JOINT RESEARCH CENTRE - 1995 ANNUAL REPORT
Date: 1996-04-17
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Joint Research Centre, activity report, research policy, research programme

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels,  17.04.1996 
COM(96)158  final 

JOINT RESEARCH CENTRE 

1995 ANNUAL  REPORT 

(Presented  by the  Commission) 

FOREWORD 

Following 

Article  7 of  the  Council  Decision  of  15 December  1994, adopting  a specific  programme  for  research 
and  technological  development,  including  demonstration,  to  be  carried  out  for  the  European 
Community,  on  the  one  hand,  by  the  Joint  Research  Center  (JRC)  and,  on  the  other,  by  means  of 
activities  within  the  framework  of  a competitive  approach  and  intended  for  scientific  and  technical 
support to  Community policies (1995 to  1998) (94/918/EC); 

Article  7 of  the  Council  Decision  of  15 December  1994, adopting  a specific  programme  of  research 
and technological  development,  including  demonstration, to  be  implemented  by the  Joint  Research 
Centre for the  European Atomic Energy Community (1995 to  1998) (94/919/Euratom); 

Article  5 of  the  Council  Decision of  29 April  1992, adopting  a supplementary  research programme  to 
be  implemented  by  the  Joint  Research  Centre  for  the  European  Atomic  Energy  Community 
(92/275/Euratom)  during the period  1992-1995; 

it  is  foreseen  that  an  annual  report  on  the  implementation  of  the  activities  of  the  JRC  will  be 
transmitted  by the Commission to the Council, the  European Parliament and the  Economic and Social 
Committee. 

In fulfilment  of this requirement,  the enclosed document reports  on JRC activities  in  1995, and at the 
the  reporting  on  Community  RTD  (Research  and 
same  time  constitutes  a  contribution 
Technological  Development)  activities required by  Article  130P of the EC Treaty. 

to 

This annual report  is accompanied by the comments of the Board of  Governors. 

OBSERVATIONS  BY THE  BOARD  OF GOVERNORS ON THE JRC ANNUAL  REPORT  1995 

1995  - THE FIRST YEAR UNDER  MODIFIED  ROLE 

1995  was  a  significant  year  for  t he  JRC.  This  was  t he  year  where  t he  m o d i f i ed  role  of  t he  JRC,  as 
agreed  w i th  t he  Council, t he  Parliament  and  the  Commission  in  1994, t o ok  effect. 

This  m o d i f i ed  role  f or  t he  JRC called  f or  a w i d er  spectrum  of  competitive  activities  t h an  was t he  case 
in  the  past,  and  f r om  1995  onwards  t he  JRC  could  participate  in  C o m m u n i ty  programmes  on  an 
equal  basis  w i th  its  national  Dartners  f r om  research  and  industry.  As  witnessed  by  t he  present 
report,  t he  JRC responded  in  a  -v/namic way  to  this  n ew  challenge  and  in  the  case  of  t he  shared  cost 
action  programmes,  obtainec  n  the  c o m p e t i t i on  promising  results  t o g e t h er  w i th 
its  partners 
t h r o u g h o ut  t he  M e m b er  Sta:es  of  t he  European  Union  and  other  countries  associated  w i th  t he 
It  is 
programmes.  Good  results  were  also  o b t a i n ed  f or  t he  other  modes  of  competitive  activities. 
n o t e w o r t hy  t h a t,  in  spite  of  the  new  modes  introduced  in  1995, the  JRC kept  up  t he  pace  w i th  w o rk 
for  t h i rd  parties  in  comparison  w i th  previous  years. 
In  this  new  situation,  preliminary  targets  were 
set  f or  participation  in  competitive  activities  in  1995  and  the  Board  notes  w i th  satisfaction  t h at 
overall, these  targets  were  exceeded. 

Competitive  activities  is only  one  facet  of  the  JRC w o r k,  another  being  its  institutional  research  and 
scientific  and  technical  support  to  t he  Union's  sectorial  policies,  notably  e n v i r o n m e n t,  energy, 
agriculture  and  industry.  The  Board  appreciates  the  continuing  concern  of  the  JRC  to  respond 
positively  to  t he  requirements  of  customers.  For  the  research  activities  t h e re  is  a  w e l c o me  drive 
towards  producing  useful  results  f or  the  benefit  of  industry  and  society.  The  r e p o rt  highlights 
examples  of  this  and  the  Board  w i ll  continue  to  urge  the  Centre  to  pursue  t he  necessary  t r e nd 
towards  a  f u r t h er  o u t p u t - o r i e n t ed  JRC  w i th  an  increased  scope  for  the  commercialisation  of  its 
t he 
research  results.  Based  on  f r e q u e nt  evaluations  of  the  JRC,  t he  Board  feels  satisfied  w i th 
generally  high  quality  of  the  JRC  w o rk  and  its  increasing  relevance  to  t he  needs  of  t he  European 
Union's  policies. 

The  Board  already  noted  last  year  its  expectations  f or  the  developments  f or  the  JRC  f r om  1995 
onwards.  A m o n g st  the  measures  the  Board  has  taken  to  strengthen  its  f o l l o w - up  on  t he  JRC 
activities 
in  more  detail  t he  JRC 
institutes.  Continuing  efforts  are  being  made  to  introduce  performance  parameters  a nd  quality 
assessment. 

its  Sub-Committees,  a l l o w i ng  to  f o l l ow 

is  a  restructuring  of 

EVALUATIONS  OF THE JRC 

In  its  guidance  of  the  JRC t h r o u g h o ut  the  year  the  Board  has  d r a wn  on  the  recommendations  f r om 
the  evaluations  of  the  JRC and  its  Institutes  by external,  independent,  experts  available  at  t he  e nd  of 
the  previous  1992-1994  programme  period. 
f u ll  set  of 
recommendations  f r om  this  exercise  and  recognises  the  JRC's  m a n a g e m e nt  efforts  in  w o r k i ng  to 
to 
implement 
administrative  and  staff  policy  matters  have  not  yet  been  i m p l e m e n t ed  f or  reasons  beyond  t he 
control  of  the  JRC. 

recommendations  particularly 

t h e m,  while  noting 

t h at  some  useful 

The  Board  has 

reviewed 

related 

t he 

RULES GOVERNING  THE JRC - STAFF ISSUES 

The  Board  continues  to  press  for  the  JRC to  be  a l l o w ed  to  operate  fully  in  a  w ay  t h at  enables  it  to 
achieve  the  change  in  w o r k i ng  methods  envisaged  by  the  Council  Conclusions  of  A p r il  1994.  This 
may  call  for  a  f u r t h er  evolution  of  the  rules  and  regulations  g o v e r n i ng 
its  activities,  possibly 
involving  an  e v o l u t i on  of  its  status  w i t h in  the  Commission.  This  should  also  lead  to  an  increased 
flexibility  in  budgetary  and  financial  matters  combined  w i th  the  n o t ed  progress  on  t he  financial 
management  systems.  The  Board  has presented  its  points  of  view  on  these  i m p o r t a nt  matters  to  t he 
Commissioner  f or  Research,  Mrs.  Edith  Cresson.  Towards  the  end  of  t he  year  it  was  i n f o r m ed  of  t he 
the  Commission  and  other 
i m m i n e nt  plans 
organizational  cha 
es  planned.  Thus  as  a  first  step,  the  JRC  will  be  given  status  as  a  separate 
Directorate  Gênerai  , rom  early  1996 (Decided  on  16 January/T996). 

larger  a u t o n o my  w i t h in 

the  JRC  a 

.'or  giving 

The  Board  has  also  discussed  staff  policy  issues  w i th  the  Commissioner  and  expects  to  f o l l ow  t he 
implications  f or  the  JRC under  the  new  policy  of  the  Commission  on  staff  under  the  research  b u d g et 
of  t he  Union.  Like  the  staff  of  many  other  European  research  institutes,  the  JRC  has  an  age 
distribution  w h i ch  w i ll  result  in  many  vacancies  in the  coming  f ew  years.  Five senior  posts as  Institute 
Director  became  vacant  in  1995  and  four  of  these  were  filled,  f o l l o w i ng  appointments  by  the 
Commission  u p on  advice  f r om  the  Board, while  a  f i f th  post  is still  to  be  filled.  The  Board  welcomes 
the  f o ur  n ew  Directors w ho  joined  the  JRC in  mid-1995. 

DISSEMINATION  OF INFORMATION  ON  THE JRC 

The  m o d i f i ed  role  of  the  JRC requires  a  more  intense  dissemination  of  i n f o r m a t i on  on  JRC  activities 
to  all  interested  parties  at  a  national  level. As  a contribution  to  this,  in  1995  Members  of  t he  Board, 
t o g e t h er  w i th  the  JRC,  arranged  for  a  continuation  of  the  series  of  JRC  Information  Days  and 
presentations  of  JRC  activities  t h r o u g h o ut  the  Member  States  w i th  t he  aim  of  fostering  f u r t h er 
collaboration  between  national  research  laboratories,  universities,  industry  and  the  JRC.  To  attain 
proper  coordination  between  the  JRC research  activities  and  other  related  research  activities  under 
the  Community  Framework  Programmes,  Members  of 
the  Board  have  participated  w i th  JRC 
representatives  in  meetings  of  the  Community  Programme  Committees.  These  exchanges  of  views 
as  prescribed  in  the  Council  decisions  on  the  JRC programmes  should  be  intensified  and  encompass 
all  relevant  programme  activities  in  1996. 

STRATEGY 

The  f u l f i l m e nt  of  the  JRC's  mission  of  performing  customer-driven  research  of  t he  highest  quality 
and  integrity  in  support  of  Community  policies, calls for  a clear  long-term  strategy  for  t he  JRC and  its 
Institutes.  The  Board  agreed  in  late  1995  on  an  updated  JRC strategy  and  has  conducted  discussions 
on  the  underlying  Institute  strategies  as  a  guide  for  the  Centre  in  its  current  and  f u t u re  activities. 
One  of  the  measures  envisaged  in the  1995  strategy  document  is more  extensive  use of  performance 
indicators  to  assist the  development  of  the JRC. 

INSTITUTE  FOR PROSPECTIVE TECHNOLOGICAL  STUDIES (IPTS) 

In  its  observations  on  the  1994  Annual  Report,  the  Board  m e n t i o n ed  the  new  location  of  this 
institute  in  Seville  and  the  w o rk  planned.  It  is pleased  to  record  the  n ew  w o rk  p r o g r a m me  f or  IPTS, 
d e f i n ed 
the 
inauguration  of  the  important  Technological  Watch  function  by  the  Commissioner,  Mrs.  Edith 
Cresson,  in  the  presence  of  the  Chairman  of  the  Board,  w ho  emphasised  the  collaboration  IPTS  has 
established  t h r o u g h o ut  the  Member  States and  w i th  the  European  Parliament. 

the  Commission.  Moreover, 

in  1995  and  endorsed  by 

t he  Board  appreciates 

HIGH  FLUX  REACTOR 

1995  was  the  last  year  of  the  supplementary  EURATOM  programme  for  the  High  Flux  Reactor  (HFR) 
at  Petten  (NL).  T h r o u g h o ut  the  year  discussions  have  taken  place  at  all  levels  on  the  f u t u re  of  the 
HFR  reactor  and  its  proposed  new  multi-annual  programme  to  begin  in  1996.  This  has  involved  a 
complete  overhaul  of  the  management  of  the  facility  and  an  intensive  drive  towards  a  more  direct 
commercial  use of  a considerable  part  of  its capacity  w i th  the  ensuing  improvement  in efficiency  and 
economy. 

A CKNO  WLEDGEMENTS 

The  Board  welcomes  the  several  contacts  it  has  had  during  the  year  w i th  the  Commissioner  for 
Research,  Mrs.  Edith  Cresson  and  looks  f o r w a rd  to  further  discussions  on  the  development  of  JRC 
strategy. 

At  the  same  t i me  the  Board  expresses  its  appreciation  for  the  hard  w o rk  of  the  Director  General,  his 
Directors  and  the  entire  JRC staff  in addressing  the  challenges facing  t h e m. 

JOINT RESEARCH CENTRE 

1995 ANNUAL REPORT 

Report of the Commission 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

1. THE JOINT RESEARCH CENTRE IN  1995 

1.1  INSTITUTIONAL ACTIVITIES: JRC SPECIFIC RESEARCH PROGRAMMES 

1.1.1  Institutional  Research Activities 

1.1.2  Institutional  Scientific  and Technical  Support f or  C o m m u n i ty  Policies 

1.2  COMPETITIVE ACTIVITIES 

Participation  in  shared  cost actions 

Competitive  scientific  and technical  support  activities 

Other  competitive  activities outside the  Framework  Programmes 

Third  Party W o rk 

HFR Supplementary  Programme 

1.3  INFORMATION  DAYS - PUBLICATIONS AND  CONFERENCES 

1.4 HUMAN  RESOURCES 

1.5  FINANCES 

2. ACTIVITIES OF THE JRC INSTITUTES IN  1995 

2.1 THE  INSTITUTE FOR REFERENCE MATERIALS AND  MEASUREMENTS 

2.2  THE  INSTITUTE FOR TRANSURANIUM  ELEMENTS 

2.3 THE  INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED  MATERIALS 

2.4 THE  INSTITUTE FOR SYSTEMS ENGINEERING  AND  INFORMATICS 

2.5  THE  ENVIRONMENT  INSTITUTE 

2.6 THE  INSTITUTE FOR  REMOTE SENSING APPLICATIONS 

2.7  THE  INSTITUTE FOR SAFETY TECHNOLOGY 

2.8 THE  INSTITUTE  FOR PROSPECTIVE TECHNOLOGICAL  STUDIES 

Annex  1 

Annex  2 

8 

10 

10 

14 

18 

18 

18 

18 

18 

19 

19 

20 

22 

23 

23 

26 

28 

31 

35 

38 

41 

44 

46 

48 

JRC Annual  Report  1995 

THE JOINT RESEARCH  CENTRE 

The  Joint  Research  Centre 
the  European  U n i o n.  It  is 
is  the  corporate  research  laboratory  of 
established  by  t he  European  Commission  w i th  headquarters  in  Brussels.  Five  separate  sites,  located 
in  Belgium,  Germany,  Italy, t he  Netherlands  and  Spain, house  eight  d i f f e r e nt  institutes,  each w i th  its 
o wn  focus  of  expertise. 

These  institutes  are: 

IRMM 

The  Institute  for  Reference  Materials  and  Measurements 

GEEL (B) 

ITU 

The  Institute  for  Transuranium  Elements 

KARLSRUHE  (D) 

1AM 

The  Institute  for  Advanced  Materials 

PETTEN (NL)  and  ISPRA (I) 

ISEI 

The  Institute  for  Systems  Engineering  and  Informatics 

ISPRA (I) 

El 

The  Environment  Institute 

IRSA 

The  Institute  for  Remote  Sensing Applications 

1ST 

The  Institute  for  Safety Technology 

ISPRA (I) 

ISPRA (I) 

ISPRA (I) 

IPTS 

The  Institute  for  Prospective  Technological  Studies 

SEVILLE (E) 

The  mission  of  the  JRC  is to  p r o m o te  and  carry  o ut  customer-driven  research  of  the  highest  quality 
and  integrity  in  support  of  Community  policies. 

The  Joint  Research  Centre,  being  an  integral  part  of  the  Community  research  and  technological 
d e v e l o p m e nt  system,  contributes  to  Community  research  policy,  particularly  in  those  sectors  in 
which  it  has special,  if  not  unique,  skills and  in  areas where  its neutrality  is essential  f or  scientific  and 
technical  support  f or  Community  policies.  These  institutional  activities  are  p e r f o r m ed  in  executing 
the  JRC  specific  programmes  decided  by  t he  Council  and  f u n d ed  by  t he  European  Union  budget. 
Furthermore  the  JRC is increasingly  engaged  in competitive  activities  participating:  on  a  competitive 
basis,  w i th  industry,  research  organisations  and  universities  w i t h in  the  M e m b er  States  or  associated 
t he  Framework 
countries, 
Programmes,  and  offering  its services against  payment  to  various  customers. 

including  shared  cost  actions  under 

in  Community  programmes, 

The  statutory  staff,  comprising  officials  and  temporary  agents  of  t he  JRC, was  1.786  at  the  end  of 
1995.  To  this  n u m b er  one  must  add  319  scientists  w ho  were  active  in  the  Centre  and  w e re  paid  by 
the  JRC under  various  hosting  schemes. 

The  global  credits  committed  by  the  JRC  in  1995 were  slightly  lower  t h an  258  Mioecu. 

This A n n u al  Report  is  intended  to  give  a general  overview  of  JRC activities  in  1995. 

Readers  may  f i nd  more  details  in  t he  A n n u al  Reports  of  the  eight  institutes.  The  JRC also  publishes 
numerous  scientific  reports,  presents  papers  to  conferences  and  in  scientific  journals  (all  these 
is  published  yearly),  a nd  organises 
reports  are  referred  to 
workshops,  seminars  and  conferences  to  disseminate  its scientific  o u t p u t. 

in  the  Publication  Bulletin  which 

1. THE JOINT RESEARCH CENTRE IN 1995 

8 

1995  A SIGNIFICANT  YEAR 

to 

for 

research, 

in  1994, 

to  decisions  on 

Programmes 
in 

1995  was  t he  first  year  of  a  new  approach  for 
the  JRC. This  had  been  d e f i n ed  by the  Council  of 
the  European  U n i o n,  the  European  Parliament 
in  discussions 
and  the  European  Commission 
the 
led, 
w h i ch 
Community 
Framework 
technological 
activities 
development  and  demonstration  and 
to 
subsequent  decisions  on  t he  specific  research 
t he  Framework 
i m p l e m e nt 
programmes 
Programmes.  These 
t wo  JRC  specific, 
include 
1995-1998,  research  programmes,  one  for  the 
EC  (European  Community)  and  the  other  for 
the 
Energy 
EAEC 
Community). 
the  Council 
In  c o n f o r m i ty  w i th 
conclusions  of  26  A p r il  1994  on  the  role  of  the 
JRC, 
in 
institutional  activities  as  well  as  competitive 
institutional 
activities, 
f o r m er  covering 
research 
and 
institutional 
technical  support  to  C o m m u n i ty  policies.  The 
in 
competitive  activities 
shared-cost  actions 
the  Framework 
Programmes,  competitive  support  measures  for 
Commission  services  responsible  f or  the  various 
Union  policies,  competitive  activities  outside 
the  Community  Framework  Programmes  and 
contractual  w o rk  p e r f o r m ed  for  outside 
t h i rd 
parties. 

include  participation 
under 

in  1995  has  engaged 

the  Centre 

(European 

the 
and 

scientific 

Atomic 

in  which 

establishing 

industry  and 

a p p o i n t ed 
for 

t he  year 
Commission 

the 
1995  was,  moreover, 
launched 
newly 
bonds 
initiatives 
this 
between 
frame  the  Commissioner  for  research,  Mrs.  E. 
for 
Cresson,  strongly  emphasised 
f u r t h er 
research 
commercialisation  of 
results  and  for  improved  communication  of  JRC 
activities. 

the  need 
JRC 

research.  W i t h in 

better 

Finally,  1995  also  saw  the  enlargement  of  the 
Eur'opean  Union.  The  three  n ew  Member  States 
(Austria,  Finland  and  Sweden)  had  already 
participated  in  1994  in  JRC  activities  under  the 
EEA  (European  Economic  Area)  Agreement. 
This f r a m e w o rk  a l l o w ed  for  the  continuation,  in 
Iceland, 
the  JRC  collaboration  w i th 
1995,  of 
Liechtenstein  and  Norway. 

INSTITUTIONAL  ACTIVITIES 

The  JRC  institutional 
of 
objectives 
the 

activities  contributed 

to 
Framework 

t he 

4th 

and 

Technologies 
Industrial 
Material 

Programme  for  t he  EC and  t he  EAEC  Framework 
Programmes  via  t he  lines  of  I n f o r m a t i on  and 
( I n f o r m a t i on 
Communications 
Technologies 
Technologies), 
Technologies, 
(Industrial 
Measurements 
Environment 
(Environment  and  Climate),  Life  Sciences  and 
Fisheries, 
Technologies 
including  agro-industry, 
technologies, 
forestry  and  rural  development),  Non-nuclear 
Energy,  Targeted  Socio-Economic  Research, 
Thermonuclear 
Nuclear  Fission  Safety  and 
Fusion. 

(Agriculture 

Testing), 

f o od 

and 

and 

NEW  CHALLENGES:  COMPETITIVE  ACTIVITIES 

than  300  proposals  w e re  made 

Following  extensive  preparations  b e g un 
in 
1994,  the  JRC responded  to  the  challenge  set  by 
the  new  opportunities  opened  up  in  1995  f or 
competitive  activities.  Together  w i th  partners 
f r om  industry,  research  centres  and  universities 
t h r o u g h o ut  the  Union  and  associated  countries, 
more 
in 
response  to  the  first  call f or  proposals  under  the 
new  Framework  Programmes,  w i th  a  success 
rate  of  28%.  The  JRC  also  presented  proposals 
for  competitive  support  activities  and 
for 
Community  programmes  outside 
t he  Frame 
work  Programmes,  notably  PHARE  and  TACIS, 
where  contracts  were  w on  f or  nuclear  safety 
work 
the  Central  and  Eastern  European 
countries,  Russia  and  other  Newly  Independent 
States (NIS). 

in 

Taking  up  these  n ew  opportunities-  required 
the  JRC.  They  were 
intensive  marketing  by 
legal,  financial, 
made  possible  by  a  series  of 
budgetary  and  administrative  decisions  by  the 
(Council,  Parliament, 
Community 
Commission).  These 
t he  necessary 
amendments  to  the  Financial  Regulation  f or  the 
European  Union 
in 
b u d g e t, 
September  1995. 

decided  on 

institutions 

included 

Contractual  w o rk  p e r f o r m ed  f or  external  t h i rd 
parties  was  also  notable  and  n ew  contracts 
signed  during  1995  a m o u n t ed  to  w e ll  above  18 
Mioecu. 

