ARCHIVESHISTORIQUES
DELACOMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEEDES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM(75)344
Vol.1975/0139

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COMMISSION OFTHEEUROPEANCOMMUNITIES
COM(75)344final
Brussels,7July1975
PROPOSAL FORA
COUNCILDECISION(GEE)
adoptingaresearchprogrammeforthe
continuation oftheDRAGONproject
(submitted "bytheCommissiontotheCouncil)
COMC75)344final

111/587/75
Sxplanatory mer.oi'andum
TheDRAGONAgreement(whichisimplemented -undertheauspicesoftheOECD)
isduetoexpiacoon31liarch1976•On17April1975v"theBoardofManagement
oftheDragonProjectapprovedaproposaltoextendtheAgreementupto
31Karch1981}i.e.,foraperiodoffiveyearsinsteadofthreeasinthe
past.Inthisproposal }however,provisionismadefortheprogrammetobe
reviewedafterthreeyears;i.e.,by31liarch1979-If?whenthisreview
takesplace,theredoesnotseemtobeanyfurtherpointincontinuingthe
Agreement,thenexttwoyearswouldbespentinwindinguptheprogrammes
inanorderlymanner,onboththetechnicalandonthefinancialside.If,
ontheotherhand,itisconsidereddesirabletogoonwiththeAgreement,
adecisiontothiseffectwouldlikewisehavetobetakenby31Karch1979-
Oneadvantageofthisapproachisthatitwoulddomuchtofacilitatethe
administration ofProjectpersonnel,andthusimprovetheirefficiencyand
thequalityoftheserviceswhichtheprojectcanprovideforthesignatories
oftheAgreement.
InaccordancewithArticle3oftheAgreementcurrentlyinforce,the
decisionconcerningafurtherextensionmustbetakennotlaterthan
30Jure1975*^absenceofanydecisionbythatdate,theproject
managementwouldbecomesocriticalthatpreliminaryactiontowindup
theprojectwouldhavetobetakeninJuly1975*Thiswouldmeanin
particulargivingthethreemonthsnoticelaiddowninthestaffregulations
topracticallyallthestaff,shuttingdownthereactortostartunloading,
andgivingnoticeoftheterminationofalloutsidecontracts(irradiation,
heliumloopsfortestingmaterials,etc.).Theprojectisnowleftwith
verylittleroomformanoeuvre,anditwillnotbelongbeforeirreversible
stepshavetobetaken.Thefinancialpositionhasbeenmadeverydifficult
bytherateofinflation,whichismuchhigherthanwasanticipatedwhenthe
currentextensionwasbeingnegotiated .

-2-111/537/75
Havingregardtothemedium-andlong-termimportanceofhigh-temperature
reactorsbothforpowerproductionandforotherapplications(synthetic
fuels,high-temperaturechemicalandmetallurgicalprocesses,etc.),and
thefactthattheDragonProjectmightcontributesubstantiallytofacilitate
andspeeduptheattainmentoftheseobjectives,theCommissionfeelsthat
itwouldbeexpedienttoextendtheAgreementonthelinesproposedbythe
BoardofManagement.Thetechnicalprogrammewouldincludethefollowing
objectives :
1)TheoperationoftheDragonreactoruptolarchI98O
2)TherationalutilizationoftheirradiationfacilitiesintheDragon
reactorano.otherEuropeantestreactors,supplementedbyanappropriate
programmeofpost-irradiation examinations,withthetwofoldaimof
supportinganycommercialinitiativesthatmightbetaken,andlater
developingthefueltechnologywithaviewtoadvancedapplications
3)Useoftheprimarycircuitofthereactorfortestingmaterialsand
componentsassociatedwithpowerreactors(e.g.,thermalinsulation,
heatexchangers)
4)Useoftheprimarycircuitofthereactorforstudiesonthediffusion,
depositionandentrainment offissionproducts.Thesestudiesshould
enabletheadvantagesoftheHTRconcepttobemoreclearlydefinedfrom
thepointofviewofcomponentaccessibility andofsafety
5)AgeneralevaluationoftheHTRconceptinregardtosafety
6)Researchanddevelopmentonmaterialsfortheprimarycircuit,with
specialemphasisontheproblemsposedbyadvancedapplications .The
testsplannedunderthisprogrammewillbecarriedoutintheDragon
reactoritself,aswellasinexistingloopswhicharebeingusedunder
contractsconcludedwithoutsidecontractors
./.

