Joint Research Centre - 1997 annual report
Date: 1998-07-29
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU programme, Joint Research Centre, activity report, project evaluation, technological change

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 29.07.1998 
COM(1998) 483  final 

JOINT RESEARCH CENTRE 

1997 ANNUAL REPORT 

(presented by the Commission) 

FOREWORD 

Every year the Commission presents an Annual Report for the Joint  Research Centre (JRC), describing 
the entire spectrum of JRC activities  during the year  and giving  information  on the  human and financial 
resources which have been available for the execution of the work. 

The  Annual  Report,  accompanied  by  the  Observations  of  the  Board  of  Governors  of  the  JRC,  is 
transmitted  by the Commission to the  Council, the  European  Parliament  and the  Economic  and Social 
Committee. 

The present  report covers activities  in 1997 and is issued in fulfilment  of the  reporting  requirements  set 
out  in  the  Council  decisions  on  the  JRC  specific  programmes  (1995-1998)  for  the  EC  (European 
Community)1  and  the  EAEC  (European  Atomic  Energy  Communities)2 
respectively,  and  the 
supplementary High Flux Reactor programme  1996-1999 for the EAEC3. 

At  the  same  time,  the  1997  Annual  Report  constitutes  a  contribution  to  the  reporting  on  Community 
RTD (Research and Technological  Development)  activities  which  is  required  by Article  130P of the EC 
Treaty. 

1 
2 
3 

OJL361/114  31.12.1994 
OJL361/132  31.12.1994 
OJ  L 172/23  11.7.1996 

JRC Annual Report 1997 

3-4 

TABLE OF  CONTENTS 

INTRODUCTION 

THE JOINT  RESEARCH CENTRE 

OBSERVATIONS  OF THE  BOARD OF GOVERNORS 

JRC HIGHLIGHTS  OF  1997 

1. THE JOINT  RESEARCH  CENTRE  IN 1997 

1.1  INSTITUTIONAL  ACTIVITIES: JRC SPECIFIC  RESEARCH  PROGRAMMES 

1.1.1  Institutional Research Activities 

1.1.2 Institutional Scientific  and Technical  Support for Community  Policies 

1.2  COMPETITIVE  ACTIVITIES 

1.3  JRC  INFORMATION  DAYS, PUBLICATIONS, AND CONFERENCES 

1.4  HUMAN RESOURCES 

1.5  FINANCES 

2. ACTIVITIES OF THE JRC  INSTITUTES  IN 1997 

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, INFORMATICS AND SAFETY 

2.5 THE ENVIRONMENT  INSTITUTE 

2.6 THE SPACE APPLICATIONS  INSTITUTE 

2.7 THE  INSTITUTE  FOR  PROSPECTIVE TECHNOLOGICAL  STUDIES 

5 

6 

7 

9 

12 

19 

21 

23 

26 

27 

27 

30 

33 

35 

40 

43 

45 

JRC  Annua!  Report  1997 

INTRODUCTION 

1997 was a year  of  evolution towards  a more customer-driven  approach  in JRC  institutional  activities  and 
was characterized  by several scientific  achievements  in various  research fields.  These  achievements  are 
highlighted  in the  report.  In particular,  it should be  mentioned that, for  the first  time, an  innovative  form of 
radiotherapy  was  tested  on  patients  suffering  from  a  very  aggressive  type  of  brain  cancer,  and  that 
preliminary clinical trials have shown promising results in  treating leukemia with alpha-immunotherapy. 

During the year, the JRC  continued  its  successful  performance  as  a neutral organisation  at the  service of 
the  Commission  within  the  frame  of  the  objectives  of  the  Council  decisions  on  the  JRC  Specific 
Programmes  for  the  period  1994-1998.  In  addition,  JRC  contributed  to  the  preparation  of  the  5th 
Framework  Programme with a proposal for the  Centre's  research  in future  years.  In so doing, the  Centre 
undertook  an overall analysis  of the  demand for  S&T  assistance  from  the  different  customer  Directorates 
General  of  the  Commission.  As  a  result  of  this  analysis,  a  stronger  emphasis  is  given  to  life  sciences 
topics related to consumer  protection, anti-fraud, prospective technological studies, sustainable growth and 
environment  high  on  the  Commission's  agenda.  The  new  orientation  of  the  Centre  is  characterized  by 
greater  emphasis  on  socio-economic  activities,  reflecting  the  general  orientation  to  "Research  at  the 
service of the individual and the citizen" given to future European Union's  programmes. 

A  particular  effort  was  also  made  to  improve  the  image  of  the  JRC  through  a  more  determined 
communications  policy.  The  visit  in  September  of  the  Members  of  the  European  Parliament  from  the 
Committee  on  Research  Technological  Development  and  Energy,  allowed  for  the  presentation  of  future 
strategy and projects and to highlight the  relevance of the  Institutes scientific  work to the  European citizen. 
Additional efforts were made to open the Centre, in a more user-friendly approach, to the scientific  press in 
order to render the JRC better known by the general public. 

A  new technology  transfer  initiative  was  also  approved  by the  Commission  in  early  1998,  departing  from 
earlier ideas for the creation of a technology park on the traditional  model.  Such a model was deemed not 
appropriate for the JRC in view of the need to preserve the independence and neutrality associated with its 
institutional  role. 
is  foreseen  through 
collaborative  agreements  with  users  for  the sharing  of  large  installations,  as  well  as  a technology  transfer 
capital fund, a virtual technology park and training and education initiatives. 

Instead,  an  integrated  set  of  flexible  access  mechanisms 

JRC developed diverse collaborations  with other research organisations, both in Member  States and in the 
rest  of  the  world,  by  participating  in  various  networks  to  undertake  different  research  and  development 
initiatives.  Competitive activities, such as participation  in shared cost  actions  and work for  external clients, 
continued  to  be  obtained  by  JRC  at  a  very  significant  pace,  making  the  achievement  of  the  four  year 
objectives to appear attainable by the end of the programme. 

By  capitalising  on  its  multidisciplinarity,  the  JRC  has  maintained  a  high  level  of  quality  in  its  activities 
together  with  a  continuous  thrust  to  achieve  better  overall  performance;  efforts  continued  to  render  the 
internal organisation more flexible; these will be pursued and extended in 1998. 

JRC Annual  Report 1997 

THE JOINT RESEARCH CENTRE 

The  Joint  Research  Centre 
laboratory, 
established  by  the  European  Commission,  with  headquarters  in  Brussels.  Five  separate  sites,  located  in 
Belgium,  Germany,  Italy,  the  Netherlands  and  Spain,  house  seven  different  institutes,  each  with  its  own 
focus  of  expertise. 

is  the  European  Union's  scientific  and  technical  research 

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) 

ISIS 

The  Institute  for  Systems,  Informatics  and  Safety 

ISPRA  (I) 

El 

The  Environment  Institute 

SAI 

The  Space  Applications  Institute 

ISPRA  (I) 

ISPRA  (I) 

IPTS 

The  Institute  for  Prospective  Technological  Studies 

SEVILLE  (E) 

The  Joint  Research  Centre  is  an  integral  part  of  the  Community  research  and  technological  development 
system,  and  has  developed  over  the  years  special  skills  and  unique  tools  to  provide  neutral  and  Europe-
wide  expertise,  in  order  to  get  a  better  understanding  of  the  links  between  technology,  the  economy  and 
society.  JRC  aims  to  carry  out  the  specific  Community  research  programmes,  decided  upon  by  the 
Council  and  funded  by  the  European  Union  budget;  provide  customer-driven  research  as  scientific  and 
technical  support  for  other  Community  policies,  such  as  those  on  the  environment,  agriculture  or  nuclear 
safety;  and  engage  itself  ever  more  successfully  in  competitive  activities,  i.e.  participating  on  a  par  with 
in 
industry,  research  organisations  and  universities  of  the  Member  States  or  associated  countries 
Community  programmes,  including  shared-cost  actions  under  the  Framework  Programmes,  or  providing 
paid  services  to  private  and  public  customers. 

The  statutory  staff,  comprising  officials,  temporary  and  auxiliary  agents,  was  2  092  at  the  end  of  1997.To 
this  number  one  must  add  148  scientists  who  were  active  in the  Centre  and  were  paid  by  the  JRC  under 
various  hosting  schemes. 

The  global financial  appropriations  committed  by the  JRC  in  1997 were  around  291,316  Mioecu. 

This  Annual  Report  is  intended  to  give  a  general  overview  of  JRC  activities  in  1997. 

The  seven  Institutes  of  the  JRC  produce  their  own  Annual  Reports.  Readers  may  find  more  details  in 
to 
these  Annual  Reports.  The  JRC  also  publishes  numerous  scientific 
conferences  and 
to 
in  scientific 
disseminate  its  scientific  output. 

reports,  presents  papers 
journals,  and  organizes  workshops,  seminars  and  conferences 

JRC Annual  Report 1997 

OBSERVATIONS BY THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS 
ON THE JRC ANNUAL REPORT 1997 

The  Board  of  Governors  is  pleased  to  note  that  the  progress  recorded  in  the  1996  Annual  Report  was 
sustained and consolidated during  1997.  In particular  the progress  recorded  in fulfilment  of the  mission of 
the  JRC  notably  in  support  to  EU  Policies. The  year  saw  a  series  of  significant  achievements  which  are 
highlighted in the present report. Competitive activities too are now an integral part of the JRCs working life 
-  in particular together with its national partners the JRC  has demonstrated  success  in obtaining  contracts 
for participation in the shared-cost action programmes. 

Exploitation of  Knowledge 

The Board of Governors  is pleased that the JRC is moving positively to use and develop its knowledge and 
expertise for the benefit  of the citizens  of the  European  Union. The  Board expects  the JRC to continue  to 
adapt its reservoir of knowledge as a resource for  relevant and commercial exploitation. 

As  highlighted  in  the  report,  the  JRC  is  collaborating  in  the  development  of  an  innovative  form  of 
radiotherapy which is now undergoing clinical trials, and which could  hold out  hope for  thousands  of  brain 
tumour  sufferers.  The  JRC  has  also  been  involved  in the  development  of  an  alpha  emitting  radioisotope 
adapted to a new kind of  immunotherapy  against  cancer  which  is now  undergoing various  clinical trials at 
the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre in New York and in European hospitals. 

Technology  Transfer 

On  a  broader  front,  the  JRC  is  developing  a  coherent  set  of  initiatives  to  stimulate  technology  transfer, 
collaborative  research and networking  across  Europe. An  integrated set of  mechanisms  is being  explored 
which should allow flexible access to JRC facilities,  results, intellectual  property,  expertise  and  know-how. 
This  is targeted at companies, large and small, research centres  and  individuals  across  Europe. The JRC 
is  also  addressing  how  best  to  exploit  the  significant  range  of  intellectual  property  ideas  residing  in  its 
various institutes. 
The  Board  of  Governors  sees  all  of  this  as  a  continuous  process  of  trying  to  create  better  linkages 
between  the  JRC  and  its  clientele  in  the  Member  States,  and  of  creating  networks  and  synergies  of 
relevant  groupings  for the benefit  of  European  industry and its citizens.  The  Board intends to follow these 
developments  closely. 

Evolution of the JRC status 

In  1996  the  Commission  took  a  significant  step  when  it  decided  to  give  the  JRC  the  status  of  an 
autonomous  Directorate General, a step which was welcomed by the Board of Governors. 

The  Board  has  always  strongly advocated  giving the JRC  the  necessary freedom  to  play a fuller  role  and 
realise  its full  potential.  In  1997 the  Board  issued  a favourable  opinion  on a draft  proposal  to  endow  the 
JRC with  legal  personality. This  move, properly  executed, could  help to enable the JRC to  respond  more 
fully to the competitive environment  in which it is increasingly expected to operate. 

Evaluations 

During  1997  the  Board  continued  to  assess  and  supervise  the  implementation  of  the  recommendations 
from the detailed and horizontal evaluations of the JRC activities carried out in late 1996 by Professor J. M. 
Rojo  and  the  Visiting  Groups.  During  1997,  the  institutes  systematically  implemented  detailed  plans 
designed  to  give  effect  to  these  recommendations;  for  example  addressing  the  spread  of  activities  and 
how better to focus and concentrate  resources. This  is to be welcomed. 

5thFramework  Programme 

The  Board  of  Governors  noted  with  keen  interest  the  Commission's  Proposal  for  the  5th  Framework 
Programme.  The  Board  has followed and  has  participated  in the  ensuing  discussions  at  various  levels  -

JRC Annual  Report 1997 

addressing the CERT  (Committee  on Research, Technological  Development  and  Energy)  of the  European 
Parliament, preparing  a'submission  to  and  addressing  members  of  CREST  (Scientific  and  Technical 
Research  Committee),  and  in  developing  its  own  thinking  concerning  inter  alia  the  compatibility  of  the 
programme  and the capacity  of the Centre.  It adopted an Opinion  in October  1997  emphasising  the JRC 
mission  on  the  basis  of  its  neutrality,  impartility  and  competencies  necessary  to  underpin  European 
policies. The opinion further stated that the Institutional budget in the 5th Framework  Programme should be 
similar  in real terms to that of the 4th Framework  Programme  and that a target for the competitive  activities 
should be in addition  15% of the institutional budget. 

The Board believes that, as a result of solid progress  made by the institutes over the past 5 years, the JRC 
is in a much stronger position to contribute to achieving the aims of the 5th Framework  Programme. 

Staff 

The  Board  of  Governors  learned  with  regret  that  Director  General  Jean-Pierre  Contzen  would  leave  his 
position  from  July  1997.  The  Board  would  like  to  place  on  record  its  debt  to  him  for  the  excellent 
contribution  he  made  to  building  up  the  JRC  and  taking  it  into  its  new  competitive  role. 
The 
responsibilities  of  Director General during the second half  of  1997 fell on the  Deputy  Director  General, Mr. 
Hugh Richardson. 

After  the  period  covered  by  the  present  Annual  Report,  the  Commission  in  January  1998  selected  and 
appointed  Mr.  Herbert  Allgeier  as  Director  General  of  the JRC.  Mr.  Allgeier  is  well familiar  with the  JRC 
which  he,  in  a  previous  period  served  as  the  first  Director  of  the  Institute  for  Prospective  Technological 
Studies in Seville. 

Acknowledgements 

The  Board was  pleased  to  have the  opportunity  in  December  1997  of  a  detailed  exchange  of  views  with 
Commissioner  Cresson  on  a  range  of  pertinent  issues,  including  the  future  orientation  of  the  JRC.  The 
Board looks forward to continuing a constructive dialogue with her in the future. 

The Board would also like to thank all of the staff  of the JRC for their services and for the way they are 
responding to the new directions  being charted out for the JRC. 

JRC Annual Report 1997 

JRC HIGHLIGHTS OF 1997 

The JRC's scientific and technical work is mostly interdisciplinary and covers a large number of projects. 

The following few selected examples of work from the JRC  Institutes  illustrate various  areas  of  activity and 
varied funding arrangements elaborated for JRC work in 1997. 

THE  BORON  NEUTRON  CAPTURE  THERAPY (BNCT):  EXPLORATION  OF  AN 
INNOVATIVE TREATMENT FOR MALIGNANT BRAIN TUMOURS 

Approximately 15 000 Europeans are affected each year by glioblastoma,  an extremely malignant type of brain 
tumour. Little progress has been made during the last 40 years in this field,  and the average survival time of 
patients has not changed considerably, due to the low effectiveness of conventional treatments.  An innovative 
form of radiotherapy is for the first time being tested in Europe  at the HFR reactor in the JRC (Petten - The 
Netheriands).  Five patients have already been treated in the framework of clinical tests that began in October 
1997. The boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is carried out shortly after the patients surgical operation in 
his/her own country; it replaces conventional radiotherapy. The principle  of this new treatment is to destroy 
only the cancerous cells, leaving healthy cells unharmed. 

It should be noted that the development of this therapy is only at the stage  of clinical trials. The tests should 
make it possible to determine the optimal level of irradiation for the brain -  varying the time, the dose,  and the 
number of exposures  to the new neutron  beam. 
where patients from one European country are treated in another country by physicians  from a third country. 
This  opens  the way to organize  clinical schemes  that would  use sophisticated and unique facilities  to  treat 
patients suffering from this aggressive type of brain cancer. 

It is the first multi-national clinical  application  in  Europe, 

ANTI-PERSONNEL MINE DETECTION SYSTEMS AND STRATEGIES 
The Space  Applications  Institute  (SAI) is  gaining recognition  as  a  focal centre for  mine detection  and 
identification.  Its work is continuing in close collaboration with national groups from EU Member States as well 
as with NGOs, representatives from mine-infected countries, and mine clearance teams. 

SAI set up an outdoor test range  for establishing  standards  to validate  the performance  of mine  detection 
sensors (e.g. metal detectors, ground penetrating radars and thermal infra-red sensors).  This «benchmarking» 
action began in October 1997 with a workshop attended by the United Nations Department for Peace Keeping 
Operations (UNDPKO), non-govemmental  organisations,  mine  clearance organisations, mine  detector 
producers  (SMEs),  national research  organisations,  universities,  and other Commission  services  concerned 
with mine clearance.  The facility has been used by various mine-detection sensor producers,  and in feasibility 
studies of a multi-sensor system for anti-personnel mine detection  and identification.  The standards obtained 
will be applied  to subsequent  SAI tests,  as well as to mine clearance projects  supported  by the  European 
Commission in mine-infected countries. 

NETWORK LABORATORY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLING 
The  discovery of the secret Iraqi nuclear weapons programme  has led to a substantial strengthening  of the 
safeguards system  of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)  in Vienna. It became evident,  that it is 
necessary to provide assurance that no undeclared nuclear activities are taking place in States having signed 
the Non-Proliferation Treaty. 
Ultra-sensitive environmental sampling techniques are one of the key new developments to help to detect the 
presence of clandestine activities. 
Following the agreement signed in July 1997 between the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the 
JRC, the Institute  for Transuranium  Elements  (ITU)  has become  one of the network laboratories  for the 
analysis of  environmental  samples.  In  this  way  the Institute is  actively contributing  to  the policy of the 
European  Union  to support  and strengthen  the International Atomic  Energy Agency's  activities  in  nuclear 
safeguards.  The  Institute is also closely collaborating with  and providing similar support to the  Commission's 
Euratom  Safeguards  Directorate  (ESD)  in  the area of High Performance  Trace  Analysis (HPTA).  ESD  is 
providing financial support for increased automation of measurement technology. 

JHC Annual  Keport  7yy/ 

10 

TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND NETWORKING AT THE 
JRC 

Developing at the JRC a coherent set of activities to stimulate technology transfer,  collaborative research and 
networking across Europe should be an indispensable  and desirable complement to institutional activities.  A 
feasibility study was thus carried  out to define how this potential can best be exploited,  taking into account, 
however,  the need to preserve the institutional role of the JRC with its inherent neutrality and subsidiarity.  As a 
result,  an integrated  set  of  mechanisms  has been proposed for flexible  access to JRC facilities,  results, 
intellectual property,  expertise  and know-how,  targeted  at companies  big and small,  research  centres  and 
individuals  across  Europe.  The objective is to achieve  results  across Europe  and,  therefore,  to offer flexible 
options such  as collaboration agreements  and innovation-oriented actions.  All components  aim at facilitating 
access from geographically  distant locations  without  having to invest in premises  on the JRC sitest The 
proposed  concept  is  thus a  radical departure  from traditional  «technology parks», which aim at  attracting 
investment and include a high proportion of property development. 
A particular effort was made in 1997 to increase the awareness of the JRC staff on intellectual property issues. 
A special leaflet explaining the need to protect inventions and the means to do so has been distributed to all 
staff. This message  was amplified  by  a poster «Patent  FIRST,  then Publish».  Patent coordinators  have 
followed special training courses and have received access to specialised patent databases. 

