No C 261/8 Official Journal of the European Communities 16. 10. 90 
II 
(Preparatory Acts) 
COMMISSION 
Proposal for a Council Decision adopting a specific and technological development programme 
in the field of controlled thermonuclear fusion (1990 to 1994) 
COM(90) 441 final 
(Submitted by the Commission on 3 October 1990) 
(90/C 261/13) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European 
Atomic Energy Community, and in particular Article 7 
thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
which has consulted the Scientific and Technical 
Committee, 
Having regard to the opinion of the European 
Parliament, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and 
Social Committee, 
Whereas, by Decision 90/221/Euratom, EEC ('), the 
Council adopted a third framework programme of 
Community activities in the field of research and techno­
logical development (1990 to 1994), specifying inter alia 
the activities to be pursued in the area of controlled 
nuclear fusion; whereas this Decision should be taken in 
the light of the grounds set out in the preamble to that 
Decision; 
Whereas for activities falling under the EAEC Treaty, 
Article 2 of the Decision adopting the third framework 
programme foresees its implementation through 
programmes adopted in accordance with Article 7 of the 
said Treaty; 
Whereas the Commission has arranged for the evaluation 
and appraisal foreseen in Article 3 of Decision 88/448/Euratom (2), and is submitting the present 
proposal on the basis of this evaluation and appraisal; 
Whereas the Joint Research Centre shall contribute 
through its own programme to the implementation of the 
aforesaid activities; 
Whereas an estimate should be made of the amount of 
Community financial resources needed to carry out this 
specific programme; whereas the definitive amounts will 
be fixed by the budgetary authority in line with the 
financial perspectives covering the period 1988 to 1992 
included in the interinstitutional Agreement of 29 June 
1988 (J) and with any future financial perspectives 
covering the period 1993 to 1994; 
Whereas, pursuant to Article 4 and Annex I of Decision 
90/221/Euratom, EEC, the amount deemed necessary 
for the whole framework programme includes an amount 
of ECU 57 million for the centralized dissemination and 
exploitation of the results to be divided up in proportion 
to the amount envisaged for each activity; whereas in 
view of the importance of this specific programme within 
the 'energy' action the estimate of the financial resources 
needed by this programme is to be reduced by ECU 4,17 
million, which amount is to be allocated to the 
centralized activities; 
Whereas this programme must be implemented by the 
Commission, as foreseen in Article 7 of the Treaty; 
whereas to help accomplish this, the Member States are 
bound, pursuant to Article 192 of the Treaty, to facilitate 
the achievement of its tasks where necessary; 
Whereas the implementation of the Joint European 
Torus (JET) project has been entrusted to the 'Joint 
O OJ No L 222, 12. 8. 1978, p. 5. 
(') OJ No L 117, 8. 5. 1990, p. 28. (J) OJ No L 185, 15. 7. 1988, p. 33. 
16. 10. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 261/9 
European Torus (JET), Joint Undertaking', established 
by Decision 78/471/Euratom ('), as amended by 
Decision 88/447/Euratom (2), and as last amended by 
Decision 90/.. ./Euratom. 
Whereas the programme embraces all work carried out 
in the Member States in the field of controlled thermo­
nuclear fusion by magnetic confinement; whereas the 
execution of this programme must involve the selection 
of research and development projects to enable them to 
benefit from Community participation; whereas a special 
procedure should also be devised so as to maintain a 
degree of flexibility enabling the Commission, in the face 
of the continuous evolution and gradual acceleration of 
technological progress, also to take into consideration 
spontaneous proposals consistent with the objectives of 
the programme; 
Whereas the projects to be carried out under the 
programme must be selected with special attention to the 
principle of economic and social cohesion in the 
Community, the transnational nature of the projects and 
the support to be given to small and medium-sized enter­
prises; 
Whereas the Community's activities aimed at strength­
ening the scientific and technological basis of European 
industry and encouraging it to become more competitive 
include promoting cooperation on research and techno­
logical development with third countries and interna­
tional organizations; whereas such cooperation may 
prove particularly beneficial to the development of this 
programme; 
Whereas, pursuant to Article 101 of the Treaty, the 
Community has concluded Cooperation Agreements in 
the field of controlled thermonuclear fusion and plasma 
physics with the Kingdom of Sweden and with the Swiss 
Confederation; whereas the Community has entered into 
an Agreement of Participation in the international ther­
monuclear experimental reactor (ITER) conceptual 
design activities, together with Japan, the Union of 
Soviet Socialist Republics and the United States of 
America and is negotiating an Agreement of Partici­
pation in the international thermonuclear experimental 
reactor (ITER) engineering design activities together 
with the same countries; whereas the Community has 
entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the 
Government of Canada on the involvement of Canada in 
the European contribution to the ITER conceptual 
design activities; 
Whereas it is necessary, as Annex II to Decision 
90/221/Euratom/EEC provides, to conduct in the Com-
(') OJ No L 151, 7. 6. 1978, p. 10. 