VISITS BY  THE  COMMISSIONER 

On  20  July  1995  Commissioner  Mrs.  E.  Cresson, 
made  her  first  visit  to  the  JRC, starting  w i th  the 
Institutes  at  Ispra,  f o l l o w ed  by  a  visit  to  ITU  in 
Karlsruhe  in  September  and  IPTS  in  Seville  in 
December,  w h e re  Mrs.  Cresson  inaugurated  t he 

JRC Annual  Report  1995 

f u n c t i on  of 

technological  w a t ch 

new 
the 
Institute1-  In  her  address to  the  personnel  d u r i ng 
these  visits, she  encouraged  t he  JRC to  continue 
its  mission 
f or  Research  and  Technological 
Development  in  Europe.  She  o u t l i n ed  t he  views 
of  the  Commission  on  t he  contributions  to  be 
made  by  t he  JRC 
to  the  policies  of  t he  Union 
and  on  to  e n g a g e m e nt  in competitive  activities. 

collaboration  w i th 

M e m b er  States  on  JRC  activities  in  general  and 
stimulating 
in  particular 
those  aimed  at 
and 
concrete 
research  conducted  at  a  n a t i o n al  or  regional 
of  Union 
level.  JRC  availability 
in  s u p p o rt 
policies  was  f u r t h er  publicised  by 
i n f o r m a t i on 
activities  directed  to  o t h er  Commission  services, 
including  a Newsletter  and t a r g e t ed  seminars. 

industry 

STRATEGY 

The  p r o g r a m me  period  1995-1998  w i ll  see  t he 
JRC,  on  the  one  hand 
build  on  experience 
acquired  f r om  the  previous  p r o g r a m me  period 
and  on  the  other,  meet  the  challenges 
t h at 
changing  w o r ld 
continuously 
rapidly  and 
markets  impose  on  European  Industry  and  t he 
n ew  demands  facing  the  European  U n i o n,  w i th 
an  emphasis  on 
t he  commercialisation  of 
research  results  of  value  to  industry  a nd  society. 
the  JRC  organises  a 
To  this  end,  each  year 
number 
a nd 
of 
seminars  at  its  five  sites  in  Europe.  The  n u m b er 
the 
of  visitors  shows  the  constant  interest  of 
scientific  community 
to 
t he  contributions 
research  and  development  made  by t he JRC. 

conferences,  workshops 

in 

In order  to  consolidate  t he  n ew  approach  of  t he 
JRC as prescribed  by  t he  Council, t he  Parliament 
and  the  Commission,  the  Board  of  Governors 
and t he  JRC management  have, d u r i ng  t he  year, 
discussed  strategies  f or  t he  e i g ht  institutes  and 
the  JRC  as  a  w h o l e,  leading  to  an  emphasis  on 
customer-driven,  high  quality  research  of  real 
utility  f or  the  European  Union,  executed  in  an 
efficient  way  w i th  a  flexible  responsiveness  to 
changing  market  needs. 

JRC  activities  have  t he  effect  of  creating  links 
between  teams  in  Member  States  situated  at 
technological 
d i f f e r e nt  levels  of  scientific  a nd 
development.  They 
rein 
to 
forcing  cohesion  b e t w e en 
laboratories  and 
research  institutes  in all the  C o m m u n i ty  regions. 

thus  c o n t r i b u te 

in 

forces  on 

t he  areas  of 

In  1995  t he  Commission  announced  t h at  it  had 
established  several 
industrial 
task 
new-generation 
research 
aircraft,  m u l t i m e d ia  educational  software,  the 
car  of  t o m o r r o w,  vaccines  and  viral  diseases,  the 
trains  and 
f u t u r e, 
railway  systems  of 
intermodal  transport,  m a r i t i me  systems  of  the 
friendly  water 
f u t u re  and  environmentally 
technologies.  JRC  staff  have  participated 
in 
most  of  these  task  forces  a n d,  in  parallel,  the 
reorientations 
JRC  m a n a g e m e nt  has  planned 
w i t h in  the  JRC  institutional  research  areas,  in 
order  to  match  research  to  t he  n ew  priorities 
set  by the  Commission. 

t he 

NEW  DIRECTORS 

During 
the  year,  f o ur  n ew  Directors  of  JRC 
Institutes,  namely  ISEI,  El,  IRSA  and  I A M,  took 
up 
the 
their  posts,  after  a p p o i n t m e nt  by 
Commission  acting  on  the  advice  of  the  Board 
of  Governors. 

COMMUNICATION 

INITIATIVES 

Links  b e t w e en  the  JRC  and  industry,  research 
centres  and  universities  were  also  reinforced 
t h r o u gh  t he  organisation  of  I n f o r m a t i on  Days 
in  London,  Athens,  Copenhagen,  Milan  and 
Vienna,  on  the 
the 
Institutes  were 
Board  of  Governors.  The 
new 
presented,  w h i le  workshops  o u t l i n ed 
perspectives 
Likewise, 
members  of  JRC  m a n a g e m e nt  and  staff  have 
the 
given  a  number  of  seminars  t h r o u g h o ut 

initiative  of  Members  of 

collaboration. 

for 

JRC Annual  Report  1995 

1.1  INSTITUTIONAL  ACTIVITIES: JRC SPECIFIC 

RESEARCH  PROGRAMMES 

task  of 

the  JRC  in  1995  was 
to 
The  major 
contribute  to  the 
implementation  of  the  JRC 
specific  programmes  under  the  Communities' 
Framework  Programmes  in  their 
first  year  of 
existence.  This  c o n t r i b u t i on  was  carried  out 
research  activities  and 
t h r o u gh 
technical 
t h r o u gh 
support  activities 
the 
Commission. 

institutional 
institutional  scientific  and 

the  services  of 

for 

1.1.1 

Institutional  Research  Activities 

1995, 

institutional 

In 
accounted  f or  7 3%  of  the  JRC's 
activities; 
f o l l o w i ng  Programme  lines: 

research 

they  are  carried  out  under 

activities 
institutional 
the 

•  The 

Industrial 

p r o g r a m me 

Technologies 

and  Materials 
Technologies 
is  carried  out  by 
the  Institute  for  Advanced  Materials  (IAM) 
and  encompassed 
on 
advanced  materials,  on  surface  engineering, 
on  new  ecofriendly  materials  and  on  Non 
the 
Destructive  Evaluation 
inspection 
structural 
components. 

research  projects 

techniques 

industrial 

for 

of 

•  The  Measurements 

Institute 

and  Testing  programme 
encompassed  research  projects  on  reference 
measurements  and  materials,  carried  out  by 
for  Reference  Materials  and 
the 
Measurements 
the 
and 
the  reliability  of  structures, 
assessment  of 
carried  o ut  by 
for  Safety 
Technology  (1ST). 

Institute 

(IRMM); 

the 

on 

•  The  Environment 

of 

projects 

programme 
and  Climate 
consisted 
on 
research 
atmospheric,  soil,  water  and  waste  pollution, 
executed  by  the  Environment  Institute  (Ei); 
on  the  gradual  setting  up  of  the  Centre  for 
Earth  Observation  a  décentrai,.  ?d  European 
data 
information 
system,and  on  applications  of  remote  sensing 
for 
techniques,  carried  out  by  the  Institute 
Remote  Sensing  Applications  (IRSA);  and  on 
industrial  hazards  carried  out  by  the  Institute 
the 
for  Safety  Technology 
and 
Institute 
Informatics  (ISEI) 

for  Systems  Engineering 

(1ST)  and  by 

m a n a g e m e nt 

and 

•  The 

Non-Nuclear 

programme 
consisted  of 
to 
related 
materials  f or  clean  technologies,  carried  out 

research  projects 

Energy 

10 

the 

Institute 

by 
for  Advanced  Materials 
(IAM), and  to  standardisation  of  photovoltaic 
for 
devices,  carried  out  by 
Systems Engineering  and  Informatics  (ISEI). 

institute 

the 

•  The  Nuclear 

the 

Institute 

Fission  Safety 

f r om  studies  on 

p r o g r a m me 
encompassed  a  number  of  research  activities 
reactor  safety, 
ranging 
carried  o ut  by 
f or  Safety 
Technology  (1ST), by  the  Institute  f or  Systems 
the 
Engineering  and  Informatics  (ISEI)  and 
Institute  for  Advanced  Materials  (IAM), 
to 
research  activities  on  nuclear  safeguards  and 
fissile  materials  management,  executed  by 
the  Institute  for  Safety  Technology  (1ST),  the 
and 
Institute 
Informatics 
f or 
Transuranium  Elements  (ITU).  ITU  carried  o ut 
research  on  nuclear  fuels and  actinides. 

for  Systems  Engineering 

(ISEI),  and 

Institute 

the 

•  The 

Controlled 

Thermonuclear 
(Technology  and  Safety) 
Institute 
Institute 

Fusion 
is 
programme 
f or  Safety 
carried  o ut  by 
the 
f or  Systems 
Technology  (1ST),  the 
Engineering  and  Informatics  (iSEI),  and  t he 
Institute  for  Advanced  Materials  (IAM). 

•  The 

for 

the 

includes 

Targeted 

Prospective 

Socio-Economic 

the  activities  of 

Science 
f u n c t i on 

(IPTS).  The  essential 

Research 
and 
programme 
and 
Technology  Observatory 
the 
prospective  w o rk 
Technological 
Institute 
t he 
Studies 
available 
Institute 
is 
consultants, 
contributions 
experts, 
research  organisations  and 
in 
Member  States  and  w h en  possible  in  t h i rd 
countries,  in  order  to  analyse,  process  and 
integrate  t h em  impartially  and  in  d e p th  and, 
more 
importantly,  to  distil  clear  trends  or 
needs  for  action  in  a usable  f o rm  f or  decision 
makers. 

to 
from 

institutes 

role  of 

harvest 

the 

to 

t he 

While  Part  t wo  of  this  document  reports  on  the 
evolution  in  1995  of  these  research  activities, 
Institute  by  Institute,  some  salient  results  are 
illustrate  h ow 
in  order 
highlighted  here 
JRC 
institutional 
to 
research  enables 
to  acquire 
develop  scientific  knowledge  and 
specific 
to  make  a 
valuable  contribution  to  the  advance  of  science, 
to  provide  scientific  evaluations, 
to  spread 
k n ow  h ow  and  expertise  in  areas  w h e re  n ew 
innovative  applications  could  be  of  interest  to 
coordinate  scientific  cooperation 
t h r o u g h o ut 
Europe  and  sometimes,  to  develop  European 
scientific  networks  centred  on  its  o wn  facilities. 

installations 

in  order 

JRC Annual  Report  1995 

11 

•  Novel  activities,  making  valuable  contribu 
the 
to  science  and  technology 

tions 
benefit of  European  industry: 

for 

fibre 

infiltration 

demonstrated 

reinforcement 

properties 
the 

A  new  composite  material,  made  of  a  silicon 
long  silicon 
reinforced  with 
nitride  matrix 
carbide  fibres,  has  been  elaborated  at  IAM 
Petten,  using  a  liquid 
technique 
followed  by  sintering.  An  investigation  of  its 
the 
mechanical 
effectiveness  of 
in 
increasing  both  the  strength  and  toughness  of 
the  otherwise  brittle  silicon  nitride  matrix,  due 
largely  to  the  formation  of  weak  interphase 
bounding  (the  SiC fibres  are  precoated  with  a 
400 nm thick  layer  of  pyrolitic  carbon). Figure 1 
illustrates the  typical  stress-displacement  curves 
the  composites  with  and  without  an 
for 
fabricated  with 
interphase; 
coated 
better 
performance 
than  the  one  elaborated  with 
uncoated  fibres.  This  new  composite  is  a  first-
temperature 
rate 
applications  of  structural  components 
in  a 
number  of  advanced 
industrial  applications, 
such as gas turbines. 

the  composite 
exhibits 

candidate 

a  much 

fibres 

high 

for 

A  project  for  the  synthesis  of  carbon  nitride, a 
new product,  has been set up within  a network. 

its 

thermal, 

optical,  mechanical 

functional  characteristics 

The multiple aims of the  project were:  to assess 
the 
and 
tribological  properties  of  the  material  and  to 
evaluate 
for 
industrial  use  in  optical  applications,  magnetic 
storage,  hard  disk  techniques  and  advanced 
mechanical  components.  The  network  has 
aroused  the  interest  of  22  research  institutes 
and  11  industrial  partners  from  9  different 
countries. The experimental  contribution  of  the 
the 
IRMM  will  be 
material  by  nuclear  techniques.  The  IRMM  will 
perform  the  analysis  of  materials  layers for  the 
light  elements  (H,  B,  C,  N, £>)  using  charged 
particle  beams  of  the  7  MV  Van  de  Graaff 
accelerator.  Nuclear  reaction  analysis  of  carbon 
and  nitrogen  by  (d,p)  reactions  as  well  as 
Rutherford backscattering will be performed. 

the  characterisation  of 

•  The  JRC  has  exploited  spin-offs 

its 
in  areas  where  a  new 

from 

research  activities 
Community  policy could be emerging: 

the  European  Commission, 
For  example, 
together  with 
is 
the  Member  States, 
currently  strengthening  its  policy  on  natural 
risks,  in  particular  on  the  monitoring  and 
prevention  of  floods.  Flooding  is  a  major 
threat  in many regions of  Europe, both  north 

SiC/StjN4 composite  I 

0.2 

0.3 
Displacement (mm) 

0.4 

0.6 

Flexure load-displacement curve* of S i^  reinforced with SiC fibre withoot coating and with Carbon 
Pyrolytic coating*. 

"Courtesy of UNERA (F 

Fig. 1 - Stress-displacement  curves 

JRC Annual  Report  1995 

and  south, and  involves  river  basins that  need 
m o n i t o r i ng  in  more  than  one  country.  The 
exchange  of  prevention  and  m o n i t o r i ng 
k n o w l e d ge  a m o ng  Member  States could  thus 
be  beneficial,  even  for  events  such  as  flash 
floods w h i ch  have  only  local  consequences. 

remote  sensing 

IRSA  initiated  a  u n i f o rm  land  cover  data  base 
obtained  w i th 
techniques 
f r om  most  of  Europe.  Harmonised  digital 
terrain  models  can  be  obtained  w i th  a 
sampling  scheme  of  20  by  20  m  spatially  and 
6-7  m  in  elevation  t h r o u gh  optical  sensors 
using 
such 
microwave  sensors  are  being  developed 
in 
order  to  reach  a higher  degree  of  accuracy. 

as  SPOT.  New 

techniques 

in 

of 

the 

IRSA 

hydrology 

Specific  projects  carried  out  for  specific  users 
have  also  allowed 
to  develop  an 
hydrological  modelling.  A 
expertise 
project  called  WETLANDS  has  improved  our 
understanding 
of 
catchments  (research  conducted  in  1995  on 
t wo  test  sites,  in  England  and  in  Greece,  b o th 
local  organisations), 
in  collaboration  w i th 
and  our  ability  to  assess the  impact  of  major 
proposed  changes  (such  as  river  diversion  or 
reservoir  building)  or 
to  develop  water 
management  strategies.  Another  project, 
for  a  consortium  of 
HYDRE,  developed 
Mediterranean 
to 
study  the  evolution  and  hydric  stress  of  the 
vegetation. 

regions,  allowed 

IRSA 

importance 
for 
as 

i n f o r m a t i on  on  land  cover  is  of 
Geocoded 
for  upstream  runoff,  as 
prime 
vulnerability 
downstream 
well 
assessment.  In  mountaineous  areas,  forests 
can  slow  r u n o ff  by  a factor  of  10 as  compared 
to  bare  soil.  Modelling  runoff  using 
land 
cover  i n f o r m a t i on  is  important  for  advance 
w a r n i ng  of  floods  d u r i ng  risk  periods  and  for 
assessing  m i t i g a t i on  measures.  It  can  also  be 
i m p o r t a nt  in  deciding  on  agricultural  policies 
of  f a l l ow  (set-aside)  or  afforestation  which 
have  indirect  consequences  on  floods. 

Institute 

The 
f or  Remote  Sensing  Applica 
tions  (IRSA)  is  in  the  process  of  setting  up  a 
scientific  and  technical  support  capacity  for 
emerging  Community  policies  concerning 
floods,  thanks  to  its  in-house  expertise  and 
the  benefit  of  o n g o i ng  institutional  research. 

• 

to 

Institutional  research  activities  also  fostered 
spin-offs 
Two 
significant  examples  in  the  field  of  surface 
Institute  f or  Advanced 
engineering  at  the 
Materials: 

applications. 

specific 

12 

In  the  f r a m e w o rk  of  a  Eureka  project  led  by 
IAM  (IPACERC  project),  t he  development  of  a 
new  processing  technique  f or  p r o d u c t i on  of 
multi  layer  coatings  has greatiy  increased  (up 
to  erosion.  These 
to  500  times)  resistance 
in 
coatings  will  have  applications 
t he 
aeronautics  field,  particularly 
in  helicopter 
engines. 

Surface  engineering  technology  was  applied 
successfully 
f i e l d,  w i th 
in  t he  biomaterials 
three  major  achievements:  i m p r o v e m e nt  of 
the  integration  of  prostheses  in  living  tissues 
(hip,  teeth)  due  to  biocompatible  coatings; 
reduction  of  wear  of  hip  prostheses  by 
surface  engineering  of  mobile  parts  of  joints; 
control  of  the  p r o l i f e r a t i on  of  bacteria  on  the 
prosthesis 
disinfectant 
elements  on  the  surface  of  t he  prosthesis. 
These  activities  are  conducted  in  conjunction 
w i th  several  medical 
in 
France  and  in  Germany. 

incorporating 

Institutes 

Italy, 

by 

in 

t wo 

These 
institutional  research  can  lead  to 
tions  useful  to  industry  and  society. 

examples 

illustrate 

h ow 
applica 

• 

the  JRC 

Institutional 
to 
research  enabled 
spread  a  w eb  of  scientific  cooperation  all 
over  Europe. 
Indeed,  t h r o u gh  bilateral  or 
multilateral  cooperation,  the  JRC  has  set  up 
more 
than  800  connections  w i th  various 
partners,  mainly  w i t h in  t he  European  Union 
but  also 
the 
USA and Japan. This  is illustrated  in  Figure  2. 

in  other  European  countries, 

the  main 

factors  enabling 

•  Finally,  its  institutional  research  has been  one 
to 
of 
develop 
networks 
centred  on  its  o wn  facilities.  A  vivid  example 
field  of  earthquake 
can  be  f o u nd 
engineering: 

European 

scientific 

the  JRC 

in  the 

terms. 

In spite  of  i m p o r t a nt  advances  in  earthquake 
engineering  and  seismic  design  over  the  last 
t wo  decades,  recent  seismic  events  in  Europe 
(e.g.  in  Greece  and  Italy  )  have  shown  h ow 
vulnerable  developed  societies  still  are  to  t he 
effects  of  earthquakes,  b o th  in  h u m an  and 
at 
economic 
decreasing  this  vulnerability  w h i c h, to  a  large 
extent,  depends  on  the  seismic  response  of 
structures  is  thus  clearly  needed.  High  level 
expertise  in  seismic  design  of  structures  has 
long  been  available  in  t he  European  Union, 
as  have  been 
f or 
earthquake  testing  of  structures,  in  particular 
shaking  tables. 

specialised 

Research 

facilities 

aimed 

JRC Annual  Report  1995 

13 

UWWNngdom 
11 A% 

47% 

Belgium 
qm 

Denraik 
2Û% 

Friand 

Poriigal 
2£% 

Ndheriands 
55% 

LuxBTbounj 
0.1% 

Qenrany 
18.4% 

Fig.  2 -  Distribution  of  JRC Cooperation  by  Country 

to 

was 

research 

in  1992  of 

facility  at 
given 

W i th  the  setting  up  in  1989,  at  the  initiative 
of  the  JRC,  of  the  European  Association  of 
Structural  Mechanics  Laboratories  and 
the 
the  ELSA 
subsequent  o p e n i ng 
Ispra,  a  new 
reaction  w a ll 
earthquake 
dimension 
engineering 
and 
co-ordinated 
Community-wide 
projects  in  seismic  design  of  structures  were 
set  up  a r o u nd  the  new  facility.  At  present, 
more 
in 
Member  States  are  involved  w i th  the  JRC in a 
major  p r o g r a m me  of  pre-normative  research, 
in 
the 
provisional  European  standards  for  designing 
civil  engineering  structures  in  seismic  areas. 

t h an  20  specialised 

of  Eurocode 

laboratories 

and  w e ll 

Europe, 

support 

(EC8), 

in 

8 

initiative  of  DG 

research  project  covers 

III 
Established  at 
the 
(Industry)  of  the  Commission  and  w i th 
the 
advice  of  the  CEN  experts  in  charge  of  EC8, 
those  priority 
the 
topics w h i ch  have  to  be  addressed  in  order  to 
improve 
the  proposed  European  seismic 
design  rules,  and  addresses  new  aspects  of 
insufficiently 
engineering 
earthquake 
covered  in  the  current,  provisional  version  of 
the  code.  For  the  practical  i m p l e m e n t a t i on  of 
this 
the 
institutional  activity  at  ELSA  is a  key  element 
i m p l e m e n t a t i on  of  validation 
allowing 

C o m m u n i t y - w i de 

project, 

the 

JRC  Annual  Report  1995 

experiments  on  large  - and  f u ll  - scale  models 
of  buildings  and  bridges. 

f r om 

recently, 

However,  equally  i m p o r t a nt  is the  significant 
support  which  has  been  o b t a i n e d, 
firstly, 
from  the  Human  Capital  and  M o b i l i ty  (HCM) 
programme  a n d,  more 
the 
new  Commission  p r o g r a m me  on  Training 
(TMR).  This 
and  Mobility  of  Researchers 
support,  added  to  ELSA's  o wn 
institutional 
f u n d i n g,  has  made  it  possible  to  set  up  t wo 
research  networks,  g r o u p i ng  respectively  18 
and  11  European  laboratories  w i th  the  ELSA 
t he  JRC.  Moreover,  substantial 
facility  of 
funding  has  also  been  o b t a i n ed 
the 
"Large 
installations"  chapter  of  HCM  and 
TMR  to  let  researchers  to  have  access  to  a 
consortium  of  shaking  tables  (NTUA,  Athens; 
ISMES,  Bergamo;  University  of  Bristol;  LNEC, 
Lisbon;  CEA, Saclay)  a nd  to  the  ELSA  reaction 
wall. 

f r om 

to 

In  addition 
in  support  of 
t he  projects 
Eurocode  8,  organisations  f r om  t he  Member 
States  grouped  w i th  t he  JRC  in  t he  European 
Mechanics 
Association 
of 
Laboratories  are  participating 
j o i n t ly  w i th 
in  shared  cost  actions, 
the  ELSA 
t he 
competitive 
f or 
Commission  and  w o rk 
t h i rd  parties. 
Industry  is involved  in  research  actions  aimed 

Structural 

activities 

support 

team 

f or 

14 

Insbtntional 
Research 
Activities 

CompeàuVeSuppoit 
Activities 

Training and Mobility 
ofReseardxers  (TMR) 
Programme 

Shared-Cost 
Actions 

Third-Bsxty 
Work 

HCQBQ^tf 

ELSA- Laboratory 
StruccoralM tetanies 
& 
E arthquake Engro rtring 

•"-*-

EASML 
European Association 
of Structural Mechanics 
Laboratories 
(Universities  & 
National Labs) 

Basic Research 
in 
Structural 

Network 
in support of 
Eurocode 8 

Brrte / Euram 
Environment 
Inco-Copernjcus 

Research and 
Qualified ion 
Projej 

- Training of Young 
Researchers 

• Support to Industry, 
National/Regional 

Authorities 

- U se of 

N ew Materials  à 
Construction 

Technologies 

Fig. 3 - European  Collaboration 

in  1995 around the  ELSA  Facility 

validating 

developing 

and 
technologies  and 
better 

new 
at 
introducing 
construction 
new  materials  w i th 
durability 
properties  f or  new  constructions  as  well  as 
for  repair  and  strengthening  purposes. 