ALPHA - IMMUNOTHERAPY 
Alpha-immunotherapy is a spin-off activity of the Basic actinide research work carried out at the Institute for 
Transuranium Elements (ITU). It  has gained increasing interest and attention as a therapy for cancer 
treatment. 
The unique expertise of the Institute for Transuranium Elements (ITU) in the nuclear field allowed it to 
prepare an alpha-emitting radio-isotope,  Bismuth-213, adapted to a new kind of immunotherapy against 
cancer. A by-product of nuclear energy and derived from nuclear waste,  Bismuth-213 is easier to handle than 
other alpha-emitters and decays rapidly into a non-radioactive substance. 
Early clinical trials carried out at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New-York,  USA,  on leukemia 
patients showed for the first time that alpha-particle therapy could be feasible and appears safe: no significant 
uptake of the isotope was registered outside of the target areas of bone marrow, liver and spleen. 
Similar  studies sponsored  by  the  European  Commission  are being carried out  at  Nantes, France,  and 
Heidelberg,  Germany.  The French research focuses on an ex vivo bone-marrow purging feasibility study;  the 
German one,  on the other hand,  is looking into the treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL)  with  in vitro 
tests.  Bismuth-213  is  being  studied  for  cancers such  as  leukemias  and  lymphomas as  well  as  for 
micrometastatic  carcinomas.  Alpha-particle  therapy is also being  investigated with the first in vitro  tests  for 
prostate cancer. ITU is already developing an additional production  of Bismuth-213 in collaboration  with  the 
cyclotron department of the Forschungszentrum fur Technik und Umwelt in Karlsruhe. 

STANDARDS AND NORMS IN THE MATERIALS FIELD 
Standards and norms are of vital importance for industry,  in particular when reliability and quality are at stake. 
Pre-nonvative  work,  i.e. all activities  helping  in  the preparation  of norms^ and standards,  receives  special 
attention  at the Institute  for Advanced  Materials  (1AM)  where  such activities  have been undertaken  for 
several years in  the materials  field. To date, the results obtained  at 1AM  have strongly contributed  to the 
development of standard test methods for mechanical performance assessment,  for new classes of materials 
(technical  ceramics,  composites),  for new test methods  (thermo-mechanical  fatigue,  damage tolerance  of 
ceramic composites,  residual stress),  as well as for the improvement of existing standards.  1AM collaborates 
closely with CEN (Comité Européen de Normalisation),  VAMAS (Versailles project on Advanced Materials and 
Standards) and ESIS (European Structural Integrity Society). 

JRC Annual Report 1997 

11 

COLLABORATION ON IMPROVING SAFETY AND WASTE TREATMENT 

To  support  the  safe  economic  production  of  energy,  extensive  studies  on  the  interaction  of  neutrons  with 
matter and experiments were performed  using the unique accelerators of the JRC at IRMM. 
The collaboration  with  CEA  (Commissariat  à  I'  Energie  Atomique),  on  data  needed for  waste transmutation 
studies, was continued with the analysis of the measured  cross sections of99Tc.  Measurements of237Np  in the 
resonance  region  have also  been  started.  Similarly,  in  the  context  of  a  concerted  action  for  the same  goaf, 
resolution  measurements  of  the  inelastic  scattering  cross  sections  on  208Pb  have  been  initiated.  The 
international collaboration on  the  Doppler  broadening  of  neutron  resonances,  also with  CEA, was continued 
with  measurements  on  U03,  Np02  and  Hg2Cl2.  Measured  data  for  metallic  U  and  U02  were  successfully 
analysed  with  simple  solid  state  model;  these  data  are  important  for  the  calculation  of  the  temperature 
coefficient of reactivity, especially for high fuel bum-up. 

; 

TRANSPORT SAFETY 
Industry worked closely with ISIS using the Large Dynamic  Test Facility (LDTF), firstly to understand better the 
behaviour  of  material  at  high  strain  rates  (in  order  to  calibrate  computer  codes  that  simulate  crashes)  and 
secondly  to test the crash resistance  of new lightweight  materials.  This will help the industry  meet European 
crash-test  standards  with  vehicles  that  weigh  less  and  consume  less.  During  1997 new  understanding was 
reached on the behaviour of commonly  used automotive  steel.  LDTF  can now be used also for crash energy 
absorption studies of train and helicopter components. 

THE EUROPEAN INTEGRATED POLLUTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL BUREAU 
(EIPPC) 
The European Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (EIPPC) Bureau, was bom out of the directive of the 
same  name,  adopted by  the  Environment  Council  in  September  1996.  The directive aims  at  a  high level  of 
overall environmental protection for which the objective is to set out high standards of practice, based on "Best 
Available  Techniques" (BAT), and to reduce  emissions  and  the impact  of such emissions on the environment 
as a whole. 

The Institute for Prospective Technological Studies  (IPTS) operates  the EIPPC bureau and is responsible 
for formulating and distributing the BAT Reference  Documents,  organizing the exchange of information on the 
achievement  of  these  standards,  and  informing  authorities  of  Member  States  of  any  developments  and 
changes  in  policy  implementation.  The  Bureau  is  also  establishing  a  dedicated  electronic  information 
management system to facilitate immediate broadcasts. 

During  1997 the  EIPPC's work programme  has  concentrated  on  the  following  four sectors: paper  and pulp; 
cement and lime; iron and steel; and cooling and vacuum systems. 

JRC Annual Report 1997 

12 

1. THE JOINT RESEARCH CENTRE IN 1997 

1.1 

INSTITUTIONAL ACTIVITIES 

1.1.1  INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH ACTIVITIES 

The  JRC  research  activities  contribute  to  several  lines  of  the  Community  Framework  Programmes 
through the JRC specific  programmes  1995-1998: 

•The  Industrial  Technologies and Materials  Technologies programme  was  carried  out  by the  Institute for 
Advanced  Materials  (IAM),  and  encompasses  research  projects  on  advanced  materials,  on  surface 
engineering,  and  on  non-destructive  evaluation  techniques  for  the  inspection  of  industrial  structural 
components. 

•The  Measurements  and  Testing  programme  encompassed 

reference 
measurements  and  materials  -  carried  out  by the  Institute  for  Reference  Materials  and  Measurements 
(IRMM)  -  and  on the  assessment  of  the  reliability  of  buildings  and  civil  engineering  structures,  carried 
out by the Institute for Systems, Informatics and Safety (ISIS). 

research  projects  on 

•The  Environment  and  Climate programme  included:  research  projects  on  the  atmosphere,  soil,  water, 
and  waste  pollution, executed  by the  Environment  Institute  (El);  the  setting  up  of  the  Centre  for  Earth 
Observation  (CEO), a  decentralized  European  data  management  and  information  system;  applications 
of  remote  sensing  techniques,  carried  out  by  the  Space  Applications  Institute  (SAI);  and  industrial 
hazards studies carried out by the Institute for Systems, Informatics and Safety (ISIS). 

•The  Non-Nuclear  Energy  programme  consisted  of  research  projects  related  to  materials  for  clean 
technologies  and  to  the  standardization  of  photovoltaic  devices  -  carried  out  by  the  Institute  for 
Advanced Materials (IAM). 

•The  Targeted  Socio-Economic  Research 

the  Science  and  Technology 
Observatory  function  and  prospective  work  carried  out  by  the  Institute  for  Prospective  Technological 
Studies  (IPTS). The  essential  role of the  Institute  is to  harvest  the  available  contributions  from  experts, 
consultants,  research  organisations  and  institutes  in  Member  States,  and  when  possible  in  third 
countries, in order to analyse, process and integrate them impartially and in depth and, more importantly, 
to distil clear trends or needs for action in a usable form for decision makers. 

programme 

included 

•The  Nuclear  Fission  Safety  programme  encompassed  a  number  of  research  activities  ranging  from 
studies on reactor safety -  carried out by the  Institute for Systems, Informatics  and Safety  (ISIS) and the 
Institute for Advanced Materials (IAM) -  to research activities on nuclear safeguards  and fissile  materials 
management,  executed  by the  Institute  for  Systems,  Informatics  and  Safety  (ISIS)  and  the  Institute  for 
Transuranium  Elements (ITU). ITU carried out research on the safety of nuclear fuels and actinides. 

•The  Controlled  Thermonuclear  Fusion  programme  (Technology  and  Safety)  was  carried  out  by  the 

Institute for Systems, Informatics and Safety (ISIS) and the Institute for Advanced Materials (IAM). 

This  research is executed in the seven JRC  Institutes as shown in Table  1 and it accounted for 65% of the 
JRC programme activities in 1997. 

JRC  Annual  Report  1997 

13 

Table  1 - JRC Research Activities 

FRAMEWORK  PROGRAMME  LINES 

IRMM 

ITU 

IAM 

ISIS 

El 

SAI 

IPTS 

Industrial Technologies and Materials  Technologies 

Advanced Materials and Standards for Industrial  Innovation 

Surface  Engineering  for 

Improved  Properties  and  for  New 

Industrial Applications 

Non-Destructive  Evaluation, Testing  and  Inspection of  Industrial 

Structural  Components 

Measurements and Testing 

Prenormative  Research  in  Support  of  Construction  Norms  and 

Standards, including Seismic  Design Codes  (Eurocodes) 

Measurement and Testing for Car Safety 

Reference Materials 

Reference  Measurements 

Environment and Climate 

•  Global Change 

X 

X 

Centre for Earth Observation  (CEO) 

Atmospheric  Processes over European  Regions 

Remote  Sensing  for  Terrestrial  Biosphere  (Land  Degradation  in 

the Mediterranean Region, Forest  Monitoring) 

Remote  Sensing  for  Marine  Biosphere  (North  Atlantic  Ocean, 

Mediterranean  Sea) 

Advanced  Earth  Observation  Techniques  (Environment  and 

Road Conditions Monitoring and Land Mine  Detection) 

•  Environmental Quality 

Techniques & Equipment for Environmental Quality  Monitoring 

• 

Innovative Environmental  Technologies 

High  Performance  Information  Technologies  for  Environmental 

Protection 

Natural Hazards / Seismic  Research 

Integrated Environmental  Assessment 

Natural Hazards /  Flooding, Droughts 

Non-Nuclear  Energy 

Photovoltaic  Energy and Electricity  Storage 

Materials for Clean Combustion  Engines 

Targeted Socio-Economic  Research 

Technology Watch /  Technology-Employment-Competitiveness 

Nuclear Safety and Safeguards 

•  Reactor Safety 

European Networks on Component Ageing, Inspection 

Techniques & Structural  Integrity 

Severe Accidents including Probabilistic  Studies 

•  Fuel Cycle Safety 

Basic Actinide  Research 

Safety of Nuclear  Fuels 

Mitigation of Long-lived Actinides and Fission  Products 

Spent Fuel Characterisation in view of Long-Term  Storage 

•  Safeguards and Fissile Materials  Management 

Safeguards  R&D 

Controlled Thermonuclear  Fusion 

Fluid Separation and Analysis 

Fusion Materials 
Remote  Handling 
Hydrogen Materials  Interaction 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

JRC Annual  Report 1997 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

14 

A more detailed description of these  research  activities  in  1997, per  institute, will be  provided  in  Part Two 
of  this  document.  However,  some  significant  results  have  been  highlighted  in  this  first  chapter:  they 
illustrate  how  research  has  enabled the JRC  to contribute to the  advancement  of  science  and  technology 
for the benefit of  European industry and the well-being of the European population. 

The  agreement  concluded  in  1996  between  the  Institute  for  Reference  Materials  and  Measurements 
(IRMM)  and  the  International  Federation  of  Clinical  Chemistry  (IFCC)  for  the  preparation  of  Certified 
Reference Materials  (CRMs)  has led to projects  aimed at preparing bio-medical, environmental  and public 
health protection materials.  Such CRMs  are needed to achieve accuracy and world  wide comparability  in 
clinical diagnostics of human diseases.  The activity thus supports the improvement  of health standards. 

Certified  reference  materials  of  foodstuffs  were  prepared,  to  assist  in  the  enforcement  of  European 
legislation  on  quality  control. The  analysis  of  cosmetics  and  a  data  bank  on  product  safety  were  further 
developed.The  production  of  CRMs  of  genetically  modified  organisms  was  a  topic  of  particular  interest. 
Negotiations  with  industry  have  been  concluded  and the work  has  started.  These  CRMs  will  enable  the 
validation  of  analytical  methods  to  be  applied  in  the  enforcement  of  the  Regulation  on  Novel  Food  (EC 
258/97). 

IRMM  focused  also  on  quality  health  care  with,  as  a  new  project,  the  validation  of  a  13C  isotopic 
measurement  method applicable  to the  diagnosis  of  stomach  disease  by a  non-invasive  and  inexpensive 
technique.  This  technique  will  allow  a  substantially  more  cost-effective  and  less  intrusive  diagnosis  of 
internal diseases, avoiding the  risk  of  Helicobacter  Pylori infection, a  major  cause  for  ulcers  and  stomach 
cancer. 

Following the agreement  signed in July  1997 between the  International Atomic  Energy Agency  (IAEA)  and 
the  Institute  for  Transuranium  Elements  (ITU),  the  Institute  is  now  part  of  the  network  of  laboratories 
dealing with the  analysis  of  environmental  samples.  In this  way the  Institute  is actively  contributing  to  the 
European  Union's  policy to  support  and  strengthen  the  International  Atomic  Energy Agency's  activities  in 
nuclear  safeguards.  The  Institute  is  also  closely  collaborating  with,  and  providing  similar  support  to, the 
Commission's  Euratom  Safeguards  Directorate  (ESD)  in  the  area  of  high  performance  trace  analysis 
(HPTA).  Ultra-sensitive environmental  sampling techniques  are part of the  key new developments  to  help 
to detect the presence of clandestine activities. 

In the field of  basic  actinide  research, the work  focused  particularly on elucidating  the  electronic  structure 
of those actinide elements and compounds which attract  increasing  interest, due to their  peculiar  chemical 
and solid-state  properties.  Actinide  research  as  a whole  is  important  in  the  framework  of  applications  on 
fuel cycle, waste management and nuclear  medicine. 

The  Institute  is also  actively working  on further  reducing  radiotoxicity  in highly  active  wastes.  For  the  first 
time, a closed partitioning and transmutation  cycle  was  experimentally  demonstrated,  and shows  that  it is 
technically feasible to reduce the radiotoxicity of minor actinides by a factor of  100. 

The  Institute was  also  involved  in the  development  and application  of  the  alpha  nuclide  Bi-213,  used  in a 
promising alpha-immunotherapy against cancer. 

The Institute for Advanced  Materials  (1AM)  directed its research towards the development  of  innovative 
processing  and  testing  methods  for  advanced  materials.  The  emphasis  was  put  on  cost  efficiency, 
performance  improvement  and the potential for standardization, for the benefit of industry competitiveness. 

In  the  context  of  achievement  of  the  European  Single  Market,  IAM  also  developed  the  preparation  of 
industrially  important  norms  and  standards,  in  close  collaboration  with  responsible  international  bodies 
such  as  CEN,  VAMAS  and  ESIS.  Standard  test  methods  were  developed  for  the  assessment  of 
mechanical performance, either for new classes of materials  (technical ceramics, composites), for  new test 

JRC Annual Report 1997 

15 

methods (thermo-mechanical fatigue, damage tolerance of ceramic  composites, residual stress), or for the 
improvement of existing standards. This work helps to develop the European Standards System. 

To  the  benefit  of  the  environment  and  human  health, JAM  continued  to  develop  multiphase  Ti-B-MoS2 
permanent  coatings  for  cutting  tools;  this  could  lead  fo  phasing  out  in  most  machining  processes  the 
synthetic, lubricating cutting fluids which are non bio-degradable and can produce allergies. 

The Institute runs the  European Network for  Inspection Qualification  (ENIQ), the Network for  Evaluation of 
Steel Components  (NESC) and the Network on Ageing  Materials  Evaluation and Studies  (AMES), in which 
industries,  service  vendors,  licensing  bodies  and  R&D  institutions  participate. These  networks  aim  at  the 
safety and integrity of nuclear fission reactors for the benefit of the citizen and the environment. 

The  Institute for Systems, Informatics  and Safety  (ISIS) contributes to  improving safety  in industry and 
to  the  well-being  of  the  European  population.  The  Institute  develops  and  applies  its  expertise  in  many 
fields,  including:  nuclear  safety  and  safeguarding  of  nuclear  materials;  industrial  and  transport  safety; 
seismic  protection  of  buildings  and  civil  engineering  works;  natural  resource  and  environment 
management;  support  to  antifraud  measures,  consumer  protection,  and  the  preservation  of  cultural 
heritage. In 1997, the Institute increased its efforts  in the regulation of biotechnology in industry and on the 
evaluation of the potential risks of transgenic  manipulations. 

As  part  of  the  Centre  for  Earth  Observation  (CEO)  project,  and  complementary  to  the  activities  of  the 
Space Applications  Institute, ISIS continued to operate and update information systems to promote the use 
of  satellite-based  Earth  observation  data.  The  work  included:  updating  the  European  Wide  Service 
Exchange  (EWSE),  now  recognized  as  the  leading  source  of  information  regarding  Earth  observation  in 
Europe; enhancing the G7  Environment  and  Natural  Resource  Monitoring  (ENRM)  server  by integrating  it 
with  20  environmental  databases  across  the  world;  developing  the  CEOS  Information  Locator  System 
(CILS) on behalf  of Third World countries; and developing  a new  Internet  protocol for  remote searching of 
geospatial databases. 

The  major  part  of  the  Environment  Institute  (El)  activities  provides  scientific  and  technical  support  to 
other  Commission  Services  in  designing  and  implementing  European  Union  policies,  in  the  fields  of 
environment  protection, and food and drug consumer protection. 

However,  institutional  research  activities  continued  in  the  areas  of  water  and  soil,  including  the  use  of 
AMAL  (Advanced  Mobile  Laboratory)  to  assess  industrial  sites  and  landfill  contamination.  Four  in  situ 
campaigns  were  performed  in  the  subalpine  ecoregion  to  contribute  to  setting  up  algorithms  describing 
lake water quality and to compare different  methods for the determination of phytoplankton pigments. 

Research activities  have continued with the objectives  of  developing cost-effective  tools for  monitoring the 
state  of  European  lakes  and  for  the  optimization  of  water-resource  planning  and  management.  The 
harmonization and development  of analytical  methods which is a basic  requirement for the  implementation 
of EC directives on water quality, has continued with AQUACON (Analytical Quality Control)  project. 

In  the  field  of  atmospheric  processes,  research  activities  were  mainly  focused  on  tropospheric  ozone, 
which  affects  human  health,  crops  and  vegetation,  and  on  atmospheric  aerosols,  which  are  of  major 
importance  in  evaluating  and  predicting  climate  trends.  An  understanding  of  this  is  a  key  element  in the 
design and implementation of EU environmental policy. 