111/587/15
7)Definition andquantification ofthemajor problems associated with
materials foradvanced applications :this would beundertaken bya
small team ,whowould proceed toevaluate these systems incooperation
with bodies andindustrial undertakings inthesignatory states .
Fortheimplementation ofthis programme ,theBoard ofManagement forthe
Dragon project hasrecommended atotal budget of28Mit(67.2 m.u.a .)for
five years .This amount allows fortheestimated effects ofinflation ,
aswell asfortheclosing down ofthereactor ifitisfinally taken out
ofservice ontermination oftheAgreement .
;
TheCommission proposes that thecontributions should beonthesame basis
asinthecurrent Agreement ,namely ,that Austria ,Sweden andSwitzerland
should continue tobear $.64 /0ofthetotal budget between them ,andthat
theoverall contribution oftheUnited Kingdom (UKlEA contribution plus the
UKparticipation inthejoint programme oftheNine )should remain at
48.30 fo.Having regard tothetime scale fortheforecast expenditure ,
this should represent acontribution of6.48 m.u.a .(9*64 /-)forAustria ,
Switzerland andAktiebolaget Atomenergi ofSweden ,24.86 m.u.a .(36.99 r>)
fortheUKAEA and35*86 m.u.a .(53.37 $)fortheCommunity .
Inview oftheforegoing ,theCommission requests theCouncil toadopt
aprogramme ofresearch incontinuation oftheDragon Project (Art .7°f
theEAEC Treaty ).

111/624/75-E
Budgetentry:
Lcfralbasis:
Authorizing Department :Directorate-General forIndustrial and
Technological Affaire
Description andobjectivesofgjid'reasonsforthepro.ject:
Prolongation oftheAgreementonthehigh-temperature gasreactor
(OECDDragonProject)beyondMarch31st,1976.expirydateofpresent
/
AgreementwhichhasbeenrunningsinceApril1st,1973*
Theprogrammecomprises:
1)operationoftheDragonreactoruntilMarch31st,1930;
2)R&Dandassessmentsinconnectionwithfuels,corematerialsand
structuresofthereactor,advancedapplications' andsafety.
Theprojectisjustifiedbythemedium-andlong-termadavantagesof
thehigh-temperature reactortype,bothforelectricitygeneration
andforotherapplications (syntheticfuels,chemicalandmetallur­
gicalprocessesathightemperature).
Durationofproject:!.IV.1916to31.III.1931(5years)
Staffrequirements :16A'grade
4Bgrade
20persons
These20personsareCommissionofficialssecondedtotheDragon
ProjectforwhichthetotalstaffcomplementofA+3equivalent
willbeabout77*FmiICIAL ÏÏ'SOOIÏDSÏTCBT '
Chapter3.4-0(DRAGONAgreement)intheStatementof
expenditurerelatingtoresearchandinvestmentactivi­
ties(AnnexI,SectionIII-Commission-oftheSudget
oftheHJuropeanCommunities).
Article7ofthe2AECTreaty
ProposalforwardedtotheCommission on
ProgrammedecisionoftheCouncilof

