Proposal for a Council Decision concerning the multiannual framework programme 2002-2006 of the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) for research and training activities aimed at contributing towards the creation of the European Research Area
Date: 2001-02-21
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU programme, EU research policy, innovation, research and development, research programme

26.6.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 180 E/177

Proposal for a Council Decision concerning the multiannual framework programme 2002-2006 of
the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) for research and training activities aimed at
contributing towards the creation of the European Research Area

(2001/C 180 E/12)

(Text with EEA relevance)

COM(2001) 94 final (cid:151) 2001/0054(CNS)

(Submitted by the Commission on 26 February 2001)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

of the Regions (9) have also supported the creation of the
European Research Area.

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Atomic
Energy Community, and in particular Article 7 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament,

Having regard to the opinion of
Committee,

the Economic and Social

Whereas:

(1) A multiannual

framework programme

all
including demonstration and training
research activities,
activities in the field of nuclear energy, to be implemented
by means of research and training programmes, may be
adopted pursuant to Article 7 of the Treaty.

covering

(2) In 2000 the Commission submitted two communications,
respectively on the prospects for and the objectives of
creating a European Research Area (1), and on making a
reality of the European Research Area and guidelines for
EU research activities in the period 2002-2006 (2).
In
2000 the Commission also submitted a communication
on (cid:145)Innovation in a knowledge-driven economy(cid:146) (3).

(3) The European Councils in Lisbon in March 2000 and
Santa Maria de Feira in June 2000 adopted conclusions
aimed at the rapid establishment of a European Research
and Innovation Area with a view to job creation and
economic growth.

(4) The European Parliament (4), (5),

the
Economic and Social Committee (8) and the Committee

the Council (6), (7),

(5) On 19 October 2000 (10) the Commission submitted the
conclusions of an external assessment of the implemen-
tation and results of the Community activities carried out
in the five years preceding that assessment, accompanied
by its observations.

(6) It

is therefore necessary to adopt a new framework
programme for the period 2002-2006 aimed at making
a contribution to bringing about the European Research
Area.

(7) The framework programme 2002-2006 sets out

the
scientific and technological objectives and priorities of
the activities envisaged and indicates the broad lines of
those activities which will be implemented in compliance
with the objective of protecting the Community’s financial
interests.

(8) A financial reference amount within the meaning of point
34 of
the Interinstitutional Agreement between the
European Parliament, the Council and the Commission
on budgetary discipline and improving the budgetary
procedure (11) is included in this Decision for the entire
duration of the framework programme without thereby
affecting the powers of
the budgetary authority as
defined in the Treaty.

(9) The Joint Research Centre (JRC)

is called on to help
in particular in
implement the framework programme,
those areas in which it can offer objective and inde-
pendent expertise and in which it can play a role in the
implementation of other Community policies.

(1) COM(2000) 6 final, 18.1.2000.
(2) COM(2000) 612 final, 4.10.2000.
(3) COM(2000) 567 final, 20.9.2000.
(4) Resolution of 18 May 2000, PE 290.465, p. 48.
(5) Resolution of 15 February 2001.
(6) Resolution of 15 June 2000, OJ C 205, 19.7.2000, p. 1.
(7) Resolution of 16 November 2000, OJ C 374, 28.12.2000, p. 1.
(8) Opinion of 24 May 2000, OJ C 204, 18.7.2000, p. 70.

(10) Research activities carried out within the framework
programme should respect fundamental ethical principles,
notably those which appear in the Charter of Funda-
mental Rights of the European Union.

(9) Opinion of 12 April 2000, OJ C 226, 8.8.2000, p. 18.
(10) COM(2000) 659 final, 19.10.2000.
(11) OJ C 172, 18.6.1999, p. 1.

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Official Journal of the European Communities

26.6.2001

for

The detailed rules

financial participation by the
2.
Community shall be governed by the Financial Regulation
European
applicable
to
Communities,
the
research and training programme(s) which the Council will
adopt in order to implement this Decision.

the General
supplemented where

appropriate

Budget

the

by

of

Article 3

All the research activities carried out under the framework
programme 2002-2006 shall be carried out
in compliance
with fundamental ethical principles.

