A4-0395/97

Proposal and amended proposal for a Council Decision concerning the fifth framework programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) for research and training activities (1998 to 2002) (COM(97)0142 - C4-0234/97 and COM(97)0439 - C4-0410/97 - 97/0120(CNS))

The proposal was approved with the following amendments:

(Amendment 1)

Recital 10a (new)

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas the budgetary authority will make every effort to reach the maximum overall amount provided the financial perspective for the following period is compatible with the justified needs of the other policies;

(Amendment 2)

Recital 10b (new)

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas the maximum overall amount of the fifth framework programme must be revised upon the accession of new Member States prior to expiry of the framework programme;

(Amendment 3)

Recital 13

>Original text>

Whereas the annual report to be submitted to the Council pursuant to Article 7 of the Treaty should also be submitted by the Commission to the European Parliament; whereas, in accordance with the recommendations to be implemented in respect of transparency and sound and efficient management, arrangements should also be adopted for the systematic examination of the progress of the fifth framework programme and its evaluation;

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas the annual report to be submitted to the Council pursuant to Article 7 of the Treaty shall also be submitted by the Commission to the European Parliament; whereas, in accordance with the recommendations to be implemented in respect of transparency and sound and efficient management, arrangements should also be adopted for the systematic examination of the progress of the fifth framework programme and its evaluation;

(Amendment 4)

Article 1(1a) (new)

>Text following EP vote>

1a. To ensure the utmost coordination and to promote a maximum of scientific and technological exchange between these two research programmes, the management committee responsible for this Euratom research programme shall coordinate its activities in the appropriate way with the management committee set up for the energy research under the fifth framework programme.

(Amendment 5)

Article 2

>Original text>

The financial reference amount for the implementation of this framework programme for the period 1998-2002 is ECU 1467 million10.

The annual appropriations will be authorised by the budgetary authority within the limits of the financial perspective

_____________

10 Of which ECU 326 million for the JRC

>Text following EP vote>

The maximum overall amount for Community participation in the fifth framework programme shall be ECU 1 300 million10. If this amount is consistent with the financial perspective over the period 2000 - 2002 it shall be deemed to be confirmed. In all other cases the annual appropriations allocated by the budgetary authority shall be consistent with the financial perspective of each of those years.

_____________

10 Of which ECU 326 million for the JRC

(Amendment 6)

Article 2, 2nd paragraph (new)

>Text following EP vote>

The amount mentioned in the first paragraph shall be subject to revision upon the accession of new Member States prior to expiry of the framework programme.

(Amendment 7)

Article 5(2)

>Original text>

2. Before submitting its proposal for a sixth framework programme, the Commission shall have an external assessment conducted by independent high level experts into the implementation of the activities in the areas referred to in Article 1(2), carried out during the five years preceding that assessment, in the light of the criteria set out in particular in Annex I. The Commission shall communicate the conclusions thereof, together with its comments, to the European Parliament, the Council and the Economic and Social Committee.

>Text following EP vote>

2. Before submitting its proposal for a sixth framework programme, the Commission shall have an external assessment conducted by an independent technical/engineering consultancy into the implementation of the activities in the areas referred to in Article 1(2), carried out during the five years preceding that assessment, in the light of the criteria set out in particular in Annex I. The Commission shall communicate the conclusions thereof, together with its comments, to the European Parliament, the Council and the Economic and Social Committee.

(Amendment 8)

Article 5(3)

>Original text>

3. The independent experts referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 shall be chosen by the Commission, which shall take into account, in a balanced fashion, the various research players.

>Text following EP vote>

3. The independent technical/engineering consultancy referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 shall be chosen by the Council and the European Parliament on a proposal from the Commission, which shall take into account, in a balanced fashion, the various research players.

>Text following EP vote>

Experts from the Commission, the Joint Research Centre or the Joint European Torus shall only perform an advisory role, and the full list of experts shall be made public before appointment.

(Amendment 9)

Article 5a (new)

>Text following EP vote>

Article 5a

As part of the ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) Programme, a select International Parliamentary Committee (IPC) shall be set up in which, in accordance with a specific formula, members of the parliaments of the ITER participants: European Union, United States of America, Japan and Russia, shall be represented. They shall be kept informed of the technical and financial results of ITER. The IPC shall be entitled to receive information and to be consulted. The Commission shall take the initiative in this respect, in agreement with the European Parliament. The costs incurred by the IPC shall be borne by the ITER Programme.