-2- IIl/62/;/75-S
Cortofthepro^ect:
■Thetotalcostoftheprogrammeisestimatedat67.2IIUA(i23mil­
lion)forI976-I98I.
TheCommissionwillcontributeabout53.371°%i>e.35,36ilUA
(t14,943million).
Scheduleofcommitments andpayements:'
Fundingoftheprojent:.
ThefundscoveringtheCommission'sfinancialcontribution tothis
projectwillberequestedforthefirsttimeinthepreliminarydraft
budgetforthefinancialyear1976•
Supervisions
Scientific,technicalandfinancialsupervisionoftheresultsis
carriedoutbythemanagementandsteeringcommitteesoftheDragon
Project,onwhichtheCommissionisrepresented.
FinancialsupervisioninrespectoftheCommission'scontribution
iscarriedoutbytheDirectorate-General forFinancialControl.1976
1977
1973
1979
1980)Commitments Pr.yments
.25,000MUA7,000líUA
6,360ÍÍUA6,910IÍUA
1,500MUA7,300IÍUA
1,500HUA7,300HUA
)
1931)1,500KUA7,350IIUA

111/587/75
PïïOPOSALFORA
OODÎTCILDSCISIOÏÏ
adoptingaresearchprogrammeforthe
continuation oftheDRAGONProject
THECOUNCILOFTHEEUROPEANC0I3UIIITIES,
HavingregardtotheTreatyestablishingtheEuropeanAtomicEnergyCommunity,
andinparticularArticle7thereof,
HavingregardtotheproposalfromtheCommission ;whichhasconsultedthe
Scientific andTechnicalCommittee
ConsideringthattheAgreementconcerningthehightemperature gascooled
reactor(Dragon)betweentheCommunity,theUnitedKingdomAtomicEnergy
Authority,theRepublicofAustria,theAktiebolagetAtomenergi(Sweden)
andtheGovernmentoftheSwissConfederation expiresoilthe31stMarch1976
Consideringthemedium-long terminterestofthehightemperature gascooled
reactorsystem
Considering,inconsequence,theinterestofextendingtheAgreementandof
continuingtheparticipation oftheCommunity
HASDECIDESASFOLLOWSî
Article 1
Aresearchprogramme,asoutlinedinAnnex,isadoptedfortheperiod1st
April1976to31stEarch1Q81.
Article2
Thefinancialobligationsinrespectofthatprogrammeshallnotexceed
35»S6millionunitsofaccount.-•
Doncc,tDmssolc,FortlioOoancil
ThoProsi&ont

111/587/75
Annex
Thetechnicalprogrammashallinclude:
1)TheoperationoftheDragonreactoruptoMarchI98O
2)TherationalutilizationoftheirradiationfacilitiesintheDragon
reactorandotherEuropeantestreactors,supplemented byanappropriate
programmeofpost–irradiationexaminations,withthetwofoldaimof
supportinganycommercialinitiativesthatmightbetaken,andlater
developingthefueltechnologywithaviewtoadvancedapplications
3)Useoftheprimarycircuitofthereactorfortestingmaterialsand
componentsassociatedwithpowerreactors(e.g.,thermalinsulation,
heatexchangers)
4)Useoftheprimarycircuitofthereactorforstudiesonthediffusion,
depositionandentrainmentoffissionproducts.Thesestudiesshould
enabletheadvantagesoftheHTRconcepttobemoreclearlydefinedfrom
thepointofviewofcomponentaccessibility andofsafety
5)AgeneralevaluationoftheHTRconceptinregardtosafety
6)Researchanddevelopmentonmaterialsfortheprimarycircuit,with
specialemphasisontheproblemsposedbyadvancedapplications .The
testsplannedunderthisprogrammewillbecarriedoutintheDragon
reactoritself,aswellasinexistingloopswhicharebeingusedunder
contractsconcludedwithoutsidecontractors
7)Definitionandquantification ofthemajorproblemsassociatedwith
materialsforadvancedapplications jthiswouldbeundertakenbya
smallteam,whowouldproceedtoevaluatethesesystemsincooperation
withbodiesandindustrialundertakings inthesignatorystates.
Thisprogrammeshallbeexecutedbymeansofanewextensionofthe
revisedAgreementconcerningthehightemperaturegascooledreactor
.project(Dragon).