Article 4

the

Progress with implementing
framework programme
2002-2006, and in particular progress towards achieving its
objectives and meeting its priorities, shall be presented in
detail in the report to be published by the Commission each
year pursuant to Article 7 of the Treaty.

Article 5

for

the next

submitting its proposal

the Commission shall have

framework
Before
an assessment
programme,
carried out by independent high-level experts of the implemen-
tation of Community activities during the five years preceding
that assessment. The Commission shall communicate the
conclusions thereof, accompanied by its observations, to the
European Parliament, the Council and the Economic and Social
Committee.

Article 6

The framework programme 2002-2006 is open to the partici-
pation of:

(cid:151) the EEA countries, in accordance with the conditions estab-

lished in the EEA agreements;

(cid:151) the central and eastern European candidate countries
in accordance with the conditions established in
(CEEC),
the Europe Agreements,
additional protocols
thereto and in the decisions of the respective Association
Councils;

in the

(cid:151) Cyprus, Malta and Turkey, on the basis of bilateral

agreements to be concluded with these countries;

(cid:151) Switzerland and Israel, on the basis of bilateral agreements

to be concluded with these countries.

(11) Following the Commission Communication (cid:145)Women and
Science(cid:146) (1) and the Resolutions of the Council (2) and the
European Parliament (3) on this theme, an Action Plan is
being implemented in order to boost and increase the
place and role of women in science and research in
Europe.

(12) It

is appropriate that

the Commission should submit
regular progress reports on the implementation of the
it should
framework programme 2002-2006 and that
have an independent assessment carried out concerning
the implementation of the activities in good time and
before submitting its proposal
for the next framework
programme.

(13) The

Scientific

and Technical Committee has been
consulted by the Commission and has delivered its
opinion,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

1.
A multiannual framework programme for research and
training activities in the field of nuclear energy, hereinafter
referred to as
is
hereby adopted for the period 2002-2006.

the (cid:145)framework programme 2002-2006(cid:146)

2.
The framework programme 2002-2006 shall comprise all
research, technological development, international cooperation,
dissemination and exploitation activities as well as training in
the following fields:

(cid:151) treatment and storage of waste;

(cid:151) controlled thermonuclear fusion;

(cid:151) other Euratom activities;

(cid:151) the Joint Research Centre’s Euratom activities.

The Annex sets out

3.
the scientific and technological
objectives and the related priorities and indicates the broad
lines of the activities envisaged.

Article 2

1.
The financial reference amount for the implementation of
this framework programme for the period 2002-2006 shall be
EUR 1 230 million, of which EUR 150 million for
the
treatment
and storage of waste, EUR 700 million for
controlled thermonuclear fusion, EUR 50 million for other
Joint
Euratom activities,
Research Centre’s Euratom activities.

and EUR 330 million for

the

(1) COM(1999) 76.
(2) Resolution of 20 May 1999, OJ C 201, 16.7.1999.
(3) Resolution of 3 February 2000, PE 284.656.

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ANNEX

SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL OBJECTIVES

1.

PRIORITY THEMATIC AREAS OF RESEARCH

1.1. Waste treatment and storage

Nuclear fission energy today supplies 35 % of electricity in the EU. It is an element in the debate on how to combat
climate change and reduce Europe’s dependence on imported energy. The power plants at present in operation will
continue to be operated for at least 20 years.

Looking to the longer term, new technologies for the safe exploitation of nuclear fission energy could be developed
in order to meet European energy needs in the decades ahead in such a way as to take into account the
requirements of sustainable development.

The exploitation of nuclear fission energy for energy production is now encountering the problem of waste, and
more particularly the individual implementation of technical solutions for the management of long-lived waste.

European public and private sector research efforts with regard to nuclear waste treatment and storage technologies
are significant. Through its coordination effects, EU action in this area makes it possible to assemble them into a
critical mass and ensure the coherence of the guidelines adopted by the waste management organisations and
industries concerned.

