all Member States, or by facilitating the training and mobility of students and scientists. Only a truly European approach can ensure 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 engineers faced with tomorrow's scientific and technological challenges in an increasingly integrated nuclear sector. | Owing to the concern in all sectors of nuclear fission and radiation protection 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 nuclear safety, the objectives of the programme will be to support, through a variety of measures, the spreading of scientific competence and know-how throughout the sector. These measures aim to guarantee the earliest possible availability of suitably qualified researchers and technicians, for instance through improved coordination between EU educational institutions in order to ensure qualifications are equivalent across all Member States, or by facilitating the training and mobility of students and scientists. Only a truly European approach can ensure 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 engineers faced with tomorrow's scientific and technological challenges in an increasingly integrated nuclear sector. |

Amendment 20

Annex, Part 2, Section 2.2, point (v), subtitle "Activities", indent 1

—Training: Coordination of national programmes and provision for general training needs in nuclear science and technology through a range of instruments, including competitive ones, as part of general support to human resources in all thematic domains. Includes support for training courses and training networks. | —Training: Coordination of national programmes and provision for general training needs in nuclear science and technology through a range of instruments, including competitive ones, as part of general support to human resources in all thematic domains. Includes support for training courses and training networks. In addition, and taking into account the objectives of the specific programme "People" and other activities connected with the training of professionals, encouragement will be given to ensure that outstanding young people consider the nuclear energy industry to be an attractive field in which to pursue their future careers. |

Amendment 21

Annex, Part 3a (new)

| 3a. DISSEMINATION Information on nuclear energy needs to be disseminated in exchanges between citizens and their representatives by means of the setting up of multi-annual campaigns to increase understanding of nuclear energy, with the aim of encouraging debate and facilitating decision-making. To make them as effective as possible, the campaigns will be devised using social science methodologies. |

[1] Not yet published in OJ.

[2] OJ C 139, 14.6.2006, p. 1.

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