The  Space  Applications 
Institute  (SAI)  concentrated  on  possible  applications  of  remote  earth 
observation, sensing and detection. The  Institute's  mission is to maximise the use of space systems for the 
benefit  of  Europe's  policy  makers,  industry,  scientists  and  citizens.  SAI's  institutional  research  on 
environment  and climate covers the terrestrial and marine biospheres, the lithosphère and the atmosphere, 
resulting in a comprehensive approach to uses of earth observation. 

JRC Annual  Report 1997 

16 

Significant  progress  was  made towards  establishing  standards  for  mine  detector  performance  and sensor 
validation:  these  standards  will  be  applied  to  mine  clearance  projects  supported  by  the  European 
Commission  in  mine  infected  countries.  The  feasibility  of  a  multi-sensor  system  for  anti-personnel  mine 
detection and identification was also studied. 

SAI's work on the improved management of natural hazards focused on developing the Space Techniques 
for  Risk  Management  (STRIM), a joint  venture with  ESA and the  Council  for  Europe, and  on  liaison with 
the  DGXII  task  force  on  Natural  Hazards.  Work  on  forest  fires  saw  links  to  the  European  Community 
Humanitarian  Office  (ECHO)  and  DG  VI  (Standing  Forest  Committee  on  Forest  Fires).  An  inventory  of 
existing  techniques  and  models  to  assess  flood  risk  and  flood  damage  was  completed,  and  work  on 
drought indicators was developed in co-ordination with the Mediterranean  Observatory. 

The  Institute  for  Prospective  Technological  Studies  (IPTS)  addressed  priority  subjects  in  various 
technological fields, ensuring a neutral, Europe-wide  assessment  of  scientific  and technological  change. It 
attempts to gain a better understanding of the impact of technology on the socio-economic  environment, in 
particular  on  employment  and  competitiveness.  The  fields  covered  were  «Mobility  and  Transport 
Research», «Environment», and «Energy». 

Through  the  ESTO  (European  Science  and Technology  Observatory)  network,  made  up  of  14  European 
national  S&T  organisations  which  share  the  responsibility  of  providing  timely  access  to  information  on 
scientific  and technological  change  of  socio-economic  relevance,  IPTS  has  direct  access  to  a very  large 
number  of  specialists.  Information obtained through the Observatory  contributed to studies  and, the "IPTS 
Report",  which  is  the  main  "broadcasting"  journal  of  the  Institute,  directed  towards  European  decision 
makers. 

The  European  Integrated  Pollution  Prevention  Control  Bureau  (EIPPC)  was  created  to  support  the 
European  Union  policy  for  a  high  level  of  overall  environmental  protection.  Its  objective  is  to  set  high 
standards  of  practice,  and  to  reduce  emissions  and  their  impact  on  the  environment  as  a  whole.  It  is 
responsible  for  the  formulation  and  the  distribution  of  the  Best  Available  Techniques  (BAT)  Reference 
Documents. 

1.1.2.  INSTITUTIONAL 

SCIENTIFIC  AND 

TECHNICAL 

SUPPORT 

FOR 

COMMUNITY  POLICIES 

The JRC scientific  and technical (S&T) expertise was directly available to the various  Directorates  General 
of  the  Commission  in  order  to  support  the  formulation  and  implementation  of  Community  policies.  The 
Institutional support activities fall under the Community Framework  Programmes  and accounted for 35% of 
the JRC's  programme  activities  in  1997. They were  related to the following  Framework  Programme  lines: 
Information  Technologies, Environment and Climate, Agriculture  and  Fisheries,  Targeted  Socio-Economic 
Research and Nuclear Safety and Safeguards through the JRC specific programmes  1995-1998. 

The  support  activities  are  customer  driven,  in  fulfillment  of  impartial  and  neutral  scientific  and  technical 
requirements  arising  from  EU  directives,  decisions  of  the  Commission  and  the  Council,  or  obligations 
stemming from the Euratom Treaty. The work carried out in the JRC  Institutes  is illustrated in Table 2. 

In 1997, the three main lines of JRC support activities were: 
1.  JRC  Support  for the  Environmental  Policy, which accounted for  43% of  the  scientific  and  technical 
support  budget.  It provided DG XI (Environment,  Nuclear  Safey and Civil  Protection)  with scientific  and 
technical  assistance  for  the  implementation  of  the  legislation  on  chemical  pollutants,  atmospheric 
pollution, water quality, chemical waste, industrial  risks, and nuclear safety. This  work  is part of  the 5th 
EC Action Programme in the field of the environment, and includes: 

•  The  European  Chemicals  Bureau  (ECB),  which  is  now  handling  all  the  technical  and  scientific  tasks 
required  for  the  classification  and  labelling  of  dangerous  substances,  the  implementation  of  the 
notification  scheme  for  new  substances,  testing  methods  for  chemicals,  export/import  control  of 
dangerous substances and preparatory work on the Biocides  Directive. 

JRC Annual Report 1997 

17 

Table 2 - JRC 

Support Activities 

Framework  Programme  Lines 

IRMM 

ITU 

1AM 

ISIS 

El 

SAI 

IPTS 

Information  Technologies 
Safety and Reliability of  Systems 

Geographic  Information  Systems 

High Performance Computing and Networks 

Environment and Climate 
•  Environmental  Quality 

European Reference Laboratory for Air Pollution  (ERLAP) 

European Chemical  Bureau  (ECB) 

European Centre for the Validation of Alternative  Methods 
(ECVAM) 
Support to the European Environment  Agency  (EEA) 

Analysis of foodstuffs  and chemicals  in support of industrial policy 

European Technical Office for Medicinal  Products  (ETOMEP) 

Quality Control of Consumer  Products  (Consumer  Protection) 

S&T Support to the Commission antifraud  Services 

Coordination Unit of the Alpine  Observatory 

• 

Innovative Environmental  Technologies 

Industrial Reliability-Biotechnology  and  Environment 

Major Accident  Hazards  Bureau 

Agriculture and  Fisheries 
Remote Sensing for Agriculture 

Electronic  Identification of Animals and Volume  Measurements 

European Office for Wine, Alcohol and Spirit Drinks 

(BEVABS) 

Reference Measurements  and Materials for Quality Control of 
Foodstuffs and Microbiology of  Foodstuffs 
Targeted Socio-Economic  Research 
Prospective Technological  Studies 

Nuclear  Fission Safety 
•  Reactor Safety 

European Networks on Component Ageing and  Inspection 
Techniques and Structural  Integrity 
Harmonisation of Safety Criteria 

•  Safeguards and Fissile Materials  Management 

Euratom Safeguards Support:  General 

Euratom Safeguards Support: On-site Laboratories  and ECSAM 

IAEA Safeguards  Support 

.

'• 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

X 

The  European  Technical  Office  for  Medicinal  Products  (ETOMEP).  This  office,  which  forms  part  of  a 
unit  at  ISIS,  is established  both  in  London, at the  European  Medicine  Evaluation  Agency,  and  in  Ispra, 
at  the  Institute  for  Systems,  Informatics  and  Safety.  It  is  dedicated  to  the  development  of  technical 
systems  necessary  for  the  implementation  of  European  Union  legislation  on  medicinal  products.  It 
contributes  to  the  study,  design  and  implementation  of  the  telematics  applications  required  by  the 
European  Union  pharmaceutical  regulatory  sector. 
Its work  is  of  direct  and  vital  use  to the  European 
Medicine Evaluation Agency and the Member States. 

JRC Annual Report 1997 

• 

• 

• 

The  European  Reference  Laboratory  for  Air  Pollution  (ERLAP),  which  was  particularly  active  in  the 
preparation  and  implementation  of  EC  Directives  on  ambient  air  quality,  with  emphasis  on  the  urban 
environment  and  industrial  emissions  and  the  harmonisation  of  measurements  in  the  EU  air  quality 
monitoring  networks.  The  laboratory  contributed  also  to  the  implementation  of  EC  Directives  on 
environmental  radioactivity,  particularly  those  related  to  information  exchange  with  Member  States, 
both under normal conditions and following an accident. 

The European Centre for the Validation of Alternative  Methods (ECVAM), which continues to coordinate 
efforts  to  promote  orderly  scientific  and  regulatory  acceptance  of  alternative  methods  which  are  of 
importance  to  the  biosciences  and  which  can  reduce,  refine,  or  replace  the  use  of  laboratory  animal 
procedures.  Its  activities  included  pre-validation  on  photoirritancy,  skin  corrosivity,  embryotoxicity, 
haematotoxicity, nephrotoxicity  and epithelial barriers. Various  international  studies  on in  vitro  methods 
for vaccine potency and safety testing were also started. 

The  Major  Accident  Hazards  Bureau, which  supports  the  "Seveso"  Directive  on  industrial  hazards  by 
operating  the  Major  Accidents  Reporting  System  (MARS)  and  the  Community  Documentation  Centre 
on  Industrial  Risk.  End  users  include  all the  actors  in the  legislative  and  regulatory  process  concerned 
with plant safety, such as national and local authorities, industry and safety practitioners. 

Support  services  related  to  the  Alpine  Observatory  (Alpine  Convention),  with  the  aim  of  producing 
and/or collecting data, indicators  and information characterizing the environmental  and  socio-economic 
status  of  the  Alpine  region.  These  data  will  be  useful  to  the  National  Communication  Centres,  for 
distribution at national level. 

Institutional  support  to  the  European  Environment  Agency  (Council  Regulation  1210/90)  whose  role  is 
to  establish  and  coordinate,  in  cooperation  with  the  Member  States,  a  European  Environment 
Information  and  Observation  Network.  The  JRC  contributed  mainly  in the  areas  of  harmonisation  of 
environmental measurements  methods, the intercalibration of instruments, and the development  of new 
measurement  methods  and instruments. 

Support  for  the  elaboration  of  methodologies  for  the  EU  antifraud  policy  (UCLAF),  via  the  effective 
development, introduction and use of new information technologies and data and risk analysis  methods. 

JRC  Support  for  the  Common  Agricultural  Policy  (DG  VI),  which  accounted  for  17%  of  the 
Scientific and Technical Support budget. Work is mainly carried out in the following research areas: 

Application  of  remote  sensing  to  agricultural  statistics,  with the  aim  of  developing  and  demonstrating 
methodologies  which  can  integrate  remote  sensing  data  into  the  collection  of  statistics  for  the 
monitoring  of  crop  acreage  and  agricultural  production  in  the  EC.  The  main  objective  being 
improvement  of  accuracy,  objectivity,  homogeneity  and time  delivery  of  statistics  and  forecast  on the 
main crops produced in the European Union. 

Monitoring  and  control  of  the  Common Agricultural  Policy:  research  and  development  of  new  remote 
sensing  techniques  allowing  improved  monitoring  and  control  of  the  Common  Agricultural  Policy 
through  accurate  measurements  of  areas  and  identification  of  specific.land  uses  and  comparison  of 
results with declarations of Member States. 

Implementation  of  Community wine sector  legislation through the operation  of the  European  Office  for 
Wine, Alcohol and Spirit  Drinks  (BEVABS). The work focuses  on the control of  adulteration  and of the 
origins  of  wine,  using  nuclear  magnetic  resonance  (NMR)  and  mass  spectrometry  (MS)  techniques, 
with  the  aim  of  setting  up  a  European  Union  Wine  Data  Bank.  Every  year  some  1  400  wines  are 
investigated, thus updating the wine data bank. 

Research  and  development  of  new  verification  methods  and  instruments  for  verification  of  electronic 
animal  identification,  in order to  make  it possible to take  appropriate  sanitary  measures  when  needed 
and  to  control  the  market  and  prevent  fraud  within  the  Union.  An  identification  system  was  under 
preparation,  including  electronic  identifiers,  readers,  data  acquisition  systems,  control  strategy,  data 
base and data transmission techniques with headquarters evaluation. 

JRC Annual Report 1997 

19 

The technical  specifications  of  a large  scale demonstration.project,  IDEA, for  electronic  animal  tagging 
with  passive transponders,  were  prepared. The  tagging  of  one  million  animals  in various  countries  of 
the  EU  is  contemplated.  The  general  database  structure  for  the  follow-up  of  the  IDEA  project  was 
defined.  The  testing  of  animal  identification  devices  for  the  development  of  standardized  test 
procedures  between  IDEA  and  the  International  committee  for  Animal  Registration  (ICAR)  has  also 
started. 

•  Quality  control  of  foodstuffs,  by  supplying  certified  reference  materials,  providing  suitable  analytical 
laboratory  intercomparisons  for  evaluation  and 

procedures,  and  supplying  and/or  coordinating 
improvement of existing methods and development of new methods of analysis. 

3. JRC  Support  for  Nuclear  Safeguards  (Euratom  Safeguards  DG  XVII,  IAEA  Safeguards  support 

programme  DG I) accounted for 28% of the scientific  and technical support budget. 

Most of the work undertaken dealt with the following tasks: 

•  Completion of the design phase  of  the on-site  laboratory for  safeguards  analysis  at  reprocessing  plant 
at La Hague; routine analysis of nuclear  materials  samples; examination of the purchase and testing of 
major equipment, including the development  of analytical techniques  and their  implementation  in these 
on-site laboratories and the training of inspectors  in the application of safeguards techniques. 

•  Training  of  inspectors,  harmonisation  of  in-service  nuclear  safeguards  inspection  practices,  providing 

state of the art equipment and reference analyses of nuclear materials samples. 

•  Work  on  non-destructive  assay,  sealing  and  identification  techniques,  surveillance  techniques,  testing 

of safeguards equipment, data information treatment, health physics and training. 

Other Institutional Scientific and Technical Support activities: 

In addition to  supporting  the three  major  sectors  listed  above, the  JRC  has also  drawn  on  its  capacities 
and  on  the  presence  in  its  institutes  of  appropriate  teams  and  tools  to  provide  the  EU  with  support 
activities in other institutional scientific  and technical fields: 

For instance, it has helped  DG III (Industry)  by working on the safety and reliability of  informatics  systems 
needed for other activities. Another  area  in which assistance  was  provided to  DG  III is foodstuff  analysis, 
with  particular  emphasis  on toxic  materials  in contact  with  food,  irradiated  food,  and the  development  of 
analytical methods  related to fertilisers. This work  is in support of the industrial policy. 

For  DG  XXIV  (Consumer  Policy  and  Consumer  Health  Protection),  the  quality  control  of  consumer 
products  was  further  focused  on,  with  particular  attention  to  trace  contaminations  in  industrial  products 
such as cosmetics. 

Finally,  in  support  of  DG  XI  (Environment,  Nuclear  Safety  and  Civil  Protection)  and  DG  XVII  (Energy), 
techniques  for  inspecting  ageing  nuclear  components,  in order to  prevent  any danger to the  environment 
were further developed. 

1.2  COMPETITIVE ACTIVITIES 

Competitive  activities  are  in the  process  of  becoming  an  integral  part  of  the JRC  corporate  culture.  This 
change is taking place at a rate compatible with the overall evolution of the JRC mission. 

The introduction of Third Party Work, towards the end of the eighties, was the first step in opening the JRC 
up  to  competition.  This  process  reached  a  new  stage  with  the  Fourth  Framework  Programme  (1994-
1998),  which  aims  to  gradually  introduce  a  market-oriented,  customer-contractor  relationship  into  most 
JRC  activities.  The  year  under  review  (the  third  since  this  new  competitive  mandate  was  instituted)  has 
been for the JRC a period of further  adjustment  to the competitive  challenge, but  has also  represented  an 
opportunity for consolidating the achievements of the first two years. 

JRC Annual  Report 1997 

20 

The market in which the JRC operates since the  1st of January  1995 can be described as falling under two 
main categories: the traditional external  market,  where the  JRC  conducts  research  and supplies  services 
under Third Party contracts, and an enlarged competitive  market, where the JRC: 

-  competes  for,  and  participates  in  Shared-Cost  Actions  under  the  4th  Framework  Programme,  in 

association with partners from Member States; 

-  competes  for scientific  and technical support work for other  services  of the  Commission, in response 

to invitations to tender (also under the 4th Framework  Programme); 

-  participates,  in the  context  of  a competitive  approach,  in various  other  Community  activities  that  are 

put out to tender. 

The  JRC  portfolio  of  Shared-Cost  Actions  had  reached  over  95  contracts  in  number  by  the  end  of 
December  1997, for  a total  net earned value of  15,5  Mioecu for the year  1997.  These  results  show that 
the JRC does have something to offer to research consortia as a source of high-quality  research, generally 
in the form of expertise and facilities that closely match the requirements  of many companies and research 
institutes involved in the Specific  Programmes. 

Competitive  scientific  and technical  activities  in support  of  the  Commission  have continued  at a sustained 
rate  in  1997.  The  total  of  new  contracts  won  in  1997  is  well  over  55  with  a  total  contract  value  of  18,5 
Mioecu. 

Examples  of  S/T  support  activities  where  the  JRC  successfully  bid  in  response  to  Commission  services 
calls for tender can be found in the following projects: 

-  in  support  of  the  Environment  Policy  : monitoring  of 

tropical  forest  ecosystems  via  remote  sensing 

applications; 

-  advanced comparative food analyses for industrial and Consumer  Protection  Policies; 

-  the study and implementation  of ways  and  means  for transferring  selected  technologies  belonging to 

the Community to targeted industries. 

Outside  the  Framework  Programmes, the  JRC  has  gained  competitive  contracts  with  a total value  of  6,1 
Mioecu  in  1997.  New  activities  cover,  amongst  others,  studies  for  the  definition  of  a  decision  support 
system for coastal area management. 

In  addition  to  these  activities,  the  JRC  continued  to  perform  and  obtain  new  work  under  contract  from 
Third  Parties.  New contracts  in  1997 totalled  11,1 Mioecu  (cumulative  actual  43,2  Mioecu  over 3 years). 
Recent significant contracts being carried out include: 

-  the  design,  procurement  and  operation  of  an  integrated  information  system  delivering  network 

services to a large group of cooperative banks  in one member state; 

-  the study of the optimisation processes  for  planning, managing  and protecting the water  resources of 

a large European region. 

JRC  Annual  Report  1997 

21 

Table 3 - Competitive Activities (Mioecu) 

Inscribed in 
1995 accounts 

Inscribed in 
1996 accounts 

Inscribed in 1997 
accounts 

TOTALS 

Third Party Work 

Shared-Cost  Actions 

Competitive  Support 

Competitive Activities 
outside the FWP 

TOTALS 

18,5 

3,9* 

4,8 

1,3 

28,5 

13,6 

9,8* 

10,6 

4,2 

38,2 

11,1** 

15,5* 

18,5 

6,1 

51,2 

43,2 

29,2* 

33,9 

11,6 

117,9 

"Matching funds" (i.e. for participation by JRC in specific  programmes of indirect action)  not included. 

**  These  figures  do  not  include  the  activities  performed  under  external  contract  and  related  to  the  HFR 
reactor  at  Petten  (NL),  carried  out  by  the  Institute  for  Advanced  Materials,  which  amount  to  around  5,5 
Mioecu for 1997. 

