COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THE EVALUATION Interim evaluation of the 2021-2025 Euratom research and training programme Accompanying the document REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Interim evaluation of the 2021-2025 Euratom research and training programme
Date: 2025-02-28
Institutions: Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, European Commission
Subjects: EAEC, EU programme, EU research policy, Framework Programme for Research and Development, innovation, nuclear research, nuclear safety, nuclear technology, research and development, vocational training

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   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 28.2.2025  SWD(2025) 55 final  COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT  EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THE EVALUATION  Interim evaluation of the 2021-2025 Euratom research and training programme Accompanying the document REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Interim evaluation of the 2021-2025 Euratom research and training programme {COM(2025) 61 final} - {SWD(2025) 54 final}  
 
 
 
 
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 

The  Staff  Working  Document  provides  support  and  evidence  for  the  Commission’s  report  on  the 
interim  evaluation  of 
the  Euratom  Research  and  Training  Programmes  2021-2025  (‘the 
Programme’). 

The programme was launched in May 2021 with a total budget of EUR 1.38 billion. By December 
2024,  79%  of  the  budget  had  been  committed  and  40%  of  payments  made.  The  programme  is 
implemented  in  direct  management  through  indirect  and  direct  actions,  which  make  up  61.5%  and 
38.5% of the budget respectively. 

For indirect actions, 58 project grants were signed, with EUR 810 million in Euratom contributions, 
following  three  competitive  calls  for  proposals  and  assessments  of  proposals  from  named 
beneficiaries.  In  addition,  the  Commission  provided  funding  of  EUR 2.6  million  for  postdoctoral 
fellowships under Maria Skłodowska Curie Actions (MSCAs) and for prizes recognising excellence 
in fission and fusion research. 

For direct actions, the JRC budget (EUR 426 million for 2021-2024) is distributed across three main 
categories:  permanent  and  non-permanent  staff  (making  up  over  63%  of  the  budget),  building 
maintenance (29%) and operational expenses for scientific work (8%).  

The programme is successful in supporting pertinent research on nuclear safety, security, safeguards, 
radiation protection, waste management and fusion energy. It is too early to draw conclusions on the 
programme’s impact – because only one project had been completed by 2024 and 10 more will be 
completed in 2025, out of 58 launched. However, available outcomes in terms of projects launched, 
their  coverage  and  first  results,  as  well  as  the  JRC  outputs,  show  that  the  programme’s  direct  and 
indirect  actions  implemented  over  the  last  four  years  are  relevant  for  achieving  its  objectives.  The 
programme  has  delivered  in  terms  of  peer-reviewed  publications  (ca.  2 000)  and  the  number  of 
people who have benefited from training and access to research infrastructure (ca. 11 000).  

Co-funded  Euratom  partnerships  are  the  cornerstone  of  the  programme,  accounting  for  76%  of 
budget  for  indirect  actions  and  involving  most  Member  States  (21  in  waste  management,  23  in 
radiation  protection  and  26  in  fusion).  The  programme  also  made  use  of  substantial  funding  from 
beneficiaries  (45%  of  the  costs)  through  partnerships.  Progress  made  by  partnerships  is  attracting 
more  partners  from  non-EU  countries;  for  instance,  in  radioactive  waste  the  number  of  partners 
doubled. 

Euratom-funded safety research is not limited to Member States that use nuclear power; 21 Member 
States  are  involved  in  different  projects  in  this  area.  The  programme  also  involves  the  Horizon 
Europe  widening  countries  (14  out  of  15  countries),  benefiting  from  13%  of  Euratom  funding  in 
fission research (an increase from 10% in 2014-2018). ‘Widening countries’ now account for 24% of 
participants in Euratom projects (an increase from 21% in 2014-2018). 

Finally, reporting shows that projects launched in 2021 and 2022 reached 53% of their milestones. 
The  data  available  at  the  time  of  writing  shows  that  progress  is  being  made  in  achieving  the 
programme’s objectives as explained in the sections below. 