Figure  3  shows 
European 
collaboration 
engineering  around  the  ELSA  facility. 

the  operation 

on 

in  1995  of 
earthquake 

1.1.2 

Institutional  Scientific  and  Technical 
Support  for  Community  Policies 

The  JRC  provided,  Scientific  and  Technical 
Support  to  Union  Policies  at  the  request  of  the 
relevant  Commission  services, 
in  conformity 
w i th  the  Council  Decisions  of  15  December  1994 
(which  a d o p t ed  the  actual  specific  programmes 
the  JRC).  These  Scientific  and  Technical 
of 
activities  accounted 
the  JRC's 
Institutional  activities. 

for  27%  of 

The  support  activities  are  customer  driven,  in 
f u l f i l m e nt  of 
impartial  and  neutral  scientific 
and  technical  requirements  arising  f r om  E.C. 
directives,  decisions  of  the  Commission  and  thé 
Council,  or  obligations  stemming 
the 
Euratom  Treaty. 

f r om 

The  effective  customer/contractor 
b e t w e en 

requesting 

the 

relationship 
the 

services  of 

Commission  and  t he  JRC  Institutes  is  expressed 
in 
inter-DG 
collaboration  agreements. 

the  elaboration  and  signing  of 

General  m o n i t o r i ng  of  such  JRC  services  to  the 
other  Directorates  General  of  t he  Commission 
has  been  exercised  by  an  official 
inter-DG 
Committee,  established 
by  a  Commission 
decision.  This  group  met  twice  in  1995,  w i th  a 
high  attendance.  Its  role  is t w o f o l d:  m o n i t o r i ng 
the  w o rk  p e r f o r m e d,  so  as to  ensure  a  smooth, 
mutual  exchange  of 
the 
i n f o r m a t i on  on 
these 
activities  (over  100  abstracts  related  to 
support  activities  were  communicated  in  1995 
to  all  DGs),  and  planning  activities 
the 
f o l l o w i ng  year,  t a k i ng  into  account  priorities, 
new  requests and  b u d g et  limitations. 

f or 

related 

to 
lines: 

These  Scientific  and  Technical  Support  activities 
were 
f o l l o w i ng  Framework 
programme 
Environment 
Fisheries,  Targeted  Socio-Economic 
and Nuclear  Safety  and  Safeguards. 

Technologies, 
and 
Research 

and  Climate,  Agriculture 

t he 
Information 

Table  1  shows  t he  d i s t r i b u t i on  of  this  support 
between  the  JRC Institutes  and  the  Framework 
Programme  lines. 

The three  main  JRC support  activities  are: 

JRC Annual  Report  1995 

1.  JRC  Support  for  the  Environmental  Policy, 
which  accounts  for  46%  of  the  scientific  and 

technical  support  budget,  provides  DG  XI 
with scientific and technical assistance for  the 

Table 1 -  JRC Institutional S&T Support Activities 

Institutes 

I R MM 

ITU 

I AM 

ISEI 

El 

IRSA 

1ST 

IPTS 

Framework Programme Lines 

Information  Technologies 

Safety  and  Reliability  of  Systems 

Environment and  Climate 

European  Reference  L a b o r a t o ry  f or  A ir  Pollution  (ERLAP) 

European  Chemicals  Bureau  (ECB) 

European  Centre  f or  t he  V a l i d a t i on  of  A l t e r n a t i ve 

Methods  (ECVAM) 

Support  to  t he  European  E n v i r o n m e nt  Agency  (EEA) 

Quality  C o n t r ol  of  Consumer  Products 

(Consumer  Protection) 

A l p i ne  Observatory 

Industrial  Reliability:  M a j or  Hazards 

B i o t e c h n o l o gy  Safety 

Foodstuff  Analysis  in  S u p p o rt  of  Industrial  Policy 

European  C o m m u n i ty  Pharmaceutical  I n f o r m a t i on 

N e t w o rk  (ECPHIN) 

M e t h o d o l o g i es  f or  UCLAF 

Agriculture and  Fisheries 

Remote  Sensing  f or  A g r i c u l t u re 

A n i m al  I d e n t i f i c a t i on 

European  Office  f or  W i n e,  A l c o h ol  and  Spirit  Drinks 

(BEVABS) 

Reference  M e a s u r e m e n ts  and  Materials  for  Quality 

Control  of  Foodstuffs 

Targeted Socio-Economic  Research 

Prospective  T e c h n o l o g i c al  Studies 

Nuclear Fission  Safety 

European  N e t w o r ks  on  C o m p o n e nt  A g e i ng  and 

Inspection  Techniques 

Euratom  Safeguards  S u p p o r t:  General 

Euratom  Safeguards  S u p p o r t:  On-Site  laboratories  and 

ECSAM 

IAEA  Safeguards  S u p p o rt 

• 

• 

• 

• 

JRC Annual  Report  1995 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

of 

the 

nuclear 

legislation 

i m p l e m e n t a t i on 
on 
cherriical  pollutants,  atmospheric  p o l l u t i o n, 
w a t er  q u a l i t y,  chemical  waste,  industrial  risks 
and 
inter-DG 
safety. 
collaboration  agreement 
the  period 
1995-1998  was  signed  in  December  1995. This 
w o rk  is p a rt  of  the  5th  EC A c t i on  Programme 
in t he  field  of  the  Environment,  and  includes: 

The 
f or 

which 

(ERLAP) 

Pollution 

-  The  European  Reference  Laboratory 

for 
Air 
was 
particularly  active  in  the  harmonisation  of 
current  EC  Directives  on  air  p o l l u t i o n,  in 
the  organisation  of  Quality  Assurance 
the 
Control 
new 
d e v e l o p m e nt 
m o n i t o r i ng  techniques. 

programmes 
and 

and 
validation 

in 
of 

to 

-  The  European  Tracer  Experiment  (ETEX), 
the  capability  of 
aimed  at  verifying 
atmospheric  modellers 
the 
forecast 
evolution  of  a  cloud  of  an  atmospheric 
time.  ETEX  was  co-
p o l l u t a nt 
the  W o r ld 
sponsored 
Meteorological  Organisation  (WMO)  and 
the 
International  Atomic  Energy  Agency 
(IAEA). 

real 

EC, 

the 

by 

in 

-  The  European  Chemicals  Bureau 

is  n ow  handling  all  the 
w h i ch 
and  scientific 
required 
tasks 
n o t i f i c a t i on  of  new  chemicals, 
of 
assessment 
classification 
e x p o r t / i m p o rt 
chemicals 
chemicals. 

and 
control 

.  existing 

and 

of 
testing  methods 

labelling 

(ECB), 
technical 
the 
for 
risk 
the 
chemicals, 
and 
dangerous 
for 

for 

identifying 

-  The  European  Centre  f or  the  Validation  of 
Alternative  Methods  (ECVAM),  which,  in 
collaboration  w i th  its  advisory  Committee, 
has  d e f i n ed  criteria 
the 
Centre's  priorities.  Activities  included  pre-
validation  of  non-animal 
test  protocols, 
vaccine  potency  and  safety  testing,  and 
integrated 
in 
toxicity  testing  studies  which  focussed  on 
metabolism-mediated  toxicity,  and  on  in-
in  blood 
for 
tests 
vitro 
f o r m i ng  tissues. 

teratogenicity 

approaches 

alternative 

-  The 

European 

Technical  Office 

for 
Medicinal  Products,  established  at  El  after 
a  M e m o r a n d um  of  Understanding  was 
signed  b e t w e en  the  European  Agency  for 
the  Evaluation  of  Medicinal  Products  and 
the  Joint  Research  Centre.  This  office  is 
established  in  both  London  and  Ispra  and 
is part  of  t he  European  Technical  Office  f or 
Medicinal  Products  (ETOMEP)  Unit  of  the 

16 

the  JRC; 

Institute  of 

Environment 
it  is 
dedicated  to  the  d e v e l o p m e nt  of  technical 
i m p l e m e n t a t i on 
systems  necessary  f or  the 
of 
on 
legislation 
European 
medicinal  products. 

Union 

in 

-  The  Major  Accident  Hazards  Bureau, 

the 
t he  Bureau 

in 
"Seveso"  Directive.  The 
support  of 
activity  of 
t he 
resulted 
preparation  of  a  second  report  on  lessons 
learned 
the 
f r om  accidents  n o t i f i ed 
Commission;  in  t he  distribution  of  a  pilot 
data  base  of  t he  Documentation  Centre  on 
Industrial 
Competent 
to 
Risk 
Authorities;  and 
in  substantial  progress 
made  by  the  w o r k i ng  groups  established 
to  produce  guidance  f or  safety  reports  and 
safety  m a n a g e m e nt  systems. 

t he 

to 

-  Support 

f or 
methodologies 
(UCLAF). 

the 

of 
for  E.U.  a n t i f r a ud  policy 

elaboration 

-  Support  services 

t he  Alpine 
related 
Observatory  (Alpine  Convention),  initiated 
in  1995. 

to 

The  JRC  also  offers  institutional  support  to 
the  European  Environment  Agency 
(EEA-
Council  Regulation  1210/90). 

2.  JRC  Support  for  t he  Common  Agricultural 
Policy,  accounts  f or  16.5%  of  t he  Scientific 
and  Technical  Support  budget.  The  inter-DG 
collaboration  agreement 
the  period 
1995-1998  was  signed  on  17July  1995.  The 
research 
the 
work 
areas: 

f o l l o w i ng 

is  mainly 

for 

in 

-  application 

of 

remote 

sensing 
to 
the  aim  of 
agricultural  statistics,  w i th 
demonstrating 
and 
developing 
methodologies 
integrate 
w h i ch 
remote  sensing  data  i n to  t he  collection  of 
crop 
statistics 
acreage  and  agricultural  production  in  the 
EC. 

the  m o n i t o r i ng  of 

can 

f or 

-  m o n i t o r i ng  and  control  of  t he  Common 
and 
Policy: 
Agricultural 
sensing 
development  of  n ew 
techniques 
improved 
a l l o w i ng 
monitoring  and  control  of  the  Common 
Agricultural  Policy. 

research 
remote 
for 

- 

implementation 
of  Community  w i ne 
sector  legislation  t h r o u gh  t he  operation  of 
the  "European  Office  for  W i n e,  Alcohol 
and  Spirit  Drinks"  (BEVABS);  some 4000  EU 
NMR  (Nuclear  Magnetic  Resonance)  w i ne 

JRC Annual  Report  1995 

17 

- 

data  have  been  validated  to  be  stored  in 
the pertinent data bank. 

research  and  development 
methods 
improved 
for 
identification in order to prevent fraud. 

new 
animal 

of 

-  quality  control  of  foodstuffs,  by  supplying 
certified  reference  materials,  by  providing 
suitable  analytical  procedures  and  by 
supplying  and/or  coordinating  laboratory 
intercomparisons. 

3. JRC  Support 

support  programme  DG 

for  Nuclear  Safeguards 
IAEA 
(Euratom  Safeguards  DG  XVII, 
I) 
Safeguards 
the  scientific  and 
accounts 
for  32%  of 
inter-DG 
technical  support  budget.  The 
collaboration  agreement 
the  period 
1995-1998  is  expected  to  be  signed  early  in 
1996. 

for 

Most  of  the  work  undertaken  deals with  the 
following tasks: 

- 

training  of  inspectors, harmonisation of in-
inspection 
service  nuclear  safeguards 
practices,  providing  state  of 
the  art 
reference  analyses  of 
equipment  and 
nuclear materials samples; 

-  design 

of 

on-site 

for 
safeguards  analysis  at  reprocessing  plants 
such  as  Sellafield  and  La  Hague;  routine 
analysis  of  nuclear  materials  samples; 

laboratories 

examination  of  the  purchase  and  testing 
of  major 
the 
construction  of  two  analytical  boxes  and 
the training of  analysts; 

equipment 

including 

-  work  on non destructive  assay, sealing  and 
identification 
surveillance 
safeguards 
techniques, 
equipment,  data  information  treatment, 
health physics and training. 

techniques, 
of 

testing 

Other 
Support activities deal  with: 

institutional  Scientific  and  Technical 

Safety and reliability of  informatics systems 

Foodstuff  analysis  in  support  of  the  Industrial 
Policy 

of 
Quality 
(Consumer  Protection) 

control 

consumer 

products 

Techniques 
components in support of  DG XI and DG XVII. 

inspecting  ageing  nuclear 

for 

Table  1 of  Annex  1  shows  how  these  support 
activities  are  customer  driven,  in  fulfilment  of 
impartial  and  neutral  scientific  and  technical 
from  E.C.  directives, 
requirements  arising 
decisions of  the  Commission  and the  Council, or 
obligations stemming from the  Euratom Treaty. 

Progress made  in  these programmes  is  reported 
in  more  detail  in  Chapter  2, dedicated 
to  the 
activities  of  the  individual  JRC Institutes 

JRC Annual  Report  1995 

1.2 

COMPETITIVE  ACTIVITIES 
.-. 

to 

f r om  JRC  specialised 

for 
in  1988,  of  Work 
The  i n t r o d u c t i o n,  back 
Third  Parties,  where 
t he  JRC  carried  out 
research  on  a  contractual  basis  for  external 
clients,  was  m e a nt  to  provide  a  measure  of  the 
relevance  of  t he  JRC's w o rk  and  its  competitive 
technology 
position,  to  enhance  the  f l ow  of 
transfer 
the 
let 
to 
t he  end  users,  and 
industry  and  research  communities 
European 
facilities  and 
benefit 
competences.  This  was  the  first  step  in  opening 
the  JRC  up  to  c o m p e t i t i o n.  The  discussions  in 
the  European  Parliament 
the  Council  and 
leading 
the  Fourth 
the  EURATOM 
Framework  Programme  and 
Framework  Programme  emphasised  the  need 
for  the  JRC  to  pursue  and  reinforce  its  move 
towards  a  more  competitive  approach  on  the 
customer/contractor 
basis 
relationship  as stated  in  the  Council  Conclusions 
on  the  role  of  t he  JRC  in  April  1994. 

the  decisions  on 

genuine 

of 

to 

a 

As  noted  by  the  Council, t he  implementation  of 
implied  several  measures  and 
its  conclusions 
decisions  on 
financial  and 
legal,  budgetary, 
administrative  matters  which,  ideally,  should 
have  been  in force  f r om  1 January  1995. 

The  main  decision  concerned  the  modification 
of  the  Financial  Regulation.  This  always  involves 
the  Council 
a 
decision,  and  was  only  achieved  in  September 
1995. 

lengthy  procedure,  prior 

to 

It  is  intended  t h at  this  transition  be  introduced 
the  global  JRC 
gradually;  around  20%  of 
budget 
should  be  earned 
t h r o u gh  competitive  activities.  As  of  the  1st  of 
January, 
activities 
included: 

competitive 

1995-1998 

1995, 

JRC 

f or 

-  Participation 

in  shared  cost  actions,  where 
the  JRC,  in  association  w i th  partners  in  the 
the 
Member  States,  submits  proposals 
context  of  call for  proposals,  or  contributes  to 
proposals  submitted  by  other 
laboratories 
under  the  Framework  Programmes; 

in 

under 

t he  Fourth 

-  Competitive  scientific  and  technical  support 
activities 
Framework 
Programme,  where  the  JRC  may  respond  to 
Commission 
specific 
Directorates-General  which  are  allocated  on 
a  competitive  basis 
context  of 
invitations  to  tender; 

requests 

f r om 

the 

in 

-  Other  competitive  activities  outside 

Framework  Programmes,  where 

the 
the  JRC 

18 

to  participate 

(alone  or  in  a  consortium  arrangement)  will 
be  able 
in  various  actions 
sponsored  by  t he  Community  (e.g.  PHARE, 
TACIS,  assistance 
to  developing  countries, 
in  t he  context  of  a  competitive 
etc.)  and 
approach,  will  seek  Community  f u n d i ng 
in 
relation  to  those  actions; 

-  Research  under  contract,  the  original  Third 
Party  Work  mode  of 
o p e r a t i on  m e n t i o n ed 
above,  n ow  part  of  the  overall  JRC  compe 
titive  portfolio. 

for 

this 

surge 

preparations 

A l t h o u gh 
in 
competitive  activities  had  already  started  early 
in  1994,  1995  has  been  for  the  JRC  a  year  of 
learning  f r om  experience:  learning  to  cope  w i th 
new  administrative  and  legal  issues,  learning  to 
redeploy  creatively  its  resources  and  personnel 
to  face  the  competitive  challenge,  and  adapting 
to  a 
external 
environment.  The  JRC  Institutes  have  shown  a 
highly  motivated,  flexible  and  keen  response  to 
the  competitive  approach,  stimulated  by  an 
internal  task  force  on  competitive  activities. 

internal 

totally 

n ew 

and 

As far  as JRC participation  in  shared  cost  actions 
is concerned,  the  JRC t o g e t h er  w i th  partners  in 
the  Member  States  submitted  a  total  of  338 
project  proposals  in  response  to  the  first  calls 
for  proposals  f r om  15  specific  Programmes;  by 
December,  1995  the  Commission  had  accepted 
95  of  those  proposals  for  f u n d i n g,  b r i n g i ng  the 
financial 
overall  success 
outcome 
to 
calculate  precisely  due  to  the  o n g o i ng  contract 
negotiations  on  several  outstanding  projects, 
will  be  in  excess  of  10.5  Mioecu.  It  is  i m p o r t a nt 
here 
t he  proposal 
activity  and  the  subsequent  evaluation  results 
have  revealed  to  its  f u ll  extent  the  relevance  of 
the  JRC's  work  and 
the 
European  industrial  and  research  communities. 

to  28%.  The 
the  JRC,  a l t h o u gh  d i f f i c u lt 

to  underline  h ow  b o th 

its  deep 

roots 

rate 

for 

in 

the  area  of  competitive  scientific  and 
In 
technical  support  activities,  of  t he  128  Mioecu 
earmarked  w i t h in  the  4th  FWP  for  f u n d i ng  this 
the  4-year  period,  26.5  Mioecu 
activity  over 
t he 
to 
were  made  available 
Commission  early  in  1995,  b ut  only  20  MioEcu 
have  been  c o m m i t t ed  in  1995. Of  these, the JRC 
to  w in  a b o ut  11.9 
Institutes  have  managed 
in  a 
Mioecu  of  contracts,  either  alone  or 
consortium  arrangement. 

t he  services  of 

activities 

competitive 

the 
outside 
Other 
like  TACIS,  PHARE, 
Framework  Programmes 
etc.,  have  seen  a  g o od  1995  level  of  activity  on 
In  this  highly 
the  part  of  the  JRC  institutes. 

JRC Annual  Report  1995 

19 

competitive  sector  of  the  market,  the  JRC  has 
w on  a r o u nd  2.3  Mioecu. 

The  record  f or  Third  Party  w o rk  shows, for  1995, 
new  contracts  (obtained  on  the  market  at  large) 
in  excess  of  18  Mioecu.  Considered 
the 
context  of  t he  outstanding  e f f o rt  on  the  other 
fronts,  this  represents  a  remarkable  hold  on  the 
previous  positions.  (Third  Party  w o rk  earned  in 
1994 a m o u n t ed  to  18  Mioecu). 

in 

Table  2  provides  a  summary  of  the  amounts 
for  competitive  activities: 
earned 

in  1995 
Table  2 - Competitive  activities 
A m o u n ts  earned  in  1995  (Mioecu) 

Earned 
during 
1995 

Inscribed 
as  1995 
credits  (*) 

Shared  Cost Actions 

Competitive  Support 

Competitive  Activities 
outside  t he  FWP 

10.8 

11.9 

2.3 

Third  Party  W o rk 

18.5 

TOTAL 

43.5 

3.9 

4.8 

1.3 

18.5 

28.5 

(*)  The  balance, w i il  be, after  conclusion  of 
procedures,  inscribed  as  1996  credits. 

HFR Supplementary  Pogramme 

(HFR)  at  Petten 

the  operation  of 

The  High  Flux  Reactor 
is 
operated  by  the  Commission  in  accordance  w i th 
the  Euratom/Netherlands  agreement  of  25  July 
1961.  On  29  A p r il  1992,  t he  Council  adopted  a 
four-year  supplementary  research  programme 
to  be  i m p l e m e n t ed  by  the  Joint  Research  Centre 
the  European  Atomic  Energy  Community 
for 
(1992-1995)  concerning 
the 
High  Flux  Reactor  (HFR)  at  Petten.  Under  the 
supplementary  p r o g r a m me  which  was  drawing 
to  a close  on  31  December  1995, the  activities  of 
the  HFR  were  essentially  the  outcome  of  co 
o p e r a t i on  b e t w e en  t wo  partners,  Germany  and 
the  Netherlands,  w h i ch  provided  its  financing. 
steadily 
A d d i t i o n al 
increased,  came  f r om  external  contracts.  It  is 
intended  to  pursue  the  operation  of  HFR  under 
a  n ew  supplementary  programme,  which  w o u ld 
see  an  even  greater  p r o p o r t i on  of 
income 
coming  f r om  t i,n  industrial  sector  and  a  drastic 
reduction  in  cos 

f i n a n c i n g,  which 

has 

JRC Annual  Report  1995 

1.3  JRC INFORMATION  DAYS -  PUBLICATIONS 

AND  CONFERENCES 

to 

closer 

increase 

b e t w e en 

collaboration 

t he  awareness  of 

The  new  approach  to  the  JRC  activities  calls  f or 
a 
industry, 
research  centers  a nd  universities  in  t he  M e m b er 
States  and  the  JRC.  In  order  to  stimulate  this 
and 
t he  JRC, 
Information  Days  have  been  organised  at  t he 
initiative  of  Members  of  t he  Board  of  Governors 
in  London,  Athens,  Copenhagen,  Milan  and 
Vienna.  JRC  members  have  presented 
the 
Centre  and  in  parallel  workshops  representing 
t he 
f or  n ew 
Institutes  have 
f o u nd  grounds 
t he  participants.  These 
collaboration  w i th 
i n f o r m a t i on  days  have  thus  supplemented  t he 
numerous  presentations  of  t he  JRC  given 
to 
to  national 
the  sites,  visits  made 
visitors  to 
t he  JRC  at 
representations  of 
laboratories, 
specialised  fairs  and  exhibitions,  d i s t r i b u t i on  of 
JRC literature,  etc. 

The  JRC  offers  a  vast  array  of  publications  on 
f r om  papers  and 
scientific  matters 
ranging 
articles 
conference 
papers,  EUR reports  and  reviews. 

in  scientific  magazines, 

In  1995  the  JRC published  in  t o t al  a r o u nd  1.000 
papers  and 
is 
their  d i s t r i b u t i on  by 
shown  in Table  3. 

