CELEX: 51985PC0391
Language: en
Date: 1985-07-24
Title: PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DECISION ADOPTING MULTIANNUAL R&D PROGRAMMES IN THE FIELD OF THE ENVIRONMENT (1986-1990)

25. 11. 85                               Official Journal of the European Communities                          No C 301/1
                                                                   II
                                                          (Preparatory Acts)
                                                     COMMISSION
            Proposal for a Council Decision adopting multiannual research and development programmes
                                          in the field of the environment (1986 to 1990)
                                                  I. Environmental protection
                                                 II. Climatology
                                                III. Major technological hazards
                                                          COM(85) 391 final
                              (Submitted by the Commission to the Council on 1 August 1985)
                                                             (85/C 301/01)
                                                              CONTENTS
           Proposal for a Council Decision adopting three Multiannual Research and Development Programmes
           in the field of the Environment (1986 to 1990)                                                    1
             I. Environmental Protection                                                                  ,  5
            II. Climatology                                                                                  6
           III. Major Technological Hazards                                                                  7
           Draft Council Decision                                                                            9
DETAILED PROPOSALS:
           PART I:            Environmental Protection                                                      14
           — Annex IA:        Scientific Content of the programme                                           21
           — Annex IB:        Scientific Programme of Concerted Actions                                     26
           — Annex II:        List of Publications                                                          29
           — Annex III:       Opinion of the Management and Coordination Advisory Committee (CGC)           33
           PART II:           Climatology .                                                                 35
           — Annex:           Opinion of the Management and Coordination Advisory Committee (CGC)           43
           PART III:          Major Technological Hazards                                                   45
           — Annex A:         Brief Outline of Research areas of Sector A                                   53
           — Annex B:         Opinion of the Management and Coordination Advisory Committee (CGC)           55
 ---pagebreak--- No C 301/2                          Official Journal of the European Communities                                     25. 11. 85
A. Introduction                                               The proposals presented hereafter aim at further
                                                              developing these research activities and defining them
                                                              for the period 1986 to 1990, taking into account
Concern for the environment is now a matter of
national and international policy throughout the world.       — new research requirements derived from the evol-
Whereas, initially, the main preoccupation was to pro-             ution of the European Community Environmental
tect people against pollution and to preserve wildlife,            policy and other sectoral policies dealing with
it has been realized during recent years that long-term            environmental problems, for instance in areas like
economic development is predicated upon the conser-                acid deposition, toxic and dangerous waste, soil
vation of environmental resources.                                 protection and the increase of atmospheric C 0 2 ,
                                                              — the redefinition of the Communities' R & D Policy,
                                                                   laid down in the Framework Programme, including
The international dimension of environmental prob-
                                                                   the concept of Research Action Programmes.
lems is generally acknowledged. It is also recognized
that science and technology can help bridge the gap
between economic and environmental policy by provid-
ing, on the one hand, a sound basis for environmental         They are part of the Research Action Programme (RAP)
                                                              — Environment (*).
 regulation and, on the other, the technical means to
correct or prevent environmental damage. High-quality
 objectives for the environment may indeed spur techni-
cal innovation and can contribute to energy and raw
 materials conservation.
                                                              B. The European Communities' Environmental Policy
 Community cooperation in environmental research is
                                                              The Community Environmental Policy was defined in
 thus particularly appropriate as it addresses a common
                                                               1973 in a first Environment Action Programme (*) and
policy concerned with essentially cross-frontier prob-
                                                              reconfirmed and updated in 1977 (2). A further revision
 lems for which two main instruments are joint regulat-
                                                              of this policy resulted in the Council Resolution of
ory measures such as standards and incentives for the
                                                              7 February 1983 on the continuation and implemen-
development of technologies.
                                                              tation of a European Community policy and action
                                                              programme on the environment (1982 to 1986) (3),
                                                              which identified also a list of priority actions.
 The European Community has been involved in
 environmental research since 1972, initially in the
 COST (European cooperation in the field of scientific        It is obvious that Environmental Research must be
 and technical research) framework and subsequently           consistent with the goals of the Community Environ-
 through programmes carried out at the Joint Research         mental Policy, inasmuch as research needs are derived
 Centre (JRC) and through shared-cost contract pro-           therefrom, and this not only as far as the short term
grammes and concerted actions.                                goals are concerned, but also with regard to the foresee-
                                                               able medium- and long-term objectives. Emphasis is
                                                               therefore given to elaborating the links to this policy,
                                                               implemented through the Environment Action Pro-
In 1981, these programmes, except that of the JRC,            gramme, which essentially consists of an inventory of
were grouped in a sectoral R & D programme (1981 to           environmental problems identified on Community level
 1985) — Environment (environmental protection and
climatology).