(Amendment 10)

Annex I, 1st category of criteria, last indent

>Original text>

- preserving the environment,

>Text following EP vote>

- preserving the environment, biodiversity, and long-term ecological stability,

(Amendment 26)

Annex I, 2nd category of criteria, indents

>Original text>

- areas which are expanding and create good growth prospects,

- areas in which Community businesses can and must become more competitive,

- areas in which prospects of significant technological progress are opening up.

>Text following EP vote>

- areas which are expanding and create sustainable development prospects,

- areas in which Community businesses can become more competitive,

- areas in which prospects of significant technological progress are opening up, except in the military area.

(Amendment 11)

Annex II(I)(4a) (new)

>Text following EP vote>

4a. Nuclear safety

Chernobyl has awakened our society to the dangers of inadequately engineered and managed nuclear plants, and to the challenges of nuclear waste management. These challenges are by their nature international.

>Text following EP vote>

R& D for nuclear safety needs resources and focus. Chernobyl should serve internationally (including the European Union, the Central and Eastern European coutnries, Russia, the United States and others) as a first point of concentration for scientific and industrial R& D.

>Text following EP vote>

The Commission should prepare the ground for such an international venture.

(Amendment 12)

Annex II(II)(a)

>Original text>

The long-term objective of this action, embracing all the research activities undertaken in the Member States and Switzerland aimed at harnessing fusion, is the joint creation of prototype reactors for power stations to meet the needs of society: operational safety, environmental compatibility, economic viability.

>Text following EP vote>

The objective of this action, embracing all the research activities undertaken in the Member States and Switzerland aimed at harnessing fusion, is the maintenance of scientific and technological expertise in the domain of controlled thermonuclear fusion, with a view, in the long term, to the possible construction of safe, clean and economically competitive prototype reactors for power stations operated by utilities in an increasingly liberalised and privatised market.

>Original text>

The proposed strategy to achieve this long-term objective includes the development of an experimental reactor (The Next Step) and then of a demonstration reactor (DEMO).

>Text following EP vote>

The proposed strategy to achieve this objective involves the pursuit of a range of technological options in the national associations, including spherical tokamaks, stellarators, inertial confinement and continued work on theoretical plasma physics.

>Original text>

Progress to date suggests the construction of the Next Step during the next decade is both technically feasible and strategically necessary. This should preferably take place within the framework of the ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) international cooperation project.

>Original text>

During the period from 1998 to 2002, implementation of the strategy will entail:

>Text following EP vote>

During the period from 1998 to 2002, implementation of the strategy will entail:

>Original text>

- the fusion physics and technology activities needed for the associations and European industry to develop the capacity to construct the Next Step and prepare to operate it; Europe will continue to participate in the detailed design activities for the ITER with a view to its possible construction;

>Text following EP vote>

- the fusion physics and technology activities needed for the associations and European industry to maintain the capacity to construct the Next Step should any decision to construct it be taken in the future;

>Original text>

- activities in the field of physics to improve the basic concepts of fusion devices;

>Text following EP vote>

- activities in the field of physics to improve the basic concepts of fusion devices, including research into inertial confinement in addition to magnetic confinement;.

>Original text>

- technological activities for the longer term which are essential to make progress with harnessing fusion.

>Text following EP vote>

- technological activities for the longer term which are essential to make progress with harnessing fusion.

>Original text>

The full-scale operation of the Joint European Torus (JET), the main instrument for which data can be extrapolated for the experimental reactor, will be completed. Once this Joint Undertaking ends, JET facilities could be used to obtain knowledge for use in the operation of the Next Step.

>Text following EP vote>

The full-scale operation of the Joint European Torus (JET), the main instrument for which data can be extrapolated for the experimental reactor, will be completed. Once this Joint Undertaking ends, JET facilities could be used to obtain knowledge for use in the operation of any possible Next Step.

>Original text>

This key action will also encompass a fresh assessment of safety and environmental aspects; further studies on the socio-economic aspects; coordination, in the context of a keep-in-touch activity, of the Member states' civil research activities on inertial confinement; dissemination of results and the diffusion of information to the public.

>Text following EP vote>

This key action will also encompass a full assessment of the technical, social, environmental and economic prospects for fusion power reactors in an increasingly privatised and liberalised electricity market. This assessment will be carried out by a leading independent international engineering consultancy to be selected by the Council and the Parliament. In addition, a User Community Panel of power utility experts and managers will be established to ensure the relevance of fusion research to power utilities' needs. This panel will report its findings every year to the Council and the European Parliament.