Institute 

The  detailed  list  of  JRC publications  is  published 
each  year  in the  "Publications  B u l l e t i n ".  The  last 
issue,  No.  15,  published  in  March  1995,  gives  all 
publications  in  1994. 

Most  of  these  publications  are  available  u p on 
request  to  the  Public  Relations,Unit,  Ispra. 

addition 

above 
In 
mentioned  Bulletin  lists  all  patents  o b t a i n ed  by 
the  JRC. There  were  26  patents  g r a n t ed  in  1995. 

publications, 

t he 

to 

In  1995 

in  Europe. 

the  JRC  organises  a  n u m b er  of 
Each  year 
conferences,  workshops  and  seminars  at  its  five 
sites 
there  w e re  9 
conferences,  94 
international  workshops  and 
meetings  and  135  visits  to  t he  various  sites.  The 
resulting 
visitors 
t o t al  of  more  t h an  11.000 
shows  the  constant 
the  scientific 
community  to  the  contributions  in  research  and 
development  made  by the  JRC. 

interest  of 

Table 3 - JRC Publications in  1995 

Institute 

EUR 
Reports 

Conf. 
Papers 

Articles 
Published 

Provis. 
Total 

General  M a n a g e m e nt 

Institute  f or  Reference  Materials  and 
Measurements 

Institute  f or  Transuranium  Elements 

Institute  f or  Advanced  Materials 

Inst, for  Systems  Engineering  and  Informatics 

Environment  Institue 

Institute  for  Remote  Sensing  Applications 

Institute  for  Safety  Technology 

Institute  for  Prospective  Technological  Studies 

Total 

5 

5 

2 

16 

14 

22 

17 

19 

17 

117 

1 

66 

96 

136 

115 

129 

111 

114 

4 

772 

1 

40 

15 

49 

26 

37 

23 

16 

1 

7 

111 

113 

201 

155 

188 

] 

151 

149 

22 

208 

1097 

1.4 

HUMAN  RESOURCES 

The  JRC  statutory  staff  is  made  up  of  officials 
and  temporary  agents,  including  b o th  scientific-
technical  and  administrative  staff. 

By the  end  of  December  1995 t he  statutory  staff 
numbered  1.786  agents,  compared  w i th  1.845 
in  December  1994. Table  4 gives  the  d i s t r i b u t i on 
of  statutory  staff  in  1995. 

Table 4 -  Distribution  of  statutory  staff  as of  December  1995 

Institute 

Directorate  General 

Programmes  Directorate 

Resources Coordination  - Scientific  & Technical  Support  Ispra 

Institute  for  Reference  Materials  and  Measurements 

Institute  for  Transuranium  Elements 

Institute  for  Advanced  Materials 

Institute  for  Systems  Engineering  and  Informatics 

Environment  Institute 

Institute  for  Remote  Sensing  Applications 

Institute  for  Safety  Technology 

Institute  for  Prospective  Technological  Studies 

JRC seconded  staff 

Total 

Staff 

25 

13 

347 

169 

194 

250 

187 

219 

101 

246 

26 

9 

1.786 

* 

JRC Annual  Report  1995 

21 

In  addition  to  statutory  staff,  319 scientists  are 
also  active  in  the  JRC  under  various  hosting 
schemes: 

Table  5  gives  the  distribution,  by  Institute,  of 
these scientists, working at the JRC at the end of 
December  1995. 

senior scientists hosted as visiting scientists; 

national  experts  seconded 
Member  States, 
scientific  work; 

to 
to  participate 

the  JRC  by 
in  selected 

post-doctoral 
students 
fellowships. 

scientists  and 

post-gratuate 
through  a  programme  of 

trained 

In  addition  about  20  scientists  each  year  come 
from  a third  country  assisted  by  a  grant  within 
the  framework  of  a  Commission  agreement 
with  their  countries  or  with  the  International 
Atomic  Energy Agency (IAEA). 

Besides the  above  mentioned  scientists,  several 
senior scientists and about  150 trainees  work  at 
the  JRC Institutes  at  no  cost  to  the  EU  budget, 
in general for short periods of time. 

Table 5 - Visiting scientists, seconded experts, grantholders as of December 1995 

Institutes 

Visiting 
Scientists 

Seconded 
Experts 

Post-
Doctoral 
Scientists 

Post-
Graduate 
Students 

Total 

Institute  f or  Reference 
Materials  and 
Measurements 

Institute  f or 
Transuranium 
Elements 

Institute  f or  Advanced 
Materials 

Institute  f or  Systems 
Engineering  and 
Informatics 

Environment  Institute 

Institute  f or  Remote 
Sensing  Applications 

Institute  f or  Safety 
Technology 

Institute  f or 
Prospective 
Technological  Studies 

2 

2 

4 

1 

5 

7 

4 

2 

2 

-

-

2 

4 

5 

-

-

16 

16 

36 

14 

32 

26 

17 

21 

17 

8 

10 

15 

15 

34 

17 

13 

26 

51 

44 

60 

50 

34 

8 

18 

Total 

27 

13 

151 

128 

319 

JRC Annual  Report  1995 

1.5 

FINANCES 

budget 

The 
as 
(commitments 
implemented  by  the  JRC  in  1995  is  given  in 
Table 6. 

credits) 

Table 6 -1995 Budget implementation  in 
Mioecu 
(Commitments Credits) 

Institutional  activities 

EC Specific Programme 

152.761 

EAEA Specific Programme 

75.301 

Subtotal 

228.062 

Competitive  activities 

Participation  in shared cost 
actions 

Competitive  Scientific and 
Technical Support  activities 

Participation  in Community 
activities outside the FWP 

0.027 

0.045 

Work for third parties 

10.460 

Subtotal 

10.532 

HFR Reactor 

18.548 

Total 

257.142 

22 

To  these  commitment  credits  one  must  add 
0.564  Mioecu  of  credits  carried  over  from  the 
1994  Budget  for  the  execution  of  contracts 
related  to  research  on  the  environment  and  on 
remote sensing from space, authorised  in March 
1995 (SEC(95) 400 final). 

Total  JRC  committed 
amounted to slightly lower than 258 Mioecu: 

financial 

resources 

the  execution  of 
(Research 

for 
programmes 
support  activities 
Commission) 

for 

the 
and 

JRC  specific 
Institutional 
the 

the  services  of 

in 

the 

framework  of 
shared 

for  the  execution  of  JRC competitive  activities 
the  EU  budget 
within 
(participation 
actions, 
competitive support  activities for  the services of 
in  other 
the  Commission,  JRC  participation 
Community  activities,  contributions  from  the 
Dutch  and  German  governments 
the 
operation  of  the  HFR and  from  JRC  customers 
for the execution of work  at their  request. 

cost 

for 

It should be underlined that the figures in Table 
6  refer  to  expenditure  on  work  performed  by 
the  JRC  in  1995.  Shared  cost  actions  and 
technical  support 
competitive  scientific  and 
activities,  as  well  as  participation 
in  other 
Community  activities,  were  new  types  of  JRC 
activity  in  1995.  In  most  cases  contracts  were 
only entered  into at the end of  1995. Asa  result, 
only  limited  work  was  carried  out  during  that 
year.  Figures  on  contracts  entered  into  during 
1995 are provided  in Table 2. 

JRC Annual  Report  1995 

2. ACTIVITIES OF THE JRC INSTITUTES IN 1995 

2.1 

THE INSTITUTE  FOR REFERENCE 
MATERIALS AND  MEASUREMENTS 

In 

t he 

level. 

1995, 

IRMM  promotes  European 

The 
standards, 
reference  materials  and  methodologies  at  t he 
European 
Institute 
i m p l e m e n t ed  its  specific  programme  under  t he 
heading  of  Measurements  and  Testing  and 
c o n t r i b u t ed  to  t he  Framework  Programme  line 
IRMM 
Industrial  Technologies.  Early  in  1995, 
t o ok  over  responsibility  f or  managing  the  BCR's 
reference 
(Community  Reference  Bureau) 
materials: 
stability 
control,  distribution,  sales  administration  and 
recertification  of  exhausted  batches. 

storage, 

includes 

this 

to 

related 

policies, 

is  engaged 

in  support  activities 

for 
IRMM 
nuclear 
Community 
safeguards,  the  safety  and  quality  control  of 
consumer 
reference 
measurements  and  materials  for  quality  control 
It  also  provides  services  and 
of 
reference  materials  to  various  customers  f r om 
the  European  Member  States. 

foodstuffs. 

products, 

and 

A. Institutional  Activities 

Institutional  Research  Activities 

the 

and 

the  Measurements 

One  of  t he  objectives  of  t he  w o rk  at  the  IRMM, 
Testing 
w i t h in 
p r o g r a m m e, 
is  harmonisation  and  standard 
isation  in  analytical  measurements.  To  this  end 
the  available  measurements  expertise  and  the 
Institute 
refined  analytical  techniques  of 
have  been  applied  to  prepare,  characterise  and 
certify  high  quality  reference  materials  for  b o th 
nuclear  and  appropriate  non-nuclear  fields,  to 
coordinated 
establishing 
be 
analytical  measurement  system  at  European 
ievel.  W i t h in  this  f r a m e w o r k, 
responsibility  for 
the  management  of  reference  materials  under 
testing 
the  standards,  measurement  and 
programme  (formerly  BCR)  has  been  taken  over 
by  IRMM. 

used 

for 

a 

to 

included  attempts 

Research  on  biological  and  environmental 
isolate  and 
materials 
stabilise  chloroplast  material  suitable  f or 
the 
bio-assay  of  pesticide  traces  in  drinking  w a t er 
research  was  pursued  on 
control.  Analytical 
by 
characterisation 
m e t a l l o t h i o n e in 
electrochemistry  and 
liquid  chromatography, 
and  on  heavy  metal  traces  of  environmental  or 
bio-medical  relevance.  The  m o d e rn  Ultra  Clean 
the  sub-
Chemical  Laboratory  was  used 

f or 

JRC Annual  Report  1995 

boiling  preparation  of  batches  of  high  purity 
water  and  of  acids  f or  h i gh  accuracy  analytical 
w o r k. 

The  IRMM  also  c o n t r i b u t ed  to  the  i m p r o v e m e nt 
of  t he  n e u t r on  interaction  standards  data  sets 
(which  serve  to  d e t e r m i n e,  inter  alia,  partial 
cross-sections)  as  collected  in  the  High  Priority 
Request  List  by 
t he  NEA  W o r k i ng  Party  on 
Evaluation  C o o p e r a t i o n,  under  t he  auspices  of 
the  NEA  Nuclear  Science  Committee  and 
in 
collaboration  w i th  IAEA. 

For  quality  control 
certified 
activation  analysis 
collaboration  w i th 
(Belgium). 

reference  materials, 

in 

the  preparation  of 
neutron 
a 
facility  was  set  up 
in 
t he  SCK/CEN  at  Mol 

The  proceedings  of  t he  International  M u l t i p le 
Group 
Users'  Workshop  were 
published. 

Analysis 

UHACreiurhhhed 

* 

^%V ^ \X N* V. 

}8MM*s  electron  linear accelerator' DNÀ<$ 
with  hs  unique  high  energy-resoiution 
potential  «as  refurbished from  September 
7394 to  Apr#  W9$- The neutron  measure?* 
zt\tbe 
mertt  programme  was  resumed 
accelerator  m^  <ofUboraitofi^tth\  CEA. 
scientists m the fields of matron  capture an& 
transmission experiments. Measurements if 
the totai and radiative capture cross+sections 
of  $$Fc m  the  /QW resonance region  were 
started  m  collaboration  with  the  CEA  afj 
Sac/ay  (France),  low  energy  resonance,,!**] 
uranium  and uranium  oxide was  studied'àt 
low  temperatures  in  order  to  investigate 
soiid state  effects  on  resonance  shapes/fa 
collaboration w/tfc  the  CFA  at  Çadàrache,. 
(France). 

"  -;  ',",>/' 

Work  related  to  nuclear  matters  included,  inter 
alia,  the  supply  of  targets  f or  n e u t r on  cross-
section  measurements,  fission  fragment  studies 
and  other  applications; 
t he  preparation  and 
characterisation  of  10B  reference  layers  to  be 
used 
flux 
measurement;  t he  setting  up  of  an  improved 
electrodeposition  m e t h od  f or  the  preparation 
of 
the 
layers; 
d e t e r m i n a t i on  of  uranium 
in  e n v i r o n m e n t al 
samples. 

t h in  uranium  a nd  p l u t o n i um 

accuracy 

neutron 

high 

in 

the  LINAC,  high  energy 

resolution 
Also  at 
measurements  of  the  inelastic  scattering  cross-
section  of  iron  were  made  using  a  60  m  f l i g ht 
path.  The  spontaneous 
fission  processes  of 
isotopes  and  of  252rf  have  been 
p l u t o n i um 
f u r t h er  investigated. 

At  the  7  MV  van  de  Graaff  accelerator,  neutron 
inelastic  scattering  was  measured  on  natural 
m o l y b d e n u m.  In  collaboration  w i th  KFA  Julien 
(Germany),  cross-sections  f or  various  activation 
reactions  w e re  measured 
chromium 
isotopes.  Improved  experiments  to  determine 
the 
cross-sections 
235u(n,f)  and  H(n,n)  have  been  initiated. 

reference 

ratio  of 

the 

on 

In  radionuclide  metrology,  an  intercomparison 
of  computer  codes  used  for 
the  analysis  of 
239pu/240pu  alpha  particle  spectra  has  been 
pursued.  Ultralow-background  (3  spectrometry 
was  used  to  characterise  human  bones  for  low 
radionuclide 
underground 
laboratory  of  HADES  (High  Activity  Disposal 
Experimental  Site)  at  Mol 
in  a 
to  obtain  a  natural  matrix 
European  e f f o rt 
limits 
reference  material.  Similarly,  detection 
for 
biological  matrix  were 
determined. 

(Belgium) 

content 

2iopb 

the 

in 

in 

a 

the  materials 

projects 
setups 

research 
experimental 

t wo 
For 
complementary 
for 
hydrogen  p r o f i l i ng  have  been  installed  at  the  7 
MV  van  de  Graaff.  At  the  3.5  MV  van  de  Graaff 
machine,  the  stopping  power  for  helium  ions 
and  protons  of  polyimide  and  VYNS  (trade 
name  of 
co 
polymer)  foils  has  been  d e t e r m i n e d,  as  well  as 
the  uniformity  of  trace  metals  on  filters  for  an 
aerosol  reference  material. 

chloride/vinyl 

acetate 

vinyl 

Institutional 

Support 

Activities 

IRMM's  support  activities  in  1995  were  mainly 
related  to  Nuclear  Safeguards,  on  request  from 
DG  I  (External  Relations),  for  the 
International 
Atomic  Energy  Agency  (IAEA)  and  DG  XVII 
(Energy,  Euratom  Safeguards  Directorate).  Non-
nuclear  certified  reference  materials  were  also 
prepared  for  other  DGs. 
IRMM  acted 
in  general  as  a  Commission 
laboratory  offering  scientific/technical  support 
to  services  which  do  not  dispose  of  their  o wn 
measurement  back-up. 
W o rk  on  dried  nitrate  or  metallic  spike  material 
large 
was  continued 
reprocessing 
and 
isotopic  reference  materials  were 
p l u t o n i um 
IAEA.  Low 
prepared  on  behalf  of  DG 
chemical 
concentrations 
w o rk  in  IRMM's  ultra  clean  chemical  laboratory. 

improve  safety  at 
uranium 

implied  meticulous 

to 
plants, 

I  for 

and 

for 
IRMM  provided  DG  XVII  w i th  solutions 
detector  calibration  needed  in  non-destructive 
assays  of  uranium  and  p l u t o n i u m.  Certified 
reference  materials  of  soils,  sediments  and 
foodstuffs  were  prepared  f or  DG  III  (Internal 
Market)  and  DG  VI  (Agriculture),  f or  quality 
control 
to  assist  enforcement  of  European 
legislation.  These  activities  were  c o m p l e m e n t ed 
by  providing  suitable  analytical  procedures  and 
by 
laboratory 
intercomparisons.  For  DG VI, new  activities  were 
initiated  on  selenium  speciation  a nd  sugar 
analysis.  Cosmetics  analyses  and  a  product 
safety  data  bank  were  under  development 
f or 
DG XXIV (Consumer  Policy). 

initiating  a n d / or  coordinating 

B.  Competitive  Activities 

Shared-Cost  Actions 

of 

its 

field 

competence, 

has 
In 
contributed  in  1995  to  8  SCA  proposals,  3  of 
which  have  been  accepted  so  far;  these  deal 
w i t h: 

IRMM 

• 

• 

the  design,  production  and  certification  of 
sets  of  synthetic  polymer  reference  materials 
consisting  of  a  polyolefinic  base  material 
doped  w i th  heavy  elements  Cd, Cr,  Hg  and  Pb 
at  t wo  different  concentration  levels; 

the  preparation  and  certification  of  calibrant 
solutions  and  fly  ash  samples  f or  measure 
polychlorodibenzo-p-dioxins 
ments 
(PCDD)  and  polychlorodibenzofurans  (PCDF) 
contaminations  in  emissions  at  levels  of  0.1 
n g / m3; 

of 

• 

the  preparation  and  characterisation  of 
catalytic  converters  w i th  respect  to  Pt,  Rh,  Zr 
and Ce. 

Work  for  third  parties 

IRMM  services  and 
reference  materials  are 
available  on  a  commercial  basis.  As  IRMM  n ow 
manages  the  BCR's  reference  materials,  these 
are  also  being  made  commercially  available  f or 
non-nuclear  applications. 

(IMEP) 

interest 

International  Measurement  Evaluation 
The 
in  a 
is  arousing 
Programme 
g r o w i ng  number  of 
laboratories.  The  most 
recent  IMEP  round  on  trace  elements  in  w a t er 
28 
attracted 
European 
countries. 
Evaluation 
Interlaboratory 
Programme 
quality 
control  exercise,  recently  b r o u g ht  t o g e t h er  20 

Regular 
Measurement 
(REIMEP),  an  external 

laboratories 

about 

The 

250 

in 

JRC Annual  Report  1995 

laboratories  worldwide  in  rounds  on  uranium 
oxide powder and two  uranyl nitrate solutions. 

The  supply  of  nuclear  samples  to  external 
customers,  in  particular  for  reactor  neutron 
dosimetry,  was  continued.  Four  new  neutron 
dosimetry 
reactor 
pressure vessel surveillance (titanium  metal  and 
three Al-Co alloys) have been prepared. 

reference  materials 

for 

25 

_£ 

. 

• 

ffy  Ash Reference  Materials and Synthetic 
PBtymzrHeference Materials 

One  of  the  successful Shared<ost  Action 
proposais  dealt  with  the  preparation  and 
cer&tKation  of  solutions  and 
fly  ash 
reference  materials^ for  measurements  of 
dïoxùte  or 
furane  compounds  =at  hw 
concentration levels. A  proposai  related  to 
tôe  design,  production #nd  certification  of 
two consumable synthetic poiymer reference 
materiafs doped  with Heavy elements at  two 
concentration levels? has been launched with 
a  view 
to  promoting  envlronmentai 
protection  and  supporting  the European 
polymer 
the  materiafs 
development, production control and quality 
management 

industry 

In 

JRC Annual  Report  1995 

2.2 

THE INSTITUTE  FOR  TRANSURANIUM 
ELEMENTS 

fuel 

cycle.  The 

t he  nuclear 

ITU  performs  activities  in  the  field  of  t he  safety 
of 
Institute 
contributed  to  t he  Framework  Programme  line 
particular 
Nuclear  Fission  Safety  w i th 
the 
emphasis  on 
nuclear  fuel  cycle.  Other  research  themes  were 
the  safety  of  nuclear 
the 
measurement  and  modelling  of  f u el  properties, 
and  the  characterisation  of  spent  fuel  w i th  a 
view  to  its long  term  storage. 

the  safety  of  actinides 

t h r o u gh 

fuels, 

in 

a 

ITU  also  provided  scientific  and 
technical 
support  f or  Community  policies  in  the  area  of 
in  on-site 
Nuclear 
Fission  Safety,  mainly 
La  Hague 
laboratories 
IAEA 
(Euratom  Safeguards)  and 
the 
(International  Atomic  Energy  Agency). 
In 
in  several  contracts  at 
addition,  it  is  engaged 
the  request  of  various  customers. 

at  Sellafield 

and 
for 

A. Institutional  Activities 

to 

fuels"  part  of 

the  p r o g r a m m e; 

the  Commission's 

ITU  performs  its  activities  under  the  "Safety  of 
nuclear 
it 
contributes 
sectorial 
policies  on  "Safeguards"  and  "Fissile  Material 
M a n a g e m e n t ", 
and 
t h r o u gh 
development  of 
instruments, 
analytical  services  and  expertise,  and  direct  in 
field  measurement  support. 

techniques  and 

research 

Institutional  Research  Activities 

in 

research 

been 
of 

obtained 
uranium-based 

is 
Fuel  Cycle  Safety:  Basic  actinide 
being  carried  out  to  elucidate  t he  electronic 
structure  of  actinide  elements  and  their  interest 
for  chemistry  and  solid-state  physics.  Important 
the 
have 
results 
heavy-
understanding 
f e r m i on 
w i th 
(Pu).  Other 
n e p t u n i um 
themes 
light/solids 
interactions;  neutron  experiments  w i th  Np 
compounds  and  neutron  inelastic  scattering,  to 
better  understand  electron  interactions  in  the 
5f  and  3d  electron  shells;  X-ray  synchrotron 
experiments  on  uranium  oxide  single  crystals 
and 
help 
understand  magnetic  behaviour. 

superconductors 
(Np)  and  p l u t o n i um 
theory  of 

arsenide 

uranium 

crystals, 

include 

doped 

the 

to 

ITU 

fuel, 

the  area  of  safety  nuclear 

is 
In 
measuring  and  modelling  fuel  properties  and 
fuel/cladding  interactions  in  order 
to  be  able, 
in a f ew  years, to  design  very  high  burn-up  MOX 
(mixed  U-  Pu  oxide)  fuel  pins  t h at  w o u ld  be  as 
reliable  as  present-day  uranium 
fuel.  Fission 
product  release  f r om  irradiated  fuel  as  used  in 

26 

t he  PHEBUS  reactor  safety  p r o g r a m me  was 
measured  up  to  complete  e v a p o r a t i on  of 
t he 
fuel.  The  TRANSURANUS  code  was  successfully 
used  to  describe  high  burn-up  p h e n o m e na  (rim 
effect).  For  t he 
t he  use  of  high 
resolution  electron  microscopy  clearly  revealed 
the  subgrain 
dislocation 
t he 
boundary 
f o r m a t i on  of  t he  rim-structure. 

f o r m a t i on  as  the 

in  UO2  and 

first  step 

t i m e, 

lines 

first 

in 

the  EFTTRA 

t he  m i t i g a t i on  of 

(Transmutation  and  Burning 

In  the  area  of 
long-lived 
actinides  and  fission  products,  in  order  to  help 
f u r t h er  minimise  the  radiotoxicity  of  spent  f u el 
and  highly  active  waste,  ITU  collaborates  w i th 
industry 
leading  national  laboratories,  nuclear 
to  prepare 
and  Member  State  authorities 
samples  for  fuel  irradiation,  t r a n s m u t a t i on  and 
recovery  of  actinides  f or  example,  t e c h n e t i um 
(Tc)  samples  for  irradiation,  pins  w i th  high  Pu 
and  Np  content  and  a  Pu-cerium  inert  matrix 
(Experimental 
based  pin  w i t h in 
Feasibility  of  Targets  for  Transmutation)  and 
TRABANT 
of 
Actinides  in  Triox)  programmes.  The  feasibility 
fuel 
of 
targets  w i th  20%  Am  (americium)  and  20%  Np 
was  demonstrated.  Extraction  c h r o m a t o g r a p hy 
was  investigated  for  t he  separation  of  U and  Pu 
f r om  such  fuels.  A  patent  application  was  made 
for  a  method  b u r n i ng  weapon-grade  Pu  in  a 
Light  Water  Reactor  w i th  high  p r o l i f e r a t i on 
carried 
resistance.  Studies  were 
on 
the  physical  and 
fabrication  procedures  and 
chemical  properties  of  inert  matrix  materials  f or 
the  transmutation  of  actinides.  Pellets  of  mixed 
f u el  pins  w i th 
oxide  reference  material  and 
and 
fuel 
metallic 
characterised. 

recovering  actinides 

fabricated 

irradiated 

been 

have 

f r om 

o ut 

long 

In the  area  of  spent  fuel  characterisation  w i th  a 
t oo 
term  storage,  analyses  were  per 
f o r m ed  to  provide  reactor  operators,  t he  f u el 
cycle  industry  and  licensing  authorities  w i th  t he 
necessary,  relevant  safety  data,  including  those 
on  radiotoxicity.  For  instance,  t he  leaching  and 
corrosion  behaviour  of  natural  uranium  oxide 
and  irradiated  high  burn-up  f u el  was  investi 
gated  using  solutions  simulating  g r o u n d w a t er 
to 
and  salt  brine,  w i th  a t t e n t i on  paid 
the 
mechanisms  and  kinetics  of 
leaching.  The 
structure  of  oxidised  layers  on  leached  uranium 
the  Rutherford 
oxide  was  determined  by 
backscattering/channeling 
The 
irradiated  high 
porosity 
in 
burn-up 
detail. 

in  the  outer  rim  of 
fuel  was  quantitatively  analysed 

techniques. 