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The research funded by the Euratom Programme helps Member States to develop a broad spectrum 
of applications of ionising radiation, while reducing the risks. Safety research is essential for those 
Member States that want to pursue nuclear energy as part of their energy mix, whether domestic or 
imported,  and  for  those  that  need  reassurance  that  nuclear  power  plants  in  neighbouring  countries 
meet the highest safety standards. The public also stands to benefit from Euratom-funded research on 
other applications of ionising radiation, in particular in medicine.  

Evaluation  shows  that  Euratom  financing  is  used  in  an  optimal  manner,  avoiding  unnecessary 
duplication while providing the required EU-added value, economies of scale, and coordination. In 
this respect, the Euratom programme remains a key part of the European research landscape. 

The  Euratom  Programme  effectively  accommodates  the  diverse  needs  of  all  Member  States,  from 
small Member States with no civil nuclear programme and almost no nuclear research activities, to 
large  Member  States  that  rely  heavily  on  nuclear  power  for  their  energy  needs  and  are  at  the 
forefront of nuclear research. Even amongst the Member States with civil nuclear programmes, the 
level  of  maturity  of  these  programmes,  the  technology  underlying  their  reactor  fleet,  the  strategic 
orientations for the future development and the research needs and interests can differ significantly. 
Considering  these  boundary  conditions,  the  evaluation  shows  that  the  Euratom-supported  actions 
match these needs.  

In the area of nuclear safety, Euratom actions are well aligned with the needs of an ageing reactor 
fleet,  addressing  the  inherent  safety  concerns  arising  from  lifetime  extension,  as  well  as  more 
generally  improving  knowledge  of  plant  behaviour  and  performance  and  refining  and  developing 
new mitigation measures to respond to new risks as they appear (e.g. issues raised by the Fukushima 
accident).  

Concerning  research  on  advanced  reactor  systems,  the  Euratom  programme  has  been  focused  on 
better  understanding  of  safety  implications  arising  from  the  development  of  advanced  reactor 
concepts. Research priorities have been generally well focused on the most promising concepts being 
developed  on  the  national  level.  The  Programme  also  addressed  the  growing  interest  in  small 
modular reactors (SMRs), by funding research on SMR, with particular focus on their safety features 
and passive safety systems.  

The  Euratom  programme  has  also  responded  to  the  need  and  desire  of  Member  States  to  better 
structure  cooperative  research  activities,  notably  in  the  domain  of  safety  and  management  of 
radioactive waste and in radiation protection, by further developing co-funded Partnerships in these 
fields. 

Results of Euratom-funded research in fusion are not sufficient to bring fusion energy to the market 
in time to support EU decarbonisation efforts and to boost competitiveness. It is necessary to identify 
the critical issues and risks for making the fusion power plant that should drive the Euratom-funded 
research  now  and  in  the  next  years.  The  Programme  must  evolve  to  address  the  technology 
bottlenecks  which  require additional focus  and investment  while involving  more private financing, 
industry experience and increasing the international collaboration with reliable partners where there 
is  a  clear  added  value  for  the  EU.  The  Commission  already  initiated  preparations  of  a  co-
programmed  European  Partnership  in  this  field,  bringing  together  stakeholders  in  the  public  and 
private sectors.  

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The  JRC  plays  a  particular  role  in  the  Euratom  programme.  Its  four  nuclear  sites  have  provided 
expertise and facilities to half of the Euratom research projects launched since 2021. They also carry 
out their own highly relevant research, deliver training and produce analyses. This benefits Member 
States  and  provides  policy  support  to  the  Commission  on  the  whole  spectrum  of  activities,  from 
nuclear  safety  to  security  and  safeguards.  The  evaluation  highlighted  the  efforts  to  improve  the 
JRC’s overall efficiency, with  the introduction of a new  way of working  based on portfolios.  This 
has led to better integration of scientific activities. It also noted the implementation of a new nuclear 
strategy  to  improve  infrastructure  management,  better  cooperate  with  stakeholders  and  enhance 
communication. 

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