No C 178/6 Official Journal of the European Communities 5.7.83 
Proposal for a Council Decision adopting a programme of research on the 
decommissioning of nuclear installations (1984 to 1988) 
(Submitted by the Commission to the Council on 17 June 1983) 
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 submitted by the 
Commission after consultation of the Scientific and 
Technical Committee, 
Having regard to 
Parliament, the opinion of the European 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and 
Social Committee, 
Whereas certain parts of nuclear installations 
inevitably become radioactive during operation; 
whereas it is therefore essential to find effective 
solutions which are capable of ensuring the safety and 
protection of both human life and the environment 
against the potential hazards involved in the 
decommissioning of these installations; 
Whereas the programme of action of the European 
Communities on the environment, approved by the 
Council of the European Communities and the 
representatives of the Governments of the Member 
States, meeting within the Council, in the resolution 
of 17 May 1977 ('), underlines the need for 
Community measures on the decommissioning of 
nuclear power plants and lays down the content of 
and procedures for implementing such measures; 
Whereas the research programme concerning the 
decommissioning of nuclear power plants adopted by 
Council Decision 79/344/Euratom (2) has yielded 
positive results and opened up encouraging prospects; Whereas the Council has by Decision ... approved 
the structures and procedures for the management 
and coordination of Community research, 
development and demonstration activities; 
Whereas the Council has by Decision ... adopted a 
framework programme defining a European scientific 
and technical strategy; 
Whereas the Commission has communicated to the 
Council an action programme for the development of 
nuclear fission energy, 
HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: 
Article 1 
A programme of research on the decommissioning of 
nuclear installations, as defined in the Annex, is 
hereby adopted for a five-year period beginning 
1 January 1984. 
Article 2 
The 
(') OJ No C 139, 13. 6. 1977, p. 1. 
O OJ No L 83, 27. 3. 1979, p. 19. expenditure commitments necessary to 
implement the programme are estimated at 
12 100 000 ECU with a staff of five. 
Article 3 
The programme may be reviewed at the end of the 
third year, in accordance with the appropriate pro­
cedures. 
Article 4 
In the implementation of this programme the 
Commission shall be assisted by the Management and 
Consultative Committee 'Nuclear Fission', the terms 
of reference and composition of which were defined 
in Decision ... (structures and procedures for the 
management and coordination). 
5. 7. 83 Official Journal of the European Communities NoC 178/7 
ANNEX 
Programme of research on the decommissioning of nuclear installations 
The aim of the programme is the joint development of a system of management of nuclear instal­
lations finally shut down and of the radioactive wastes produced in their dismantling which, at its 
various stages, will provide mankind and the environment with the best protection possible; the 
programme seeks to promote: 
A. Research and development projects concerning the following subjects: 
Project No 1: Long-term integrity of buildings and systems; 
Project No 2: Decontamination for decommissioning purposes; 
Project No 3: Dismantling techniques; 
Project No 4: Treatment of specific waste materials: steel, concrete and graphite; 
Project No 5: Large containers for radioactive waste produced in the dismantling of nuclear 
installations; 
Project No 6: Estimation of the quantities of radioactive wastes arising from decommissioning 
of nuclear installations in the Community; 
Project No 7: Influence of plant design features on decommissioning. 
B. Identification of guiding principles, namely: 
— certain guiding principles in the design and operation of nuclear installations with a view to 
simplifying their subsequent decommissioning, 
— guiding principles in the decommissioning of nuclear installations which could form the 
initial elements of a Community policy in this field. 
C. Testing of new techniques under real conditions, within the framework of large-scale 
decommissioning operations undertaken in Member States.