O OJ No L 222, 12. 8. 1988, p. 4. munity a fusion programme whose long-term objective is 
the joint creation of safe, invironmentally sound, 
prototype reactors, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: 
Article 1 
A specific research and technology development 
programme for the European Atomic Energy 
Community in the field of controlled thermonuclear 
fusion, as defined in Annex I, is hereby adopted for a 
period of five years as from 1 January 1990. 
Article 2 
1. The Community funds estimated as necessary for 
the execution of the programme under this Decision 
amount to ECU 458 million. This amount includes ECU 
417 million for the execution of the activities approved 
by the present Decision, and ECU 41 million for the 
activities which the JRC will contribute to the 
programme and which will be subject of a separate 
decision of the Council. 
2. From the above sum of ECU 417 million, an 
amount of ECU 4,17 million is drawn for the centralized 
action of dissemination and exploitation of results. The 
funds thus reduced to ECU 412,83 million include staff 
costs, which may amount to a maximum of 10 %, and 
also expenditure in relation to a maximum of 191 
temporary employees assigned to the JET Joint Under­
taking within the meaning of Article 2 (a) of the 
conditions of employment of other servants of the 
European Communities. 
3. An indicative breakdown of expenditure is set out 
in Annex II. 
4. Should the Council take a decision in implemen­
tation of Article 1 (4) of Decision 90/221/Euratom, 
EEC, this decision shall be adapted to take account of 
the abovementioned Decision. 
5. The budgetary authority shall decide on the appro­
priations available for each financial year. 
Article 3 
Rules for the implementation of the programme are set 
out in Annex III. 
Article 4 
The rate of the Community financial contributions shall 
be laid down in accordance with Annex IV to Decision 
90/221/Euratom, EEC. 
No C 261/10 Official Journal of the European Communities 16. 10. 90 
Article 5 
1. During 1992, the Commission shall review the 
programme and address a report on the results of the 
review to the Council and the European Parliament, 
together with proposals for any necessary changes. 
2. At the end of the programme the Commission shall 
assess the results obtained. It shall address a report 
thereon to the Council and the European Parliament. 
3. The reports shall be drawn up having regard 
to the objectives set out in Annex I to this Decision 
and in accordance with Article 2 (4) of Decision 
90/221/Euratom, EEC. 
Article 6 
For the implementation of the programme, the 
Commission shall be assisted by the consultative 
committee for the fusion programme set up by Council 
Decision of 16 December 1980. Article 7 
In implementing this programme, supplementary 
programmes and joint undertakings within the meaning 
of Articles 45 to 51 of the Treaty may also be decided on 
as the need arises. 
Article 8 
Where cooperation with third countries and international 
organizations aiming at achieving the objectives of this 
programmes requires agreements or contracts under 
Article 101, second paragraph of the Treaty, the 
Commission shall be authorized to negotiate. 
The conclusion of such agreements or contracts shall be 
made in accordance with the provisions described in this 
paragraph. 
Article 9 
This Decision is addressed to the Member States. 
ANNEX I 
SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL OBJECTIVES AND CONTENT 
This specific programme fully reflects the approach embodied in the third framework programme in terms 
of the scientific and technical goals and the underlying aims which it pursues. 
Paragraph 5C of Annex II to the framework programme forms an integral part of the present specific 
programme. 
The long-term objective of the Community fusion programme, embracing all activities undertaken in the 
Member States in the field of controlled thermonuclear fusion by magnetic confinement, is 'the joint 
creation of safe, environmentally sound prototype reactors' (Decision 90/221/Euratom, EEC). A stepwise 
strategy towards the prototype commercial reactor is foreseen, including after JET, an experimental reactor 
(Next Step) and a demonstration reactor (DEMO). 