Institutional  Support 

Activities 

In support  of  the  energy  policy  (DG  XVII),  in  t he 
"Safeguards  and  Fissile  Materials 
area  of 

JRC Annual  Report  1995 

and 

on-site 

tested. 

laboratories 

In  a d d i t i o n, 

M a n a g e m e n t ", 
were 
designed  f or  safeguards  analysis  at  reprocessing 
plants  such  as  Sellafield  and  Cap  de  la  Hague, 
and  major  analytical  e q u i p m e nt  such  as  robots, 
titrators,  alpha-  spectrometers,  non-destructive 
devices  and  detectors,  was 
measurement 
purchased 
t wo 
analytical  boxes  were  constructed,  analysts 
were  trained  and  routine  analyses  of  nuclear 
material  samples  w e re  p e r f o r m e d.  Some  other 
examples 
a 
performance  evaluation  of  the  MGA  m e t h od 
f or  K-edge  and 
( M u l t i p le  Group  Analysis) 
n e u t r o n - g a m ma 
a 
counting 
comparison  of  p l u t o n i um  assay  techniques;  a 
detailed  evaluation  of 
correlation 
isotope 
t he  d e t e r m i n a t i on  of  Pu-242; 
techniques  f or 
measurements 
samples 
technology  f or  safeguards  samples  w i th 
trace 
amounts  of  radionuclides 
in  soils,  vegetation 
and  sediments  f r om  contaminated  areas. 

applications; 

preparation 

activities: 

support 

1995 

and 

of 

provided 

ITU  staff 
in-site  support 

significant 
As  before, 
t he  Safeguards 
to 
analytical 
fuel 
in 
reprocessing 
Directorate 
fabrication  plants.  The  characterisation  of 
vagabonding  nuclear  materials  was  continued 
whenever  necessary. 

and 

in 

Analysis of Environmental Samples 

1 

During 1995 the  corner-stone  was  iaid for 
this 
the  new  ARTiNA  laboratory*. With 
laboratory  fully  operational,  the  Institute 
can provide ultra sensitive analysis of radio-
isotope  traces  for  the  identification  of 
undeclared nuclear activities. This capability 
will be used for safeguards applications. 
TheAKTMA laboratory consists of a cfass 100 
clean laboratory for sample preparation and 
pre-treatment  and  a  range  of  highly 
sensitive equipment for the measurement of 
a range of  radioisotopes which are  "indica 
tors44 for clandestine nuclear activities, 
ITU  has  asked 
laboratory  of  the  IAEA  for  environmental 
samples and has already participated in test 
campaigns for the  analysis of  bulk  sampfes 
andparticles. 

to  become  a  network 

B.  Competitive  Activities 

Shared-Cost 

Actions 

8  proposals  (made  w i th  EU  partners)  for 
Nuclear 
accepted  in  1995. The  projects  concern: 
•  evaluation  of  p a r t i t i o n i ng  and  transmutation 

the 
p r o g r a m me  were 

Fission  Safety 

strategies 

JRC Annual  Report  1995 

•  n ew  p a r t i t i o n i ng  techniques 
• 

impact  of  accelerator  based  technologres  on 
nuclear  fission  safety 
t h o r i um  cycles  as  a  nuclear  waste  manage 
ment  o p t i on 
revaporisation  tests  on  samples  f r om  PHEBUS 
FP 

• 

• 

•  source  term  f or  performance  assessment  of 

spent  fuel  as a waste  f o rm 

•  supporting  nuclear  data  f or  advanced  MOX 

• 

fuels 
j o i nt  experiment  on  A m e r i c i um 
t i on 

transmuta 

These  Cost-Shared  Actions  w i ll  c o n t r i b u te  a b o ut 
1 Mioecu. 

Competitive  Support 

for  Community 

Policies 

Following  a call f or  t e n d er  f r om  DG  XIII,  ITU  has 
t o g e t h er  w i th  o t h er  partners,  a 
submitted, 
project  on  "Enhanced  Gas  Cleaning  by  Infra-
Sonic  Particle  A g g l o m e r a t i on  and  D e p o s i t i o n ". 
The  project  was  accepted  at  t he  end  of  1995; 
the  Institute's  share  is a b o ut  0.1  Mioecu. 

Work  for  Third  Parties 

As  in  previous  years,  t he  Institute  has  carried 
o ut  w o rk  for  t h i rd  parties,  w i th  major  contracts 
in  the  areas  of  post  irradiation  e x a m i n a t i on  of 
irradiated  fuels,  f a b r i c a t i on  a nd  characterisa 
tion  of  fuels  for  t r a n s m u t a t i o n,  and  examina 
tion  of  high  b u r n - up  u r a n i um  oxide  and  mixed 
oxide  fuels f or  d i f f e r e nt  customers. 

During  1995,  n ew  contracts  w o r th  a b o ut  2.1 
Mioecu  have  been  signed,  w h i le  w o rk 
f r om 
previous  contracts  c o n t i n u e d. 

Other  Competitive 

Activities 

f o l l o w i ng 

The 
TACIS/PHARE 
during  1995: 

offers 

s u b m i t t ed 
programmes  w e re 

to 
t he 
accepted 

•  Measurement  of  radionuclide  release 

reactor  debris  samples 

f r om 
(TACIS-

Chernobyl 
Ukraine) 
•  Transfer 

of 

TRANSURANUS 
authorities  (PHARE-Bulgaria) 

t he  Bulgarian 

t he 
to 

nuclear 

safety 

code 
licensing 

A  study  proposal,  concerning  t he  establishment 
of  a  data  bank  on  nuclear  materials 
t he 
f r a m e w o rk  of  illicit  t r a f f i c k i n g,  was  accepted  by 
DG  I.  The  contract  w i ll  p e r m it  collaboration 
f or  12 
w i th 
months.The  overall  scope  of 
t he  approved 
projects  is a b o ut  0.6  Mioecu. 

t wo  Russian  experts  at 

ITU 

in 

2.3 

THE INSTITUTE  FOR  ADVANCED 
MATERIALS 

to 

Institute  contributed 

IAM  performs  research  on  advanced  materials. 
The 
t he  Framework 
lines  "Industrial  Technologies  and 
Programme 
Materials  Technologies"  and 
"Measurements 
and  Testing",  w i th  an  emphasis  on  standards 
and 
for  applications,  development  of  new 
improved 
component 
integrity  and  materials  for  clean  technologies 
and  fusion  materials.  IAM  also  contributed 
to 
the  Framework  Programme  lines,  Non-nuclear 
Energy,  Nuclear  Fission  Safety  and  Controlled 
Thermo-nuclear  Fusion. 

structural 

coatings, 

It  also  operated  in  1995  the  High  Flux  Reactor 
(HFR) f or  t he  Dutch  and  German  authorities  and 
was  engaged  in  w o rk  on  a  contractual  basis  for 
industry. 

zo 

neutron  scattering,  j o i n i ng  of  ceramics  and 
brittle  materials.  Also,  activities  linked  w i th 
i n f o r m a t i on  technologies:  h i gh  temperature 
materials  data  bases;  the  I n f o r m a t i on  Centre 
on  Materials  Activities. 

typical 

The 
end-users 
production  and  aeronautics  industries. 

are 

t he 

energy 

sensors, 

chemical 

of  New 

Improved 
"Development 
and 
resistance 
Coatings":  wear  a nd  corrosion 
f a t i g ue 
improvement, 
resistance,  superhard 
surfaces  and  biome 
dical  applications;  new  composite  materials, 
w i th  an  emphasis  on 
fibre 
composites,  and  electrophoretic  processing 
of  ceramic  matrix  composites.  Exploratory 
research  projects 
laser  spallation 
included 
testing  m e t h o d o l o gy  and  h i gh  temperature 
superconductors. 

interfaces 

in 

A. Institutional  Activities 

Institutional  Research  Activities 

The  typical  end-users  are  in  m a n u f a c t u r i ng 
industry, 
the  car  industry,  aeronautics  and 
electronics. 

the 

industrial 

W i t h in 
Materials  Technologies  programme, 
activities  p e r f o r m ed 
approximately  into  four  clusters: 

and 
research 
in  1995  can  be  sorted 

Technologies 

The £W£KA  1PACERC Project 

their  components. 

hard  erosion  conditionsr 

Helicopter  engines  are  usually  submitted 
extremely 
to  rapid 
failures  of 
engme  manufacturer 
loped  a  new 
deposited 
showing  an  improvement 
500  compared 
already  available. 
apply  this  coating 
to  be  protected 

to 
leading 
The 
Turbomeca  has  deve 
coating 
Deposition, 
by  a  factor  of  over 
coatings 
to 
is 
contplexshapes 
engine. 

to  the  very 
in  a  helicopter 

by  Physical  Vacuum 

to  conventional  hard 

The  new  challenge 

type  of  multilayer 

the 

Déposition 
designed 

the  JRC  has  proposed,  m 

the 
Accordingly, 
frame  of  a EUREKA  project, 
development 
of  a  new  Induction  Pfasma  Assisted  Chemical 
machine 
Vapor 
specially 
application, 
for 
Plasma  Chemical  Vapor  Deposition  will  allow 
Induction 
deposition 
low 
will 
plasma  Chemical 
ensure  good  process  homogeneity,  which 
is 
an  absolute  must  in  this  case. 

temperatures. 
Vapor  Déposition 

(f-PACVD) 
this 

at 

• 

"Standards  f or  Applications"  area:  research 
on  mechanical  performances  of  materials, 
testing, 
corrosion,  components' 

integrity 

•  A  new 

f or 

line 

IAM  w i ll  be  support 

f or 
industry  t h r o u gh  t he  provision  of 
informa 
t i on  and  prenormative  k n o w - h ow  on  eco-
friendly  materials,  materials  studies  and  an 
ECO materials  database. 

Research  w o rk  was  done  on  coatings 
incineration  and  coatings 
waste 
machining  in  m a n u f a c t u r i ng  technologies. 

for 
for  dry 

The  end-users  are  the  waste  management 
industry, 
in 
industry  and  manufac 
particular, 
t u r i ng  industry. 

the 
the  car 

industry  and, 

recycling 

•  Two  projects  focused  on  "Structural  Compo 
nent  Integrity":  application  and  qualification 
of  non-destructive  evaluation  (NDE)  techni 
ques  to  assess  defective  a n d / or  deteriorating 
industrial  components;  NDE  and  testing  of 
structural  components. 

are  mostly 

The  end-users 
energy 
production  industry,  b o th  conventional  and 
nuclear,  and  the  transport  industry  including 
aeronautics,  rail  and  car  manufacturers. 

t he 

W i t h in  the  Non-Nuclear  Energy  p r o g r a m m e,  a 
n ew  topic  was  introduced  in  1995:  "Materials 
f or  Clean  Technologies".  T wo  projects  were 
carried  o u t:  microstructural  engineering  and 
ceramic  catalyst  support,  b o th 
focusing  on 
automotive  catalytic  converters.  The  potential 
industry,  b ut  also  energy 
users  are 
producters  using conventional  f u el  sources. 

the  car 

JRC Annual  Report  1995 

The  %&tropean  Preswm 
Rès&tàh&wtcft&PERQ 

equipment 

tfèJ&topean Pressure ZqutpmehtXesearch 
Cotmtit  (£Pê8C}  is  an  association  of 
industries^  hboratorieSrengmeeHn^ asso-

&fpQ& trfwh&t  is to pfamote. European 
L*©0per*tn(&  research  in  the  domain  of 
\pœ&vœ  equipment  &£HÇ &  concerned 
,wth  research end  development  proof ems 
linked 
to  construction  end  in-service 
activities, ft deals with all types of pressure 
equipment  nuclearequipmentexdudéd. 

£p$?c eds  as  4  clearing-house  to  define 
and  coordinate the  research programmes 
end  exchange^  experience.  It  has  an 
important rofe In the  dissemination of the 
resoHs ofresear<h to industry, andworks in 
close contact with  the  Commission of  the 
European  Communities  with  regard  to 
shared+costactlon proposals and support to 
CfflandDGtlL 
i 

JinCIAM Petten is the operating agent 

In the international domain tbeïe  are plans 
to  cooperate  mth  the American Pressure 
Vessel Council  and  the  Japanese  Pressure 
Vessel Council 

the  Nuclear  Safety  and  Safeguards 
Within 
the  section  on 
programme,  and  specifically 
reactor  safety, 
IAM  is the  operating  agent  for 
the  already  established  European  networks 
dealing  with  "Nuclear  Components  and  Inspec 
tion".  Projects  in  operation  include  an  experi 
mental  study  on  ageing,  degradation  of  steel 
properties  and  subsequent  annealing,  and  the 
Networks  Reference  Laboratory. 

of 

focused  on 

the  design  of 

Within  the  Controlled  Thermonuclear  Fusion 
fusion 
the  development 
programme, 
technology 
the 
International 
Experimental 
Thermonuclear 
Reactor  (ITER).  The  IAM  contributed  to  this 
effort  and supported  ITER'S technological  needs 
through  its  selection  and  characterisation  of 
adapted  materials.  IAM  also  participated  in  the 
European 
the 
development  of 
low  activation  materials.  In 
parallel,  irradiation  experiments  were  perform 
ed in the HFR in support of NET/ITER. 

term  programme 

longer 

for 

Institutional Support Activities 

Projects  with 
the  same  range  of  scientific 
content  as above were carried  out  in support of 
DG  XI  (Environment)  through  the  European 
networks  AMES,  ENIQ  and  NESC, and  DG  XVII 
(Energy).  An 
information  and  management 
transfer  structure  was  set  up  to  improve  the 
technology transfer process. 

The  European  Network  for  Inspection 
Qualification { ENIQ) 

me  Steering committee  of  €NfQ.  in which 
the £tt nuclear power plant operators are the 
voting members,  has approved  e  reference 
methodology  for  inspection qualification. 
Thh methodology has aroused greet  interest 
from industry in its field and is considered of 
prime importance for future development 

B. Competitive Activities 

Shared-Cost  Actions 

IAM took  part  in 49 proposals, of which  17 have 
been  accepted  so  far.  9  of  these  will  have 
immediate  funding.  The  distribution  of  pro 
posals  among 
to 
Brite/Euram,  6  to  Standard  Measurement  and 
Testing,  4  to  Nuclear  Fission  Safety,  2 
to 
Biomed-2,  1 to  Environment  and  Climate,  1  to 
Esprit,  1  to Training  and  Mobility  of  Researchers 
and  1  to Joule. 

the  programmes 

is:  33 

Competitive  Support  for Community  Policies 

Two  successful  proposals  were  made  to  the 
Valorisation  programme  of  DG  XIII  (Tele 
communications, 
Industries  and 
Information 
Innovation).  The  first  deals  with  an  "Autono 
mous  Solar  System",  the  second  with  neural 
network  techniques  for  non-destructive  evalua 
tion  (NDE)  applications.  This  last  proposal  is a 
joint venture of  both  IAM and ISEI. 

Work  for  Third  Parties 

New  contracts  signed  in  1995  deal  with  the 
following  topics:  PC  based  High  Temperature 
Materials  Data  Base  Software,  Non  Destructive 
Evaluation  Techniques,  Aero-engine  compo 
nents,  coatings,  corrosion  studies  on  advanced 
materials for  power  generation. 

The  overall  turnover  was  comparable  to  last 
year's. 

JRC Annual  Report  1995 

Other Competitive Activities 

IAM  is a partner  in a PHARE consortium  dealing 
with  the  installation  of  a  qualification  system 
for  in-service inspection of  Nuclear Power Plants 
in  the  Czech  Republic.  IAM  is also  a  partner  in 
proposals  made  to  TACIS  in  the  fields  of  NDE, 
inspection and materials ageing. 

High Flux Reactor (HFR) 

The  High  Flux  Reactor  at  Petten  continued  its 
operation  in  1995  and  its  utilisation  reached 
about  75%»  of  the  practical  limits.  The  HFR 
its  leadership  as  a 
noticeably  strengthened 
supplier  of  radioisotopes  for  the  radiopharma 
industry:  nearly  65%  of  European 
ceutical 
took  place  at  HFR.  The  recent 
production 

30 

launching  of  the  on-site  molybdenum  factory 
will  further  enhance  HFR's role  as a key  facility 
for  nuclear  medicine,  vital 
for  millions  of 
patients. 

The  HFR also  maintained  its  role  as  irradiation 
test  bed  for  the  Fusion  community:  six  new 
first  wall  structural  materials 
experiments  on 
(mainly  martensitic  steels)  and  plasma  facing 
components  have  started.  The 
irradiation 
embrittlement  project,  part  of  the  European 
(Ageing  of  Materials  and 
Network  AMES 
launched.  A  new 
Evaluation  Studies),  was 
experiment 
the 
started 
series  was 
transmutation  of  actinides  and fission  products 
to  reduce  the  long  term  radiological  impact  of 
high 
the  European 
collaboration  EFTTRA  (Experimental  Feasibility 
of Targets for TRAnsmutation). 

level  waste,  as  part  of 

on 

JRC Annual  Report  1995 

il 

2.4 

THE INSTITUTE  FOR  SYSTEMS 
ENGINEERING  AND  INFORMATICS 

understanding  f r om  a  w i de  range  of  sources 
and  perspectives.  A  set  of  criteria  f or  " g o od 
practice"  in t he  field  is n ow  being  developed. 

to 

on 

ISEI 

Fission 

research 

performs 

t he  Framework  Programme 

systems 
The 
engineering  and  informatics.  It  contributed  in 
1995 
lines 
Environment  and  Climate,  Non-nuclear  Energy, 
Controlled 
Safety 
Nuclear 
Thermonuclear  Fusion, carrying  o ut  research  on 
methodologies  f or  environmental  management 
and  assessment  of  environmental  quality,  on 
solar  energy  by  photovoltaics,  on  fission  reactor 
safety  and  fissile  material  control  as well  as  on 
fusion  reactor  operational  safety. 

and 

scientific 

and 
ISEI  provided 
In  a d d i t i o n, 
technical  support  f or  Community  policies:  in  the 
field  of 
the  environment,  a m o ng  others  on 
industrial  safety  and  t he  reliability  of  systems 
including  biosafety;  in  the  field  of  agriculture, 
on  animal 
in  the  energy 
sector,  on  nuclear  safeguards  for  the  Euratom 
safeguards  and 
is  also 
the 
currently  engaged  in  w o rk  carried  out  at  the 
request  of  external  customers. 

identification;  and 

IAEA. 

ISEI 

for 

A. Institutional  Activities 

research  on 

Institute  carries  o ut 

the 
The 
reliability  and  performance  of  complex  systems; 
on  socio-technical  systems  and  risk  manage 
ment;  on  expert  systems;  on  parallel  comput 
ing;  on  data  bases;  and  it  operates  a  major 
computer  and  n e t w o rk 
facility.  Areas  of 
include:  aviation  safety,  human 
expertise 
factors,  non-nuclear  energies, 
fissile 
materials  safeguard,  industrial  safety,  environ 
mental 
emergency 
planning. 

assessment 

fusion, 

and 

risk 

Institutional  Research  Activities 

W i t h in 
programme,  ISEI contributed  to  studies  on: 

Environment 

and 

the 

Climate 

• 

for 

"Global  C h a n g e ":  an  on-line 
information 
service  called  "European  Wide  Service  Ex 
change" 
the 
(EWSE)  was  developed 
Centre  for  Earth  Observation  (CEO).  Other 
contributions  include  software  engineering, 
user 
interface,  quality  assurance,  satellite 
image  compression  techniques  and  network 
support.  A  p i l ot  study  related  to  a  specific 
decision  maker  and  the  availability  of  data 
t h r o u gh  EWSE was carried  out. 