They have produced a large number of results which
are valuable from both the scientific and the practical
                                                              (*) The term 'Action Programme' is currently used in various
standpoints, recognized, for instance, by the report of           contexts. In this document, the following terminology is used:
the independent panel entrusted with the evaluation of            — 'Environment action programme' is the legal instrument
the environmental protection programme. Results of                    (Council Resolution) defining the Environmental policy
research funded by the Community are recorded in                      of the European Communities,
numerous publications in international scientific jour-           — 'Research action programme— Environment' is an instru-
nals. Wherever appropriate, the Commission has edited                 ment for the management and coordination by the Com-
specific reports which have received a wide distribution.             mission of various R & D programmes (JRC, contract
The Environmental Research Programme contributed                      research, concerted actions) in the field of the environ-
significantly to the scientific basis of various Com-                 ment. For convenience, the abbreviation 'RAP — Environ-
                                                                      ment' is used.
munity Directives and proposals at present under dis-         (') OJ No C 112, 20. 12. 1973, p. 1.
cussion by the Council. Details are given in the pro-         (2) OJ No C 139, 13. 6. 1977, p. 1.
posals for the individual programmes.                         (?) OJ No C 46, 17. 2. 1983, p. 1.
 ---pagebreak---   25. 11. 85                          Official Journal of the European Communities                                            N o C 301/3
   together with a framework of Community actions                technical objectives are defined. The following pro-
   envisaged for their solution.                                 posals find their main justification within the goal —
                                                                 Improving living and working conditions:
  The main objectives of the Community environmental
  research are therefore as folows:                              — improving safety and protecting health,
  — to establish a scientific basis for the implementation
       of the Community environmental policy,                    — protecting the environment.
  — to promote long-term basic research on important
       environmental problems,
  — to coordinate relevant national research in selected         They will contribute substantially to all other goals.
       and suitable areas.                                       While it is difficult and, to a certain extent arbitrary,
                                                                 to give indications regarding the relative contribution
                                                                 of the proposed programmes to the various goals of
  A more specific definition of these and other objectives       the Framework programme, the Commission services
  is given in the individual programme proposals.                estimate that the distribution will be as roughly follows:
 Within this context, the proposed programmes corre-
 spond to the objectives of the Environment Action
 Programme as follows:
                                                                                                           Approximate contributions in %
 — the environment protection programme addresses                                                           En-            Major
      most of the short- and medium-term policy goals                         Community goal
                                                                                                          mental          nologi-    Total
      of the Action Programme, as far as they imply                                                               tology
                                                                                                          Protec-            cal
      research requirements,                                                                                              hazards
 — the climatology programme addresses the effects
      of human activities on climate, such as those of          P r o m o t i n g agricultural c o m -
      increased C 0 2 levels as a consequence of burning        petitiveness                                10      20       —        10
      fossil fuels and deforestation, and the impact of
      climate on natural resources, referred to in the          P r o m o t i n g industrial      com-
      Environment Action Programme,                             petitiveness                                10      —        20       10
                                                                I m p r o v i n g the m a n a g e m e n t
 — the programme on major technological hazards
                                                                of r a w materials                           5      —                  2,5
      addresses primarily the issues underlying the Direc-
      tive on the major accident hazards of certain indus-      I m p r o v i n g the m a n a g e m e n t
      trial activities.                                         of energy resources                          5                         2,5
                                                                                                                    —        —
 As mentioned above, the Environment Action Pro-                Reinforcing development aid                 —       20       —         5
 gramme identifies a list of priority actions; emphasis is
                                                                Improving w o r k i n g and liv-
 given, of course, to these same subjects in the research       ing conditions                              70      60               70
                                                                                                                             80
 programmes, and specific reference is made to these
 where appropriate in the proposals.
 Furthermore, the research programmes take into
 account the updating of the Environment Action Pro-
 gramme for the period 1987 to 1990, at present in
 preparation.