The first priority objective of the specific programme (1990 to 1994) is to provide the scientific and techno­
logical base, and to prepare industry for the construction of a Next Step device. The mayor physics goal of 
the Next Step will be the achievement of ^elf-sustained thermonuclear burn of deuterium-tritium plasma 
and its control during long pulse operation. The Next Step should demonstrate the safe operation of a 
device that integrates important technologies of a fusion reactor, and should test components and 
subsystems essential for a fusion reactor. The Next Step must provide the basic data for building a demon­
stration fusion reactor (DEMO) capable of producing electricity with a capacity comparable to that of 
future commercial plants, taking due account of environmental constraints. 
16. 10. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 261/11 
Other objectives of the specific programme are: 
— to proceed along the demonstration of the safety and environmental feasibility of fusion power in 
parallel with the demonstration of its scientific and technological feasibility, 
— to enlarge the involvement of European industry, with the views of both injecting industrial expertise 
into the realization of the Next Step and ensuring that Europe will master all the technologies which 
will be required for the construction of future fusion reactors, 
— to determine the reactor potential of toroidal magnetic configurations akin to the Tokamak, concen­
trating on stellarators and reversed field pinches, 
— to maintain a watching brief on other approaches to controlled fusion, 
— to strengthen the links between the Associations and the rest of the European scientific community, in 
particular with universities and similar institutions. 
In order to fulfil the first priority objective of the specific programme, a large fraction of the 1990 to 1994 
activities, including those performed on JET and within the Associations, will be in support of the Next 
Step. Balanced efforts and coherent planning will be ensured between the Next Step design activities, 
supporting research and development in physics and technology, and industrial involvement. 
The following presents an analytical description of the content of the programme, based on and taking 
account of the above elements as well as of the independent evaluation of the programme and of the 
appraisal of the environmental, safety-related and economic potential of fusion, performed in 1990 
according to Council Decision 88/448/Euratom. 
AREA 1 
Next Step design 
Next Step conceptual design activities are being completed in the European frame, NET (Next European 
Torus), and also in the frame of a quadripartite international collaboration, ITER (international thermo­
nuclear experimental reactor), between the Community, Japan, the USSR and the USA. The engineering 
design of a Next Step device will be undertaken according to the following guidelines: 
— the quadripartite approach of ITER will be preferred for technical and economic reasons and the 
Community's current position of preeminence in large tokamaks, acquired especially through JET, will 
be maintained by a full commitment to the project, 
— efforts will be made towards a convergence of the NET and ITER designs, 
— the Community will make all efforts to host the ITER engineering design activities. Pending a further 
European site proposal for engineering design activities, the Community offers a site at the 
Euratom-Max Planck-Institut fur Plasmaphysik Association at Garching, 
— a possible broadening of the collaboration on the ITER device to embrace an articulated ITER 
programme will be investigated. In such a programme the main facilities in fusion reactor development 
would be shared among the partners with a view to ensure equal benefits to the partners, 
— the Community fusion programme will the capability to proceed with NET if the ITER cooperation 
proves too difficult to continue. 
The engineering design of a Next Step will be started as soon as the frame in which it will be undertaken 
will be agreed. In the proposed case of ITER, the fall-back capability of designing a leaner version of 
NET, still able to study ignition and long burn in reactor relevant conditions, will be preserved. 
No C 261/12 Official Journal of the European Communities 16. 10. 90 
Next Step-related physics R&D actions will be undertaken on JET and on the specialized devices in the 
Associations (see areas 3 and 4). 
Actions in fusion technology, specific to the Next Step, in particular in the fields of superconducting 
magnets, plasma-facing components, operational and environmental safety, fuel cycle, remote handling 
maintenance and decomissioning of the device, will be performed in the Associations, in the JRC, and in 
industry. These specific actions will be made consistent with the Community commitment to the ITER 
engineering design activities. The actions aiming at preserving the fall-back capability of the Community to 
construct a Next Step on its own and involving a substantial financial commitment will be considered in the 
frame of the next framework programme. 
The construction of the Next Step may be proposed during the period of the next Community framework 
programme, together with the required adjustments in organization, management and industrial policies. In 
preparation, a study will be carried out on the policies adopted for large scientific and technical projects 
such as space research and large accelerators. 
AREA2 
Long-term technical developments 
Environmental and safety criteria will be essential elements governing the evolution of the fusion 
programme. In particular, work on such issues as the development of low activation materials relevant for a 
reactor, the development of reactor blanket modules, and a reference design for a commercial fusion 
reactor will be undertaken in the Associations, in the JRC, and in industry. 