(Amendment 13)

Annex II(II)(b), second indent

>Original text>

- the security and safety of the fuel cycle; a joint, scientifically-founded approach to the management, disposal and minimization of radioactive waste;

>Text following EP vote>

- the security and safety of the fuel cycle; a joint, scientifically-founded approach to the management, disposal and minimization of radioactive waste, including by the transmutation of long-lived isotopes into short-lived isotopes;

(Amendment 30)

Annex II(II)(b), third indent

>Original text>

- radiation protection, with the emphasis on understanding and awareness of the hazards related to ionising radiation, more especially the effects of low-dose radiation, the management of nuclear emergencies and the restoration of contaminated environments;

>Text following EP vote>

- radiation protection, with the emphasis on understanding and awareness of the hazards related to ionising radiation, more especially the effects of low- dose radiation, particularly the actual effects on human beings and general research on genomic instability, the management of nuclear emergencies and the restoration of contaminated environments;

(Amendment 14)

Annex II(II)(b), fourth indent

>Original text>

- studies on new nuclear facilities, advanced and more efficient fuels, future systems and concepts to increase the safety of the complete nuclear cycle and the competitiveness of industry, in particular in relation to outside markets; these studies will cover safety analysis, impact on man and the environment, and the most promising approaches from a technological and economic viewpoint in a sustainable development perspective;

>Text following EP vote>

- studies on new nuclear facilities, advanced and more efficient fuels, future innovative systems and concepts to increase the safety of the complete nuclear cycle and the competitiveness of industry, in particular in relation to outside markets; these studies will cover safety analysis, impact on man and the environment, and the most promising approaches from a technological and economic viewpoint in a sustainable development perspective;

(Amendment 15)

Annex II(II)(b), fifth indent

>Original text>

- the development of technologies and methods for nuclear materials safeguards to meet the new challenges: changes in the fuel cycle, the sharp rise in the stock of fissile materials due to nuclear disarmament, the extra obligations arising out of new international agreements, the illicit traffic in fissile materials;

>Text following EP vote>

- the development of technologies and methods for nuclear materials safeguards to meet the new challenges: changes in the fuel cycle, the sharp rise in the stock of fissile materials due to nuclear disarmament, as well as nuclear energy production and reprocessing, the extra obligations arising out of new international agreements, the illicit traffic in fissile materials;

(Amendment 16)

Annex II(II)(b), sixth indent

>Original text>

- the encouragement of cooperation with the Central and East European countries and the countries of the former Soviet Union: development of specific 'international cooperation¨ research activities which will help improve the safety of nuclear reactors, waste management in these countries, radiation protection, and the control of fissile materials; development of coordination and international cooperation activities carried out under the Framework Programme. It will be possible to mobilize Community financing to facilitate such participation in accordance with rules to be adopted in the Decision on the specific programme.

>Text following EP vote>

- the encouragement of cooperation with the Central and East European countries and the countries of the former Soviet Union: development of specific 'international cooperation¨ research activities which will help improve the safety of existing and new types of nuclear reactors, with a view to the earliest possible and total shutdown of the former, waste management in these countries, radiation protection, the repairing of long-term radiation damage caused by previous reactor accidents and the control of fissile materials; development of coordination and international cooperation activities carried out under the Framework Programme. It will be possible to mobilize Community financing to facilitate such participation in accordance with rules to be adopted in the Decision on the specific programme.

(Amendment 17)

Annex II(II)(b), indent 6a (new)

>Text following EP vote>

- support for, and research into, stepping up the pace of nuclear disarmament by technical contributions in cooperation with the nuclear powers and the IAEA in Vienna, including in particular techniques for the safe removal of the radioactive components of nuclear weapons.

Legislative resolution embodying Parliament's opinion on the proposal for a Council Decision concerning the fifth framework programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) for research and training activities (1998 to 2002) (COM(97)0142 - C4-0234/97 and COM(97)0439 - C4-0410/97 - 97/0120(CNS))

(Consultation procedure)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the Commission proposal and amended proposal to the Council, COM(97)0142 ((OJ C 173, 7.6.1997, p. 30.)) and COM(97)0439 ((OJ C 291, 25.9.1997, p. 16.)) - 97/0120(CNS),

- having been consulted by the Council (C4-0234/97 and C4-0410/97),

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

- having regard to the report of the Committee on Research, Energy, Technological Development and Research and the opinions of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, the Committee on Budgets, the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy and the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Protection (A4-0395/97),

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. Calls on the Council to notify Parliament should it intend to depart from the text approved by Parliament;

4. Calls for the conciliation procedure to be opened should the Council intend to depart from the text approved by Parliament;

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

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