•  The 

" I n t e g r a t ed  Assessment  of  Environ 
mental  Quality"  approach:  aims  to  provide 
decision  makers  w i th  alternative  options  for 
i n f o r m a t i on  and 
action,  via  a  synthesis  of 

JRC Annual  Report  1995 

EMEKA-AOAGE 

for 

AOAGE is a EUREKA project between  french 
and Portuguese companies and the JHC-JSEL 
The  aim  of  the  project  is  to  develop  .a 
decision-support  system 
integrated 
environmental  management.  Its  principal 
objective  is  to  provide  a  thorough  assess 
ment  of  aftermtive  decisions  related 
to 
environmental matters. The main features of 
the  project  are:  the  development  of  a 
distributed  information  system  networking 
various sources of  information  represented 
by  the  stakeholders  concerned  with  the 
decision process; the  integration and  fusion 
the 
of  different 
integration of  diverse perspectives including 
environmental constralntSr socio-economlcal 
factors and  technical issues; a highly  inter* 
active system for information  updating: and 
navigation, as well as  scenario testing. The 
project (S scheduled over a three-year period. 

information; 

types  of 

• 

refined  and  a  promising 

"Innovative  Environmental  Technologies": 
the  application  of  decision  s u p p o rt  systems 
has  been 
n ew 
m e t h od  based  on  object-oriented  p r o g r a m 
ming  has  been  i m p l e m e n t e d,  w h i ch  w i ll  also 
f or  external 
be  of  use 
clients. 
project 
" A d a g e ",  which  aims  to  develop  a  decision 
support  system  f or  comprehensive  environ 
mental  m a n a g e m e nt  via  the  t h o r o u gh  assess 
ment  of  alternative  decisions. 

in  o n g o i ng  w o rk 

the  EUREKA 

ISEI  j o i n ed 

W i t h in 
the  f o l l o w i ng  activities  were  p e r f o r m e d: 

the  Non-Nuclear  Energy  p r o g r a m m e, 

•  Photovoltaic:  using  a  climatically  c o n t r o l l ed 
solar  simulator,  irradiation  was  carried  o ut  at 
various  temperatures  to  study  t he  effects  of 
light-induced  d e g r a d a t i on  on  amorphous 
silicon  modules.  Results  have  been  leading  to 
a  revision  of  the  CEC  ESTI  701  specification. 
An  analysis  of  the  spread  in  the  character 
isation  results  for  W o r ld  Photovoltaic  Scale 
samples  (WPVS)  has  also  been  p e r f o r m e d. 

W i t h in  the  Nuclear  Fission  Safety  p r o g r a m m e, 
w o rk  was  carried  o ut  o n: 

•  Nuclear  fission  safety  and  reactor  safety:  a 
launched  on 
benchmark  exercise  has  been 
expert 
safety 
assessment  (PSA), level  2. A  questionnaire  has 

in  probabilistic 

j u d g m e nt 

institutions  (research 

been  distributed  to  a  n e t w o rk  of  more  than 
50  European 
labora 
tories,  regulators,  industries,  etc.).  The  first 
phase,  parameter  estimation,  also 
involves 
the 
f or  Safety  Technology  (1ST), 
whose  facility  FARO  has  been  adopted  as  a 
reference  experiment. 

Institute 

Smart Composite Materials 

interest  The 

The use of fibre optics in transducer systems 
for measurement of physical parameters has 
recently  attracted  much 
possibility of embedding optical transducers 
into  new  composite  materials  has boosted 
research in  the  field  of  smart materiafs 
which  allow real time structural monitoring 
from inside the structure itself  In continuous 
fibre  composites  materials,  the  proper 
positioning of the  reinforcement allows the 
material to  host  optical fibres without  an 
increase of  the notch factor. Along this line 
of  research,  a  smart  composite  material 
laminate  was  produced  at  ISEI  (24  ply 
graphlte/epoxy beam  and Michefson based 
fibre optic strain transducers embedded in it) 
and tested. 

results  compared 

tests  were 
to 

Both  static  and  dynamic 
performed  and 
theoretical predictions and to  strain  values 
measured  by  conventional  strain  gauges 
bonded  to 
the  external  surface  of  the 
laminate;  the  correspondence  was  very 
good, particularly in the  dynamic  response. 
Results  supplied  by  the  embedded sensing 
net  of  fibres  confirmed  its  diagnostic 
capability  and  allowed  the  planning  of 
future research steps 

the 
The 
and 

research 
activities 
surveillance 

•  Several  types  of  activity  have  been  carried-
on  Nuclear 
out  w i t h in 
remote 
on 
Safeguards. 
included: 
verification 
distributed  surveillance  systems  based  on 
smart  digital  cameras  and  industrial  field  bus; 
remote  control  of  a  robotic  arm  for  simple 
manipulation  tasks;  and  the  application  of 
new  compact  laser  range  finders.  In  the  field 
of  international  remote  m o n i t o r i ng  systems, 
various 
image 
compression  and  encryption  over  public 
communications  networks  were  tested. 

methods 

digital 

for 

The  LaSCo  (Laboratory  for  Surveillance  and 
Containment)  has  been  equipped  w i th  test 
ing  e q u i p m e nt  f or  electromagnetic  studies, 
to  check  the  compliance  of  instruments  w i th 
the  new  European  legislation  in this  area. 

32 

The  SILab  (Seals  and 
Identification  Tech 
niques  Laboratory)  has  successfully  helped 
develop  specific  ultrasonic  boards  and  soft 
ware  to  be  used  in  the  next  generation  of 
ultrasonic  sealing systems at JRC Ispra. 

f or 

ITU 

A  design  study  was  p e r f o r m ed  in  collabora 
t i on  w i th 
t he  establishment  at 
Obninsk  of  the  "Russian  Methodological  and 
f i e ld  of  nuclear 
Training  Centre" 
t he 
safeguards.  This  study  has 
conclusion  of  a TACIS  contract. 

the 

led 

to 

in 

•  Research  activities 

to  Controlled 
Thermonuclear  Fusion  have  been  focused  on 
ITER  (International  Thermonuclear  Experi 
mental  Reactor)  as follows  : 

related 

t he  ROBERTINO 

Remote  h a n d l i n g:  computer  simulation  and 
t he 
tests  on 
facility  of 
the 
maintenance  by  remote  operation  of 
blanket 
the 
inside 
reactor  have  been  completed. 

components 

placed 

Safety  studies:  the  mechanical 
integrity  of 
the  vacuum  vessel  of  the  reactor  and  blanket 
components  under  plasma  disruptions  has 
been 
transient  anal 
yses  after  a 
reactor  accident  have  been 
pursued. 

investigated.  Thermal 

Institutional  Support 

Activities 

•  For 

and 

technical 

in  support  of  UCLAF, 

requirement 
process; 

t he  services 
of 
study 

the  Commission  Secretariat  General, 
projects  w e re 
scientific 
completed 
the 
Commission  a n t i f r a ud  service:  a  study  of 
they 
UCLAF's  customers  and 
require; 
t he 
a 
of 
investigative 
information  resources;  and  an  exploratory 
data  analysis of  f r a ud  case data.  New  projects 
are  under  way:  a  feasibility  study  f or  IRENE 
95  (the  integrated  i n f o r m a t i on  m a n a g e m e nt 
system  of  the  UCLAF);  pattern  recognition  in 
databases of  f r a ud  cases;  estimating  t he  rates 
of  commission  vs  detection/communication 
case 
of 
information  flows  across all  sectors. 

harmonising 

inventory 

f r a u d; 

f r a ud 

an 

•  Support 

III 

(Industry) 

to  DG 
to 

included  a 
and 
contribution 
Communications  Technologies  p r o g r a m me 
t h r o u gh  R&D  projects,  industrial  workshops, 
seminars  and  conferences (SAFECOMP  95). 

I n f o r m a t i on 

the 

•  Support 

to  DG  VI  (Agriculture): 

research, 
development 
and 
performance  tests  were  carried  o ut  for  the 

new  methods 

of 

JRC Annual  Report  1995 

33 

their  measurement  systems, 

identification  of  animals  by  means  of  tags 
and 
the 
framework  of  a  major  (antifraud)  European 
animal tagging  project. 

in 

•  Support 

(Environment): 
for 

to  DG  XI 
the 
memorandum  of  understanding 
the 
the  Major  Accident  Hazard 
creation  of 
Bureau  in  support  of  the  "Seveso"  Directive 
has  been  implemented.  This  Bureau,  linked 
mainly 
to 
national  authorities  and  industry,  operates a 
Major  Accident  Reporting  System  (MARS) 
and a Community  Documentation  Centre  for 
Industrial Risk (CDCIR). 

to  DG  XI  and  subsequently 

In 1995 the  Bureau dealt with  the  production 
of  reports  on  lessons  learned  from  accidents 
notified  to  the  Commission, with  distribution 
of  a data  base  on  accidents  as well  as  with 
coordination  of  technical  groups  on  safety 
reports  and  management  systems.  The 
Bureau  also  organised  a  seminar  on  the 
the  Seveso  Directive, 
implementation  of 
"Accident 
Emergency 
Response". 

Scenarios 

and 

the 

field  of 

safe  applications  of 
In 
biotechnology,  a  high  level  EU-US  meeting 
took  place  in June, dealing  with  field tests of 
genetically modified  organisms. 

• 

In  support  of  the  Nuclear  Safety  Unit  of  DG 
XI, a first version of the  European  earthquake 
catalogue  has  been  prepared  and  its  further 
development  is under consideration. 

•  Support 

to 

provided 

information 

the  EURATOM 
Safeguards  Directorate,  DG  XVII  (Energy): 
ISEI  contributed  to  the  fulfilment  of  Treaty 
requirements  in  the  following  areas:  sealing 
identification  techniques,  surveillance 
and 
of  safeguards  equip 
techniques,  testing 
ments,  data  and 
treatment, 
health  physics and training. A new system for 
the  automatic 
recorded 
surveillance  images  has  been  developed.  A 
remote  monitoring 
link  between  the  JRC 
Ispra and  the  EURATOM  Safeguards  Directo 
rate  in  Luxembourg  has  been  installed.  A 
contribution  to  long-term  energy  scenarios, 
including the evolution  of the  nuclear  energy 
industry, has been considered. 

reviewing 

of 

•  Technical  support 

is  provided 

the 
EURATOM  Safeguards  Directorate  and  IAEA 
for  the  procurement  and  measurement  of 
several  hundred  ultrasonic  sealing  bolts, 
installed  on  spent  fuel  transport  and  storage 

to 

JRC Annual  Report  1995 

containers  at  a  European  fuel  reprocessing 
plant. 

B. Competitive  Activities 

Shared-Cost  Actions 

lines:  advanced 

ISEI has been selected for  17 projects  under  the 
following 
communication 
technologies  &  services  (ACTS);  environment 
and  climate;  industrial  and  materials  techno 
III);  non-nuclear  energy 
logies  (BRITE-EURAM 
(JOULE R&D); nuclear  fission safety;  technology 
validation  and technology  transfer;  telematics; 
training and mobility of  researchers (TMR). 

Competitive  Support  for  Community  Policies 

ISEI has been  selected  for  36  projects  launched 
by various  DGs, namely:  three  projects from  the 
Secretariat General,  Antifraud  Unit;  three  from 
DG  lll-F  on  High  Performance  Computering 
Networks;  two  from  DG  XI  on  Environmental 
problems;  twelve from  DG Xlll-D on  Technology 
transfer;  thirteen  from  DG  XVII  on  solar  and 
rational  use  of  energy;  three  from  EUROSTAT 
on  neural  networks  and  other  applications  to 
statistical  problems.  The  effective  work  will 
begin early in 1996. 

Work  for  Third Parties 

is 

in  a  vast 

taking  part, 

Four  institutes  from  the  JRC (ISEI, 1ST, IRSA and 
El)  are 
together  with  79 
departments  from  the  universities  of  Catania, 
Messina  and  Palermo, 
regional 
development  project  for  Sicily  which  started  in 
December  1994.  ISEI  was  granted  the  general 
management  and  technical  leadership  of  the 
project.  A first  six  months  report  has been  sent 
in July  1995 to the Sicily  Region, and the  second 
one 
in  preparation.  Results  have  been 
achieved  in  all  major  sub-projects.  They  deal 
with:  a  decision  support  system 
for  water 
supply  management;  winter  and  summer 
campaigns 
for  NO2  monitoring  with  300 
detectors  in  Catania,  Messina  and  Palermo;  a 
mobile  unit 
the 
reliability  of 
erosion  of  the  soil;  safety  and 
installations; 
chemical  and  petrochemical 
optical 
for  an  historic 
building  in  Palermo  with  3-D  representation 
and  structural  analysis;  sampling  the  Sicilian 
population  for  an  analysis  of  trace  elements  in 
human body tissues. 

to  measure  pollution  and 

inspection  methods 

Three  new  contracts  have  been  established  on 
risk  analysis  and  information  to  the  public.  A 
project  to  analyse the  causes and  consequences 
of  stress at  work  in  air  traffic  control  has  been 

34 

carried,  out  for  the  Consiglio  Nazionale  delle 
RicercKé (Italy). 

Other  Competitive  Activities 

The  European  Solar Test  installation  has landed 
10  new  contracts,  8  for  photovoltaic  module 
qualification  testing  and  2 for  reference  device 
calibrations. 

In  a  contract  with  PNC  Japan  (Power  Reactor 
and  Nuclear  Fuel  Development  Corporation), 
good  results  have  been  obtained  with  new 
and 
ultrasonic 
equipment 
instruments,  for  among 
associated  compact 
other 
the  sealing  of  plutonium 
things, 
transport  containers  at the  PNC facility  at  Tokai 
Mura. 

identification 

Portable  equipment  has been  provided  to  IAEA 
for volume/mass determination  in large tanks in 
bulk  handling facilities. 

the 
A  design  study  is  being  performed  for 
establishment  at  Obninsk  of 
the  Russian 
Methodological  and  Training  Centre,  in  the 
field  of  nuclear  safeguards.  It  has  led  to  the 
conclusion of a TACIS contract. 

Two  1994 actions  in the  Copernicus  programme 
have started. 

JRC Annual  Report  1995 

35 

2.5 

THE ENVIRONMENT  INSTITUTE 

to 

research  c o n t r i b u t ed 

the  Framework 
El 
lines  "Environment  and  Climate" 
Programme 
and 
"Life  Sciences  and  Technologies".  The 
emphasis  of  El's  research  was  on  global  change, 
e.g.  biogenic  emissions a nd  aerosols, and  on  the 
m a n a g e m e nt  of  soil  and  g r o u n d w a t er  pollution 
sources, t o g e t h er  w i th  contributions  in  the  field 
of  t he  w o r k i ng  e n v i r o n m e n t,  such  as  indoor  air 
quality  and  trace  metals 
impact  on  human 
health  in t he  EU. 

A  large  p a rt  of  t he  Institute's  w o rk  has  been 
devoted 
to  support  activities  f or  Community 
policies:  e n v i r o n m e n t al  policies,  the  agricultu 
ral  policy,  quality  control  of  medicinal  products 
and  quality  c o n t r ol  of  foodstuffs. 

A . l n s t i t u t i o n al  Activities 

The  Environment  Institute  is actively  involved  in 
the 
research  programmes,  Environment  and 
Climate,  and  Life  Sciences  and  Technologies. 
The  respective  proportions  of  R&D  activities  vs. 
support  for  t he  Commission's  sectoral  policies 
are  approximately  30 and  70  percent. 

Institutional  Research  Activities 

• 

in 

of 

(Biogenic 

tropospheric 

the  M e d i t e r r a n e an 

Understanding 
ozone 

the 
"Climate  C h a n g e ": 
(an 
f o r m a t i on 
i m p o r t a nt  greenhouse  gas)  and  its  impact  on 
atmospheric  p o l l u t i on  is of  major  importance 
region.  The  BEMA 
for 
project 
the 
Emissions 
intends  to  assess  the 
Mediterranean  Area) 
role  of  plant  biogenic  emissions  in  that  area 
and  is being  developed  at  El,  in  collaboration 
w i th  17  European 
laboratories,  under  JRC 
coordination.  T wo  major  research  campaigns 
were  led  in  1995, focused  on  citrus fields  near 
natural 
Valencia 
and 
(Spain) 
vegetation  near  Montpellier 
(France).  El 
participated  also  in  the  EUPHORE  project  to 
build 
outdoor 
photochemical  reactor,  completed  in  1995  at 
CEAM  (Centro  de  Estudios  Ambientales  del 
Mediterraneo)  in Valencia,  Spain. 

exploit 

large 

and 

the 

on 

a 

Field 

models. 

The 
role  of  natural  and  anthropogenic 
aerosols  in  t he  m i t i g a t i on  of  the  greenhouse 
effect  was  investigated,  b o th  in  the  field  and 
on 
involved 
characterising  t he  aerosol  p o l l u t i on  drifting 
f r om  t he  European  continent,  in  preparation 
for  the  1997  campaign  of  the  ACE-2  (Aerosol 
Characterisation  Experiment-2), 
in  which 
over  40  European  and  US  laboratories  will 
participate. 

studies 

JRC Annual  Report  1995 

Laboratory  experiments  w e re  also  b e g u n, 
to 
investigate  isotopic  effects  on  t he  uptake  by 
soils  of  methane, 
gas. 
Analytical  techniques  a nd  sampling  devices 
are 
field 
developed 
being 
measurements  on  N20 a nd  CH4. 

a  greenhouse 

also 

f or 

Aerosols and Climate Project 

The  Project  aims  at  understanding  the 
chemical  and physical processes leading  to 
aerosols in  both  the  clean  and  antbropo-
genkally  influenced  marine  environment 
These  aerosols  are  thought  to  have  an 
important  effect  on  the  Earth's  radiative 
balance  and  climate.  The  programme 
combines  modelling, 
field  work  and 
laboratory  studies,  in  collaboration  with 
other  European  and  international  research 
teams. 

Most  aerosols effectively  scatter  sun  light 
back into spacer leading to  a cooling of  the 
Earth. A study has been  undertaken into  the 
role  of  black  carbon  (BC)  aerosols Sn the 
global radiative balance.  Black carbon is the 
main light-absorbing aerosol and would thus 
enhance greenhouse warming/BC is mamfy 
emitted by fossil fuel burning and by biomass 
burning. 

A major aspect of  the Project is the study of 
aerosol dynamics of sulfate aerosofst  Le* the 
study  of  formation  and  growth  processes 
that determine the size distribution of Éhêsé 
aerosols* 

The  basic mechanisms  of  aerosol formation 
are  studied  in  the  laboratory.  A facility, 
unique in  Europe,  has  been  built  m which 
SO2 is  photochemkafly  transformed  Into 
sulfuric  acid, which subsequently nucleates 
and grows to form a sulfate aerosoL 

• 

" P o l l u t i o n ":  W o rk  on  the  m a n a g e m e nt  of 
soil  and  g r o u n d w a t er  p o l l u t i on  sources  was 
include  catchment  areas.  The 
scaled  up  to 
land  use 
evaluation  of  several  alternative 
the 
management  strategies  should  a l l ow 
identification  of 
in  an 
agricultural  ecosystem. 

critical  subareas 

The  MITO  project  aims,  inter  alia, to  m o n i t or 
algal  blooms  in  t he  M e d i t e r r a n e an  sea.  The 
f l ow 
fast, 
performance 
cytometers  was  tested 
to  detect, 
enumerate  and  characterise  p h y t o p l a n c t on 
populations  at t he  cellular  level. This w i ll  lead 

easy-to-use 

in  order 

of 

to  a  real-time  monitoring  system  which 
quantifies  the  algal  species  responsible  for 
red and green tides. 

Test  materials  were  prepared  (AQUACON 
project)  for  laboratory  performance  tests  for 
waste  (sewage  sludge)  and  soil  analysis, 
waste  water  analysis  and  the  determination 
of metals in surface waters. 

The  European  Collaborative  Action  (ECA)  on 
"Indoor  Air  Quality  and  its  Impact  on  Man" 
now  involves  15 countries, and El participates 
in  its  management  and  scientific  secretariat. 
Research activities have included  experiments 
on  human  exposure 
to  volatile  organic 
compounds  (VOCs), for  the  first  time  in  a 30 
m* test chamber  (Indoortron). A study of  the 
impact  of  ad-/desorption  phenomena,  and 
the  scaling  up  of  small to  large  test  chamber 
experiments have also been carried out. 

AutomaticMeasurementofPollutants 

The continuous automatic measurement of 
pollutants h very important for two reasansi 
in order, to  follow  conh&ntmtion  variations 
over certain time periods,,  and in  order to 
understand pat&wiàr phenomena,  such, es 
the identification of the source of the actual 
potfutantfs}. Until  recently  no  instrument 
existed with such an automatic capability to 
measuret for examplet formaldehydez e very 
harmful  and  widespread  pollutant  used 
widely  In industry, The gap  has now  been 
filled at  the  Environment institute, where a 
device  for  the  automatic  sampling  and 
analysis of formaldehyde, heavier aldehydes 
and ketones, has been set up. This instrument 
can  operate  unattended  for  one  week, 
carrying  out  sampling  and  analysis  of 
ambient  air  every 
î$  minutes.  A  very 
interesting feature of this instrument is that 
it can be used for the monitoring of different 
pollutants. Negotiations are underway with a 
company for  the  commercial production of 
the  monitor,  which  has  received  much 
attention  at  two  exhibitions:  HELECO  *95 in 
Athens and RICH '95 in Milan, 

for 

body 

tissues 

human 

Establishing  baseline  values  for  trace  metals 
in 
clinical, 
epidemiological  and toxicological  assessment 
studies,  and  studying  the  impact  of  trace 
the  health  of  EU  human 
metals  on 
populations 
living/working 
environment,  are the  objectives  of  the  EURO 
TERVIHT  project.  Prenormative  research  was 
carried  out  on  exposure  impact  on  health. 

their 

in 

j »o 

Attempts  were  made  to  further  understand 
the  biochemical  mechanisms  of  trace  metal 
toxicity  at 
identifying 
low  exposure,  by 
critical  organs  and  molecular  targets,  with 
impact  on 
the  potential 
emphasis  on 
cardiovascular, 
repro 
immunological  and 
ductive  systems,  which  might  show  up  later 
in life. 

Institutional  Support  Activities 

in  issues  of 

In  1995,  El  has  been  involved 
concern  to  Directorate  General  XI  (Environ 
ment), DG I!! (Industry),  DG VI (Agriculture)  and 
DG XXIV (Consumer policy), and has organised a 
large  number  of  relevant  meetings,  workshops 
and task forces. 

The  European  Reference  Laboratory  for  Air 
Pollution  (ERLAP) has been particularly  active  in 
the  harmonisation  of  current  EU  directives  on 
air  pollution,  organising  Quality  Assurance 
Control  prrçrrammes  and  developing  and 
techniques. 
validating 
>ew  monitoring 
intercomparison 
Activities 
("round 
the 
development  and  validation  of  diffusive 
sampling  techniques  for  measuring  benzene 
and ozone in The air. 

field 
roDin")  exercises,  as  well  as 

ir,. uded 

ETEX, the  European  Tracer  Experiment,  aims  at 
selecting  atmospheric  models  able  to  forecast 
the  evolution  of  a pollutant  cloud  in  real  time. 
Several 
thousand  previously  collected  air 
samples  were  analysed  at  El  via  a  special 
chromatographic  technique.  Results  show  that 
only  a  few  diffusion  models,  even  when 
coupled  with  meteorological  models,  are 
accurate  enough 
the  pollutant 
cloud's  evoiu-ion.  ETEX  was  co-sponsored  by 
the  EC, the World  Meteorological  Organization 
(WMO)  and  the  International  Atomic  Energy 
Agency (IAEA). 

to  describe 

"Risk  Assessment 

The  European  Chemicals  Bureau  (ECB)  has 
become  fully  operative  9  months  ahead  of 
schedule. 
It  is  now  handling  all  the  technical 
and scientific tasks  required  of  the  Commission 
for  the  notification  of  new  chemicals  in  the 
areas of  "Classification  and  Labelling",  "Testing 
Methods" 
of  Existing 
Chemicals"  and 
"Export/import  of  Certain 
Dangerous  Chemicals"  (Directives  67/548/EEC 
(EEC) 
and  92/32/EEC;  Council-  Regulations 
2455/92  and  (EEC) 793/93).  A  second  phase  of 
data  collection  for  the  Council  Regulation  on 
the  Risk  Assessment  of  Existing  Chemicals  was 
concluded, data  was transmitted  to  competent 
authorities  in  the  Member  States, and  a  public 
(International  Uniform 
version  of 

IUCLID 

JRC Annual  Report  1995 

37 

Chemicals  Database) 
(excluding  confidential 
data  files),  was  made  available  on  CD-ROM  to 
the  industry  a nd  general  public. 