                                                                The Council resolution on the Framework Programme
                                                                lists 4 selection criteria, to be taken into account for
                                                                defining specific Community R & D Programmes; three
                                                                of these criteria apply to the proposed programmes for
 C. The Community Framework               Programme     for     the following reasons:
      Science and Technology
                                                               — in view of the regulatory power of the Community
 In the Council Resolution of 25 July 1983 on Frame-                  concerning environmental matters, a joint research
 work Programmes for Community research, develop-                     effort to back Community regulations will obvi-
 ment and demonstration (R, D & D) activities and a                   ously offer financial benefits,
 first Framework Programme 1984 to 1987 (1), seven
 Community goals and corresponding scientific and              — many environmental problems are of a transbound-
                                                                      ary nature and hence involve research on a large
(') O] No C 208, 4. 8. 1983, p. 1.                                    geographical scale,
 ---pagebreak--- No C 301/4                            Official Journal of the uropean Communities                               25. 11. 85
— the impact of environmental regulation on the free           E. Implementation
     trade of products demands the development of uni-
     form standards, common assessment procedures,
     etc., for which the proposed programmes will pro-         The programmes will be implemented in four ways:
     vide a scientific basis.
                                                               (a) shared-cost contracts concluded with research
                                                                   organizations, universities and industry: preference
                                                                   will be given to transnational projects which may
D. The Research         Action     Programme     (RAP)   —         be carried out under a single contract or a set of
     Environment                                                   related contracts. The call for proposals will stipu-
                                                                   late as precisely as possible the objectives of each
In its proposal for the Framework Programme (]) the                project, which will relate to one of the research
Commission stated its intention to apply for its                   areas and topics listed in the programme proposals.
implementation the concept of research action pro-                 A certain amount of funding will however be
grammes as a tool for improving the management of                  reserved for original proposals proposed singly;
its specific R, D & D programmes.
                                                               (b) coordination, either by formal concerted actions
                                                                   in suitable research areas, in which a substantial
The RAP — Environment covers the following pro-
                                                                   amount of research is on hand at national level, or
posals on R & D programmes:
                                                                   by ad hoc arrangements with research institutions
— Environmental Protection (contract research, con-                in the Member States whenever this offers benefits
     certed actions and coordination),                             for Community research;
— Climatology (contract research and coordination),            (c) 'catalytic' activities consisting of workshops, assess-
— Major technological hazards (contract research and               ment studies, etc.;
     coordination),
                                                               (d) training activities (doctoral and post-doctoral fel-
                                                                   lowships, exchange of scientists, etc.).
together with the relevant sections of the programme
of the JRC (1984 to 1987):
— Environmental Protection,                                    In view of the nature of the programmes international
                                                               collaboration will be encouraged, especially in the
— Industrial Risk,                                             COST framework.
— Remote Sensing.
                                                               The Commission will manage the programmes with
With the present proposals, an effort is being made to         the assistance of the Management and Coordination
increase the coherence between the various parts of the        Advisory Committee (CGC) — Environment and
RAP — Environment; thus the proposal for the R &               Climatology.
D programme on Environmental Protection is designed
to match the relevant programme of the JRC and
will be complemented by parts of the remote sensing
activities of the JRC, which as such do not correspond
to an objective, but to the application of a new tech-
nique to various environmental and agricultural prob-          F. Funding and staff
lems. The new action on major technological hazards
complements and augments the JRC programme on                  For a five-year period (1986 to 1990) the following
industrial risk.                                               financial allocations are requested:
The research activities within the RAP — Environment           — Environmental Protection (con-
are complemented by a demonstration programme                      tract research, concerted actions
defined in the Council Regulation on Action by the                 and coordination)                      65 million ECU
Community relating to the Environment (ACE) of
28 June 1984, mainly in the area — clean technol-              — Climatology (contract research
ogies^).                                                           and coordination)                      25 million ECU
There are also close links to other research programmes,       — Major technological hazards
in particular the R & D Programme — Recycling of                   (contract research and coordi-
urban and industrial waste, which is part of the RAP               nation)                                15 million ECU
— Materials and Materials 1 echnology.
                                                                                                         105 million ECU
The objectives, justifications and scientific/technical
contents of each of the three programmes are summari-
zed below.                                                     The allocations take account of
(}) COM(83) 260 final.                                         — the enlargement of the Community to be effective
(2) O J N o L 176,3.7. 1984, p. 1.                                 in 1986,
 ---pagebreak--- 25. 11. 85                                Official Journal of the European Communities                            N o C 301/5
— the incorporation of training activities, so far finan-           G. Outlines of the three Programmes
     ced from a specific budget.