EU action will cover both the immediate problem of waste storage and the longer term question of reducing its
impact. In this connection, it will address the following aspects:

(cid:151) research into processes for long term storage in deep geological strata, with the networking of the activities

carried out on various sites in the three main types of geological formations envisaged;

(cid:151) research aimed at reducing the impact of waste, more particularly as a result of the development of new
technologies to reduce the hazards

concepts for reactors producing less waste and the development of
associated with waste by means of partitioning and transmutation techniques.

1.2. Controlled thermonuclear fusion

Controlled thermonuclear fusion is one of the long term options for energy supply in conditions of sustainable
development, in particular for the centralised supply of base-load electricity.

For reasons bound up with the complexity of fundamental knowledge in physics and the technological problems to
be resolved, the developments needed for the possible application of fusion for energy production will necessarily
take the form of a process in several steps each of which, possibly taking several tens of years, has an impact on
the next.

The efforts deployed in the context of the integrated European research programme on controlled thermonuclear
fusion implemented by the EU have enabled Europe to become a world leader in the field of research into fusion by
magnetic confinement.

The progress made on the research and the results obtained, in particular with the European JET Tokamak, now
make it possible to consider moving on to the (cid:145)Next Step(cid:146): the production of a machine capable of producing
fusion reactions in conditions comparable to that of an energy production reactor.

The completion of the preparatory work on the detailed design of the (cid:145)Next Step(cid:146) in the context of the ITER
international cooperation project makes it possible to take a decision about the launching of this project and the
construction of the machine.

The objective of this will be to demonstrate the scientific and technological feasibility of fusion energy production.
The precise arrangements for implementing the project will depend on the outcome of the negotiations at present
under way in the framework of international cooperation and subsequent developments, more particularly the
decisions taken concerning Europe’s contribution to the ITER project and the site where the machine is to be
installed. An appropriate legal framework will need to be established.

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EU participation in the ITER initiative requires the implementation of an accompanying programme including the
following elements:

(cid:151) Operation of the JET machine in such a way as to derive benefit from the improvements currently being made,
as well as possible participation in the research activities needed to complete the decommissioning of JET at the
end of its life cycle.

(cid:151) The continuation of research into fusion physics and technology, including: study and evaluation of alternative
magnetic confinement formulas, with in particular the continuation of the construction of the Wendelstein 7-X
(cid:145)stellarator(cid:146) and operation of the existing installations in the Euratom Associations; coordinated activities
regarding technological research, in particular research into materials for fusion.

Realising the (cid:145)Next Step(cid:146) will mobilise significant human and financial resources. The current efforts of Euratom’s
European partners with regard to fusion should be adjusted accordingly, once a decision is taken about the
construction of ITER.

2. OTHER ACTIVITIES IN THE FIELD OF NUCLEAR SAFETY AND SAFEGUARDS

On the basis of calls for proposals and in support of EU policies in the fields of health, energy and the
environment:

(cid:151) Research in the field of radiation protection, more particularly with regard to the quantification of the risks

associated with low levels of exposure;

(cid:151) Studies of innovative concepts for new and safer processes for the exploitation of nuclear energy;

(cid:151) Education and training concerning nuclear safety and radiation protection.

3. ACTIVITIES OF THE JOINT RESEARCH CENTRE

In accordance with its task of providing scientific and technical support for EU policies, the JRC will focus its
activities on the following fields:

3.1. Nuclear safety and security

Waste treatment and storage,
in particular separation and transmutation techniques for long-lived actinides;
radiation protection; safety of existing reactors (with priority for reactors in the candidate countries), as well as
reactors of the new generation; control of fissile materials and support for their non-proliferation; monitoring the
decommissioning of obsolete nuclear installations.

3.2. Measurements and reference materials

Radionuclide metrology,
low activity and round robin tests in the framework of
networks of laboratories of excellence; interaction between neutrons and matter for the generation of base data
for studies concerning the transmutation of waste and the development of new systems.

in particular in the case of