B.  Competitive  Activities 

Shared-Cost 

Actions 

f or 

Methods 

the  Validation  of 
The  European  Centre 
Alternative 
(ECVAM), 
Testing 
inaugurated  in  October  1994,  has  defined  its 
its  advisory  Committee. 
priority  criteria  w i th 
Studies  have  been 
t he  pre-
launched  on 
testing  protocols, 
validation  of  non-animal 
testing,  and 
vaccine  potency  and 
toxicity 
integrated  alternative  approaches 
testing, 
on  metabolism-mediated 
toxicity  and  on  in  v i t ro  tests  for  teratogenicity 
in b l o o d - f o r m i ng  tissues. 

focusing 

safety 

in 

22  proposals  have  been  accepted  so  far.  The 
majority  of  these  concern  t he  Environment  a nd 
Climate  Programme,  covering  a  w i de  range  of 
t he  o n g o i ng  JRC 
activities  closely  related  to 
Research  Programme.  However,  projects  w i t h in 
t he  Standard,  Measurement  a nd  Testing,  t he 
Telematics  Applications  a nd  t he  Nuclear  Fission 
Safety  programmes  have  been  approved  as 
w e l l. 

Competitive  Support 

for  Community 

Policies 

f or 

t e n d er 

issued  by 
El  has  answered  calls 
11 
several  DGs  of 
proposals  have  been  selected 
f u n d i n g, 
w h i ch  may  reasonably  be  expected  to  start  early 
in  1996. The topics  covered  include: 

t he  Commission,  a nd 

f or 

•  Prenormative  research,  standardised  as  w e ll 
foodstuffs 

as  special  analytical  methods  f or 
analysis (DG  III); 

• 

Information  a nd  c o m m u n i c a t i on 
w i t h in 
Medicinal  Evaluation  Agency  (DG  III); 

f r a m e w o rk  of 

systems 
t he  European 

the 

•  Development  of  analytical 
f or  dairy  products  (DG  VI); 

m e t h o d o l o g i es 

•  Support  to  CORDIS  i n f o r m a t i on  system  (DG 

XIII); 

•  Analytical  procedures  f or  custom  c o n t r ol  of 
special  products,  a nd  f or  products  classified 
according  to  t h e ir  chemical  composition  (for 
DGXXI). 

Work  for  Third  Parties 

A  series of  activities  has been  p e r f o r m e d,  mainly 
to  provide  local  and  regional  authorities  w i th 
appropriate 
t he  m a n a g e m e nt  of 
surface  bodies  of  w a t e r,  toxic  waste  p o l l u t i on 
problems 
p o l l u t i on  m o n i t o r i ng 
techniques. 

tools 

and 

f or 

air 

of 

feasibility 

collaboration  w i th 

The 
the 
European  E n v i r o n m e nt  Agency's  Topic  Centres 
on  Air  Quality  (RIVM,  NL)  and  on  Inland  Waters 
(Water  Research  Centre,  UK)  has been  explored, 
preliminary  activities  (mainly  on  Air  Quality 
M o n i t o r i n g,  A l p i ne  Observatory,  Inland  Waters, 
Contaminated  Sites  and  Mobile  Laboratories) 
having  been  carried  out. 

established  at  El  after 

for  Medicinal 
A  European  Technical  Office 
Products  was 
a 
M e m o r a n d um  of  Understanding  was  signed 
the 
the  European  Agency 
between 
Evaluation  of  Medicinal  Products  and  the  Joint 
Research  Centre.  This  office  is  n ow  called  the 
ETOMEP  Unit  of  t he  Environment  Institute  of 
the  JRC, a nd  is dedicated  to  the  development  of 
technical 
the 
i m p l e m e n t a t i on  of  European  Union  legislation 
on  medicinal  products. 

necessary 

systems 

for 

for 

Other  w o rk  carried  o ut  by  El  included  analytical 
work  related  to  w i n e,  f o od  and  cosmetics,  and 
preparatory  w o rk  in  support  of  the  Ecological 
Directive  f or  surface  bodies  of  water. 

JRC Annual  Report  1995 

2.6 

THE INSTITUTE  FOR REMOTE  SENSING 
APPLICATIONS 

vegetation  parameters,  such  as  seasonality  or 
fire  on  a  continental  a n d,  ultimately,  global 
scale. 

38 

IRSA  performs 

The 
research  activities  on 
applications  of  remote  sensing  and  contributed 
to  the  Framework  Programme  line  Environment 
and  Climate  w i th  its  specific  activities  on  the 
(CEO),  remote 
Centre 
sensing 
and 
advanced  Earth  observation  techniques. 

f or  Earth  Observation 

and  m o n i t o r i n g, 

techniques 

Through  t he  use  of  satellite  Earth  observation 
data 
scientific 
it  also  provides 
support  f or  agricultural  statistics. 

i m p o r t a nt 

A. Institutional  Activities 

Institutional  Research  Activities 

is 

fields 

IRSA's 

i m p o r t a nt  R&D 

the 
One  of 
exploitation  of  satellite  data  f or  the  mapping  of 
land  cover  and  land  degradation  in  Europe  and 
in  the  w o r l d,  and  for  the  m o n i t o r i ng  of  bush 
and  forest  fires,  under  the  research  programme, 
Environment  and  Climate.  IRSA  is  also  develop 
ing  and  validating  capabilities 
remote 
detection,  e.g.,  of  oil  slicks  or  antipersonnel 
landmines. 

for 

research 

involved 

" p a t h f i n d er  phase" 

The  Centre  f or  Earth  Observation  (CEO)  project 
its 
completed 
in  1995. 
T h r o u g h o ut 
t he  year  t he  project  ran  a  number 
of  studies  and  workshops  aimed  at  defining  a 
final  CEO  concept  and  at  establishing  a  design 
and  i m p l e m e n t a t i on  plan  for  the  coming  years. 
This 
and 
in-house 
future  Earth 
consultation  w i th  present  and 
observation  data  users  and  service  providers 
t h r o u g h o ut  t he  European  Union  (EU)  and  the 
European  Economic  Area 
(EEA).  The  CEO 
project  w o r k ed  in  close  collaboration  w i th  a 
Pathfinder  Phase steering  committee,  consisting 
of  experts 
countries, 
f r om  all  EU  and  EEA 
nominated  by 
the  Board  of  Governors.  The 
work  was  done  in  cooperation  w i th  European 
and  global  partners,  including  the  European 
Space  Agency  (ESA),  EUMETSAT,  the  European 
Environment  Agency  (EEA),  the  United  States' 
and 
NASA 
Atmospheric  A d m i n i s t r a t i on 
(NOAA),  and  the 
National  Space  Development  Agency  (NASDA) 
of  Japan.  The  concept  should 
the 
p r o m o t i on  of  access  to  Earth  observation  data 
to  scientific,  commercial  and 
and  services 
governmental  customers. 

and  National  Océanographie 

include 

t he 

state 

M o n i t o r i ng 
terrestrial 
creation  of  v e g e t a t i on  maps,  which 
b o th 

cover  change 

and 
cover 

v e g e t a t i on 

land 

and 

of 
the 
indicate 
functional 

evolution 
involved 

Forestmformatxon System 

t$9$  sew  the  completion  of  the  forest 
information  from  Remote  Sensing  {FIRS} 
projects Pfenning Phase in cooperation with 
consortia:  '-.of organisations  from France, 
Germany, Swedenr  "  the  Czech  Republic, 
Russia, Poland, Spalnt Ireland and Finland. 
The major objective  of  the  project  is  to 
contribute to the development  of a Unified 
information  System, 
European  Forest 
providing  both  production  related  and 
environmental  forest  information. In  1995 
the project developed  a régionalisation and 
final  stratMication of  European  forest 
the  unified 
ecosystems  and 
European Forest Nomenclature System > 

finalised 

Using  a ten  year  archive  of  satellite  images,  land 
cover  maps  and  daily  fire  counts  w e re  prepared 
for  Africa,  and  the  same  w o rk  has  begun  for 
receiving 
South-East  Asia.  Portable  stations 
satellite  data  were  also  used  in  Central  Africa 
and  Madagascar  to  map  and  m o n i t or  bushfires, 
as  part  of 
local  and  regional  environmental 
management  programmes.  Data  o b t a i n ed  f r om 
instruments  on  the  European  remote  sensing 
satellites  ERS-1  and  ERS-2  are  being  evaluated 
as  aids 
to 
measurement  of  burned  areas.  A  database 
describing  the  entire  tropical  forest  belt  was 
interfaced  w i th  remote  sensing  data  to  provide 
the  Tropical  Forest  I n f o r m a t i on  System,  which 
will  be  produced  as  an  interactive  CD-ROM  f or 
general  dissemination. 

to  detection  of 

fire  scars  and 

in 

land  use  changes 

The  mapping  of  land  d e g r a d a t i on  linked  to  fire, 
the 
soil  erosion  and 
Mediterranean  Member  States  of  t he  EU,  and 
the  m o n i t o r i ng  of  forests  on  a  pan-European 
scale  under  the  FIRS project  (Forest  I n f o r m a t i on 
f r om  Remote  Sensing)  were  associated  w i th 
fundamental  research  on  image  understanding 
techniques,  which  will  facilitate  t he  use  of  data 
f r om  future  European  space  borne  sensors. 

The  bidirectional  reflectance  properties  of  the 
to 
Earth's  surface  have  been  studied 
radiation 
advanced  models 
surface 
the  next 
interactions,  to  help 
processing 
generation 
algorithms  and  in  exploiting  data  f r om 
f u t u re 
high  performance  sensors. 

of 
in  d e v e l o p i ng 

satellite 

thanks 

image 

of 

JRC Annual  Report  1995 

33 

for 

information 

the  study  of 

Satellite;  based  observations  of  sea  surface 
temperatures  and ocean colour  over  large areas 
the 
provided 
marine  biosphere.  Image  interpretation,  data 
processing and the  use of  dynamic  models  were 
developed  as  means  of  assessing  biomass 
production  and  carbon  dioxide  exchange  by 
phytoplankton,  ocean  thermal  dynamics,  and 
the  implications  of  both  on  the  global  climate 
system.  The 
use  of  Earth  observation  data 
archives  was  coupled  with  new  approaches  to 
data management  and analysis,  and to  strategy 
development  for  processing  data  from  new 
sensors.  Neural  networks  and  virtual  reality 
systems  were  tested  as  means  of  extracting 
information  from  future  multidimensional  data 
sets. 

In 
the  European  Airborne  Remote  Sensing 
Capability  (EARSEC),  tests  on  sensors  and  the 
the  Synthetic  Aperture  Radar 
development  of 
geophysical  processor  were 
finalised.  The 
validation  of  EARSEC focused  on  developing  oil 
routing 
slick  detection  at  sea  and  ship 
applications. 

defined 

experiments 

Advanced 
the 
European  Microwave  Signature  Laboratory 
(EMSL)  user  group 
included  in  1995  test  series 
on  "The scattering  properties  of  non-vegetated 
soils"  and  "Imaging  techniques". 

by 

Plastic  antipersonnel  land  mines  are  numerous 
in some heavily  populated  regions of  the world, 
and  detection  of  these  dangerous  objects  is a 
high  risk, yet  vital, operation.  In addition  to  the 
humanitarian  threat,  these  objects  can  be seen 
as  an  environmental  threat  as  their  presence 
prohibits  effective  land  use  in  'contaminated' 
areas.  A  1995  report  based  on  EMSL  results 
the 
in 
evaluated  possible 
capacity 
objects 
manufactured  from  plastics  by  the  application 
of 
for 
instance,  remote  sensing  devices  on  land  based 
vehicles  or 
remote  controlled 
flying 
platforms. 

improvements 
dangerous 

techniques  using, 

remote  sensing 

detect 

low 

to 

Institutional  Support 

•  Support 

for 

the  European  Environment 
Agency  (EEA)  focused  on  the  creation  of 
in 
EEA's 
collaboration 
European 
organisations  active  in  the  field  of  Earth 
observation. 

Land  Cover  Topic  Centre, 

various 

with 

•  Support  for  DG  VI  (Agriculture)  consisted  in 
to 

the  application  of 

remote  sensing 

JRC Annual  Report  1995 

agricultural  statistics,  with 
the  aim  of 
developing  and  demonstrating  method 
ologies  for  integrating  remote  sensing  data 
the 
into 
monitoring  of  crop  acreage  and  agricultural 
production 
the  EU  (Council  Decision 
94/753/EC No. L299 of 22.11.1994). 

the  collection  of  statistics 

for 

in 

project 

(MARS) 

includes 

information 

The  Monitoring  of  Agriculture  with  Remote 
Sensing 
two 
components.  Firstly,  MARS  STAT,  involving 
research on the development  of  an  advanced 
agricultural 
system  which 
the  various  methods  of  crop 
integrates 
the 
production  monitoring  developed  by 
project, 
the 
MARS 
of 
development 
for 
production 
agricultural 
techniques 
non  European  Union 
monitoring 
in 
the  development  of  new 
countries,  and 
techniques 
Europe's 
for 
monitoring 
the 
land,  using  data 
agricultural 
European remote  sensing satellites  ERS-1 and 
2. Secondly, MARS CAP, which  deals with  the 
verification  of farmers'  land  use declarations, 
as  governed  by  the  Common  Agricultural 
Policy. 
to 
individual  Member  States.  For  MARS  STAT, 
IRSA  provided  both  technical  support  and  a 
research  programme,  and  for  MARS  CAP, 
technical  support  centred  on  quality  control, 
and  training  and  assistance 
for  Member 
States' personnel and national companies. 

In  1995  MARS  CAP  devolved 

from 

B. Competitive  Activities 

Shared-Cost  Actions 

IRSA  submitted  40  proposals,  together  with 
national  partners,  on  a  range  of  specific 
scientific  subjects,  of  which  10  have  been 
accepted.  A  proposal  on  imaging  spectroscopy 
was  also  made,  under  the  programme  Training 
and  Mobility  of  Researchers.  If  it  is successful, 
IRSA will  host  20 post-doctoral  researchers  over 
the next three years. 

Competitive  Support  for  Community  Policies 

IRSA answered calls for  tender  issued by several 
the  Commission.  Proposals  were 
DGs  of 
accepted 
in  a  number  of  key  areas.  For 
example: 

•  Application  of  the  MARS  project  for  wine 
and olive production  modelling (for  DG VI); 

•  An  operational  tropical  forest  monitoring 
programme, submitted  by the  Monitoring  of 
Tropical Vegetation  Unit (for  DG XI); 

•  Two, joint  bids  with  ISEI dealing  with  neural 
to  EUROSTAT 
network  applications,  one 
land  use 
concerning  neural  networks  for 
classification,  the  other  to  DG  III  for  the 
benchmarking  of neural network  systems. 

environmental  resource  inventories  and  marine 
pollution  monitoring. 

Other  Competitive  Activities 

40 

Work  for  Third  Parties 

Five contracts were  carried out  for  customers  in 
Belgium,  France  and  Italy,  on  topics  ranging 
regional 
from  microwave  measurements 

to 

A  four  year  multi-country  project  for  rapid 
environmental  and  agricultural  monitoring  and 
the  PHARE 
statistics  was  accepted 
programme.  Another 
the 
development  of  systems  for  crop  assessment 
and  monitoring 
in  Russia,  was  accepted  by 
TACIS. 

by 
project, 

on 

JRC Annual  Report  1995 

41 

2.7 

-ÇJ-IE INSTITUTE  FOR SAFETY 
TECHNOLOGY 

Research  on  Safety  Technology,  p e r f o r m ed  at 
1ST, c o n t r i b u t ed  to  the  Framework  Programme 
lines  Measurement  and  Testing,  Environment 
and  Climate,  Nuclear  Fission  Safety,  and 
Controlled  Thermonuclear  Fusion.  The  overall 
mission  of  1ST 
research 
c o n t r i b u t i ng  to  safe  civil engineering  structures, 
nuclear  reactors,  fusion  tests  as w e ll  as  relating 
chemical 
to 
industries  and  p o w er  utilities. 

to  p e r f o rm 

particular 

problems 

t he 

of 

is 

The  Institute  is also  engaged  in  several  support 
activities  related  to  Community  policies  in  t he 
field  of  energy, 
the  area  of  Nuclear 
in 
Safeguards  (Euratom  Safeguards  and  IAEA). 

A. Institutional  Activities 

for 

Under  t he  Nuclear  Fission  Safety  programme 
the 
IST's  investigations  deal  essentially  w i th 
d e f i n i ng  safe o p e r a t i on  conditions  for  industrial 
installations  and 
research,  existing  or 
planned.  In  particular,  the  Nuclear  Safety  and 
Safeguards  p r o g r a m me  covers  a  major  part  of 
IST's  activity.  Major  support  is  provided  to  the 
Euratom  Safeguards  Directorate  of  DG  XVII  and 
of  DG  I  for 
International  Atomic  Energy 
Agency  (IAEA).  IST's support  activity  is  generally 
closely  blended  w i th  institutional  research. 

the 

New  results  w e re  obtained  f r om  an  i m p o r t a nt 
corium  melt  experiment  on  melt  quenching  in 
the  TERMOS 
experiment 
simulated  an  in-vessel  situation  d u r i ng  a  severe 
accident. 

test  vessel.  The 

fuel/coolant 

first  version  of 

the  COMETA  code 
interactions 

The 
calculating 
completed  and  is used for  routine  pre-  and  post-
test  calculations  of 
the  FARO  tests.  External 
users  include  IKE,  ENEA,  and  the  University  of 
fuel  breakup 
Wisconsin. 
model  into  the  code. 

for 
is  n ow 

introduced 

IKE 

the 

thermohydraulic  behaviour 

The  experimental  programme  on  the  STORM 
in  June  1995.  The  advanced 
facility  started 
i n s t r u m e n t a t i on  f or  characterising  aerosols  was 
validated.  The 
in 
the  mixing  vessel  and  the  deposition  in  pipes  of 
Sn-aerosols  under 
thermohydraulic 
tests  w i th  pre 
tested  (four 
conditions  w e re 
calculations,  analysis,  and  post-tests  calcula 
tions).  The  d o c u m e n t a t i on  of 
is 
nearly  complete.  The  4th  and  5th  meetings  of 
the  i n t e r n a t i o n al  STORM  user  g r o up  were  held 
in  March  and  December.  Five  sets  of  aerosol 
problems  are  proposed-as benchmarks  for  codes 

varying 

these 

tests 

JRC Annual  Report  1995 

currently  used  f or  m o d e l l i ng  thermohydraulics 
a nd  aerosol  physics  in  nuclear  plants.  Large 
t he 
discrepancies  have  been  h i g h l i g h t ed 
results  f or 
t u r b u l e nt  aerosol  deposition  a nd 
resuspension  as  calculated  by  various  codes.  To 
improve  and  assess these  mathematical  models, 
reliable  measured 
f or 
data 
comparison  purposes. 

needed 

are 

in 

interpret 

W o rk 
j o i n t ly 
in  support  of  Phebus  FP  was 
p e r f o r m ed  by  a team  of  1ST analysts  a nd  on-site 
the 
staff  at  CEA  Cadarache  (F),  to 
w e a l th  of  on-line  and  post-test  measurements 
available  f r om  a first  test  (late  1993) w i th  lightly 
irradiated  f u e l,  and  to  prepare  f or  t he  next  test 
w i th  irradiated  fuel.  The  first  test  yielded  some 
unexpected  results,  such  as  t he  advanced  state 
of  degradation  of 
low 
t he 
deposition  in  t he  experimental  circuit,  and  t he 
persistence  of  gaseous  radioactive  iodine  in  the 
containment  vessel. 

rods, 

fuel 

the 

New  and  updated  models  w e re  a d d ed  to  t he 
ESTER  (European  Source  Term  Research  Code) 
system.  A  new,  extended  version  of  ESTER  was 
formally  released  at  a  User  Group  meeting  in 
October.  An  extensive  v a l i d a t i on  was  carried 
o ut  w i th  the  User  Group. 

f or  MTR 

Non  destructive  testing  instruments  are  being 
developed:  a new  PIN  m o n i t or  n ow  used  in  Mol 
(Belgium);  a  scanner 
f u el  plate 
inspection  at  Romans  sur  Isère  (France);  a  new 
gamma  detection  device 
f u el 
elements  stored  under  w a t e r;  and  a  new 
Plutonium 
u n a t t e n d ed 
scrap  m o n i t o r.  An 
system  for  safeguarding  l ow  enriched  U  installa 
tions 
includes  specific  software  and  a  novel 
n e u t r on  collar. 

c o n t r ol 

to 

the  Controlled  Thermonuclear  Fusion 
Under 
p r o g r a m m e,  1ST participated  to  t he  w o r l d - w i de 
development  of  fusion  t e c h n o l o gy  focused  on 
t he  design  of  the  International  Thermonuclear 
Experimental  Reactor  (ITER).  The  overall  system 
testing  for  the  ETHEL  t r i t i um  safety  laboratory 
was  completed.  The  various  laboratory  systems 
were  tested  and  t he  necessary  d o c u m e n t a t i on 
prepared 
t he  necessary  cold 
commissioning  phase  prior  to  nuclear  tests  w i th 
t r i t i u m.  The  Fifth  Topical  M e e t i ng  on  Tritium 
Technology  was  hosted  and  t he  proceedings 
were  published 
t he  Fusion  Technology 
Journal. 

to  carry  o ut 

in 

R&D  activity  focused  on  fusion  materials,  waste 
studies,  t r i t i um  control  approaches  and  n ew 
measurement  techniques.  1ST hosted  a  n u m b er 
t he 
of 
t he 
behaviour  of 

t r i t i u m,  e.g.  on 
i n b u i l d i ng  characteristics, 

experiments  on 

reduction  of  t r i t i a t ed  water  on  regenerable  h ot 
iron  beds, and  t he  performance  of  a t r i t i um  gas 
m o n i t or  based  on  scintillation  principles.  W i t h in 
characterising 
continued  o n: 
ETHEL,  w o rk 
t r i t i um  recycling  and  outgassing  f r om  potential 
reactor 
first  wall  materials  under 
gaseous 
studying 
conditions; 
large 
the 
techniques;  and  measuring 
d e t r i t i a t i on 
performance  of  various  permeation  barriers.  An 
and 
experimental 
conditioning  activated/ 
fusion 
wastes  is being  assembled. 