In addition to these provisions no significant increase
in the allocations for the Environmental               Protection              I. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Programme is foreseen above the level of funding for
the period 1984 to 1985 (after the revision of the third
programme) although new activities have been incor-                 The proposal concerns the fourth Community R & D
 porated. This can be achieved only by shifting emphasis            Programme in the field of Environmental Protection
 from contract research to coordination and concerted                (1986 to 1990), covering contract research and Con-
 actions in some areas, which implies a modest increase             certed Actions. The proposed programme is a logical
 in staff.                                                          continuation of the present programme (1981 to 1985),
                                                                    taking into account new research needs identified after
                                                                    a careful analysis of the achievements of previous pro-
 For the Climatology Programme, besides the reasons
                                                                    grammes and of the requirements derived from the
 given above, the allocations take account of the costs
                                                                     implementation of the Community Environmental
 necessary to increase modelling capabilities, especially
                                                                    Policy.
 in view of the seasonal (three to six months) forecasting
 of the European climate, to the analysis and application
 of satellite data, and to the intensification of research
 on the climatic effects of enhanced C 0 2 and consequent           The programme is the core of the RAP — Environment
 climatic impacts.                                                  and is closely connected with environmental research
                                                                    at the Joint Research Centre as well as with other
                                                                     Community research programmes (climatology, recyc-
 The allocation of the Major Technological                Hazards   ling of wastes, etc.)
 Programme only reflects initial activities. This pro-
 gramme addresses, by its very nature, a great many
 scientific, technological and regulatory/policy issues.
                                                                    The main aim of the programme is to give scientific
 Relevant experimental and modelling work, inevitably
                                                                    support to the implementation of the Community
 expensive and diversified, constitutes a large part of the
                                                                    Environmental Policy (Environment Action Pro-
 activities.
                                                                    gramme) by providing specific knowledge needed, at
                                                                    short- and medium-term, for its implementation. The
 The structure and funding of the whole RAP —                       programme addresses, however, also longer-term
 Environment are shown in the following table:                      environmental problems in view of the development of
                                                                    preventive and anticipatory policies. Emphasis is given
                                                                    to promoting, at Community level, the coordination of
                                                                    national research activities by fostering joint projects
                            Contract         Concerted     JRC      and by implementing concerted actions and by less
                            Research          Actions   1984-1987   formal arrangements for cooperation. A further scope
                           1986-1990         1986-1990      (2)     of the programme is the promotion of training in
                                                                    environmental sciences.
Environmental
Protection              60,45 (43,3)(!)    4,55 (3,2)0    48,2(3)
                                        1
Climatology             25,0     (8,0) t )      —           —       The programme will contribute significantly to most of
Remote sensing                 —                —         29,0(3)   the other objectives of Community R & D, as defined
Industrial risk (major                                              in the Community R, D & D Framework Programme.
technological hazards   15,0       (OX1)        —         21,5(3)
                                                                    The programme covers research on:
                                                                    — Health effects of pollutants,
The staff requested to manage the new programmes is
27, subdivided as follows:                                          — Ecological effects of pollutants, i.e. effects on non-
                                                                        human targets,
— environmental protection                             17 (13)(1)
                                                                    — Assessment of chemicals, in particular improvement
— climatology                                           6    (3)(!)     of the methodology for testing,
— major technological hazards                           4   (0)(1)
                                                                    — Air quality, including the effects of air pollution on
                                                       27               terrestrial (e.g. forests) and aquatic ecosystems,
                                                                    — Water quality, aimed at protecting the freshwater,
                                                                        estuarine and marine environment,
(1) Corresponding allocations for 1981 to 1985.
(2) Adopted programme.                                              — Soil quality, in view of an integrated approach to
(3) 1983 ECU.                                                           the protection of soil,
 ---pagebreak--- No C 301/6                          Official Journal of the European Communities                                25. 11. 85
— Noise research,                                             As one of the most important components of man's
                                                              environment, climate is the factor upon which the qual-
— Ecosystem research, mainly in view of the acqui-            ity and quantity of our water resources, our harvests,
     sition of basic knowledge on the dynamics of ecosy-      our needs in terms of energy and shelter, ultimately
     stems and their vulnerability,                           depend. Therefore, the economic implications of what-
                                                              ever knowledge we may gain about climate need not
— Waste research with emphasis on treatment of toxic
     and dangerous waste and recycling,                       be stressed. Intrinsically variable, climate can have in
                                                              store a major change which could be brought about by
— Reduction of pollution by 'clean' and advanced              the increase of atmospheric C 0 2 , mainly due to fossil
     abatement technologies.                                  fuel burning. Hence the urgent need of improving our
                                                              understanding of climate and of the response of land
                                                              and water resources to any climate variation.