HFR Supplementary Programme 

As  reported earlier, the  High  Flux  Reactor  (HFR)  at  Petten  is operated  by the  Commission  in accordance 
with the  Euratom/Netherlands  agreement  of  25 July  1961. On 27 June  1996, the  Council  adopted  a four-
year (1996-1999) supplementary research programme to be implemented by the Joint Research Centre for 
the  European  Atomic  Energy  Community,  concerning  the  operation  of  the  High  Flux  Reactor  (HFR)  at 
Petten. Under previous supplementary programmes, the activities of the HFR were essentially the outcome 
of  a  cooperation  between  two  partners,  Germany  and  the  Netherlands.  The  new  supplementary 
programme  introduced  two  major  changes.  On  the  one  hand,  the  cooperation  was  enlarged  to  include 
France, which  decided  to  support  the  HFR.  On  the  other  hand, besides  traditional  work  for  the  nuclear 
R&D and industry,  it was decided to dedicate a large part of  HFR activities to  medical applications. On the 
basis  of  contractual  relationships,  the  reactor  is  now  a  major  contributor  to  the  production  of  medical 
radioisotopes for the European radio-pharmaceutical  industry.  Taking advantage of the unique possibilities 
offered by the HFR for the treatment of glioma, a highly malignant cancer of the brain, a pilot clinical testing 
of  Boron  Neutron  Capture  Therapy  (BNCT)  was  continued  within  a  demonstration  project  funded  by DG 
XII. After  10 years  of  efforts  by all the  partners  working  with the JRC  in this  field, this  is the  decisive  step 
which will make this promising new therapy available for human treatment. 

In  1997, the  HFR  went  successfully  through  the  in-service  inspection  of  the  reactor  vessel, an  operation 
which  has  to  take  place  every  3  years.  The  number  of  operational  days  in  1997  was  280  days,  slightly 
above the planned 273 days, and the occupation level for experiments was on average around 80%. 

Another  significant  achievement  is the  upgrading  of  one of the  beam tubes, used for the  measurement  of 
residual  stress  in  materials  by  neutron  diffraction.  This  technique  is  applicable  to  a  wide  range  of 
components used in industrial plants, aeronautics, or the car industry. 

1.3 

JRC INFORMATION DAYS, PUBLICATIONS, AND CONFERENCES 

As one of the  measures  to  increase the visibility of the JRC  and stimulate  collaboration  with  industry and 
the  national  research  and  academic  world,  members  of  the  JRC  Board  of  Governors  have  taken  the 
initiative in recent years in organizing JRC Information Days in Member States. Following successful 

JRC Annual Report 1997 

22 

events in Ireland and Finland last year, the Swedish Member of the Board of  Governors,  Professor Janne 
Carlsson, President of the Royal Institute for Technology, Stockholm, took the initiative and a similar event 
was held on 25-26 September  1997. 
The  event,  organized  by  the  Swedish  R&D  Council  with  the  JRC,  drew  some  140  participants 
representing  industry notably SMEs,  research  institutes  and universities.  The  programme  of the first day 
in Stockholm was devoted to a presentation of the JRC by the JRC delegation  led by Mr.  H. Richardson, 
the Acting Director General, and directors  and  representatives  of  all JRC  institutes. This  was followed by 
discussion  sessions  on the  individual  institutes  and their  projects  of  interest  to the  Swedish  participants. 
During the second day the JRC  participants  visited  Swedish  industry,  research  institutes,  and  authorities 
in the Stockholm  and Gothenburg areas.  The JRC  unit for  public  relations  and  publications  took  care of 
the  dissemination  of  information  material  to  the  participants,  who  also  followed  JRC  presentations  on 
Internet. 
The  Information days  in Sweden  gave  rise to further  collaboration  by Swedish  partners  in JRC  activities. 
To consolidate this, a Swedish delegation  recently paid a visit to the JRC  Ispra Site. This  will be followed 
up by other schemes for extending JRC collaboration with this  Member  State, for  instance  in  multi-lateral 
networks through which the JRC conducts  much of its work. 

The  JRC  offers  a  vast  array  of  publications  on  scientific  matters,  ranging  from  papers  and  articles 
published  in scientific  magazines, to conference papers, EUR reports, reviews, and information about the 
JRC posted on INTERNET. 

In  1997  the  JRC  published  in  total  around  1 333  papers,  and  their  distribution  by  Institute  is  shown  in 
Table 4. 

The detailed  list  of  JRC  publications  is published  each year  in the  "Publications  Bulletin". The  last issue, 
No. 17, published in March 1997, lists all publications  issued in 1996. 

Table 4 - JRC Publications in 1997 

Institute 

ARTICLES  IN 
JOURNALS 

ARTICLES-IN 
PROCEEDINGS 

CONFERENCE 
PAPERS 

EUR 
REPORTS 

SPECIAL 
PUBLICATIONS 

TOTAL 

General  Management 

Institute for  Reference 
Materials and  Measurements 

Institute for Transuranium  Elements 

Institute for Advanced  Materials 

Institute for Systems, Informatics and Safety 

Environment  Institute 

Space Applications  Institute 

Institute for  Prospective 
Technological  Studies 

TOTAL 

1 

30 

46 

42 

49 

63 

30 

2 

263 

3 

57 

20 

106 

150 

67 

78 

15 

496 

-

49 

48 

56 

35 

87 

42 

12 

3 

4 

2 

15 

26 

34 

21 

28 

9 

1 

. 

13 

21 

10 

45 

13 

16 

141 

116 

232 

281 

261 

216 

70 

329 

133 

112 

1333 

Most of these publications are available upon request from the Public  Relations  Unit, Ispra. 

In addition to publications, the above  mentioned Bulletin lists  all patents  obtained  by the JRC. There were 
23 patents granted in 1997.  A considerable  increase in comparison with previous years. 

JRC Annual Report 1997 

23 

Each  year,  the  JRC  organizes  a  number  of  conferences,  workshops  and  seminars  at  its  five  sites  in 
Europe. The numerous visitors show the constant  interest of the scientific community in the contributions 
to research and development made by the JRC. 

1.4  HUMAN RESOURCES 

The  JRC's statutory staff  is made  up of  officials  and temporary  agents,  including  both  scientific-technical 
and  administrative  staff.  Although  at  a  pace  limited  by the  actual  recruitment  possibilities,  the  JRC  has 
started  implementing  the  new  research  staff  policy,  which  establishes  targets  (40%  for  permanent  staff, 
35% for temporary agents with a 5 year contract and 25% for temporary agents with a 3 year contract) to be 
achieved within a 5 year period. 

By the end of  December  1997, the statutory staff  numbered  1871+221 auxiliary agents, as compared with 
1746+190  auxiliary  in  December  1996.  Table  5  gives  the  distribution  of  statutory  staff  in  1997.  Besides 
normal  mobility,  a  number  of  staff  members  retired  in  1997,  having  reached  the  statutory  age  limit. 
Recruitment for replacements was in progress at the end of the year. 

Table 5 - Distribution of statutory staff 
(including auxiliary agents) 

Institute 

1995 

1996 

1997 

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, Informatics and Safety 

Environment  Institute 

Space Applications  Institute 

Institute for Prospective Technological  Studies 

JRC staff seconded to national bodies 

Auxiliaries 

TOTAL 

25 

13 

347 

169 

194 

250 

433* 

219 

101 

26 

9 

143 

34 

8 

428 

181 

186 

267 

276 

222 

100 

35 

9 

190 

41 

10 

426 

186 

190 

291 

287 

240 

147 

43 

10 

221 

1929 

1936 

2092 

* Total staff of the Institute for Systems  Engineering and Informatics and Institute for Safety Technology 

JRC Annual  Report 1997 

24 

DISTRIBUTION OF STATUTORY STAFF 1997 

600 

500 

400 

300 

200 

100 

LZH  Officials and 

Temporary 
Agents 

Auxiliaries 

a: 

s 
< 

to 
to 

UJ 

< 
CO 

CO 
1-
0. 

o 
T3 

T3 
c 
O 
o 
X5 
o <D 
W 
TO 
C 
it: 
g 
TO W 
ro c 
o 
a 

Q)  J? 
O  Q. 
CO  J2 
'  t: 

.1  a 
I  §• 
£  co 
"O  _ 
n  m 
§| 
O  J 
(0  o 

8£ 
I03 

w 

In addition to statutory staff,  148 scientists were also active in the JRC under various  hosting schemes: 

•  senior scientists  hosted as visiting scientists; 
•  national experts seconded to the JRC by Member States, to participate  in selected scientific work; 
•  post-doctoral scientists and post-graduate students trained through a programme of fellowships. 

Table  6 gives the distribution, by Institute, of these  scientists  working  at the JRC  at the end of  December 
1997. 

In  addition,  about  10  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  142 trainees  work  at the JRC 
Institutes at no cost to the EU budget, in general for short periods of time. 

JRC Annual  Report 1997 

Table 6 - Visiting scientists, seconded experts, grantholders (as of December 1997) 

25 

Institutes 

Visiting 
Scientists 

Seconded 
Experts 

Post-
Doctoral 
Scientists 

Post-
Graduate 
Students 

TOTAL 

Resources 
Coordination 

Institute for  Reference 
Materials and  Measurements 

Institute for Transuranium 
Elements 

Institute for Advanced 
Materials 

Institute for Systems, 
Informatics and Safety 

Environment  Institute 

Space Applications  Institute 

Institute for  Prospective 
Technological Studies 

-

2 

-

1 

7 

2 

9 

4 

-

-

-

-

1 

3 

3 

3 

-

8 

7 

3 

9 

4 

4 

2 

1 

13 

10 

11 

12 

14 

9 

6 

1 

23 

17 

15 

29 

23 

25 

15 

TOTAL 

25 

10 

37 

76 

148 

JRC Annual Report 1997 

1.5 

FINANCES 

26 

The budget (commitments credits), as implemented by the JRC in 1997, is given in Table 7. 

Table 7 -1997 Budget implementation in Mioecu (Commitment Credits) 

Institutional activities 

1996 

1997 

Information and Comm. Technologies 
Industrial Technologies  and Materials Technologies 
Measurements  and Testing 
Environment and Climate 
Agriculture and Fisheries 
Non Nuclear  Energy 
Targeted Socio-Economic Research 

Subtotal EC Specific Programmes 

Nuclear Safety and Safeguards 
Controlled Thermonuclear  Fusion 

Subtotal EAEC Specific Programmes 

SCA EC Programmes 
SCA EAEC Programmes 
=_ _ _ _B_ __ 

a

Subtotal SCA  | 
Total specific  Programmes 

Competitive Activities 
Participation to shared-cost actions (SCA) 
Competitive Scientific and Technical Support activities 
Participation to Community activities outside the FWP 
Work for third parties 

Subtotal 

HFR Reactor 
HFR Completion of previous programmes 

| 

j 
j~ 

Subtotal I 

2,946 
21,534 
26,722 
74,451 
10,849 
3,838 
7,728 
148,068 
63,229 
10,310 
73,539 
3,013 
0,411  | 

3,516 
21,190 
28,312 
80,800 
13,548 
4,691 
9,406 
161,463 
64,365 
12,483 
76,848 

6,029~ 
2,012" 

3,424  | 

8,04T 

225,031 

246,352 

4,011 
10,191 
1,879 
16,561 
32,642" 
8,088 
6,262 
14,350  | 

5,074 
8,908 
2,754 
20,051" 
36,787 
8,110 
67 
8,177 

291,316 

TOTAL  II 

272,023 

Total JRC committed financial resources amounted to 291,316 Mioecu: 

• 

• 

for the execution of the JRC specific  programmes  (Research and Institutional support  activities for the 
services of the Commission) 

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

The financial  resources for the specific  programmes were provided by the JRC  part of the General  Budget 
for  the  European  Union  1997  and  the  contributions  from  the  EEA  (European  Economic  Area)  countries: 
Iceland,  Liechtenstein  arid  Norway for the  EC programmes.  In addition, there  is  a contribution  from  1996 
onwards to the EC programmes from Israel. 

JRC Annual Report 1997 

27 

2.  ACTIVITIES OF THE JRC INSTITUTES IN 1997 

2.1  THE INSTITUTE FOR REFERENCE MATERIALS AND MEASUREMENTS (IRMM) 

The  IRMM  promotes  and  harmonizes  the  use  of  European  standards,  reference  materials  and 
methodologies  at  the  European  level.  In  1997,  the  Institute  pursued  its  specific  programme  under  the 
heading  Measurements  and  Testing  and  contributed  to  the  Framework  Programme  line  "Industrial 
Technologies  and  Materials  Technologies". 
IRMM consolidated  its  responsibility for  managing the  BCR's 
(Bureau Communautaire de Référence ) reference materials. 

IRMM  also  provided  support  activities  for  Community  policies  in  the  area  of  environment  and  nuclear 
safeguards,  the  safety  and  quality  control  of  consumer  products,  and  reference  measurements  and 
materials for quality control of foodstuffs.  It provides services and reference  materials to various  customers 
from the European Member States and around the world. 

A. 

INSTITUTIONAL ACTIVITIES 

Institutional Research Activities 

The  measurement  expertise  and  refined  analytical  techniques  of  the  Institute  have  made  it  possible  to 
establish a coordinated analytical measurement  system at the European level, for the characterisation  and 
certification  of  high  quality  reference  materials,  applicable  in  both  the  nuclear  and  non-nuclear  fields. 
Within this framework,  IRMM has further  extended  its tasks  and responsibility for storage, stability control, 
distribution, sales administration and recertification for BCR certified reference materials. 

SPECIAL CERTIFIED REFERENCE MATERIALS (CRMs) 

The agreement signed in  1996 with the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry (IFCC) led  IRMM to 
focus on the preparation  of materials  for bio-medical,  environmental and public health protection.  The first 
stages  of  a  project  on  urinary  proteins  are  under  way.  Planning  is  in  progress  for  other  projects,  on 
glycated haemoglobin (for monitoring giycaemia in diabetes patients), multi-enzyme calibrants and a serum 
panel forhCG  (human chorionic gonadotrophin hormone) isoforms, used to detect early pregnancy,  certain 
types of cancer and embryonic disorders.  In addition, preliminary discussions on projects  for  osteoporosis 
and markers for cardiac damage  are being conducted.  In another agreement with the Swedish and Swiss 
National  Measurement  Institutes,  the  determination  of  trace  elements  in  serum  is  being  assessed. 
Negotiations  have  been  concluded  with  industry  for  the  production  of  CRMs  of  genetically  modified 
organisms. A  contract  has  been  signed  to  make  possible  the  validation of  measurement  equipment  for 
reading isotopic signatures in breath gases, used for the early detection of stomach ulcers and cancer. 

In  order  to  provide  a  reliable  basis  for  the  determination  of  a  possible  radioactive  contamination  of 
deceased  persons  having  been  in  contact  with  nuclear  materials  in the  past  the  US  National  Institute  of 
Technology  is  preparing  a  reference  material  for  which  IRMM  has  been  invited  to  provide  specific 
certification data. 

Intentional  and accidental  releases  of  radionuclides  have  been continuing  for  almost  40 years. To  enable 
correct  assessment  of  related  potential  health  hazards  to  the  European  population,  reliable,  precise  and 
rapid  analytical  methods  are  necessary,  both  for  monitoring  purposes  and  in the  case  of  incidents.  This 
requirement  resulted  in  the  ongoing  development  with  respect  to  low  level  radioactivity  determination  in 
various matrices  relevant to the dose burden of the European citizen. The year  1997 saw the finalisation of 
procedures  for  water  and  sediment  and the  start  of  a  procedure  for  shellfish  samples,  all  applying  highly 
selective  chromatographic  techniques  in  combination  with  extremely  sensitive  spectrometric  detection. 
Advantages  of the  new methods  are accuracy,  speed and the strong  reduction of  hazardous  wastes. This 
instrumentation  is  used  to  provide  primary  isotopic  gas  standards  for  the  international  measurement 
community, e.g. in the area of  atmospheric  chemistry. 

The  expansion  of  the  International  Measurement  Evaluation  Programme  (IMEP)  which  enables  field 
laboratories  world-wide  to  compare  their  results  to  Sl-traceable  values,  has  continued. The  International 

JRC Annual  Report 1997 

28 

Measurement  Evaluation  Programme  on  trace  elements  in  water  has  been  completed,  with  about  200 
participants  from  26 countries, an exercise  for  trace  elements  in serum  has  started  in cooperation  with  a 
Scandinavian  External  Quality  Assessment  Scheme  (EQAS)  and  the  programme  was  extended  to  the 
industrial  sector  with  a  proficiency  testing  exercise  for  trace  elements  in  polyethylene  attacking  an 
important  problem  for  car  manufacturers.  This  10th  IMEP  round  is  also  important  because  of  the  EC 
Directive 94/62/EG (metals in packaging waste). Samples  have been sent to participants for analysis. 

Materials  for  neutron  dosimetry  were  produced  in  support  of  the  nuclear  energy  producing  industry  and 
research  institutions  operating  test  reactors.  Theses  dosimeters  are  used  for  neutron  fluence  rate 
measurements  in the reactor, for safety surveillance purposes and for optimising reactor performance. 

QUICK RESPONSE TO CONSUMERS CONCERNS: SAFETY OF EURO COINS 

In  the  field  of  heavy  metal  traces  of  environmental  or  bio-medical  relevance,  analytical  research  was 
carried out on the release of nickel from Euro coins, in order to evaluate their allergenic potential.  Concern 
had  been  raised  by  the  European Bureau  of  Consumers'  Unions  about  the potential  of  nickel released 
from  such  coins  to provoke  allergies  while  being  handled  by  consumers,  banks,  shops,  etc.  The JRC 
carried  out  the  necessary  chemical  reference  measurements  and  found  that  the  nickel  content release 
from the new Euro coins was similar to that of many  coins currently  in circulation,  and substantially lower 
than some of them. 

Current  developments  in the  nuclear  energy  sector  (increased  fuel  burnup,  Pu  recycling,  plans  for  waste 
transmutation),  require  improved  knowledge  of  basic  nuclear  data.  This  is  clearly  spelled  out  in  the 
"Michelangelo  Initiative"  which  was  formulated  by  the  European  nuclear  industry  under  the  aegis  of  the 
European  Commission.  IRMM  is the  only  European  laboratory  which  is  capable  of  producing  these  data 
over  a  wide  energy  range  from  a  few  meV  to  about  20  MeV.  Especially  the  GELINA  facility  is  the  only 
facility worldwide to provide the high  resolution  neutron cross-section  data  required for  many of the above 
mentioned applications. 

With  the  two  versatile  neutron  sources  of  the  Institute  (LINAC  and  7  MV  Van  de  Graaff),  neutron 
interaction  data  measurements  were  performed  for  applied  purposes,  following  the  recommendations  of 
the  OECD  NEA  Nuclear  Science  Committee,  in  particular  its  Working  Party  on  International  Evaluation 
Cooperation.  IRMM  coordinated  the  worldwide  experimental  activity  to  solve  the  remaining  High  Priority 
Requests in the frame of the NEA Working Party on Measurements Activities. 
Neutron  Reference  Measurements  for  safe  energy  production,  for  waste  transmutation  and  for  shielding 
applications were performed. 
In particular,  measurements  of  the  fission  fragment  mass  distributions  of  neutron  induced  fission  of  238U 
were continued and the analysis of the data has started. In a collaboration with the University of Gent, light 
particle accompanied  fission  has  been  measured  for  neutron  induced  fission  of  239Pu  in  the  resonance 
energy region and for spontaneous fission of the even Pu isotopes. Activation data for about 30 short-lived 
activation products, measured in collaboration with the "Forschungszentrum", Julich, and Argonne  National 
Laboratory, are being analysed. 