f or  d e t r i t i a t i ng 
t r i t i a t ed  solid 

fusion 
scale 

plant 

the  Measurements  and  Testing 
W o rk  under 
programme  concentrated  on  assessing 
t he 
reliability  of  structures.  Major  pseudodynamic 
tests  were  p e r f o r m ed  in  t he  ELSA  facility  on  a 
frame  under 
large  composite  steel/concrete 
in 
conditions  simulating  severe  earthquakes, 
support 
f u r t h er 
improvement  of  Eurocode  8  (which  applies  to 
the  design  of  civil  engineering  structures 
in 
seismic  areas)  and  Eurocode  4.  The  dynamic 
properties  of  materials  and  critical  structural 
components  w e re  studied  in  t he  LDTF  facility, 
mainly  in  collaboration  w i th  industry. 

validation 

and 

the 

of 

of 

civil 

complete 

prediction 

and 
results,  on 

Tools  were  developed  to  simulate  the  seismic 
engineering 
behavior 
in 
structures.  Significant  progress  was  made 
comparison 
model 
w i th 
the  behaviour  of 
experimental 
reinforced  concrete 
masonry 
beam-to-column 
joints.  A  f u ll  d o c u m e n t a t i on 
set  (manuals  and  model  description  reports)  has 
been 
large 
computer  code  for  transient  dynamic  analysis  of 
general  3D  coupled 
fluid-structure  systems, 
developed  in  collaboration  w i th  CEA  (France). 

for  PLEXIS-3C,  a 

infills,  and  of 

completed 

for 

tools 

tests  as 

industrial 
Facilities  and  calculation 
reliability  research  w i t h in  t he  Environment  and 
Climate  p r o g r a m me  became  fully  operational. 
The  FIRES  facility  was  used  for,  amongst  other 
things,  compiex  polymerization 
a 
service  to  the  chemical  industry.  Control  system 
development  was  supported  and  experimen 
tally  verified,  in  collaboration  w i th  TU  Stuttgart 
(Germany),  to  demonstrate  Kalman  filter  based 
the  application  of  neural 
control  and 
n e t w o rk  c o n t r ol  algorithms.  V e n t i ng  tests  were 
to 
performed 
h o r i z o n t al 
simulate 
and 
in  heat  exchangers.  The  DRACULA 
situations 
facility  produced  reference  data  f or  the  design 
of  emergency  pressure  relief  systems  in  large 
plants. 

vessel  discharge 

the  COLUMBUS 

facility 

for 

in 

The  first  commercial  version  of  t he  RELIEF  code 
relief  design  was 
for  emergency  pressure 

42 

completed,  including  industrial  verification.  It 
combines  complex  modelling  w i th  extreme  user 
friendliness. 
test,  a  plant 
In  an  application 
manager  was  able  to  install  the  s o f t w a re  on  his 
PC and  to  simulate  various  v e n t i ng  scenarios  f or 
his plant  in  less t h an  t wo  hours. 

software 

advanced 

f or 
simulation 
The 
d e t o n a t i o n / d e f l a g r a t i on  m o d e l i n g,  REACFLOW, 
was  released  in  a  2D  version.  New  software 
modelling  of 
the 
f u r t h er 
dispersion  of  heavy  gas  releases  was 
developed. 

two-phase 

f l ow  a nd 

for 

Institutional  Support 

Activities 

f or 

in  PERLA 

to  safeguards 

the  way  of  support  activities 

In 
t he 
harmonisation  of  in-service  nuclear  safeguards 
training  courses  w e re 
inspection  practices, 
given 
inspectors, 
including  Russian  inspectors  and  operators  and 
industrial  experts,  and 
in-field  support  was 
given  to  safeguards  inspectors  d u r i ng  physical 
inventory  verifications  (PIV).  State  of  t he  art 
equipment  and  reference  analyses  of  nuclear 
materials  samples  were  also  provided.  Non 
destructive  assays were  also  p e r f o r m e d. 

B. Competitive  Activities 

Shared-Cost  Actions 

Fission 

Nuclear 

18  out  of  52  proposals  were  successful.  They 
refer  to  the  BRITE p r o g r a m m e,  the  Environment 
the  ESPRIT  HPCN 
and  Climate  p r o g r a m m e, 
programme, 
Safety 
the 
the  Technology  Transfer 
programme  and 
programme.  ELSA, t he  European  Laboratory  f or 
Structural  Assessment,  has  been  recognised  as a 
Large-Scale  Facility  for  European  users  w i t h in 
the  Training  and  Mobility  of  Researchers 
programme.  A 
12 
research 
European  organisations  has  been  approved  f or 
research  in support  of  Eurocode  8. 

n e t w o rk 

of 

Competitive  Support 

for  Community 

Policies 

1ST has  answered  calls  f or  tender  f r om  several 
Directorates-General.  Some  proposals  are  at  an 
in  particular, 
advanced  stage  of  discussion, 
support  f or  the  d e v e l o p m e nt  of  EUROCODE  8 
for  DG III. 

Work  for  Third  Parties 

f r om  1ST  by  various 
requested 
Work  was 
associations. 
authorities 
industries, 
the 
of 
include 
Developments 
response  of  plain  and 
concrete 
structures  to  impulsive  loading.  M a j or  contracts 

simulation 

reinforced 

and 

JRC Annual  Report  1995 

Sizeable  marketing 
on 
advancing  new  competitive  activities  and 
promoting  the  results  achieved  on  industrial 
reliability. 

focused 

efforts 

displayed 

1ST  activities  were 
three 
exhibitions:  the  Loss  Prevention  Symposium  in 
Antwerp,  INCHEM  95  in  Tokyo,  and  RICH  in 
Milan.  Initial  sales  and  third  party  contracts 
point  to  a successful  and  positive  trend  for  the 
future. 

at 

43 

were  also  signed  with  the  USNRC,  for  severe 
accident;  studies  with  FARO,  and  with  the 
Portuguese General  Directorate for  Monuments 
(DGEMN)  for  an  experimental  investigation  of 
the  structural  reliability  of  the  monastery  Sâo 
Vicente de Fora in Lisbon 

FARO 

The high-pressure melt  trenching test series 
m FAHOx using up to  1:0 kg molten coriumt 
weresutce$sfullycondjd!edin  Î93S. 

fatewiens 

in  severe 

important results were * 'biamed concerning 
Fuel+tootant  in 
accident scenarios forlr}hr  Water Reactors, 
inpatticular; 
All tests showed  consitfarzbte melt breakup 
end  quenching in  w&xr; Mean debris size 
ranged  from  3.5  to  5  rstn:.  This  shows the 
debris bed should be coolabfe by water. 
Early  themal  load 
structures was found tv tye mild. 
Steam explosions did not octur* 

to  debris  collecting 

JRC Annual  Report  1995 

2.8 

THE INSTITUTE  FOR  PROSPECTIVE 
TECHNOLOGICAL  STUDIES 

Institute  c o n t r i b u t ed 

The  role  of  IPTS  is to  be  constantly  aware  of  all 
relevant,  significant  and  outstanding  scientific 
and  technological  events  and  trends  in  Europe, 
particularly  those  t h at  call f or  action  at  EU level. 
t he  Framework 
The 
line,  Targeted  Socio-Economic 
Programme 
IPTS  are: 
Research.  The  essential  tasks  of 
to 
to  analyse, 
harvest  available 
i n f o r m a t i o n; 
to 
process  and 
identify  clear 
for 
decision  makers. 

impartially;  and 

trends  or  calls 

for  action 

i n t e g r a te 

to 

it 

The  main  current  tasks at  IPTS are  setting  up  the 
European  Science  and  Technology  Observatory 
(ESTO), 
technological 
prospective  studies. 

carrying 

and 

o ut 

A. Institutional  Activities 

IPTS  moved  to  Seville  in  1994  and  under  the 
Targeted  Socio-Economic  Research  line  of  the 
Fourth  Framework  Programme  was  given  a 
reinforced  objective  and  corresponding  human 
and  financial  resources.  A 
large  part  of  1995 
has thus  been  devoted  to  the  preparation  of  an 
is 
operational  w o rk  plan.  The  general  purpose 
to  harvest  available  contributions  f r om  experts, 
consultants, 
and 
institutes  in  t he  Member  States  where  possible, 
to 
also  in  t h i rd  countries,  to  be  able  rapidly 
analyse,  process  and  integrate  t h em  impartially 
and  in  d e p th  and,  even  more  importantly,  to 
distil  clear  trends  or  calls  for  action  in  a 
form 
usable  by  decision-makers. 

organisations 

research 

IPTS's  activities  and 

A l t h o u gh 
resources  are 
formally  b r o k en  into  specific  research  on  the 
one  hand,  and  support  of  EU  policies  on  the 
other,  all  projects  address  directly  or  indirectly 
the 
and 
understanding.  Unavoidably, 
the  distinction 
between 
types  of  activities  may  be 
t wo 
somewhat  blurred. 

knowledge 

public 

need 

the 

for 

Institutional  Research  Activities 

The  Observatory  at  IPTS  forms  an  integral  part 
of  the  Institute's  w o rk  and  is  currently  focused 
on  selected  fields,  but  a  n e t w o rk  of  similar 
organisations  o p e r a t i ng  at  national 
is 
being  set  up  to  extend  its  range  and  to  satisfy 
the  much  broader  f u n c t i on  of  a  truly  European 
Science  and  Technology  Observatory.  All 
interested  partners  share  t he  responsibility  of 
carrying  o ut  a  "technology  w a t c h"  as  a  joint 
venture.  The 
function  has 
technology  watch 
been  designed  to  support  decision  making  and 

level 

44 

is complemented  by  specific  in-depth  prospect 
ive  analyses  aimed  at  shedding 
the 
interface  between  scientific  & technical  aspects, 
on  the  one  hand, the  economy  & society,  on  t he 
other. 

l i g ht  on 

is  one  of 

Since  employment 
t he  major 
preoccupations  of  EU  institutions  and  society, 
t he  driving  force  behind  all  of  IPTS'  activities  is 
the  compound  n o t i on 
"Technology-Competi 
tiveness-Employment"  (TCE). 

field 

In  1995,  IPTS  u n d e r t o ok  prospective  studies  on 
specific  subjects  related  either  to  a  technology 
(e.g.  biotechnology),  a 
individual 
mobility)  or  a  cross-cutting  issue  or  aspect.  For 
instance,  w o rk 
regional 
dimension  more  specifically,  the  Mediterranean 
area  was  carried  out,  w i t h in  t he  f r a m e w o rk  of 
integrated  development  and  specific 
b o th 
sectors (renewable  energies, w a t er  problems). 

relevant 

(e.g. 

t he 

to 

Institutional  Support 

Activities 

recycling 

Prospective  technological  studies  on  materials, 
chemical 
energy 
feedstock 
f r om  municipal 
recovery 
plastics  waste, 
in  1994  on  behalf  of  DG  XI 
launched 
f o ur  preliminary 
(Environment), 
surveys: 

resulted 

and 

in 

•  current  projects  on  mechanical  recycling  of 

municipal  plastics  waste; 

•  current 

legislative  activity  in  plastics  waste 

management; 

•  current  projects  on  plastics 

recycling  by 

chemolysis; 

•  current  projects  on  energy  recovery 

f r om 

municipal  plastics waste. 

in  1995  and 

Three  new  families  of  energy  technologies  were 
studied 
t he  series  of 
prospective  analyses  launched  in  1994  for  DG 
XVII  (Energy):  photovoltaics,  CO2  disposal  and 
storage 
biological 
sequestration. 

technologies,  and  CO2 

joined 

A  new  update  of  t he  report  on  Climate  Change 
Research  and  Policy  (Forward  Studies  Unit  and 
DG  XVII)  covers  t he  m o n i t o r i ng  and  assessment 
of  recent  research  results  on  climate  sensitivity, 
w i th  emphasis  on  past  climate  changes  and  on 
modelling  as well  as a synthesis  of  t he  results  of 
the  Climate  Change  Convention 
in  Berlin,  in 
1995. 

JRC Annual  Report  1995 

ai 

Two  new case studies for  the  "Business and the 
Environment"  series  have  been  completed  for 
the  Forward  Studies  Unit,  one  on 
"Waste 
Minimisation",  the  other  on  "Cleaner  Techno 
logies in an SME". This series is designed to  give 
an  accurate  measure  of  some  aspects  of 
competitiveness  and  employment  in  companies 
eager to respond to environmental pressures. 

cooperation  with 

In  the  context  of  work  carried  out  for  DG  XVI 
(Regional  Policy), 
the 
Japanese  agency  NISTEP  has  continued,  aimed 
at  comparing 
the  European  and  Japanese 
experiences  in  regional  development  from  an 
RTD  policy  perspective.  This  project  will  be 
completed  in 1996. 

to 

response 

In 
the  STOA 
requests 
(Scientific  and  Technical  Option  Assessment) 
panel  of  the  European  Parliament,  IPTS  has 
launched the three following  projects: 

from 

"The  role  of  biotechnology  in  the  competi 
tiveness  of 
the  European  pharmaceutical 
legal  and 
industry":  Scientific,  economic, 
social  considerations  are  to  be  reviewed  in 
comparing  the  EU  position  with  its  major 
competitors.  The  project  provides  a  factual 
overview  of  R&D  and  innovation  efforts  in 
the  pharmaceutical  sector, and a prospective 
description  of  the  priorities  in  research  for 
new  drugs  and 
prospects  and 
the 
expectations  for  new  medical  therapies.  The 
expected  socio-economic  benefits  of  new 
drugs  in the  context  of  European  health care 
systems are analysed. 

• 

• 

• 

to 

are 

issues 
Its  objectives 

"The  Car  of  The  Future,  the  Future  of  the 
Car":  Key  issues for  future  transport  systems 
are  linked  to  achieving  sustainable  condi 
from  an  environments,  social  and 
tions 
economic  point  of  view.  The  project  focuses 
technological,  social  and  economic 
on 
individual 
aspects  of 
related 
mobility. 
to  develop 
strategies  for  solving  the  conflict  between 
demand  for  mass  individual  mobility  on  the 
one  hand,  and  ecological  pressure,  safety 
problems  and  congestion  on  the  other  hand. 
Its  first  stage  concentrates  on  technological 
aspects  such  as  new  engine  concepts,  with 
focus on zero-emission/e-cars  and the  related 
potential  energy  storage  systems, 
light 
recycling  aspects  and 
weight  materials, 
telematics  for  increased  road  use  efficiency. 
The  results  are  presented  in  a set  of  reports. 
Socio-economic-political  aspects  are  also 

dealt  with,  e.g.  driver  behaviour/mentality 
and  acceptance  problems  related  to  various 
technological options. 

THE 

KtiPORT 

m mum 

I MS 

Fig. 4 - The Monthly  Report of IPTS 

the 

rapid  development  of 

"Multimedia  Information  Superhigh-ways": 
The  project  focuses  mainly  on  issues  arising 
from 
these 
technologies  and  the  services  they  provide, 
such  as  access  devices,  pricing/billing 
to 
users,  priority  systems,  interconnection  and 
interoperability  issues, contents  and  security 
first  report  also  deals  with 
concerns,  etc.  A 
on 
the 
and 
direct 
innovative 
employment:  as  with  most 
technologies, a loss of  jobs will  be felt  in  the 
short  term  while  in  the  medium/long  term, 
the 
economic  per 
formance  will  have  positive  effects.  This 
entails recycling the  labour force, the costs of 
which  are, at this stage, difficult  to  estimate. 
individual 
Aspects 
aspects  such  as  exclusion  or  changes 
in 
human relations are also discussed. 

increased  general 

to  social  and 

indirect 

effects 

linked 

B. Competitive  Activities 

the 

first 

time 

IPTS  has  entered 

the 
For 
competitive  market  for  research  contracts.  Its 
proposals  relate  mainly  to  non-nuclear  energy 
(5  proposals  submitted,  3  funded),  agro-food, 
the  environment,  international  cooperation  on 
water 
resources,  and  biomass  (for  various 
Mediterranean  programmes  managed  by  DG  I 
B). Most of the work  will be carried out in 1996. 

JRC Annual  Report  1995 

JRC INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT ACTIVITIES 

Table 1  of Annex 1 

INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT ACTIVITIES 

DECISIONS, DIRECTIVES, REGULATIONS OF THE COUNCIL AND COMMUNICATIONS 
OF THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL AND EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ON 
INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF THE JRC 

Environment and Climate 

European Reference  Laboratory for  Air  Pollution (ERLAP) 

European Chemicals Bureau (ECB) 

European Centre for the Validation of Alternative  Methods 
(ECVAM) 

Supportto the  European Environment Agency (EEA) 

Work  in support of  Directives 80/779 EEC, 89/427 EEC, 82/884 EEC, 85/203 EEC and 
92/72 EEC 

Communication from the Commission to the Council and European  Parliament 
(93/C1 /02), OJ No. C1 /3 of  5.01.1993 on the  European Chemicals Bureau (ECB). 
Work  in  support of Directives 67/548 EEC, 92/32 EEC 

Communication from the Commission to the Council and European Parliament 
SEC(91 ) 1794 final of  29.10.1991. Establishment of a European Center for  the 
Validation of Alternative  Methods (ECVAM). 
Work  in support of  Directive 86/609 EEC 

Council Regulation (EEC) No. 1210/90  of 7.5.1990 on the creation of the  European 
Environmental Agency (OJ No. L120/1,  11.5.1990) (see in particular Article  15 and 
Annex A Cooperation with the JRC) 

European Community  Pharmaceutical  Information  Network 
(ECPHIN) 

Work  in support of  Directives 93/39 EEC, 93/40 EEC and Council  Regulations 
93/2309 EEC and EEC 2377/90 

Quality Control of  Consumer Products (Consumer  Protection) 

Industrial Reliability.  Major  Hazards  Biotechnology  Safety 

On Cosmetics: 6th modification of  Regulation  EC/76/768 on Safety of  Products: 
General Safety Directive 92/59/EEC of  29.6.1994 

Communication from the Commission to the Council and European  Parliament; 
Work  in support of  Directive 82/501 EEC 

Methodologies for UCLAF 

Agriculture and Fisheries 

Remote Sensing for  Agriculture 

Decision of the Council of  14.11.1994 on Remote Sensing applications  to 
Agricultural Statistics for the period  1994-1998 (94/753 / EEC, OJ No. L299/27, 
22.11.1994) 

o 

INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT ACTIVITIES 

DECISIONS, DIRECTIVES, REGULATIONS OF THE COUNCIL AND COMMUNICATIONS 
OF THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL AND EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ON 
INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF THE JRC 

Animal  Identification 

European Office for Wine, Alcohol and Spirit  Drinks (BEVABS) 

Reference Measurements  and Materials for  Quality Control  of 
Foodstuffs 

Nuclear Safety and Safeguards 

Euratom Safeguards Support: General 
Euratom Safeguards Support:  On-Site laboratories  and ECSAM 

IAEA Safeguards Support 

Communication from the Commission to the Council and European  Parliament 
(COM(93)360/3). Work  in support of Council Regulations (EEC) No. 2048/89, 2348/91 
and 2347/91 and Commission  Regulation No. 2676/90 

Communication from the Commission to the Council and European Parliament  of 
24.3.1992 (SEC (92)515 final, concerning the Commission Decision on on-site 
laboratories, for the period  1991-1996 (see in particular Art.  16 Cooperation  with 
the JRC) 
Communication from the Commission to the Council and European  Parliament 
COM(94)383 final, of  7.9.1994 concerning the  illicit circulation of  radioactive 
material 

Communication from the Commission to the Council COM (80) 681 final,  concerning 
an Agreement  in the form of an Exchange of  Letters between the  International 
Atomic  Energy Agency on the one hand and the Commission on behalf  of  the 
European Atomic  Energy Community, on the other, on cooperation  in the field  of 
research and development  in Safeguards 

HO 

Annex  2 

GLOSSARY  OF ACRONYMS  AND  ABBREVIATIONS 

ADAGE 

Aide  à la Décision A m é n a g e m e nt  Gestion de  l'Environnement 

AQUACON 

Analytical  Quality  Control 

ARTINA 

Analysis  of  Radioisotope  Traces f or  the  Identification  of  Nuclear  Actinides 

BRITE-EURAM 

Basic Research  in  Industrial  Technologies  f or  Europe-  European  Research 
on Advanced  Materials 

CEA 

CEN 

Commissariat  à l'Energie  A t o m i q ue  (Paris -  France) 

Comité  Européen  de  Normalisation 

CORDIS 

Community  Research and  Development  I n f o r m a t i on  Service 

ELSA 

ENIC 

European  Laboratory  f or  Structural  Assessment 

European  Network  f or  Inspections  Qualification 

ESPRIT-HPCN 

European  Strategic  Programme  f or  Research  and  Development  in 
Information 

ESTI 

European  Solar Test  Installation 

EURATOM 

European  A t o m ic  Energy  Community 

EUREKA 

European  Research Coordination  Agency 

EUROSTAT 

European  Statistical  Office 

FWP 

Framework  Programme 

IPACERC 

Induction  Plasma Assisted  CVD of  Erosion  Resistant  Coatings 

JOULE 

Joint  Opportunities  for  Unconventional  or  Long-Term  Energy  Supply 

MITO 

NASA 

NEA 

NESC 

Microphyte  Toxins 

National  Aeronautics  and  Space  Administration 

Nuclear  Energy  Agency  (Paris -  France) 

European  Network  for  Evaluating  Steel  Components 

NET/ITER 

Next  European  Torus /  International  Thermonuclear  Experimental  Reactor 

PHARE 

Poland  - Hungary:  Assistance  f or  Economic  Restructuring 

PHEBUS 

French Test  Reactor  (Cadarache  -  France) 

RIVM 

Rijksinstituut  voor  Volksgezondheid  en  Milieu  (The  Netherlands) 

ROBERTINO 

Facility for  the  Blanket  Handling  Device  Development  in  1:3  Scale 

SCK/CEN 

SPOT 

TACIS 

Studiecentrumm  voor  Kernenergie/Centre  d'Etudes  Nucléaires 
(  M o l-  Belgium) 

Système  Probatoire  pour  l'Observation  de  la  Terre 

Technical  Assistance  to  the  C o m m o n w e a l th  of  Independent  States  and 
Georgia 

THERMIE 

Technologies  Européennes  pour  la  Maîtrise  de  l'Energie 

USNRC 

United  States  Nuclear  Regulatory  Commission 

ISSN 0254-1475 

COM(96)  158 final 

DOCUMENTS 

EN 

01  15 

Catalogue number  :  CB-CO-96-170-EN-C 

ISBN 92-78-02635-2 

Office  for  Official  Publications  of the European  Communities 

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«i