Material testing requires a powerful source of high energy neutrons. In a first step, a collaboration on the 
adaptation and the use of an existing source outside Europe will be sought. 
The development of DEMO-relevant tritium breeding blankets modules will be pursued, in view of 
subsequent testing in the Next Step. These modules should be relevant for an electricity producing reactor, 
in particular regarding operating temperature and tritium breeding ratio. 
The reference design for a commercial reactor will be based on deuterium-tritium reactions. Consequences 
of using advanced fuels presenting additional advantages regarding safety and environment will be inves­
tigated. The work on reference design will take into account views on social acceptability of fusion and on 
the requirements of utilities in operating such a reactor. It will constitute the technical basis for further 
safety analysis. 
AREA 3 
JET 
The full exploitation of JET in its phases of deuterium plasmas, in the context of a prolongation of the 
Joint Undertaking to 19%, will be completed by establishing reliable methods of plasma purity control in 
conditions relevant for the Next Step Tokamak. Where appropriate, JET equipments and expertise will be 
used to perform specific developments in support of the Next Step. A substantial contribution to the JET 
programme will be provided by the Associations, both by supporting activities (see area 4) and by transfer 
of staff. 
Furthermore, preparation will be undertaken for the final phase of JET with deuterium-tritium plasmas, 
foreseen to take place in 1995 and 1996. A rigorous scientific, technical and safety assessment will be 
carried out as part of this preparation. 
16. 10. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 261/13 
AREA 4 
Support programme 
— Scientific support to the Next Step and to JET 
The activities of the specialized devices within the Associations will be focused on programmes of work in 
support for the Next Step and for JET as well as on exploration of concept improvements. In particular 
studies about confinement, magneto-hydrodynamic stability, plasma-wall interaction, fuelling and exhaust, 
heating and current drive, will be carried out on existing devices: Tore-Supra, Asdex-Upgrade, Textor, 
FTU, Compass, TCV, RTP and Isttok. A revised proposal concerning a compact tokamak, Ignitor, might 
be submitted for in-depth examination. 
New plasma diagnostic methods will be developed and theoretical activities, in particular on plasma 
modelling, will be carried out to support these studies. 
Some existing tokamak devices, such as Asdex and TCA, will be phased out having completed their 
experimental programmes. 
— Studies on alternative lines in toroidal magnetic confinement 
The newly built stellarator, Wendelstein VII-AS, will be fully exploited. Pending the outcome of an 
in-depth examination, the engineering design of a large advanced stellarator, Wendelstein VII-X would be 
undertaken. The possible construction of such a device would be considered in the frame of the 1993 to 
1997 framework programme. Another stellarator, TJ-II, is being constructed for operation to start in 1995. 
Following its completion in 1991, the large reversed field pinch, RFX, will investigate plasma confinement 
and plasma purity at high current. The construction of Extrap-T2 will be completed and its exploitation 
undertaken. 
Several smaller devices, such as the stellarator Storm, the reversed field pinches HBTX and ETA-BETA II, 
and Extrap-Tl will be phased out having completed their experimental programmes. 
— Other approaches to controlled fusion 
Current work going on elsewhere on other approaches to controlled fusion will be followed closely. The 
present keep-in-touch activity with inertial confinement fusion will be continued, subject to a periodic 
reassessment of its reactor potential compared with that of magnetic confinement fusion. 
ANNEX II 
INDICATIVE BREAKDOWN OF EXPENDITURES 
As a percentage for the 1990 to 1994 period: 
— Area 1: Next Step design 15 to 25, 
— Area 2: Long term technical developments 5 to 10, 
No C 261/14 Official Journal of the European Communities 16. 10. 90 
— Area 3: JET 45 to 55, 
— Area 4: Support programme 20 to 30. 
The breakdown between different areas does not exclude the possibility that projects could cover several 
areas. 
ANNEX III 
RULES FOR IMPLEMENTING THE PROGRAMME AND ACTIVITIES FOR DISSEMINATION 
AND EXPLOITATION OF THE RESULTS 
1. The Commission shall implement the programme-on the basis of the scientific and technical content 
described in Annex I. 
2. The rules for implementing the programme, referred to in Article 3, comprise research and techno­
logical development projects, the JET Joint Undertaking, accompanying measures and concerted 
actions. 
The direct research activities carried out by the JRC will be the subject of a separate Council Decision. 
