No C 108/52 Official  Journal  of the  European  Communities 15. 5. 75 
Opinion  on the communication  from  the Commission  to the Council:  New  proposals 
concerning  the  revision  of the  multiannual  research  and  training  programme  of the 
JRC  and  new  activities  for the Petten  establishment 
The text  referred  to the  Committee  has  not  been  published  in the  Official  Journal 
of the  European  Communities. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 16 January  1975,  the Council  referred  the abovementioned  communication  to the 
Economic  and  Social  Committee  under  Article  170  of the Treaty  establishing  the Euro-
pean  Atomic  Energy  Community  and  under  Article  198  of the Treaty  establishing  the 
European  Economic  Community. 
B. OPINION  OF  THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE 
The Economic  and  Social  Committee  drew  up its Opinion  at its 128th  plenary  session, 
held in Brussels  on 26 and  27 February  1975. 
The Opinion  is published  below: 
THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE, 
Having  regard  to the  referral  on 17 January  1975 
by the  Council  of the  European  Communities  of 
the communication  from  the  Commission  to the 
Council:  New  proposals  concerning  the  revision 
of the multiannual  research  and  training  programme 
of the  JRC  and  new  activities  for the  Petten  esta-
blishment; 
Having  regard  to the  Treaty  establishing  the Euro-
pean  Atomic  Energy  Community,  and  in particular 
Article  170  thereof;  and  having  regard  to the Treaty 
establishing  the  European  Economic  Community 
and in particular  Article  198  thereof; 
Having  regard  to the  decision  taken  by its Bureau 
on 28 January  1975  instructing  the  Section  for 
Energy  and  Nuclear  Questions  to draw  up an Opi-
nion  and  a report  on the  matter; 
Having  regard  to the Opinion  adopted  by the Section 
for Energy  and  Nuclear  Questions  at its meeting 
on 7 February  1975; 
Having  regard  to the oral  report  made  by the Rap-
porteur,  Mr  Schlitt; 
Having  regard  to the discussions  at its 128th  plenary 
session  of 26 and  27  February  1975,  sitting  of 
27 February  1975; 
Whereas  it is necessary  to develop  new  forms  and 
sources  of energy  in the  framework  of a common 
energy  policy; Whereas  the  Joint  Research  Centre  can  play  an 
important  supplementary  role  in this  connection 
through  its multiannual  research  programme, 
HAS  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING  OPINION 
unanimously,  less  one  abstention: 
1. General  comments 
1.1. In  a letter  of 10 May  1974,  the Council  of 
the European  Communities  referred  to the Commit-
tee the  proposal  for  revision  of the  multiannual 
research  programme.  The  Committee  delivered 
its Opinion  on this  proposal  at its plenary  session 
on 28 November  1974  (x). 
1.2. The  Committee  has  now  been  requested  to 
deliver  an Opinion  on new  Commission  proposals 
concerning  the revision  of the multiannual  research 
programme.  The  background  to this  new  referral 
on the  revision  of the  multiannual  research  pro-
gramme  is as follows. 
1.3. When  it adopted  the  JRC's  multiannual 
research  programme  for 1973  to 1976,  the Council 
requested  the  Commission  to submit  appropriate 
(!) OJ  No  C 16,  23.  1. 1975,  p. 1. 
15. 5. 75 Official  Journal  of the  European  Communities No C 108/53 
proposals  for the Petten  research  establishment.  In 
April  1974  the Commission  submitted  such  proposals 
along  with  the proposal  for revision  of the multian-
nual  programme.  These  proposals  cover  additional 
activities  for  the  Petten  establishment,  including 
scientific  and  technical  activity  in the field  of chemi-
stry in support  of certain  of the  Commission's 
departments.  This  proposal  was  aimed  primarily 
at the  especially  wide  requirements  of the  admini-
stration  of the  customs  union.  Other  proposals 
were  made  in respect  of carbon  technology  and 
chemistry.  However,  these  proposals  were  rejected 
following  further  discussions  in the  Council's  sub-
sidiary  bodies.  At  a meeting  of the  Committee  of 
Permanent  Representatives  (CO  RE PER)  on 
18 July  1974  the  Director-General  of the  JRC 
undertook  to work  out  new  proposals  for  Petten 
as quickly  as possible. 
1.4. The  Commission  is now  submitting  a new 
dossier  with  proposals  which  take  account  of 
earlier  discussions  with  the  Council's  subsidiary 
bodies,  and  of further  developments  in the situation. 