The programme will be implemented in part by contract
research and coordination, in part by concerted actions.
In addition to a renewal of five existing concerted           As the first Programme has shown, the complex and
actions:                                                      transfrontier character of climatic problems need an
                                                              interdisciplinary approach and international cooper-
— Air pollution effects on terrestrial and aquatic eco-       ation such as a Community Programme can ensure.
     systems,
— Physico-chemical behaviour of atmospheric pol-              The European programme would thus contribute in an
     lutants,                                                 effective way to the solution of the problems posed to
                                                              our age by climate and its interactions with man.
— Organic micropollutants in the aquatic environ-
     ment,
                                                              The Programme         consists  of   the  following    three
— Treatment and use of sewage sludge,                         Research Areas:
— Coastal benthic ecology,
two new concerted actions are proposed:
                                                              1. THE PHYSICAL BASIS OF CLIMATE
— Indoor-air quality and its impact on man,
                                                                  1.1. Past climates and climatic change.
— Bird protection.
                                                                  1.2. Climatologically significant processes.
The programme provides also for the possibility of
                                                                  1.3. Modelling and predicting European climates
extending laboratory and field research to evaluation
                                                                       within a global context.
and assessment, aiming at the establishment of a con-
solidated scientific basis of environmental legislation           1.4. Seasonal (three to six months) forecasting of
and management.                                                        elements of the European climates.
The proposal provides for the possibility of associating
interested non-Member States, in particular within the
COST framework.
                                                              2. CLIMATE SENSITIVITY
The allocations necessary to implement the programme,
                                                                 Priority will be given to studies related to the possible
for the five-year period, are estimated at 65 million
                                                                 effects of human influences and concerning Euro-
ECU, 4,55 million ECU of which are earmarked for the
                                                                 pean climates particularly.
management of concerted actions. For the implemen-
tation a total of 17 staff (10 A, 2 B, 5 C) is necessary.        2.1. The climatic effect of changes in atmospheric
                                                                       composition, especially the enhanced carbon
                                                                       dioxide.
                                                                 2.2. The climatic effect of changes in land-surface
                                                                       properties.
                     II. CLIMATOLOGY
                                                                 2.3. Early detection of climate change.
The continuation of the First Climatology Programme
(1981 to 1985) of the Research Action Programme —
Environment into a Second Programme (1986 to 1990)            3. CLIMATIC IMPACTS
is proposed as a component of the European Communi-
ties' Environmental Policy, of which the long-term                3.1. Impact of climatic change or variability on
availability and rational management of climate-depen-                 Ian d resources, including soil and ecosystems,
dent resources is a declared objective.                                with special attention to desertification prob-
                                                                       lems.
 ---pagebreak--- 25. 11. 85                          Official Journal of the European Communities                             N o C 301/7
   3.2. Impact of climatic change or variability on           Environment), activities of other Directorates-General
         European water resources, including the devel-       and exchange of information schemes. It meets several
         opment of climate-based models for their evalu-      options and objectives of the Framework Programme,
         ation and forecasting.                               on life and work quality, industrial competitivity and
                                                              management of energy resources.
   3.3. The photosynthetic response of European veg-
         etation to increasing atmospheric carbon
         dioxide.                                             The three sectoral aims of the programme are improv-
                                                              ing the scientific foundations of risk analysis; improving
   3.4. Impact of climatic change or variability on sea       or substituting hazardous processes/technologies; tak-
         resources and fisheries.                             ing account of the human/geographical context and of
                                                              the likelihood of catastrophic events. Correspondingly,
   3.5. Application of climatic knowledge to a better         the scientific and technical contents are subdivided as
         management of land and water resources.              follows:
   3.6. Causes, mechanisms and impacts of climatolo-
         gical anomalies and extreme or abrupt events,
         with the aim in view of reducing human and
                                                              Sector A — Physical and chemical phenomena and
         material losses.
                                                                               mitigation of consequences of accidents,
                                                                               covering
In addition to contract research the programme will
include an effort to coordinate the ongoing research          — Source term aspects,
activities within the Member States of the European
Community.                                                    — Dispersion in air of dense/cold clouds,
                                                              — Combustion of flammable/explosible clouds,
The amount of EC funding estimated necessary for the
five-year period is 25 million ECU and the number of          — Blast propagation and interactions; missiles; con-
staff is set at six.                                               fined explosions,
                                                              — Catastrophic fires; fireballs; conflagrations,
                                                              — Runaway reactions,
                                                              — Toxic substances dispersion, excluding toxicology,
                                                              — Dust explosions, physics and venting.
