Proposal for a Council Decision adopting a specific programme for research and training to be implemented by the Joint Research Centre by means of direct actions for the European Atomic Energy Community (1998-2002) (COM(98)0306 - C4-0431/98 - 98/0188(CNS))

The proposal was approved with the following amendments:

(Amendment 10)

Article 2(1), (2), and (3)

>Original text>

1. In agreement with Annex III to the fifth framework programme, the amount deemed as necessary for the execution of direct actions by the JRC under this programme (hereafter referred to as 'the amount') is ECU 326 million.

>Text following EP vote>

1.

In agreement with Annex III to the fifth framework programme, the amount deemed as necessary for the execution of direct actions by the JRC under this programme (hereafter referred to as 'the amount') is ECU 281 million.

>Original text>

2. An indicative breakdown of this amount is given in Annex I.

>Text following EP vote>

2.

An indicative breakdown of this amount is given in Annex I.

>Original text>

3. Of this amount

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3.

Of this amount

>Original text>

- ECU 82,3 million for the period 1998 to 1999,

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-

ECU 71.8 million for the period 1998 to 1999,

>Original text>

- ECU 243,7 million for the period 2000 to 2002.

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-

ECU 209.2 million ECU for the period 2000 to 2002.

>Original text>

This amount will be adapted, in accordance with the conditions established in Article 3(3) of the fifth framework programme.

>Text following EP vote>

This amount will be adapted, in accordance with the conditions established in Article

2 of the fifth framework programme.

(Amendment 11)

Article 2(4)

>Original text>

4. The budgetary authority shall lay down, in accordance with the scientific and technological objectives and priorities detailed in the present decision, the appropriations for each financial year, subject to the availability of resources within the pluriannual financial perspectives.

>Text following EP vote>

4.

The budgetary authority shall lay down, in accordance with the scientific and technological objectives detailed in the present decision, the appropriations for each financial year.

(Amendment 12)

Article 5(2), 2nd subparagraph (new)

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

The Commission shall publish the work programme and every updated version thereof in paper and electronic form (on the Internet).

(Amendment 13)

Article 5(2a)(new)

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

2a. All proposals for RTD actions will take into account the European Union's policies on equal opportunities.

(Amendment 14)

Article 6(2)

>Original text>

2. The Commission is advised by the Board of Governors of the JRC (hereinafter referred to as the 'Board of Governors') in this task.

>Text following EP vote>

2.

The Commission is advised by the Board of Governors of the JRC (hereinafter referred to as the 'Board of Governors') in this task. The European Parliament shall nominate two observers to the Board of Governors.

>Original text>

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The Board of Governors shall meet as a rule in public, unless a specific duly motivated decision is taken to the contrary and published in good time. It shall publish agendas two weeks in advance of this meetings (also on the Internet). It shall publish minutes of its meetings (also on the Internet). It shall establish a public register of declarations of interest by its members.

(Amendment 15)

Article 7a (new)

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

Article 7a

Protection of the financial interests of the European Communities shall be guaranteed in accordance with Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2988/95 on the protection of the European Communities financial interests(1).

___________

(1) OJ L 312, 23.12.1995, p. 1.

(Amendment 16)

Annex I

>Original text>

Controlled thermonuclear fusion 5.52%

Nuclear fission safety 43.56%

Control of nuclear materials

and nuclear safeguards 43.56%

Decommissioning and waste

management 7.36%

Total ECU 326 million

>Text following EP vote>

Nuclear fission safety 43.56%

Control of nuclear materials

and nuclear safeguards 49.08%

Decommissioning and waste

Management 7.36%

Total ECU 326 million

(Amendment 17)

Annex II(c), 4th paragraph

>Original text>

Work on control of nuclear materials will continue at the same level in order to meet the present and future needs of inspectors. This will include measurement, analysis and monitoring techniques and the training of inspectors. Some prospective studies will be carried out in order to foresee the safeguard implications of proposed changes in the fuel cycle and to determine whether remote sensing can be used for the detection of illicit activities.

>Text following EP vote>

Work on control of nuclear materials will continue at the same level in order to meet the present and future needs of inspectors. This will include measurement, analysis and monitoring techniques and the training of inspectors. Some prospective studies will be carried out in order to foresee the safeguard implications of proposed changes in the fuel cycle,

in particular accelerators, and also fusion, and to determine whether remote sensing can be used for the detection of illicit activities.

(Amendment 18)

Annex II(c)(2), 2nd indent

>Original text>

- the fuel cycle safety: basic research on actinides is an area where the JRC is regarded as the centre of excellence, and in which it will produce detailed knowledge of the properties of these elements. This is essential to the whole fuel cycle safety and efficiency (basic properties of new fuel and waste, licensing and industrial operations such as reprocessing, processing, storage and disposal of waste and spent fuel), in particular it allows detailed studies of the phenomena occurring during irradiation of nuclear fuel, as well as the optimisation of those fuels to enhance both safety and efficiency (e.g. increased rate of irradiation, advanced fuels); studies on partitioning and transmutation will focus on lowering the radiotoxicity of waste by reducing, or even eliminating, the presence of actinides and other long-lived radioactive elements in the fuel cycle, on the development of appropriate techniques for processing these materials;

>Text following EP vote>

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the fuel cycle safety: basic research on actinides is an area where the JRC is regarded as the centre of excellence, and in which it will produce detailed knowledge of the properties of these elements. This is essential to the whole fuel cycle safety and efficiency (basic properties of new fuel and waste, licensing and industrial operations such as reprocessing, processing, storage and disposal of waste and spent fuel), in particular it allows detailed studies of the phenomena occurring during irradiation of nuclear fuel, as well as the optimisation of those fuels to enhance both safety and efficiency (e.g. increased rate of irradiation, advanced fuels);

>Original text>

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- engineering design activities and studies in preparation of the possible construction of a demonstration system for partitioning and transmutation to lower the radiotoxicity of waste by reducing, or even eliminating, the presence of actinides and other long-lived radioactive elements in the fuel cycle so that this option is studied to the same extent as 'geological storage of waste'

(Amendment 20)

Annex II(c)(4), indents

>Original text>

- Establishment of a long term plan in order to ensure future and continuous implementation of these activities;

>Text following EP vote>

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Establishment of a long term plan, including its financing by EURATOM or some other special fund outside the framework programmes, in order to ensure future and continuous implementation of these activities;

>Original text>

- Construction of an installation for the treatment of liquid wastes;

>Text following EP vote>

>Original text>

- Starting of decommissioning and dismantling operation of obsolete facilities and management of wastes issued from these activities.

>Text following EP vote>

Legislative resolution embodying Parliament's opinion on the proposal for a Council Decision adopting a specific programme for research and training to be implemented by the Joint Research Centre by means of direct actions for the European Atomic Energy Community (1998-2002) (COM(98)0306 - C4-0431/98 - 98/0188(CNS))(Consultation procedure)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the Commission proposal to the Council, COM(98)0306 - 98/0188(CNS) ((OJ C 236, 28.7.1998, p. 20.)),

- having been consulted by the Council pursuant to Article 7 of the Euratom Treaty (C4-0431/98),

- having regard to Rule 58 of its Rules of Procedure,

- having regard to the report of the Committee on Research, Technological Development and Energy and the opinions of the Committee on Budgets and the Committee on External Economic Relations (A4-0458/98),

1. Approves the Commission proposal, subject to Parliament's amendments;

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

3. Asks to be consulted again should the Council intend to make substantial modifications to the Commission proposal;

4. Instructs its President to forward this opinion to the Council and Commission.