There  are  four  separate  proposals  in all: 
(a) an economic  reassessment  of the allocations  for 
each  objective  with  the  activities  remaining 
unchanged,  i.e.  in accordance  with  the  pro-
grammes  adopted  by the  Council  in 1974,  and 
in addition  the  establishment  of a reserve  fund 
of five  million  units  of account  to cover  increases 
in expenditure  arising  out  of the  adoption  of 
the new  Staff  Regulations; 
(b) partial  revision  of some  objectives,  within  the  . 
total  financial  allocations  thus  defined,  i.e.  a 
number  of minor  adjustments  and  some  redi-
rection  involving  no more  than  the redeployment 
of some  of the  staff; 
(c) additional  activities  for  the  Petten  establish-
ment  ; 
(d) measures  to facilitate  the preparation  of future 
programmes. 
1.5. As  regards  the increases  in the appropriations 
for the  individual  projects  of the  multiannual  re-
search  programme  of the  JRC,  with  no change  in 
activities,  the Committee  would  refer  to its Opinion 
of 28 November  1974.  The  appropriations  allocated 
when  the  multiannual  research  programme  was 
adopted  assumed  an average  annual  cost  increase 
of 6 %. As  a result  of economic  developments, 
however,  the  agreed  cost  adjustments  were  inade-
quate  to ensure  proper  execution  of the programme 
by the  deadline  laid  down.  In  its Opinion  of 28 November  1974  the  Committee  approved  the 
increases  proposed  by the  Commission.  It would 
therefore  be superfluous  to comment  again  on this 
aspect  of the  new  proposal. 
1.6. There  is no need  either  for further  comment 
on the  proposed  partial  revision  of certain  points 
of the programme.  In  its Opinion  of 28 November 
1974,  the Committee  also  dealt  with  the  Commis-
sion's  proposals  for  amendments  to the  multian-
nual  research  programme  adopted  on 14 May  and 
18 June  1973.  The  amendments  proposed  by the 
Commission  were  mainly  technical  and  related 
primarily  to the  following  seven  points  of the  pro-
gramme  : 
— waste  processing  and  storage; 
— reactor  safety; 
— remote  sensing  of the  earth's  resources; 
— training; 
— ISPRA  1 reactor; 
— thermonuclear  fusion; 
— hydrogen  production. 
1.7. The  present  new  version  of the revised  multi-
annual  research  programme  does  not  contain  any 
fundamental  changes  as regards  the  above  points. 
It should  merely  be mentioned  that  the Commission 
has dropped  its proposal  for summer  courses.  The 
Chapter  on the  processing  and  storage  of radio-
active  wastes  has  hardly  been  changed,  although 
the Committee  Opinion  of 28  November  1974 
referred  to specific  problems  and  recommended 
expansion  of R and  D activities  in this  sector. 
Although  these  are  priority  matters  in the  field  of 
nuclear  energy,  the  cuts  in this  item  of the  pro-
gramme  are  to be maintained. 
1.8. The  Commission  has  proposed  that  the new 
activities  of the  Petten  research  establishment 
should  include  work  on 'high  temperature  materials' 
for which  total  allocations  of 3 987  069  units  of 
account  for 1975  and  1976  are provided.  It is also 
proposed  that  the  establishment  should  carry  out 
work  on  standard  and  reference  materials,  with 
allocations  totalling  1 399 232  units  of account  for 
1975  and  1976.  A  further  1 200 000  units  of 
account  are  earmarked  for  the  preparation  of 
future  programmes.  The  Committee  has been  asked 
to deliver  an Opinion  on the latter  proposals,  which 
were  not  contained  in the  original  proposal  for 
revision  of the  multiannual  research  programme. 
1.9. The  Committee  deplores  the fact  that  it has 
only  now  been  informed  that  the  original  Commis-
No C 108/54 Official  Journal  of the  European  Communities 15. 5. 75 
sion proposals  concerning  additional  activities  for 
the Petten  establishment  (support  work  on customs 
administration  and  carbon  chemistry)  have  failed 
to meet  with  the  approval  of the Council's  subsidi-
ary bodies.  As  the documents  show,  the said  Com-
mission  proposals  were  rejected  by the Committee 
of Permanent  Representatives  as early  as its meeting 
of 18 July  1974.  At  this  meeting  the  Director-
General  of the  JRC  undertook  to work  out  new 
proposals,  which  were  subsequently  discussed  in 
September  and  November.  At  the  time  these 
discussions  were  taking  place  in COREPER,  the 
Committee  was  examining  the then  current  version 
of the  multiannual  research  programme  and  was 
not informed  by the  Commission  representatives 
that the  items  of the  programme  concerned  with 
customs  administration  and  carbon  chemistry  had 
already  been  rejected  by the  Council's  subsidiary 
bodies.  Consequently  the  Committee  now  has  to 
deliver  a further  Opinion  in order  specifically  to 
deal with  the  additional  activities  for  the  Petten 
establishment  and  the  funds  proposed  for  future 
JRC  work. 