IRMM has a Treaty  obligation  (1) to  improve  the  data  for  the  set  of  neutron  reactions  which  are  used as 
reference  standards  for  all  neutron  data  measurements,  and  (2)  to  act  as  a  standards  laboratory  for 
radionuclide  metrology.  In 1997, work  concentrated  on three  important  standard cross-sections  : 10B(n,->) 
235U(n,f) and H(n,n). The total cross section data of  10B, measured within the framework  of an  international 
collaboration  on  the  10B  neutron  cross  section  standard,  have  been  analysed.  The  construction  of  an 
improved ionisation chamber for the determination of the  ratio of the  reference cross sections 235U(n,f) and 
H(n,n) is making good progress. 
In radionuclide  metrology, two 204TI solutions  are  being  standardized  within  the framework  of the "Bureau 
International des  Poids et Mesures" (BIPM) comparisons. A solution of  169Yb, which is a candidate  nuclide 
in cancer therapy was standardised and decay data were measured  in the frame of an EUROMET  project. 
At the "Linear Accelerator" (LINAC) for neutron data, equipment  and shielding  in the new experimental  hall 
for radiation physics have been constructed for the production of X-ray sources. 

JRC Annual  Report 1997 

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INTERNATIONAL  COLLABORATION: MEASUREMENTS FOR IMPROVING SAFETY 
AND WASTE TREA TMENT 

Collaboration  with  the  Commissariat  à  lEnergie  Atomique  (CEA),  Saclay,  on  data  needed  for  waste 
transmutation  studies,  was  continued  with  the  analysis  of  the  measured  cross  sections  of  99Tc. 
Measurements of  237Np  in the resonance  region  have been  started.  Similarly, in  the  context  of concerted 
action to the same  end, high  resolution measurements  of  the inelastic scattering  cross  sections  on 208Pb 
have  been  initiated.  These  measurements  are  important  for  applications  in  the  development  of nuclear 
fuels  and  the  management  of  nuclear  waste  materials.  International  collaboration  on  the  Doppler 
broadening of neutron  resonances, also with  CEA, was continued  with measurements  on  U03,  Np02  and 
Hg2CI2. Measured data  for metallic  U and  U02  were successfully  analysed with simple  solid  state model; 
these measurements are important for the calculation of the temperature coefficient of reactivity,  especially 
for high fuel burn-up. 

Institutional Support Activities 

IRMM's  support  activities  were,  among  others,  related  to  Nuclear  Safeguards  at  the  request  of  DG  I 
(External Relations), for the  International Atomic  Energy Agency (IAEA), and of  DG XVII  (Energy,  Euratom 
Safeguards  Directorate).  Numerous  non-nuclear  certified  reference  materials were  also prepared for other 
DGs  (III, VI). The following activities  highlight work carried out as institutional support to other  Directorates 
General: 

•  Work  on dried  nitrate  or  metallic  spike  materials  was  continued, to  improve  safety  at  large  processing 
plants,  and  uranium  and  plutonium  isotopic  reference  materials  were  prepared  on  behalf  of  DG  I for 
IAEA. Low concentrations  implied meticulous chemical work in IRMM's ultraclean chemical  laboratory. 

• 

IRMM  provided  solutions  for  detector  calibration  needed  in  non-destructive  assays  of  uranium  and 
plutonium at the request of DG XVII (Energy). 

•  Certified  reference  materials  of foodstuffs  were  prepared  for  DG  III (Industry)  and  DG  VI  (Agriculture), 
in order to fulfil quality control requirements for the enforcement  of  European legislation. For DG VI, the 
new  activities  on  selenium  speciation  in  animal  foodstuffs  made  significant  progress  and  further 
research  is  in  progress.  Cosmetics  analysis  and  a  product  safety  data  bank  were  being  further 
performed and developed for DG XXIV (Consumer  Policy). 

B. 

COMPETITIVE  ACTIVITIES 

Shared-Cost Actions deal mainly with the following topics: 

Preparation  of  a set  of  environmental  reference  materials  for the  measurement  of  rare  earth  elements  in 
tuna  muscle,  mussel  tissue  and  sediment  for  the  monitoring  of  environmental  pollution  by  these 
increasingly used elements. 

Preparation  of  a  sludge  and  a  fly  ash  reference  material  for  the  measurement  of  contamination  by 
polychloro-dibenzo-dioxins  (PCDD)  and  polychloro-dibenzofurans  (PCDF)  for  use  in  environmental 
monitoring,  as  e.g.  required  by  EC  Directives  94/67  CE  on  the  maximum  emission  of  PCDD/DF  during 
waste inceration. 

Preparation  of  bronze  reference  materials  for  corrosion  studies  on  bronze  antiquities  to  support  the 
development  of  restoration  and conservation  techniques  for  the  protection  of  the  cultural  heritage  and for 
calibration of analytical methods for examination of bronze antiquities. 

Competitive Support for Community Policies 

Via support to  DG XIII  (Telecommunications,  Information  Market  and  Exploitation  of  Research)  a contract 
was concluded with industry, aiming at the validation of a  13C isotopic  measurement  method which can be 
applied to the  diagnosis  of  stomach  diseases  by a  non-invasive  and  inexpensive  technique  based on the 
isotopic  measurement  of  exhaled  breath. Both safeguarding  nuclear  material  and proper  nuclear  material 
management  are  strictly  intended  to  increase  the  safety  and/or  ensure  public  health  of  the  European 
citizen. 

JRC Annual Report 1997 

30 

A  set  of  standard  waste  barrels  presently  being  produced  via  support  to  DG  XIII  will  be  used  to  develop 
calibration  standards  for  waste  characterisation  measurements,  and therefore  will  lead  to  an  increase  of 
measurement  consistency  between  different  waste  handling  installations  and  hence,  to  a  general 
harmonisation  of  radwaste  measurements  in  Europe.  This  will  contribute  to  both  above  aspects  by 
enabling  high  performance  calibration  of  waste  measurement  systems,  thereby  greatly  enhancing 
measurement quality and hence population safety. 

Activities Under Contract 

IRMM also provides services  on a commercial  basis, and the  BCR's  reference  materials  have been made 
commercially available for non-nuclear applications. 

Three low-energy detector calibration multi-X-ray reference sources were produced, certified for their X-ray 
emission  rates  and sold to  CIEMAT,  Madrid, the  Danish  Space  Research  Institute,  Copenhagen, and the 
LPRI/CEA, Saclay. The activity of  37Ar implanted in AI layers was determined for the University of Gent. At 
industrial 
the  Van  de  Graaff  accelerator,  hydrogen  profiling  studies  have  been  performed  on 
semiconductors  at the request of the Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm. 

The  supply  of  nuclear  samples  to  external  customers,  in  particular  for  reactor  neutron  dosimetry,  was 
continued.  Uranium-doped  glass  reference  materials  for  uranium  contaminated  soil  samples  were 
prepared. 

2.2 THE INSTITUTE FOR TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS (ITU) 

The  Institute  for  Transuranium  Elements  contributed  to  the  Framework  Programme  line  Nuclear  Fission 
Safety with specific  research  areas  such as  basic  actinide  research, safety  of  nuclear  fuels,  mitigation of 
long-lived actinides, and spent fuel characterisation. 

Work  on  the  safety  of  actinides  in  the  nuclear  fuel  cycle  continued  to  be  the  major  contribution  of  the 
Institute. 

ITU also provided scientific  and technical support for Community  policies  in the area of  nuclear safety and 
safeguards,  predominantly  related  to  the  implementation  of  on-site  laboratories  at  Sellafield  and  Cap  la 
Hague, but also  related to nuclear safety in Eastern countries  and the  Russian  Federation. In addition, ITU 
continued to carry out contractual work at the request of various customers. 

A. INSTITUTIONAL  ACTIVITIES 

Institutional Research Activities 

Work  in  Basic  Actinide  Research  continued  as  one  of  the  major  activities  of  the  Institute  in  1997.  The 
continuing and rapidly growing interest in the actinides  results from four major  reasons: 

•  The application of two "major" actinides  (uranium and plutonium)  in the fuel cycle; 

•  The growing interest in some "minor" actinides  (neptunium, americium and curium)  in the framework of 

waste management  (partitioning and transmutation  programmes); 

•  The growing interest of the scientific community in the multiplicity of very unusual and highly interesting 

chemical and physical phenomena of actinide compounds  and 

•  The potential applications of actinides in nuclear medicine, for example alpha-immunotherapy 

JRC Annual Report 1997 

31 

SYNCHROTRONS SHINE NEW LIGHT ON BASIC ACTINIDE RESEARCH 

The  use  of  x-ray  synchrotron  sources  has  already  made  a  substantial  impact  on  studies  of  magnetic 
phenomena.  Because  of  the  presence  of  absorption  effects  associated  with  each  element,  the  X-ray 
beams can be made  "element specific" by  tuning  to these absorption edges. An elegant  demonstration of 
this is the study of solid solutions  between  two compounds, where the important question  is  the magnetic 
configuration of each species.  Using very smalt crystals (less than 1 mg in mass, and dimensions  of about 
1x1x0.1  mm**3) of Np substituted  into  a  uranium  compound, researchers at  ITU,  Karlsruhe,  using the 
world's  most  powerful  synchrotron  in  Grenoble,  France  (the  European  Synchrotron  Radiation  Facility), 
have shown  that  the  technique  can  see  individually  the magnetic signal  associated  with  both  U  and Np 
atoms.  These experiments, using  new  techniques  involving resonance scattering, open  up  the possibilitiy 
of determining the electronic structure  and hence the speciation of transplutonium ions in the solid state. 

In vitro studies on alpha-immunotherapy continued  in collaboration with partners from  Nantes  (France). At 
the  Memorial  Sloan  Kettering  Cancer  Center  in  New  York,  9  patients  were  subjected  to  phase  1 clinical 
tests. The production of Actinium-225  by cyclotron irradiation of Radium-226 was demonstrated. 

NEW PRODUCTION METHOD FOR NUCLIDE USED IN ALPHA-IMMUNOTHERAPY 

The Institute is involved since a few years  back in the development and application of  the alpha nuclide Bi-
213  for  a  new  Alpha-immunotherapy  treatment  against  cancer.  One  of  the  problems  was  the  lack  of 
sufficient  amounts  of  this  nuclide  for  current  and  future  medical  applications.  Bi-213  used  in  alpha-
immunotherapy was successfully generated  by irradiating Ra-226 with protons. 

Together with the Cyclotron group of the Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, it has been demonstrated  that Ac-
225,  which is  the precursor  for  a  Bi-213  generator,  can  be obtained by  this new  method  in  shorter  time 
periods and with less effort than by processing  aged U-233 the previous source material. 

In  order  to  increase  cost-effectiveness  of  nuclear  power  production,  research  and  development  is 
underway  to  increase  the  fuel  residence  time  in  the  reactor,  i.e.  the  burn-up  of  the  fuel,  without  putting 
safety  at  stake.  The  Institute  is  establishing  those  basic  parameters  and  characteristics,  which  are 
relevant to the safety of the fuel and which are  incorporated  in a code (TRANSURANUS)  developed at the 
Institute and used inter alia by many licensing authorities. 

In the  area  of  safety  of  nuclear  fuel,  porosity  distribution  and  micromechanical  property  measurements 
continued with fuel of  80 GWd/t  average  burn-up.  Simulated  high  burn-up  U02  fuel  up to  200  GWd/t  has 
been fabricated  and characterised  in  order  to  perform  micro-structural  examinations.  Fission  gas  release 
from  power  reactor  fuel  of  a  burn-up  of  90  GWd/t  was  analysed  and  evaluated.  Source  term 
measurements  on  samples  from  safety  experiments  were  performed  and  equipment  was  up-graded  for 
fast fission product release  measurements. 

In  the  field  of  fuel  fabrication  technologies,  new  technologies  (sol-gel  and  infiltration)  were  tested  for 
various  applications  in  transmutation  programmes.  The  fuel  performance  code  TRANSURANUS  was 
further  improved and consequences  of  high  burn-up were  modelled. These  activities, of  particular  interest 
to operators  of  nuclear  reactors  and fuel fabrication  plants, and to  national  and  international  authorities  in 
charge of  licensing and  regulation, contribute to  improved  nuclear  safety, particularly  in phenomena  which 
occur in light water reactor fuel rods at extended times of operation. 

In  the  area  of  spent  fuel  characterisation,  leaching,  oxidation  and  corrosion  experiments  continued  on 
SIMFUEL, irradiated  U02  as well as irradiated  Pu02  and irradiated MOX fuels. The  leaching  and corrosion 
in  granite  environments  and  simulated  groundwater.  The  oxidation 
experiments  were  performed 
experiments  were  performed  at  temperatures  of  up  to  1  000°C.  This  work  is  directed  towards  the 
characterisation  of  unprocessed  spent  fuel  and  its  behaviour  under  long  term  storage  conditions, 
determination  of  its  radiotoxic  potential,  and  investigation  of  leaching  of  this  waste  form  under  various 
realistic conditions. 

JRC Annual  Report 1997 

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REDUCTION OF MINOR ACTINIDE RADIOTOXICITY BY A FACTOR OF 100 

The safe  disposal  of highly active wastes dominates  the  nuclear  debate  in several  countries.  The major 
issue is the potential risk due to the long-term radiotoxicity  of transuranium elements and some long-lived 
fission products, such as for example technetium and iodine. 

To further reduce  the potential long-term hazard of such  wastes, partioning  and transmutation research is 
being performed  in several countries.  The objective  is  to separate  the long-lived nuclides from the waste 
to recycle  them in reactors and to  "transmute" or  "burn"  them  by  neutron  capture  or  fission  into nuclides 
with much shorter halflives. 

For  the  first  time  a  closed partitioning  and  transmutation  cycle  was  demonstrated.  The  remaining minor 
actinides of  a previous  transmutation in  the PHENIX  reactor  (SUPERFACT  experiment)  were partitioned 
from fission products with an overall partitioning yield  of 99.9  %. From this and the observed transmutation 
half-life  of  2  years  it  can  be  concluded  that  it  is  technically  feasible  to  reduce  the  radiotoxicity  of minor 
actinides by a factor of 100 with a half-life of about 3 years including the out-of-pife time. 

Collaborative  work  with  leading  national  laboratories  takes  place  mainly  in the  area  of  mitigation  of  long-
lived  actinides  and  fission  products,  with  particular  emphasis  on  further  reduction  of  the  radiotoxicity  of 
highly active wastes. 

In the framework of cooperation with various  European partners, fuels  have been fabricated, characterised 
and  welded  into  pins  for  different  irradiation  experiments,  including  the  irradiation  of  americium  in  the 
thermal reactor Osiris (Actineau)  and the homogeneous  incineration of fuel with high plutonium contents in 
the High Flux Reactor at Petten (TRABANT). 

The  extension  of  the  minor  actinide  laboratory  made  substantial  progress  in  line  with  the  schedule.  The 
separation of actinides from the Superfact fuel was demonstrated with advanced reprocessing techniques, 
and material science and fission damage investigations of inert matrices continued. 

In the area of safeguards  R & D a new chemical separation  method for  preparation of  mass  spectrometer 
filaments  was  developed,  validated  and  implemented.  A  highly  sensitive  thermal  ionisation  mass 
spectrometer,  capable of  measuring  up to four  masses  simultaneously,  is under  evaluation for  safeguards 
applications. 

Institutional Support Activities 

Non-proliferation  of  nuclear weapons  is an important  policy objective  of the  European  Union.  In addition, 
the  European  Commission  has  itself  executive  powers  under  chapter  7 of  the  Euratom  Treaty  to  control 
nuclear materials in the Union.  The Euratom Safeguards  Directorate of DG XVII is carrying out  inspections 
in accordance with Treaty requirements and international obligations of the Community. 

In support of community policies in the area of nuclear safeguards and fissile material management for DG 
XVII,  major  progress  was  made  towards  the  implementation  of  the  on-site  laboratory  at  Sellafield.  The 
design  phase  for  the  on-site  laboratory  at  Cap  la  Hague  was  completed,  and  tender  procedures  for 
equipment  purchases were launched. ITU analysts continued to perform on-site and in field support  at the 
request  of  DG  XVII  (about  1700  measurements).  In-house  analytical  services  continued  (about  500 
samples  p.a.),  and work  on quality assurance  procedures  and the  nuclear  material  data  bank  progressed 
significantly. 

In support  of  IAEA safeguards, analytical  services  were  provided  in  relation to waste  and swipe  samples. 
Consultancy  and  training  was  provided  in  clean  laboratory  techniques,  robotised  analyses  of  nuclear 
materials, and on-site laboratories. 

B. COMPETITIVE ACTIVITIES 

Shared-Cost Actions 

The Commission supports the further safe development  of  nuclear energy in the European  Union.  For this 
purpose, funds  have been made available  under the  4th  Framework  Programme  by DG  XII on  a Shared-
Cost basis. 

JRC Annual  Report  1997 

33 

The  work  on  ongoing  projects  in  the  framework  of  the  Nuclear  Fission  Programme  continued  in  close 
cooperation  with  partners.  Some  examples  are:  new  partitioning  techniques  for  the  recovery  of  minor 
actinides  from  high  level  liquid  waste;  Joint  Experimental  Feasibility  for  Targets  and  Transmutation 
(EFTTRA)  Experiment  on  Transmutation  of  Americium;  Source  Term  for  Performance  Assessment  of 
Spent Fuel. 

Activities Under Contract 

As in previous years, the work carried out for various customers  concerned post-irradiation  examination of 
irradiated fuel, fabrication and characterisation  of fuels for transmutation, and examination  of  high burn-up 
oxide and mixed oxide fuels. A significant  number of  new contracts was signed during  1997 with Siemens, 
AG-Bereich  Energieerzeugung  (KWU),  CEA  Cadarache,  COGEMA  (Compagnie  Générale  des  Matières 
Nucléaires, Vélizy, France),The  British Nuclear  Fuels pic, and the Central Research  Institute of the Electric 
Power  Industry, Tokyo, Japan. 

Other Competitive Activities 

•  Cooperation  with  Bulgaria  and  the  Czech  Republic  in  the  area  of  fuel  modelling  to  improve  reactor 

safety continued, a PHARE project. 

•  Cooperation  with  MINATOM  and  GOSATOMNADZOV  in  setting  up  analytical  facilities  in the  Russian 
Federation for  nuclear  material  accountancy  and control, is  ready to  start, within the framework  of  the 
Commission's TACIS programme  (Technical Assistance to the Commonwealth of Independent States). 

2.3 THE INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED MATERIALS (IAM) 

IAM  contributed  with  its  Research  and  Technological  Development  activities  in  1997  to  the  following 
Framework  Programme  lines:  Industrial  Technologies  and  Materials  Technologies,  Non-nuclear  Energy, 
Nuclear  Fission Safety, and Controlled Thermonuclear  Fusion. 

IAM developed  research  activities  on  advanced  materials,  contributing  to  science  and  technology  for  the 
benefit  of  European  industry  as  well  as  European  consumers;  some  examples  are  the  development  of 
radio  tracer  methods  for  the  determination  of  heavy  metal  release  from  gas  catalysts  and  during  food 
processing,  the  investigation  of  the  safety  aspects  of  future  fusion  machines,  and  the  reassessment  of 
industrial needs on novel catalytic washcoats to be used in car gas exhaust systems. 

IAM showed  a special  interest  in pre-normative  work  of  vital  importance  for  industry.  In  1997, the  results 
obtained at  IAM have strongly contributed to the development  and  improvement  of standard test  methods 
for mechanical performance assessment and for new classes of materials, such as technical ceramics and 
composites. 