The projects shall be the subject of shared-cost research and technological development contracts in the 
frame of: Contracts of Association with Member States, organizations in the Member States, Sweden 
and Switzerland; the JET Joint Undertaking; the NET Agreement (to be extended and/or modified in 
view of the possible Euratom participation in ITER); the Long-Term Development Agreement (to be 
established); and other contracts of limited duration. 
The accompanying measures consist of applying the means to ensure proper technical execution, 
management and evaluation of the programme, as well as adequate dissemination and accessibility of 
the results, and coordination, training and consciousness-raising of the participants in the programme. 
The concerted actions are those defined in the Financial Regulation. 
3. The participants in the projects must be natural or legal persons established in the Community, Sweden 
and Switzerland, such as universities, research organizations and industrial firms, including small and 
medium-sized enterprises, or associations thereof, in particular European economic interest groupings 
(EEIGs). 
Natural or legal persons established in countries, other than Sweden and Switzerland, which have 
concluded agreements with the Community foreseeing scientific and technical research, may, based on 
the criterion of mutual advantage, take part in the projects undertaken in the context of this 
programme. The Contracting Parties under such arrangements shall not benefit from Community 
funding. They shall contribute to the general administrative costs. 
4. The choice of projects shall be carried out according to the following order of priority, the first method 
being the rule, the second the exception. 
The projects shall be selected on the basis of the ordinary procedures defined in the Contracts of 
Association, the JET Statutes, the NET Agreement, the Long-Term Development Agreement (to be 
established), and any Community-wide agreements that may be concluded following the advice of the 
consultative committee referred to in Article 6. For projects that are awarded priority status by the 
consultative committee, all Associations shall have the right to take part in the experiments carried out 
on the equipment thus constructed. 
16. 10. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 261/15 
The Commission may also accept proposals according to an exceptional procedure and under the 
conditions mentioned below, when they make a particularly promising and significant contribution as 
regards the originality of the theme proposed, the novelty of the scientific and technical approach and 
the methodology of execution, also taking imp account the particular nature of the proposers. 
A favourable technical evaluation of such proposals shall not by itself be a sufficient justification for 
accepting a project; this exceptional procedure may only apply after verification that the nature of the 
project, as defined above, does not justify the use of one of the normal procedures. 
The amount of the financial participation of the Community for all the projects retained by the excep­
tional procedures will be decided each year, in relation to the projects selected according to particularly 
strict criteria of excellence. In any case, this amount may not exceed 5 %; it may be revised each year in 
the light of experience. 
The Commission shall draw up a vade mecum setting out all the rules applicable to this exceptional 
procedure in order to guarantee full transparency. 
5. The Commission may encourage the participants to form a European economic interest grouping 
(EEIG) or make other arrangements for carrying out projects, such as those on a large scale, permitting 
decentralized management adapted to the specific requirements of the project. 
6. The knowledge acquired during the course of the projects shall be disseminated on the one hand within 
the specific programme and on the other hand by means of a centralized activity, pursuant to the 
Decision referred to in the third subparagraph of Article 4 in Decision 90/221/Euratom, EEC-
Proposal for a Council Decision approving amendments to the Statutes of the Joint European 
Torus (JET), Joint Undertaking 
COM(90) 441 final 
(Submitted by the Commission on 3 October 1990) 
(90/C 261/14) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European 
Atomic Energy Community, and in particular Article 50 
thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Whereas, for the purposes of implementing the JET 
project, the Council, by Decision 78/471/Euratom ('), 
established the Joint European Torus (JET), Joint 
Undertaking, and adopted the Statutes thereof, as last 
amended by Decision 88/447/Euratom (2); Whereas, both to achieve fully the aims of the JET 
project as defined in Decision 78/471/Euratom and to 
establish reliable methods of impurity control of a plasma 
before proceeding to the construction of a Next Step 
fusion device, it is necessary to introduce a new phase 
into the JET programme, the objective of which would 
be to establish the effective control of impurities in 
operating conditions close to those of the Next Step; 
Whereas, by its Decision of 90/221/Euratom, EEC (*), 
the Council adopted a third framework programme of 
Community activities in the field of research and techno­
logical development (1990 to 1994), specifying, inter alia, 
the possible prolongation of the JET Joint Undertaking; 
O OJ No L 151, 7. 6. 1978, p. 10. 
O OJ No L 222, 12. 8. 1988, p. 4. (J) OJ No L 117, 8. 5. 1990, p. 28.