         III. MAJOR TECHNOLOGICAL HAZARDS                      The areas listed are closely interrelated, calling for
                                                               large-scale experimentation, reduced-scale simulations
                                                               and theoretical modelling. Sector A is given high initial
This new programme focuses on the understanding,              priority, as problems are well identified.
prevention and mitigation of major industrial and trans-
port-related accidents, of chemical and petrochemical
origin, recent examples being e.g. Bantry Bay, Mexico
City, Bhopal, etc. In a majority of cases, large inven-
tories of flammable, very reactive or toxic substances         Sector B — Technological       aspects, covering
are involved. Other major hazards (natural/ecological,
high explosives) or other regulated activities (mining,        — Safety and reliability of existing technologies, their
transportation of people, nuclear energy) are not                  improvement,
addressed at this stage.                                       — Alternative, safer technologies and processes,
                                                               — Instrumentation, for detecting/mitigating high-risk
A Community aproach to research and regulation in                  situations.
this field is needed for several substantial reasons. The
considerable problems extant are shared by the entire
European chemical/petrochemical sector and exhibit             Sector B calls for predominant industrial participation.
transnational aspects. The research is complex and
expensive, calling for a pooling of expertise and
resources. Common, mutually agreed predictive or
regulatory tools, to prevent and mitigate major techno-
logical hazards, are the ultimate objective, in view of        Sector C — Assessment        and   management     of  risk,
the implementation of the Council Directive. On the                            covering
major accident hazards of certain industrial activities.
                                                              — Risk analysis and accident prevention: hazards'
                                                                   mapping, risk aggregates; cost/benefit of safety in
The programme is one element of this broader Com-                  complex systems; human factor; risk perception;
munity approach, which includes on-going research at               development of expert systems; probabilistic
the JRC (industrial risk sector, within the RAP —                  approach,
 ---pagebreak--- No C 301/8                           Official Journal of the European Communities                             25. 11. 85
— Accident management: measures in an emergency;               bulk hazardous substances; hazardous production cycl-
    population behaviour; emergency planning.                  es (pesticides) involving highly toxic substances.
Several of those aspects are also addressed by the JRC         Implementation will be by way of shared-cost contracts,
programme, industrial risk sector.                             with emphasis on transnational projects; cross-sectoral
                                                               studies; coordination actions.
Several 'cross-sectoral' studies, to be launched first, will
identify links and feedback between sectors and guide          For the five-year period of validity, an allocation of
research options and topic selection in Sectors B and          15 million ECU and a management staff of four are
C. As examples of relevant themes: transportation of           foreseen.
 ---pagebreak---  25. 11. 85                          Official Journal of the European Communities                                N o C 301/9
              Proposal for a Council Decision adopting multiannual research and development programmes
                                      in the field of the environment (1986 to 1990)
 THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,                        Whereas the Scientific and Technical Research Com-
                                                                 mittee (CREST) has delivered its opinion on the Com-
                                                                 mission's proposal,
 Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
 Economic Community, and in particular Article 235
 thereof,
                                                                 HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:
 Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
 Having regard to the opinion of the European Parlia-                                    Article 1
 ment,
                                                                 1. The research and development programmes of the
                                                                 European Economic Community in the field of the
 Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and
                                                                 environment covering the areas of environmental pro-
 Social Committee,
                                                                 tection, climatology and major technological hazards,
                                                                 as described in the Annex, are hereby adopted for a
 Whereas Article 2 of the Treaty assigns to the Com-             period of five years from 1 January 1986.
 munity the task, inter alia, of promoting throughout the
 Community a harmonious development of economic
                                                                 2. The programmes shall cover work carried out as
 activities and an accelerated raising of the standard of
                                                                 shared-cost contract research, concerted actions, coor-
 living;
                                                                 dination and training activities, as described in the
                                                                 Annex.
 Whereas the Council on 7 February 1983 approved a
 resolution on the continuation and implementation of
 a European Community policy and action programme
 on the environment (1982 to 1986) (*);                                                  Article 2
                                                                 The appropriations necessary for the execution of the
 Whereas in that resolution the Council stated that the          programmes shall be fixed at 105 million ECU, includ-
 harmonious development of economic activities and a             ing expenditure on a staff of 27, subdivided as follows:
 continuous and balanced expansion are inconceivable
 without making the most economic use possible of the            — Protection of the environment: 65 million ECU, 17
 natural resources, which is one of the fundamental tasks            staff;
 of the European Economic Community;
                                                                 — Climatology: 25 million ECU, six staff;
                                                                 — Major technological hazards: 15 million ECU, four
Whereas the European Council at its meeting at
                                                                     staff.