A.  INSTITUTIONAL ACTIVITIES: 

Institutional Research Activities 

The  main  goals  of  the  Industrial  Technologies and  Materials  Technologies  programme  address  the  pre-
normative needs of industry in Europe, including: 

•  development  of  innovative  processing  and  testing  methods  for  advanced  materials,  focusing  on  cost 

efficiency, performance  improvement and standardisation potential ; 

•  alignment  of  the  broad  scope  of  testing,  processing  and  analytical  research  on  advanced  materials, 
including  composites  and  interfaces,  with  the  information  and  data  requirements  of  industry  and 
standards  development  by  CEN  ( Comité  Européen  de  Normalisation)  and  ISO  ( International 
Organisation for Standardisation); 

•  establishment  of  a  European  methodology  for  inspection  qualification  associated  with the  validation of 
advanced  NDE  ( Non  Destructive  Evaluation)  techniques  for  pressure  vessels,  piping  and  power 
generation components; 

JRC Annual Report 1997 

34 

•  networking  of  users  in  power  industries,  collaborating  on  the  Institute's  data  facilities  for  mechanical 

properties and corrosion; 

•  enhancement of the potential of surface engineering methods, for the improvement  of fatigue, wear and 

corrosion behaviour, thermal barrier performance, and in biomedical and sensor applications; 

•  development  of  radio tracer  (thin layer activation)  methods for the determination of  heavy metal  release 

from gas catalysts and during food processing; 

•  development  of  radio tracer  methods for advanced applications  in technical components  and consumer 

goods. 

For  the  Non-nuclear  Energy  programme,  the  work  was  divided  into  two  lines:  Photovoltaic  Energy  and 
Electricity Storage, carrying out research and support activities  relevant to the White  Paper  "Energy for the 
future:  Renewable  sources  of  energy",  and  Materials  for  Clean  Combustion  Engines,  under  directives  for 
reduction of emissions and gaseous pollutants. 

The  goals  of  the  Photovoltaic  Energy  and  Electricity  Storage  line were, on the  one  hand, to  develop  and 
operate diagnostic  testing and monitoring techniques for  photovoltaic  components  and installations  as well 
as electricity storage, and, on the other  hand, research on methodologies  and procedures  for  photovoltaic 
devices  to  be  standardised  at  a  European  or  international  level.  In  the  Materials  for  Clean  Combustion 
Engines line, emphasis was put on reassessing industrial needs for novel catalytic washcoats to be used in 
car  gas  exhaust  systems,  and  on  characterisation  of  previous  results  in  near-to-engine  operation 
conditions. 

The  Nuclear  Fission  Safety activities  were  focused  on  a  better  understanding  of  ageing  mechanisms  of 
components  materials  in  nuclear  power  plants.  In  particular,  a  new  test  facility  was  installed  at  1AM for 
irradiation  of  vessel  material  (the  LYRA  facility).  Design  rules  for  pressure  vessels  and  stress  corrosion 
damage were also investigated. 

1AM was  involved  in  long  term  activities  within  the  Controlled  Thermonuclear  Fusion  programme,  and 
carried  out  specific  tasks  at  the  request  of  the  Next  European  Torus  (NET)  and  the  International 
Thermonuclear  Experimental  Reactor  (ITER)  projects. Activities covered three  main lines:  fluid separation 
and  structural  analysis,  fusion  materials,  and  tritium  materials  interaction. The  safety  related  aspects  of 
future fusion machines were also investigated. 

STANDARDS AND NORMS IN THE MATERIALS FIELD 

Standards  and  norms  are  of  vital  importance  for  industry,  and  the  safety  of  users,  in  particular  when 
reliability and quality are at stake. Pre-normative work, i.e. all activities helping in  the preparation  of norms 
and  standards,  receives  special  attention  at  the  Institute  for  Advanced  Materials,  where  such  activities 
have  been  undertaken  for  several years  in  the  materials  field.  Today,  the  results  obtained  at  1AM  have 
for  mechanical  performance 
strongly  contributed 
assessment, for new classes of materials (technical ceramics, composites, ),  to new test methods (thermo-
mechanical  fatigue,  damage  tolerance  of  ceramic  composites,  residual  stress..)  as  well  as  to  the 
improvement of existing standards. 1AM collaborates closely with international organisations  such as CEN 
(Comité Européen de Normalisation),  VAMAS (Versailles project  on Advanced  Materials  and Standards), 
and ESIS (European Structural Integrity Society). 

to  the  development  of  standard  test  methods 

Institutional Support Activities 

1AM provided support to DGXI (Environment,  Nuclear  Safety and Civil  Protection)  and to  DGXVII  (Energy) 
in  topics  related  to  nuclear  fission  safety,  in  particular  by  running  the  European  Network  for  Inspection 
Qualification  (ENIQ), the Network for  Evaluation of  Steel Components  (NESC)  and the  network  on Ageing 
Materials  Evaluation  and  Studies  (AMES).  For  DGXI, considerable  assistance  was  provided to the Codes 
and Standards  Working  Group and to  its action on Inspection  and Manufacturing, on  Fracture  Mechanics, 
and  on  Materials.  For  DGXVII, participation  and  support  were  provided to  the  European  Non  Destructive 
Evaluation Forum (ENDEF). 

JRC  Annual  Report  1997 

35 

B. COMPETITIVE  ACTIVITIES 

Shared-Cost Actions: 

The financial volume  of  contracts  signed  in Shared-Cost  Actions  at the end of  September  1997 was  45% 
higher than in 1996. 

NEW COATINGS FOR DRY MACHINING 

Presently almost all machining processes  are based on the use of synthetic cutting fluids with the threefold 
task  of  reduction  friction,  cooling  pieces,  and  removing  metal  chips  from  the machining  area.  They  also 
have  significant  drawbacks  from  an  environmental  point  of  view: they  are  non  bio-degradable  and  can 
produce  allergies.  In  Germany  alone,  100  000  tons  of  oil-based  lubricants  are  now  used  each  year. 
Lubricant-free machining would be preferable in many ways, but is difficult to achieve. 

Lubricant-free  machining  would  thus  be  preferable  to  enhance  safety  at  work  as  well  as  decrease 
environmental impact of industrial processes. 

The JRC approach is to develop multiphase hard coatings for cutting tools, able to sustain  the severe wear 
they are exposed  to, and  which  have  low  friction  coefficients  in order  to reduce  contact  temperature.  So 
far,  promising  results  have  been  obtained  at  1AM on  the  basis  of  Ti-B-MoS2  coatings  which  were 
synthesised by a special Innovative technique. 

Competitive Support for Community Policies 

Four IAM proposals were retained for funding in 1997 by DG XIII (Telecommunications,  Information  Market 
and Exploitation of  Research)  within the framework  of the  Innovation programme. They are  in the areas of 
nano-technology, surface engineering, and materials testing and characterisation. 

DG  III  (Industry)  financed  an  IAM  proposal  for  the  setting-up  and  coordination  of  activities  within  the 
framework of the European Pressure Equipment  Research Council. 

Activities Under Contract 

Contracts  signed  in  1997 were  at the  same  financial  level as those  signed  in  1996, and  served the  same 
portfolio  of  industrial  needs,  including  non  destructive  evaluation  techniques,  coating  technologies,  and 
corrosion studies on materials for power generation . 

2.4 THE INSTITUTE FOR SYSTEMS, INFORMATICS AND SAFETY (ISIS) 

The  Institute for Systems,  Informatics  and Safety (ISIS)  is the JRC's centre of expertise  in the science  and 
technology  of  safety  management,  the  multi-disciplinary  analysis  of  industrial,  socio-technical  and 
environmental systems, and the application of information technology. 

Work at ISIS focused on those well identified tasks under the Fourth Framework  Programme where  it uses 
its  skills  and  unique  facilities  to  advance  European  research  for the  benefit  of  European  industry  and  the 
well-being  of  the  European  population.  ISIS  was  particularly  active  in  supporting  efforts  towards  the 
regulation of biotechnology in industry and the evaluation of its potential risks. 

ISIS continued to provide scientific  and technical support for Community policies. Customers  included DGI 
(External  Relations)  and  DGXVII  (Energy),  DGXI  (Environment,  Nuclear  Safety  and  Civil  Protection)  for 
work  related  to  safety  and  licensing  issues  in the  nuclear,  chemical  and  biotechnology  industries, DG  III 
(Industry)  for  Information  Technology,  DG  VII  (Transport)  for  Aircraft  Safety,  the  European  Environment 
Agency,  the  Forward  Studies  Unit,  and  DG  VI  ( Agriculture)  and  the  Commission  antifraud  service 
(UCLAF) for fraud control. 

JRC Annual Report 1997 

36 

A. INSTITUTIONAL  ACTIVITIES 

Institutional Research Activities 

As  part  of  the  long  term  research  that  will  help  the  safeguards  inspectorate  harness  new  technology  to 
improve  efficiency  and  prepare  for  the  inevitable  new  challenges  that  will  be  raised  by disarmament  and 
the enlargement  process, significant progress  has been made in neutron measurement techniques for Non 
Destructive  Assay.  A  high  efficiency  counter  for  passive  neutron  interrogation  was  constructed; sealing-
bolt  production  was  improved  by  implementing  quality  control  techniques,  and  seal-reading  instruments 
were improved by the adoption of a new compact board; a prototype of a high resolution acquisition system 
based on a new laser type was developed for the 3-D  reconstruction  of  plants  and structures; a laboratory 
prototype  of  a  distributed  surveillance  system  based  on  digital  cameras,  compact  industrial  PCs  and 
Ethernet network was developed. 

Reactor safety research concentrated on severe accidents  in light water  reactors and covered the following 
activities: tests  at  moderate  pressures  (< 5 bar)  were  performed  in both  FARO  and  KROTOS facilities  at 
Ispra on the test sections to allow better observation of the  mixing, jet break-up and quenching  processes; 
the  development  of  the  REACFLOW  code  for  the  numerical  simulation  of  deflagration  and  detonation 
processes  in  arbitrary  gas  mixtures  continued.  A  two-dimensional  axisymmetric  code  version  has  been 
completed which is now ready for industrial application. A fully three-dimensional  pilot code version is in the 
testing phase. 

SEISMIC RESISTANCE OF STRUCTURES 

The facilities of the European Laboratory for Structural Assessment  (ELSA), continued to provide a unique 
testbed  for  the  application  of  the  pseudodynamic  test  method  for  checking  the  seismic  resistance  of 
structures. The data from these tests provide  a scientific basis for the building standard - Eurocode 8 - that 
constitutes  Europe's  main  protection  against  damage  to  life  and  property  from  earthquakes.  The 
advantages of using b3se isolation techniques for the seismic protection  of monument buildings have been 
explored.  Tests  were  conducted  at  ELSA  on  the  Palazzo  Geraci  model  by  using  a  special  steel  base 
isolation  device.  A  series  of  tests  were performed  to  assess  the  adequacy  of  the pseudodynamic  test 
method  for  structures  equipped  with  high-damping  rubber  bearings.  A  reduced-scale  structure, already 
tested on a shaking table, was tested pseudodynamically at ELSA, and the results were compared. 

As  part  of  the  Centre  for  Earth  Observation  (CEO)  project,  and  complementary  to  the  activities  of  the 
Space Applications  Institute, ISIS continued to operate and update information systems to promote the use 
of  satellite-based  earth  observation  data.  The  work  included  updating  the  European  Wide  Service 
Exchange  (EWSE),  now  recognised  as  the  leading  source  of  information  regarding  Earth  Observation  in 
Europe, enhancing the G7  Environment  and  Natural  Resource  Monitoring  (ENRM)  server  by integrating  it 
with  20  Environmental  databases  across  the  world,  developing  the  CEOS  Information  Locator  System 
(CILS)  on behalf  of Third World countries, and developing  a new  Internet  protocol for  remote searching of 
geospatial databases. 

ISIS contributed  to the  Fusion  Programme  with  its  heavy  robotics  facility  ROBERTINO.  The  Control  and 
Data Acquisition systems of a blanket test facility for  ITER  have been developed, as part of an international 
effort to develop assembly procedures for blanket modules inside the vacuum vessel. 

Institutional Support Activities 

The  Institute  acted as the  main scientific  adviser  to the  Euratom  Safeguards  Directorate  (ESD)  (DG  XVII) 
for the following topics: 

• 

• 

• 

development  of two  passive  neutron counters  for  measurements  of  Mixed Oxide  (MOX)  fuel pins  and 
of a passive neutron counter for the assay of  Pu scraps; 

development  of  a  multimedia  safeguards  training  package  including  a  multilingual  keyword  search 
engine and the quantification of measurement  uncertainty in neutron assay methods; 

supply  of  a complete  site  station  for  ultrasonic  sealing/identification  of  spent  fuel  elements  stored  in 
ponds, including a powerful seal-management  database, to be used by Euratom  inspectors  at THORP 
Sellafield (UK); 

JRC  Annual  Report  1997 

37 

• 

training  courses  for  EURATOM  inspectors  in  Non  Destructive  Assay  (NDA)  and  mass  and  volume 
measurement techniques in large tanks. 

ISIS  also  provided  the  technical  means  whereby  DGI  supported  the  International  Atomic  Energy  Agency 
(IAEA)  through:  experimental  investigation  in  TAME  (TAnk  MEasurement)  of  error  components  in 
mass/volume  measurements  of  liquids  in  large  tanks;  testing  of  portable  pressure  measurement 
equipment, and demonstration in particular of their unattended mode of operation through  long term in-field 
trials  in the  USA;  environmental  testing  of various  safeguards  devices  in the TEMPEST  laboratory  on the 
basis  of  an  IAEA  test  procedure,  developed  in  1996  with  the  support  of  JRC  Ispra;  training  courses  for 
IAEA 
in  non-destructive  assay,  mass/volume  determination  and  sealing/identification 
techniques. 

inspectors 

ISIS  supported  DGXI  through  the  running  of  the  Major  Accidents  Hazards  Bureau  (MAHB),  for  the 
implementation of the new "Seveso II" Directive (96/82/EC). 

ISIS  continued  to  support  the  service  performance  of  the  Commission's  antifraud  service  (SG/UCLAF) 
through the  introduction, of  new information technology,  data  analysis  and  risk  analysis  methods  into  anti-
fraud work. 

The  Institute's  expertise  in  information  technology  was  used  to  support  the  Information  Technologies 
programme  of  DG  III.  Specific  areas  of  work  were:  workshops  on  survivability  and  dependability  of 
software; support to European pharmaceutical  regulatory policy through the European  Medicine  Evaluation 
Agency  (EMEA);  European  high  performance  computing  and  image  processing  and  synthesis  (pre-
industrial software). 

BIOTECHNOLOGY REGULATION AND RISK EVALUATION 
In  1997,  ISIS  has  been  particularly  active  in  the  field  of  biotechnology  regulation  in  industry  and  the 
understanding of the potential  risks. 

On behalf of the Forward  Studies Unit, which is directly associated  with the President  of the Commission, 
ISIS  analysed  the current procedures  in  biotechnological  risk  assessment  for  transgenic  plants:  the aim 
was  to  determine  whether  current  scientific  knowledge  allows  comparative  environmental  risks  to  be 
calculated and  risk  assessment procedures  to be harmonised.  The conclusions  and  recommendations of 
the study dealt  with the limitations of quantitative risk  assessment  for genetically  modified  organisms and 
with problems in identifying hazards. 

ISIS provided scientific support to DG XI on the Implementation of the Biotechnology Directives 
(90/219/EEC on the contained use of genetically modified microorganisms and 90/220/EEC on the 
deliberate release and the placing on the market of genetically modified organisms). Priority was given to 
projects dealing with implementation in the EU Member States (plus Norway and Iceland) of an electronic 
system enabling the exchange of information among Member States and the Commission on deliberate 
field trials. 

B. COMPETITIVE ACTIVITIES 

Shared-Cost Actions 

During  1997,  ISIS was  involved  in 3 Training  and  Mobility  for  Researchers  (TMR)  networks,  5  concerted 
actions and 36 shared-cost action projects. 

• 

In the RESOLV project, a prototype of an Autonomous  mobile platform with an Environment  Sensor for 
Telepresence  (AEST) was built to  reconstruct  real environments  using images from  a JRC-developed 
fast  high  resolution  three-dimensional  scanner.  Further  research  on  reconstruction  of  a  three-
dimensional  environment  is  being  undertaken  in  the  framework  of  a  Training  and  Mobility  for 
Researchers  (TMR) network linking seven of the most active European laboratories  in the field. 

• 

In the field of nuclear safety, ISIS coordinated two projects, aimed at improving the performance of 
computer codes used in analysing the safety of nuclear power plants. 

JRC Annual  Report 1997 

38 

ISIS expertise in combustion  modelling is being used in the nuclear  reactor  safety project,  Combustion 
in  Severe  Accidents  and  in  the  Explosion  Models  Evaluation  project  which  aims  to  assess  vapour 
cloud explosions. 

The  ROBERTINO  heavy  robotics  facility,  coupled  with  the  TELEMAC  CAD/CAE  laboratory,  is  being 
applied  for  the  automation  and  control  of  Laser  welding  technology  applied  to  heavy  section 
components  in the LASEROBOT  project. 

• 

In  the  ADAMS  project, 
maintenance, with a view to reducing human-factor  related accidents. 

ISIS  has  analysed  different  methodologies 

for  aircaft  dispatch  and 

Competitive Support for Community Policies 

Complementary  to  its  institutional  work,  ISIS  was  successful  in  a  number  of  calls  for  tender  issued  by 
Commission services in areas  related to its main competences. A selection of these projects, classified per 
customer DG, is mentioned below. 

For DG III (Industry): Two full-size three-storey buildings were tested pseudodynamically at ELSA.  A joint 
project  with  the  Space  Applications  Institute  on  benchmarking  of  European  neural  network  systems  on 
remote sensing  applications was completed; in the field of  pharmaceutical  regulation, the testing  phase of 
the  EudraTrack  project  for  the  procedure of  Mutual  Recognition  between  Member  State  health  authorities 
was completed. The Eudra Mat database of pharmaceutical products marketed in the European Union was 
distributed on CD-ROM to health authorities. 

For  DG  VII (Transport):  As  part  of  the  ongoing  effort  to  prepare  the  ground  for  a  harmonization  of  the 
regulatory framework  governing  Europe's  aviation  the  European  Coordination  Centre  for  Aircraft  Incident 
Reporting Systems  (ECCAIRS)  is being prepared for production. The software  has been industrialised, the 
central office  has  been  setup, and data  exchange  procedures,  with the  six  EU  aviation  authorities  initially 
involved, have been put in place. 

For  DG  XI  (Environment,  Nuclear  Safety  and  Civil  Protection):  The  JRC  has  produced  a  synthesis 
report of an international  benchmark  aimed at harmonising the different  methodologies  used  in calculating 
the  radioactive  release to the  atmosphere  in the  case  of  an accident  in the  auxiliary  building  of  a  nuclear 
power  plant.  The  report  highlighted  areas  of  agreement,  and  identified  areas  where  further  research  is 
needed.  Commissioning  work  has  started,  with  preliminary  work  on  a  small  incineration  oven  for  the 
investigation  of  advanced  waste  treatment  processes.  A  study  on  an  overall  strategy  for  Environmental 
Impact  Assessment  (EIA)  and  Strategic  Environmental  Impact  Assessment  (SEIA)  research  in  the 
European  Union, taking  into  account  the  views  of  acknowledged  experts  from  the  Member  States,  has 
been  completed.  A  Community  Information  System  on  Natural  Disasters  is  being  established.  Priority  in 
the  pilot  phase  has  been  given  to  a  limited  number  of  types  of  disasters:  floods,  earthquakes,  and 
accidents  of  any  kind  causing  significant  environmental  consequences.  Eight  Member  States,  as  well  as 
Iceland and Norway, are contributing to the project. The  design of the prototype  information  system  is now 
completed. 

