COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THE INTERIM EVALUATION OF DIRECT ACTIONS OF THE EURATOM RESEARCH AND TRAINING PROGRAMME 2014-2018 Accompanying the document REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL AND THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE Interim evaluation of the Euratom Research and Training Programme 2014-2018
Date: 2017-12-01
Institutions: Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, European Commission
Subjects: EAEC, EU financing, EU programme, Framework Programme for Research and Development, Joint Research Centre, nuclear research, nuclear safety, nuclear technology, scientific cooperation, vocational training

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 1.12.2017  SWD(2017) 440 final  COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THE INTERIM EVALUATION OF DIRECT ACTIONS OF THE EURATOM RESEARCH AND TRAINING PROGRAMME 2014-2018 Accompanying the document REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL AND THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE Interim evaluation of the Euratom Research and Training Programme 2014-2018 {COM(2017) 697 final} - {SWD(2017) 426 final} - {SWD(2017) 427 final} - {SWD(2017) 441 final}  
 
 
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 

This Staff Working Document presents the interim evaluation of the direct actions of the Joint 
Research  Centre  (JRC)  of  the  European  Commission  implemented  under  the  Euratom 
research and training programme 2014-20181 (hereinafter the Euratom Programme). It takes 
into account the external evaluation2 conducted by a panel of high-level independent experts 
between October 2016 and April 2017.  

The general objective of the Euratom  Programme is  to  pursue nuclear research and training 
activities  with  an  emphasis  on  continuous  improvement  of  nuclear  safety,  security  and 
radiation protection, notably to potentially contribute to the long-term decarbonisation of the 
energy  system  in  a  safe,  efficient  and  secure  way.  The  general  objective  is  implemented 
through the direct and indirect actions which pursue the specific objectives. 

The scope of this interim evaluation encompasses the direct actions of the JRC carried out in 
the context of the Euratom Programme during its first half, assessing the continued relevance 
of the programme’s objectives, reviewing initial outputs and early impacts of the programme 
and considering areas for improvement for the remaining part of the programme.  

The  present  document  describes  how  the  programme  is  implemented,  showing  its  structure 
and explaining the mechanism for adoption. 

The  evaluation  follows  the  guidelines  for  Better  regulation3,  considering  the  aspects  of 
relevance,  efficiency,  effectiveness,  coherence  and  EU  added  value  of  the  work  performed 
under the programme and its follow up for the coming period to the end of it. 

The effort carried out to meet the needs of the EU and ensure a global influence is described 
in this report. The direct actions performed constitute a diverse programme of scientific and 
technical work, which supports the EU policies, the Commission political agenda and meets 
EU Member States needs in relation to nuclear safety and security. 

The  programme  is  achieving  its  objectives  both  by  providing  scientific  and  technological 
support for the EU research and training policies on nuclear safety and security, and also by 
contributing to improve the nuclear security and nuclear safety in Europe and worldwide. 

The efficiency of the direct actions is evaluated against two aspects: the productivity, defined 
as number of outputs delivered, and the impact provided in support to the EU policies, which 
is predefined according to a generic set of impact indicators. A bibliometric analysis carried 
out for the period 2007-2015, showed that the performance of JRC’s research publications in 
the field of Nuclear Science and Technology is well above average, and ranking well amongst 
peer organisations; the importance of the policy support outputs delivered and its quality were 
recognised  and  underlined  several  times  by  the  expert's  panel  that  carried  out  the  interim 
evaluation.  

1  Council  Regulation  (Euratom)  No  1314/2013  on  the  Research  and  Training  programme  of  the  European  Atomic  Energy 
Community (2014-2018) complementing the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme for Research and Innovation 
2 Commission Expert Group Interim Evaluation of the Direct Actions under the Euratom Research and Training Programme 
3 
http://ec.europa.eu/smart-
regulation/guidelines/docs/swd_br_guidelines_en.pdf 

COM(2015)215 

Guidelines: 

Regulation 

Better 

2 

 
 
                                                            
The  programme  shows  coherence  both,  internally  and  externally.  The  different  parts  of  the 
programme  are  mutually  supporting,  learning  from  each  other  to  obtain  benefits  and 
synergies. At the same time the direct actions performed are supporting research programmes 
carried  out  under  other  schemes  such  as  indirect  actions  and  national  programmes.  The 
participation in contractual activities complements the tasks outlined in the direct actions and 
allows the JRC to be firmly integrated in the European research landscape. 

The EU added value of the direct actions of the Euratom programme is demonstrated by the 
following  components:  it  complements  national  research  programmes;  it  provides  essential 
scientific  and  technical  support  to  the  Commission  in  the  preparation,  implementation  and 
monitoring of the EU policies and to fulfil its legal obligations and competences; it supports 
the standardization, and it provides training in the fields of its objectives. The representation 
of  Euratom  in  Generation  IV  International  Forum4  and  the  coordination  of  the  Euratom’s 
technical  and  scientific  contribution  to  Generation  IV  stem  from  the  Euratom  programme 
direct  actions  or  are  funded  through  its  indirect  actions,  completed  with  MS  direct 
contributions. 

The recommendations received from the external evaluation panel for the reporting period, as 
well as the actions proposed to address these recommendations are included. 

Regarding  efficiency  and  effectiveness  of  the  Programme,  the  reports  indicated  some  areas 
requiring some improvement.  Some of the recommendations will be implemented during the 
next two years programme 2019-2010, other will be further analysed. 

4  Agreement  extending  the  Framework  Agreement  for  international  collaboration  on  research  and  development  of 
Generation IV nuclear energy systems 

3