 Stuttgart from 17 to 19 June 1983 emphasized the urgent
 necessity of accelerating and reinforcing action at
national, Community and international level aimed at
combating the pollution of the environment;
                                                                                         Article 3
Whereas in its Resolution of 25 July 1983 the Council            The programmes shall be reviewed in the course of the
adopted a first framework programme for Community                third year; this review may lead to a revision of the
research, development and demonstration activities (2);          programmes effective at the beginning of the fourth
                                                                 year, following the appropriate procedures, and after
                                                                 the Committee referred to in Article 4 has been con-
Whereas Community research in the field of the                   sulted. The Council and the European Parliament shall
environment and climatology has contributed and will             be informed of the results of the review.
contribute effectively to the implementation of the pol-
icy and action programme for the environment;
                                                                                         Article 4
Whereas the Treaty does not provide the specific
powers of action required for these ends;
                                                                 The Commission shall be responsible for the execution
                                                                 of the programmes. It shall be assisted in its tasks by the
(!) OJ No C 46, 17. 2. 1983, p. 1.                               Management and Coordination Advisory Committee
(2) OJ No C 208, 4. 8. 1983, p. 1.                               (CGC) on the environment and climatology.
 ---pagebreak--- No C 301/10                                 Official Journal of the European Communities                                      25. 11. 85
The terms of reference and composition of that Com-                       It shall publish this report six months after it has been
mittee shall be in accordance with Council Decision 84/                    sent to the Member States, unless a Member State
338/Euratom, ECSC, EEC of 29 June 1984 dealing with                        objects. In the latter case, the report shall be distributed,
structures and procedures for the management and                           in agreement with the said Committee, only to those
coordination of Community research, development and                        institutions that request it and whose research or pro-
demonstration activities (M.                                               duction activities justify access to the results of the
                                                                           research arising from the concerted actions. The Com-
                                                                           mission shall make the necessary arrangements for the
                              Article 5                                    report to remain confidential and not to be divulged to
                                                                           third parties.
1. With regard to the concerted actions, the participat-
ing Member States and the Comunity shall, in accord-
ance with a procedure to be laid down by the Com-
mission, after having consulted the Committee referred
to in Article 4, regularly exchange all useful information
concerning the execution of the research covered by                                                   Article 6
such activities.
The participating Member States shall provide the                           1. In accordance with Article 228 of the Treaty, the
Commission with all information relevant for coordi-                       Council may conclude agreements with third States, in
nation purposes. They shall also endeavour to provide                      particular those involved in European cooperation in
the Commission with information on similar research                        the field of scientific and technical research (COST)
planned or carried out by bodies which are not under                       with a view to associating them wholly or partly with
their authority.                                                           these programmes.
Any information shall be treated as confidential if so                      2. The Commission is hereby authorized to negotiate
requested by the Member State which provides it.                            the agreements referred to in paragraph 1.
2. Following completion of the programme, the Com-                          The agreements with third States participating in Euro-
mission shall, after having consulted the Committee                         pean Cooperation in the Field of Scientific and Techni-
referred to in Article 4, send to the Member States and                     cal Research (COST) shall be negotiated in accordance
the European Parliament a summary report on the                             with the conclusions of the Council of 18 July 1978
implementation and results of the concerted actions.                        concerning COST( 2 ).
 (') O J N o L 177,4.7. 1984, p. 25.                                        (2) O] No C 100, 21. 4. 1979, p. 1.