For  EUROSTAT  (Statistical  Office):  A  study  on  environmental  pressure  indicator  modelling  has  been 
completed.  The  study  defined  a  generalised  layout  to  summarise  pressure  indicator  models,  identified 
modelling activities  in the  Member  States, and produced  a model sheet for  each of the twenty-five  models 
identified. 

As  part  of  its  mission,  ISIS  has  transferred  to  industry  some  technologies  it  has  developed.  In  1997, 10 
projects funded by DG XIII were completed and another  12 have started. 

JRC Annual  Report 1997 

39 

12 NEW PROJECTS FOR TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER  TO INDUSTRY 

• 

Testing and  demonstration  of  an  automotive  crash  energy  absorber  based  on  high  speed  liquid  jet 
formation 

Fibre optic based acoustic emission sensor system 

Industrialisation of a holographic flat display 

Industrialisation  of  an  ESPI  based  device 
characterisation of building  materials 

for  deformation  measurements  and  mechanical 

Integrated fixture for punch and bulge testing of small specimens 

A WARE (Advanced Warning Against  Runaway Events) 

Exploitation of STARS industrial reliability software. 

VASAT-3D: extension  of  JRC  finite  element  simulators  to  model  three  dimensional  water  flow  and 
contaminant transport in variably saturated soils 

Implementation of W-SDI: a Windows tool for safety design improvement 

Large scale testing of vibration sensor and micro-seismic monitoring 

Integrated  system  for  shape  and  condition  monitoring  of  composite  elements  used  in  civil  and 
aeronautical engineering 

Validation of uncertainty and sensitivity  analysis software 

Activities Under Contract 

Third party work at the JRC is offered to clients who take advantage of products and techniques  developed 
through research in ISIS and pay for these  products to be customised to operational  requirements.  During 
1997 more than 30 contracts  were signed. Examples  of some of the  larger contracts:  a full-size  replica of 
a portion of the Sao Vicente de Fora Monastery in Lisbon has been constructed by reproducing the original 
materials  and  workmanship,  and  is  being  tested  at  ELSA  under  a  contract  with  the  Portuguese 
Government;  an  integrated  system  for  monitoring  and  preventing  pollution  and  risks  associated  with 
industrial areas and movements  of  dangerous  substances  in Sicily, as well as for the on-line  management 
of related emergencies, was installed on behalf of the Italian Ministry of  Environment. Another contract was 
signed  allowing  the  United  States  Nuclear  Regulatory  Commission  access  to  results  from  FARO 
quenching tests. 

Exploratory Research 

ISIS made a special internal effort  to explore some complementary  research areas which  might turn out to 
be  important  for  its  future  institutional  contributions;  a  total  of  65  proposals  were  presented  within  the 
Institute  and  12  of  them  were  funded.  At  the  end  of  1997,  10  of  these  were  allowed  to  continue  for  a 
second year, and a further 5 projects were added. The projects covered a wide  range of subjects,  including 
non-linear  time  series  analysis,  brain-actuated  control  systems  for  the  disabled, voice  to  text  conversion, 
regional  flood  vulnerability,  remote  measurement  of  water  levels  in  environmentally  sensitive  areas, 
innovative  accelerator  driven  nuclear  reactors,  simulating  energy-environment 
interactions  in  cities, 
determining  how  citizens  can  participate  in  environmental  decisions,  modelling  particle  gas  flows,  smart 
materials,  protein  folding,  measuring  the  performance  of  artificial  joint  implants,  seismic  monitoring, 
earthquake prediction, and stress-wave  release from fracturing rocks. 

JRC Annual Report 1997 

40 

SAFEGUARDS PLANTAT OBNINSK 

The  European  Commission,  through  the  TACIS  Programme,  is  supporting  efforts  in  the  Russian 
Federation  to  improve  nuclear  material  accountancy  and  control.  As  part  of  this  work,  a  Safeguards 
Methodological  and  Training  Centre  (RMTC)  is  being  set  up  at  the  Institute  of  Physics  and  Power 
Engineering (IPPE) at Obninsk, in the Kaluga region  of  Russia.  ISIS, together with IPPE, has been given 
the task of designing and implementing the Centre.  The principal  tasks of the RMTC are the training of the 
Ministry of Atomic Energy (MINATOM) plant operators as  well as of the domestic inspectors at the Russian 
Authority for Nuclear Security (GOSATOMNADZOR) in fields such as development and implementation of 
upgraded approaches for accounting and safeguarding  fissile materials. It uses existing premises, already 
licensed for the use of bulk quantities of nuclear materials.  So fan 

•  15 Russian instructors and 70 Russian inspectors  and operators have been trained 
•  8 specialist courses have been held in Ispra and 5 in Obninsk 
•  seminars on fuel fabrication safeguards and reprocessing plant safeguards have been held in Obninsk 

2.5 THE ENVIRONMENT INSTITUTE (El) 

The  Environment  Institute  (El)  contributed  to  the  Fourth  Framework  Programme,  mainly  in  the  lines 
Environment  and  Climate  and  Life  Sciences  and Technologies.  Through  various  competitive  actions, the 
Institute also addressed Programme lines such as Measurements  and Testing and Nuclear  Fission Safety. 

In  1997 the  El  dedicated  70 % of  its  Institutional  activities  to  providing  scientific  and technical  support  to 
other  Directorates  General  of  the  Commission  in  the  preparation  and  implementation  of  EC  sectoral 
Policies in the fields of the Environment and Consumer  Protection. 

The Environment-Water Task  Force, headed by the  Institute director,  has concluded  its final report, based 
on more than 450 "ideas-proposals" and on the position papers prepared by the national contact points and 
professional task forces. The proposed action plan will be  used in defining the specific  programmes  of the 
Fifth Framework  Programme on water-related activities. 

A. INSTITUTIONAL  ACTIVITIES 

An  adequate  balance  between  research  and  direct  support  activities  has  allowed  the  Institute  to  provide 
effective support while maintaining its scientific and technical competence. 

Institutional  Research  Activities 

In  accordance  with  the  European  Union's  research  objectives  laid  out  in  the  Fourth  Framework 
Programme,  the  Institute  set  up and coordinated  European  research  projects  which  contributed  to  major 
international  environmental  programmes  such  as  IGBP  (International  Geosphere  Biosphere  Programme), 
IGAC (International Global Atmospheric  Chemistry), and  EUREKA. 
In  the  field  of  atmospheric  processes,  activities  have  mainly  been  focused  on  tropospheric  ozone,  a 
harmful,  globally  increasing  greenhouse  gas,  which  affects  human  health, crops  and  vegetation, and  on 
atmospheric  aerosols which are of paramount importance  in evaluating and predicting climate trends. 

BIOGENIC EMISSIONS  FROM VEGETATION  AND  OZONE FORMATION  IN THE 
MEDITERRANEAN AREA 

The aim of the Biogenic Emissions in the Mediterranean Area  (BEMA) project developed by the Institute is 
to  assess  the  contribution of  biogenic  emissions  from  vegetation  to  tropospheric ozone  formation  in  the 
Mediterranean  area,  in  relation  to  the  contribution  from  anthropogenic  sources.  The last  year  of  BEMA 
phase  II  was  focused  on  modelling/up-scaling  activities.  A  large  mesoscale  experiment,  involving  17 
European  laboratories,  was  jointly  organised  by  El  and  Centro  de  Estudios  Medioambientales  del 
Mediterraneo  (CEAM)  in  May/June  1997  in  the  Castellon  area  near  Valencia  in  Spain,  to  test  the 
multidimensional  meteorological/chemical  model  developed  already.  The  experiment  included  ground 
measurements (emission rates, canopy fluxes, concentrations),  as well as measurements from aircraft and 
tethered balloons, to characterise transport and chemistry  in the boundary layer of an 80km corridor in the 
land-seabreeze direction. 

JRC Annual  Report 1997 

41 

The  Aerosol  and  Climate  project  contributed  to  assessing  the  impact  of  the  aerosol  burden  on  Earth 
radiation.  The  Aerosols  Characterisation  Experiment  (ACE-2)  was  during  1997  the  main  focus  of  the 
activity.  The  project  was  carried  out  in  collaboration  with  25  European  laboratories  and  included 
preparation  of  logistics  together  with coordination  of  250 scientists,  6 aircraft,  1 ship  and  6 ground  based 
stations.  The  JRC  also  participated  successfully  in  the  ACE-2  project  by  performing  a  series  of  gas 
measurements  and  aerosol physical and chemical characterisations  in Tenerife,  Madeira, the Azores  and 
Portugal. The modelling activity thus provides a more realistic description of aerosols  in global models, and 
should improve the estimates of  radiative forcing by those aerosols. The results of this  project  are  relevant 
to  assess  the  impact  of  atmospheric  aerosols  on the  global  change  and  the  extent  to  which  this  impact 
varies as a result of human activities and natural phenomena. 

Institutional  research  activities  in  the  water  and  soil  areas  included  the  use  of  AMAL  (Advanced  Mobile 
Laboratory)  to  assess  industrial  sites  and  landfill  contamination.  Samples  from  different  estuaries  have 
been analysed to establish the  relationships  between toxic  element  concentrations  and flow  variations, as 
well  as  identification  of  sources.  Four  in  situ  campaigns  were  performed  in  the  subalpine  ecoregion,  to 
contribute  to  the  setting  up  of  algorithms  describing  lake  water  quality,  and  for  comparison  of  different 
methods for the determination of phytoplankton pigments. 
Several  reports  were  published  on  lake  restoration/safeguarding  projects  and  on  drinking  water  quality. 
Collaborative data and uncertainty assessment  studies continued  within the AQUACON  (Analytical Quality 
Control)  project. 
A  new  Unit,  Environmental  Toxicology  and  Human  Health, which  included  the  former  Indoor  Air  and  Life 
Science  units  was  set  up with  the  aim  of  reorienting  activities  in view  of  the  5th  Framework  Programme. 
The  Institute's  work  in this  area  is  being  intensified  and  will  be  focused  on: the  impact  of  microbial  and 
chemical pollution of water on aquatic  life, and the consequent  relevance to human health; the  health  risks 
of  indoor  air pollution, especially those  related to volatile organic  compounds;  health effects  resulting from 
food contamination; and age-related neurodegenerative  disorders. 
Within the  European Collaborative  Action, Indoor Air Quality & Its  Impact  on Man (ECA-IAQ), an  essential 
part  of  the  institutional  indoor  pollution  activity, two  new  reports  have  been  published: Evaluation  of VOC 
Emissions  from  building  products-solid  flooring  materials,  offering  a  labelling  procedure  for  flooring 
materials  awaited  by  industry,  and  Total  volatile  organic  compounds  (TVOC)  in  indoor  air  quality 
investigations. An  automatic  air  pollution  analyser  developed  at  El  for  indoor  and  workplace  applications 
has  been  extended  to  diisocyanates.  Within  the  scope  of  competitive  support  activities,  a  contract  has 
been  granted  from  DG  XIII  for  the  construction  of  a  commercial  version  of  the  analyser.  Research  was 
continued  within  the  EURO  TERVITH  (Trace-Element  Reference  Values  in  Human  Tissues)  project  on 
basic levels of trace metals in the European population. 

Institutional Support Activities 
The  Environment  Institute's  activities  have  been  mainly  devoted  to  providing  scientific  and  technical 
support  to the  Commission  Services  in the  design  and  implementation  of  European  Union  policies  in the 
fields of environment and consumer protection. 
The  European Chemicals  Bureau  (ECB)  acted as a focal point for the  implementation  of the  EC directives 
in the field of chemicals control (DG XI Environment,  Nuclear  Safety and Civil Protection).  The work of the 
ECB included risk assessment  in relation to existing or new chemicals  in close cooperation with competent 
national authorities and other international bodies, such as the Organisation for  Economic  Cooperation and 
Development  (OECD), the  United Nations  Environment  Programme  (UNEP)  and the  Food and Agricultural 
Organisation of the United Nations (FAO). 

The  European  Centre for the Validation  of Alternative  Methods  (ECVAM),  in support  of  DG  III,  DG XI and 
DG  XXIV,  worked  on  the  validation  of  alternative,  non-animal,  toxicity  testing  procedures,  in  support  of 
Commission  regulatory  actions  on  industrial chemicals,  pesticides, cosmetics, and other  products, for  the 
protection of consumers, of the environment, and for the benefit of  European industries. 

The  well  established  work  of  ERLAP  (European  Reference  Laboratory  for  Air  Pollution,)  and  REM 
(Radioactive  Environment  Monitoring)  provided  DG  XI  with  scientific  and  technical  support  for  the  EC 
legislation on air  quality.  The work  will be extended to take account  of  growing concern  about  the  causes 
and health effects of urban air pollution in relation to small aerosol particles and the use of alternative fuels. 

The  activities  in support  of the Alpine  Convention  for  the  sustainable  development  of  the  Alps  have  been 
maintained by coordinating the Alpine Observation and Information  System (Alpine Observatory). 

JRC  Annual  Report  1997 

42 

The  Institute  has  managed  the Technical  Support  Group  for  Urban  and  Regional  Modelling  in the  project 
Auto-Oil 2. This support  group provided expert advice and assistance for the impact assessment  on the 10 
cities  selected.  The  methodology  has  been  reviewed  and  the  key  parameters  of  reference  have  been 
analysed  for  assessing  the  current  levels  of  air  quality.  The  criteria  for  identifying  the  main  stationary 
(industrial)  and traffic sources of pollution have been also established. 

Support  was  also  offered  to  the  European  Environment  Agency  in  the  fields  of  measuring  methods, 
intercalibration  instruments,  and  the  development  of  new  methods  and  new  environmental  measuring 
devices. 

CONSUMER PROTECTION AND FOOD SAFETY 

Consumer protection  has  been  one  of  the priorities  of  the  El,  with  activities  on  food  safety,  origin and 
quality,  including  the  well  established  European  Office  for  Wine,  Alcohol  and  Spirit  Drinks (BEVABS), 
which was created at the Environment  Institute of  the JRC  in Ispra  in  1993, as  a community  body with a 
high  level  of  scientific  expertise  and  specialised high-performance  equipment,  to provide  Member States 
with the assurance that scientific cooperation between official laboratories  Is organised efficiently and that 
disputes between Member States over the interpretation of analytical results are handled objectively in true 
community spirit. 

The main  objectives  of  this  office  can  be  briefly  summarised  as  follows:  establishment  of  an analytical 
database  for  wine  sector  products,  for  the  coordinated  and  uniform  application  of  analysis  methods, in 
particular  those  based  on  nuclear  magnetic  resonance;  analysis  of  wine  or  alcohol  samples  taken by 
commission  control  agents;  preparation  for  the  acceptance  of  new  isotopic  methods  based  on  mass 
spectrometry as future official methods of improving the fight against fraud; performance  of measurements 
for Member States not yet equipped with isotopic techniques; the handling of possible  disputes concerning 
Member States. ' interpretation of analyses of the same product. 

The European  Office for  Wine, Alcohol  and Spirit Drinks  works in close collaboration  with the specialised 
departments  responsible  for  the  wine  sector  within  DGVI  (Agriculture).  The scientific  and  technical work 
carried out by  this office complements  the activities of the  Commission's  agents, who  are responsible for 
cooperating  with the fraud prevention  and control authorities in  the  Member  States.  The  European Office 
for  Wine, Alcohol  and  Spirits collaborates  with the  official  bodies  and  15 official  laboratories  of  the wine 
producing  Member States for the collection and the validation of the data to be used for the establishment 
of the database and a multilingual software has been developed for this aim. So far the Data Bank contains 
the  deuterium  isotope 
ratios  of  ethanol  from  more  than  10  000  authentic  wines  taken  from  the wine 
producing countries in the European Union and covers the six vintages from  1991 until 1996. 

B. COMPETITIVE ACTIVITIES 

Shared- Cost  A  ctions 

The  El  has  won  25  new  shared-cost  action  projects  within  the  programmes  Environment  and  Climate, 
Standards,  Measurements  and Testing, and  Nuclear  Fission  Safety  and  within  the  scope  of  Joule  (Joint 
Opportunities for Unconventional or Long-term  Energy supply) and INCO (International Cooperation). 

The  main  topics  addressed  in  these  projects  were:  particles  and  photo-oxidants  in  chemistry:  formation 
processes  and  role; climate  change  effects  on freshwater  resources  in  Europe;  air  quality  and  effects  of 
pollutants  on the  European  population; development  of  analytical  methods  for  food  control; environmental 
risk assessment; endocrine disrupting chemicals. 

Competitive  Support  for  Community  Policies 

The El has signed new contracts to provide support to other community services on a competitive 
basis, mainly in the fields of food and consumer protection. 

Research has been carried out in support of DGIII (Industry) and DG XXI ( Customs  and Indirect Taxation) 
on the development  and validation of  methods  of assessing compliance with food legislation on chocolate, 
honey and olive oil. 

DG XIII  (Telecommunications,  Information  Market  and  Exploitation  of  Research)  funded the  development 
of  a compact,  portable  and economic  prototype  version  of  an automatic  laboratory  analyser  of  indoor air 
pollutants. A patent has been obtained in 1997 from the European  Patent Office. 

JRC Annual Report 1997 

43 

Activities Under Contract 

The institute  has also carried out  research  under contract to characterise  industrial contaminated sites and 
has performed environmental  impact  assessment  for  regional authorities.  In the  Lombardia  region  in Italy, 
work has been carried out on soil pollution, on water resources management, and on air quality control. 

2.6. THE SPACE APPLICATIONS INSTITUTE (SAI) 

The  Space  Applications  Institute  (SAI)  carries  out  research  leading to  provision  of  up-to-date  information 
on events  and trends  affecting  the  Earth's  resources  and environment.  SAI plays  an  important  role  in the 
development  of  European  Earth  Observation,  and  its  activities  are  crucial  to  the  exploitation  of  the 
investments  made by Member States, particularly in the European Space Agency. 

Its work  within the  Environment  and  Climate  research  programme  addressed  issues  related  to  quality of 
human  life, to  sustainable  resource  management,  and  to  promotion  of  a  sustainable  Earth  Observation 
industry in Europe. 

A. INSTITUTIONAL  ACTIVITIES 

Institutional Research Activities 

In  1997, the  Space  Applications  Institute  used  a full  range of  earth  observation  space  techniques  for  the 
study  of  our  environment  and  climate,  and  began  new  work  integrating  these  with  space-based 
telecommunications  and navigation systems. 

The  work  of  the  Centre  for  Earth  Observation  (CEO)  at  SAI continued  to  encourage  and  strengthen  the 
European  Earth  observation  industry.  European  companies,  with  CEO  guidance,  carried  out  studies 
particularly focused  on the customer  requirements  for five new earth observation  markets  : travel/tourism, 
environmental  organisations, 
insurance  companies,  and  civil  engineering 
organisations.  Each  study  produced  an  information  brochure  to which  all  new  markets  reacted  positively. 
The  Enabling  Services  prototype,  consisting  of  an  INTERNET  site  and  the  European  Wide  Service 
Exchange  (EWSE), saw  a dramatic  increase  in use with  up to 2 000  registered  users. CEO  pilot  projects 
demonstrating  the  potential  operational  use  of  information  derived  from  Earth  Observation  data  for  the 
Services  of the  Commission, concentrated  on coastal  zones,  European forestry,  agricultural  production  in 
South East Asia, and an atlas of major  European urban areas. 

town/city  authorities, 

PROGRESS  TOWARDS  STANDARDS  FOR ANTI-PERSONNEL  MINE  DETECTION 
SYSTEMS AND STRATEGIES 

The SAI gained  recognition  as  a  focal point  for  mine  detection and identification and  is  working  in close 
collaboration with national  groups  from  Member  States as  well as  with Non-Governmental  Organisations 
(NGOs), representatives from mine infected countries, and mine clearance teams. 