2. Specific  comments that interested  parties,  in particular,  industrial 
firms  working  in these  fields,  should  be contacted 
as soon  as possible.  In  addition  this  Committee 
suggests  that  the planned  survey  should  be followed 
by an early  review  of specific  research  activities. 
This  review  should  be carried  out  in mid-1976. 
2.2. The  Economic  and  Social  Committee  en-
dorses  the views  expressed  by the ad hoc  group  on 
high-temperature  materials  and  the  aforementioned 
committees.  However,  it agrees  with  the Scientific 
and Technical  Committee's  recommendation  that, 
prior  to the commencement  of the specific  research 
work,  the surveys  conducted  so far should  be criti-
cally  analyzed.  Should  it transpire  in the course  of 
the survey  that  it is not  possible  to supply  Petten 
with  further  highly  qualified  staff  in these  specialized 
fields  to back  up the scientists  already  working  there, 
or should  it transpire  that  Petten  is not  so well 
equipped  as other  institutions,  then  in view  of the 
need  to concentrate  resources,  a renewed  check 
should  be carried  out to see whether  this  item  on the 
programme,  given  its relevance  to many  industrial 
developments,  can  be pursued  in Petten,  or whether 
Petten  activities  should  be stepped  up by relocating 
national  facilities  there. 
2.1. As  regards  the new  item  on high-temperature 
materials,  both  the  ad hoc  group  on high-tempe-
rature  materials  and  the  JRC  General  Advisory 
Committee  have  already  expressed  their  views  on 
this project  at Petten.  Both  of these  bodies  support 
the Commission's  proposal,  although  they  presume 
that the  staff  engaged  in work  on materials  will 
initially  be maintained  at the  present  level.  The 
staff assigned  to this  programme  should  work 
primarily  on surveys  and  assessments.  Within  the 
framework  of these  activities,  close  and  permanent 
links  should  be established  with  industry  and  re-
search  centres  in the Member  States,  so that  as the 
next  step  specific  projects  for industrial  application 
and the  relevant  basic  research  programme  can  be 
drawn  up.  The  detailed  programme  should  be 
worked  out  in collaboration  with  an advisory  pro-
gramme  committee  specifically  set up for this  area 
of activity.  The  General  Advisory  Committee  has 
also recognized  the  need  to assign  some  five  to 
eight  highly-qualified  specialists  in high-temperature 
materials  to the Petten  establishment.  The  Scienti-
fic and  Technical  Committee  has  also  backed  this 
programme  on high-temperature  materials.  This 
Committee  considers  it an advantage  that  Petten 
already  has  experience  and  equipment  in the mate-
rials  field,  so that  there  is a basis  for  a common 
approach  in tackling  materials  problems.  The 
Scientific  and  Technical  Committee  shares  the view 2.3. The  Committee  also  thinks  that  the  JRC's 
Directorate-General  should  give  some  thought  to 
new programmes  in due  time.  It shares  the  view 
expressed  in the Commission  proposal  that  the JRC 
should  tackle  new  ideas  and  new  proposals  in the R 
and D field  and  should  be receptive  to new  develop-
ments.  In  the  Committee's  opinion,  this  requires 
a young,  highly  qualified  and  dynamic  team  of 
workers,  who  will  continuously  check  and  analyse 
new research  activities  and  trends.  The  Committee 
thinks  that  the  additional  appropriations  proposed 
by the  Commission  for  this  work  and  amounting 
to 1 % of the  JRC's  aggregate  budget  (i.e.  600  000 
units  of account  per  annum)  are  warranted.  How-
ever,  it would  urge  the Commission  to check  perio-
dically  whether  these  appropriations  suffice  for 
the thorough  preparation  of future  programmes. 
In this  context,  it would  refer  to the principle  adopt-
ed by the  General  Advisory  Committee  that  the 
funds  for  the  preparation  of future  programmes 
must  amount  to 5 % of those  for  programmes 
already  approved. 
Done  at Brussels,  27 February  1975. 
The Chairman 
of the  Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Henri  CANONGE