The Institute established  an  outdoor  test range  for  validating the performance  of  mine  detection  sensors 
(metal detectors, ground penetrating  radars and thermal infrared sensors).  This facility  has  been  used by 
different producers  of mine detection sensors as well as for testing the feasibility of a multi-sensor  system 
for Anti-Personnel Mine detection and identification. 

This  'benchmarking"  action  began  in  October  1997  with  a  workshop,  attended  by  the  United  Nations 
Department of Peace Keeping Operations (UNDPKO), NGOs, mine clearance organisations,  mine detector 
producers,  national  research  organisations  and  Universities, as  well as  from  other  Commission  services 
charged with mine clearance  actions.  The standards  will be applied to subsequent SAI tests,  as  well as to 
mine clearance projects  in mine infected countries supported by the European Commission. 

Research  activities  at  the  European  Microwave  Signature  Laboratory  included  the  development  of 
sequential  radar  imaging techniques  for the  monitoring  of  mechanical stress  and deformation  in  structural 
elements, such as  beams  and girders. Such methods  will be a major  new tool for  monitoring  the  safety of 

JRC Annual Report 1997 

44 

key civil engineering structures such as deformation of water  reservoir dams. 

Coastal  Zone  management  systems,  using  data  from  new  ocean  colour  sensors,  are  now  being 
developed, to  be  used  in areas  such  as  aquaculture  and  coastal  erosion  defences.  Work  of  this  nature 
calls  for  well  calibrated  data  and  validated  products.  Work  on  sensor  calibration  and  validation,  in  full 
collaboration  with  the international  and  national  space  agencies,  development  of  bespoke  geographical 
information  systems,  and  modelling  underpin  this.  Ocean  colour  and  sea  surface  temperature  data  sets 
are also used for global change research. 

Techniques  developed  with  data from  low-resolution  sensors  were then  used to  map  soil  and  vegetation 
changes throughout the year, first for the Iberian peninsula and then extended to the entire  Mediterranean 
Basin:  this  work  will  be  the  basis  for  a  land  degradation  monitoring  system  as  part  of  an  emerging 
Mediterranean Observatory. 

As  input  to  the  International  Geosphere  Biosphere  Programme  of  climate  change  research,  the  SAI 
completed  a  data  set  showing  the  occurrence  of  wild-fires  throughout  the  globe.  Such  monitoring 
responds  to  concerns  espressed  in  Agenda  21  and  the  5th  Environmental  Action  Plan.  These  data  are 
important to research and environmental management  alike, as evidenced by the huge impact of the  1997 
fires  in  Indonesia.  Environmental  studies  concerning  fire  scars  and  forest  resources  in  the  tropics 
continued to benefit from the development  of  Radar  based  mapping, in collaboration with  North  American 
(NASA) and Japanese (NASDA)  partners. 

The analysis  of data from new sensors  benefited from  studies  of the bidirectional  reflectance  properties of 
the Earth's surface, made using advanced models of surface radiation interactions. 

Institutional  Support Activities 

The  Monitoring  of  Agriculture  with  Remote  Sensing 
(MARS)  project  provided  support  to  DG  VI 
(Agriculture),  EUROSTAT  ( Statistical  Office)  and  the  Member  States  through  the  Institute's  advanced 
Agricultural  Information  System  (AIS).  The  AIS  provided  production  forecasts  and  identified  regional 
anomalies  for  14  major  EU crops.  In  1997,  new  crop  types  (olive  trees  and wine-grapes)  were  studied: 
qualitative  information  and  estimation  of  their  potential  yield  will  be  further  improved.  Information  on  the 
EU's  neighbours  in  Central  Europe,  the  Baltic  States,  CIS, the  Maghreb  countries  and  Turkey  was  also 
provided. 

As  in  previous  years,  control  by  remote  sensing  of  farmers'  area  aid declarations  continued.  The  quality 
control  of  the work,  done  by private  companies  under  contract  from  national  administrations,  was  carried 
out,  and  technical  support  and  advice  was  provided  in  direct  interaction  with  the  Member  States' 
administrations. 

The  Soil Geographical  Database  of  Europe  at  Scale  1: 1 000  000, supporting the Agricultural  Information 
System,  has  been  extended  to  Norway,  Finland,  former  Yugoslavia,  Poland,  Hungary,  Czech  Republic, 
Slovakia,  Bulgaria,  Switzerland,  Austria,  Romania  and  the  Baltic  states.  This  data  supports  the 
agrometeorological modelling of crop field. 

B. COMPETITIVE ACTIVITIES 

Shared-Cost Actions 

The Space Applications  Institute submitted  18 proposals  in a range of thematic areas including Agriculture, 
Telematics,  and  Environment  and  Climate.  13 of  those  projects,  ranging from  the  marine  environment  to 
desertification and landslide monitoring, are being funded. 

Competitive Support for Community policies 

DG  XI  (Environment,  Nuclear  Safety  and  Civil  Protection)  awarded  a contract  for  the  third  phase  of  the 
operational  tropical  forest  monitoring  project  started  in  1995.  This  work  will,  on  completion,  provide  an 
Earth  Observation  based  system  for  tropical  forest  mapping,  for  management  of  diverse  tropical  forest 
data  sets  and  for  provision  of  an  "alarm" system,  highlighting  areas  of  extreme  deforestation.  A  portable 

JRC  Annual  Report  1997 

45 

satellite  receiving station for fire detection was tested in Vietnam  in this context.  The overall objective is to 
provide a forest  information system tuned to the needs of the Directorate General for  Environment, Nuclear 
Safety and Civil Protection, notably to determine the effectiveness  of EC funded projects in these regions. 

Activities Under Contract 

Contract  research,  linked  to  the  Institute's  research  programme,  was  performed  for  external  clients, 
notably European and Japanese Space Agencies. SAI was a sub-contractor  in a consortium testing a rain 
simulator  to  support  development  of  a  rainfall-mapping  mission,  and  staff  were  also  involved  in  the 
development  of  new  algorithms  to  handle  information  from  Japan's  planned  Global  Imager  (GLI) 
instrument,  and  Europe's  MERIS  and  VEGETATION  instruments.  The  first  instrument  will  be  used  to 
measure  a  range  of  atmospheric,  terrestrial  and  marine  parameters.  The  MEdium  Resolution  Imaging 
Spectrometer  is  a  primary  instrument  in  Europe's  next  major  satellite  ENV  Sat  1 (Environment  Satellite). 
Through these  contracts the JRC  recognised expertise, helps to  maximise the  returns  on the  investments 
made in Europe on these new sensors. 

Other Competitive Activities 

The  MERA  project  (MARS  and  Environmental  Related  Applications)  covering  the  12  PHARE  countries, 
entirely  funded  by  DGIA  (External  Affairs),  continued  and  concentrated  mainly  on  forest  issues  such  as 
mapping  and  monitoring. The techniques  developed  for  remote  sensing  monitoring  of  agriculture  projects 
in  the  Union  will  be  transferred  to  neighbouring  Eastern  European  countries  where  there  is  a  strong 
emphasis  on forest  resource  management  and on environmental  impact  assessment.  The  SAI's  role as 
provider  of  technical  support  management  to  the  DGs  also  saw  the  continuation  of  a  coastal  zone 
management  programme in Thailand for DGIB. 

2.7 THE INSTITUTE FOR PROSPECTIVE TECHNOLOGICAL STUDIES (IPTS) 

The  Institute  for  Prospective  Technological  Studies  supported  the  European  Union  (EU)  policy  making 
processes  by "collecting", "interpreting" and "communicating"  Science  & Technology  (S&T)  developments 
(events, trends  and impacts).  Therefore, most of  IPTS' work  is undertaken  in reply to specific  requests of 
assistance  to  the  European  Union  institutions,  mainly  the  European  Commission  and  the  European 
Parliament  services,  as well as to third  party organisations,  in the  framework  of  the  competitive  mandate 
given to the Joint Research Centre. 

IPTS addressed various technological  matters, where  it  is  important  to ensure  a  neutral and  Europe-wide 
assessment  of scientific  and technological change, and to gain a better  understanding  of technology in the 
socio-economic  environment.  For  this  purpose,  the  Institute  combines  two  perspectives  in  its  work:  a 
focus  on  emerging  technologies,  and  a  focus  on  socio-economic,  policy  relevant,  options  which  involve 
technology.  This  unique  combination  of  approach  provides  added  insight,  not  only  through  empirical 
analysis of available data, but prospective  exploration of the future. This characterises  the specificity of the 
Institute's  mission with respect to other research institutions. 

Prospective studies are carried out by IPTS in major  research areas of  relevance, exploiting synergies and 
crossbreeding  between those  areas.  IPTS' work  has  been  developed  in the  following  fields  during  1997: 
Energy; Environment; Mobility and Transport;  Information and Communication Technologies; Life Sciences 
and  Bio-technology;  Regulatory  Frameworks  for  Emerging  Technologies;  Technology,  Knowledge  and 
Organisational  Change; Innovation, Diffusion  and Growth; Regional  Development;  Resource  Management 
(both mainly focused on the Mediterranean  region); and Perspectives for Europe. 

In order to secure a direct access on a large network of specialists, IPTS has set up the European Science 
and  Technology  Observatory  (ESTO).  ESTO  is  a  network  of  14  European  national  S&T  organisations 
which  share  the  responsibility  of  providing  timely  access  to  information  on  scientific  and  technological 
change  of  socio-economic  relevance.  It contributes  to  IPTS  studies  and  the  "IPTS  Report",  which  is the 
Technology Watch bulletin of  IPTS, directed towards  European decision makers. 

JRC Annual Report 1997 

46 

A. INSTITUTIONAL  ACTIVITIES 

Institutional  Research  Activities 

Institutional  research  activities  focused  in  1997  on  areas  highly  relevant  for  EU  policies  such  as  Energy; 
Environment;  Mobility  and Transport  Research: Technology  Employment  and  Competitiveness.  The  most 
important projects  per scientific area are mentioned here below: 

Projects  on  Energy  ranged  from technology  assessment  to  the  understanding  of  the  complex  system of 
energy,  natural  resources  and  economy.  Particular  attention  was  paid  to  the  interactions  between  the 
energy system and the environment on a global scale, as well as to regional energy markets. 

Two examples  of  specific  projects are the Climate  Change  Research  and  Policy, and the  Socio-economic 
Impact  of  Renewable  Energy  Projects 
in  Southern  Mediterranean  Countries:  Definitions  and 
Methodologies. 

The  Environment  projects  focused  on the  following  three  lines  of  action: consequences  of  the  gradual 
introduction  of  clean  technologies  in  the  areas  of  innovation,  competitivity  and  employment;  technology 
responses to environmental problems;  new frameworks for environmental policy making. 

Some  examples  of  specific  projects  in  this  field  are:  The  Dynamics  of  Innovation  in  Bio-Engineering 
Catalysis:  Cases  and  Analysis;  Biotechnology  as  a  Cleaner  Production  Technology  in  Pulp  and  Paper; 
Waste  Definitions and Impact on Waste Handling. 

Research into Mobility and Transport aimed at supporting policy development concerning future trends in 
urban  mobility,  including  social  and  economic  factors.  A  special  IPTS  Report  on  "Urban  Mobility" 
highlighted the importance of this evolving issue. 

Projects  referred  to  the  Future  of  Individual  Transport:  Towards  the  Integration  of  Social, Technological, 
Economic  and  Political  Driving  Forces  of  Change;  Future  Analysis  of  Vehicle  Technologies  in  Urban 
Environments. 

On  the  basis  of  specific  studies  and  technology  watch,  IPTS  explored  implications  for  the  interface 
between Technology,  Employment and Competitiveness,  in order to  improve the  understanding  of this 
trilateral relationship.  Some examples of projects  in this field are: 'The  role of  networks or economic  webs 
in the creation  of  employment";  "Evaluation  of  present  water  resources  policy  in the  Mediterranean", "The 
potential of S&T and Innovation for Regional development" and "Made in Europe". 

Institutional  Support  Activities 

Most of  IPTS' work  responds to direct  requests  from  its  main customers, the  European  Commission  (EC) 
and the  European  Parliament  (EP).  During  1997 a  new  agreement  has  been  signed  between  JRC-IPTS 
and DG III of the  European Commission, which comes to enlarge the list of  agreements  IPTS has with the 
following  specific  EC  services:  Forward  Studies  Unit,  DG  XI  and  DG  XVI.  Further  support  activities  have 
been  carried  out,  outside  of  any  bilateral  institutional  agreements.  With  regard  to  EP,  the  IPTS  has 
supported  the  work  of  the  Committee  on  the  Environment,  Public  Health  and  Consumer  Protection, 
Committee  on  Economic  and  Monetary  Affairs  and 
Industrial  Policy,  and  STOA  (Scientific  and 
Technological Option Assessments). 
IPTS supported the  European  Industrial Policy under  DG III (Industry) with projects  on industrial  innovation 
systems and technology foresight such as: trends in academia-industry technology transfer; benchmarking, 
diffusion  of 
Information  and  Communication  Technologies  (ICT)  and  organisation  practices;  impact  of 
regulation  on  innovation;  profile  of  water  industry  in  southern  EU  countries;  and  biotechnology  and  the 
greening of industry. 

Major  support  to  DG  XI  (Environment,  Nuclear  Safety  and  Civil  Protection)  was  provided  for  setting  new 
frameworks for environmental policy making. 

Support to DG XVI  (Regional Policies and Cohesion)  was offered through the project "Towards  sustainable 
management  of water resources in the Mediterranean countries". 

JRC Annual Report 1997 

47 

In  support  of  the  Forward  Studies  Unit  (FSU)  of  the  Commission,  the  Institute  offered  work  in  the 
following  areas:  micro-economic  case  studies,  green  accounting,  climate  change,  risk  assessment  aYid 
regulations, risk assessment  and governance, information society and governance. 

Common support to various  EC services  :  In addition to the above  mentioned  activities, support  which 
encompassed  several  customer  DGs  was  offered  with  the  following  projects:  supervision  of  a  feasibility 
study for a solar thermal power plant in Morocco  (together with the World Bank)  (DG  IB, DG XII, DG XVII); 
biomass  energy strategy  (DG  XII, DG  XVII,  DG  VI); solar-thermal  energy  strategy  (DG  XII,  DG  XVII,  DG 
IB); S&T support  to the  Euro-Mediterranean  Monitoring  Committee  (DGIB,  DG XII); environmental  futures 
(DG  XI, FSU);  new  initiatives  in  ETAN-support  to  ageing technologies  and  global  climate  change  (DGXII, 
DGV,  DGXI);  Technology  foresight-watch  and  socio-economic  studies  for  industrial  materials  and 
technologies  (DG  XII, DG  III,  DG  XIII,  JRC);  Discussion  paper  on  "Competitive  and  Sustainable  Growth: 
Products,  Processes  and  Organisation  anticipating  FPV"  (DGXII.C)^  input  to  the  Green  Paper  on 
Innovation  (DGXIII);  the  Management  of  Intellectual  Property  Rights  in  the  Public-Funded  Research 
Organisation: 6 case studies of  self-management. 

Work  for  the  EUROPEAN  PARLIAMENT,  and  particularly  its  Committee  on  the  Environment,  Public 
Health  and  Consumer  Protection, focused  on: climate  change: causes,  impacts  and  options;  recycling 
industries:  impediments  and  prospects;  green  accounting; environment  and  employment;  legal  definitions 
of waste; prospective analysis of the pharmaceutical industry. 

•  For  the  Committee  on  Research,  Technological  Development  and  Energy  (CERT),  projects 
referred to the following  subjects:  research and sustainability;  research  in the  XXI  century;  state  of  the 
art in gerontotechnology. 

4 

•  For the  Scientific  and  Technological  Options  Assessment  (STOA), two  projects  were  carried  out: 

The future of the car, the car of the future; Prospective analysis of the pharmaceutical  industry. 

•  For the  Committee  on  Economic  and  Monetary  Affairs  and  Industrial  Policy,  support  was  offered 
on a "Public  Hearing at the European  Parliament, on the status quo and the perspectives  of four  mature 
industries in Europe, textile, steel, automotive and aeronautics". 

B. COMPETITIVE  ACTIVITIES 

IPTS'  two  integrated  research  approaches,  focused  on  emerging  technologies,  and  on  socio-economic, 
policy  relevant,  options  which  involve  technology,  provide  an  added  value  and  hence  a  competitive 
advantage to the Institute. 

The  Institute  has  submitted  41  competitive  activities  proposals  during  1997.  By the  end  of  that  year,  the 
success  rate of approved proposals  had reached a level of approximately 60%. 

The  setting  up  of  the  European  Integrated  Pollution  Prevention  and  Control  Bureau, within  the  IPTS,  on 
behalf  of  DG  XI  is  an  example  of  a  mixed  project,  sharing  its  financial  resources  between  Competitive 
Activities 60% and Institutional Support Activities 40% (see also highlight on page  10). 

Shared-Cost  Actions 

The  IPTS  has  under  way  in  1997  thirteen  shared-cost  actions  among  which  the  following  projects: 
Relationship between demand for freight transport and industrial effects, and Forecasting  and Assessment 
of  New  Technological  and  Transport  Systems  and  Their  Impacts  on  the  Environment;  Mediterranean 
Energy  Markets  Appraisal:  trends  and  prospects  for  new  technologies,  Prefeasibility  study  for  the 
introduction of  renewable energies  in the South Mediterranean area. 

Competitive  Support  for Community  Policies 

Competitive  activities  in  support  of  Commission  policies  dealt  with  the  identification  of  a  cluster  of 
technologies,  owned  by  the  Community,  which  may  have  a  major  innovative  impact  on  European 
enterprises.  Moreover,  a  feasibility  study  was  undertaken  aimed  at  the  mobilisation  of  resources  for  the 
utilisation of  RTD results for the use of biomass as an energy source in Soria (Spain). 

JRC Annual Report 1997 

Work Under Contract 

48 

In  this  context,  the  following  studies  were  carried  out:  the  peer  review  of  the  German  Life  Cycle 
Assessment  (LCA)  study; the assessment  of the external costs of  energy, and their taking  into  account  at 
the  national  level; the  assessment  of  the  effects  of  the  reform  of  the  Common  Agriculture  Policy  on  the 
environmental  pollution level in southern countries  of the European Union; stock-taking  and analysis of the 
present  technical  and  legal  situation  of  renewable  energy  sources  in  Europe  -  phase  I  of  the  integral 
renewable  energy  research  and  promotion  programme;  technic-juridical  european  forum  on  renewable 
energies I. 

JRC Annual  Report 1997 

ISSN 0254-1475 

COM(98) 483 final 

DOCUMENTS 

EN 

15  17  12  01 

Catalogue  number  :  CB-CO-98-500-EN-C 

ISBN  92-78-38694-4 

Office  for Official  Publications  of the European  Communities 

L-29S5 Luxembourg