                                                                  ANNEX
                                                                   PARTI
                                                     ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
               Scientific Content of the Programme
                1. Health effects of pollutants
                    — Chronic and late effects at low exposure levels and early indicators of health effects
                    — Epidemiology and exposure trends
                2. Ecological effects of pollutants
                    — Effects on sensitive key species
                    — Effects on ecosystems
                3. Assessment of chemicals
                    —    Development and assessment of testing procedures
                    —    Replacement of vertebrates used for toxicity testing
                    —    Structure/activity relationships (SAR)
                    —    Evaluation of chemicals
 ---pagebreak--- 25. 11. 85                              Official Journal of the European Communities                           No C 301/11
                Air quality
                —   Analysis, sources, transport, transformation and deposition of pollutants
                —   Effects of air pollution on the natural environment
                —   Effects of air pollution on materials
                —   Stratospheric chemistry
                —   Remote sensing techniques
                —   Indoor-air quality
            5. Water quality
                —   Analytical methods
                —   Biotic and abiotic degradation of pollutants
                —   Eutrophication
                —   Remote sensing techniques
            6. Soil quality
                —   Analytical methods
                —   Behaviour of pollutants in soil
                —   Effects of pollutions in soil
                —   Effects of agricultural and forestry practice on soil quality
            7. Noise research
                — Effects of noise on the cardiovascular system
                — Comparison between effects of impulse noises and those of continuous noises
                — Synergism between noise and vibrations
             8. Ecosystem research
                —   Basic research on the functioning of ecosystems
                —   Effects of agricultural practice and urbanization on ecosystems, loss of genetic diversity
                —    Environmental oceanography
                —   Bio-geochemical cycles
                —    Conservation of flora and fauna
             9. Waste research
                —    Waste management
                —    Organic wastes
                —   Toxic and dangerous waste
                —    Abandoned disposal sites
           10. Reduction of pollution
                — Advanced abatement technologies
                — Clean technologies
           11. Scientific basis of environmental legislation and management.
           Concerted Actions
           In the following areas within the scientific programme, concerted actions are implemented:
           1. Air pollution effects on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems;
           2. Physico-chemical behaviour of atmospheric pollutants;
           3. Organic micropollutants in the aquatic environment;
           4. Treatment and use of sewage sludge;
           5. Coastal benthic ecology;
           6. Indoor-air quality and its impact on man;
           7. Bird protection.
 ---pagebreak--- No C 301/12                            Official Journal of the European Communities                                        25. 11. 85
                                                                PART II
                                                           CLIMATOLOGY
          Scientific Content of the Programme
          1. THE PHYSICAL BASIS OF CLIMATE
              1.1. Past climates and climatic change.
              1.2. Climatologically significant processes.
              1.3. Modelling and predicting European climates within a global context.
              1.4. Studies concerning the feasability of the seasonal (three to six months) forecasting of European
                     climates.
          2. CLIMATIC SENSITIVITY
              2.1. Changes in atmospheric composition.
                     2.1.1. The climatic effect of enhanced C 0 2 .
                     2.1.2. Aspects of the global carbon cycle important for climatic prediction.
                     2.1.3. The climatic effect of other trace gases.
              2.2. The climatic effect of changes in land-surface properties.
              2.3. Early detection of climatic change (identification and monitoring of parameters which could be used
                     as early indicators of climatic change. Improvement of techniques for detecting the signal above
                     noise level).
          3. CLIMATIC IMPACTS
              3.1. Impact of climatic change or variability on land resources, including soil, and ecosystems, with
                     special attention to desertification problems.
               3.2. Impact of climatic variations on European water resources, including the development of climate-
                     based models for their evaluation and forecasting.
               3.3. The photosynthetic response of European vegetation to increasing atmospheric C 0 2 in the context
                     of a climatic change.
               3.4. Impact of climatic variations on sea resources and fisheries.
               3.5. Application of climatic knowledge to a better management of land and water resources.
               3.6. Causes, mechanisms and impacts of climatological anomalies and extreme or abrupt events, with
                     the aim in view of reducing human and material losses.
                                                                PART III
                                              MAJOR TECHNOLOGICAL HAZARDS
           Scientific Content of the Programme
           A. Physical and chemical phenomena and mitigation of consequences of accidents
               A.l. Source term: phenomenology/modelling of release, its influence on early stages of dispersion;
               A.2. Dispersion: atmospheric advection, diffusion and deposition, with emphasis on dense/cold gases,
                      mists and aerosols;
               A.3. Combustion: flammable clouds and mists covering flash fires, deflagration, transition to detonation
                      and detonation (unconfined/partly confined situations);
               A.4. Blast formation, propagation, interaction with structures; generation of missiles; confined explosions
                      and their venting;
               A.5. Catastrophic fires: pool fires, torches and fireballs; highly reactive substances; conflagrations;
               A.6. Runaway reactions: thermodynamics, flow dynamics, venting aspects;
               A.7. Toxic substances: dispersion in air, synergies; excluding toxicology;
               A.8. Dust explosions: phenomenology and venting.
 ---pagebreak--- 25. 11. 85                            Official Journal of the European Communities                                     No C 301/13
           B   Technological aspects
              B.l. Safety and reliability of existing technologies and their improvement;
              B.2. Alternative technologies and processes, susceptible of increasing the safety of processes, plants and
                     production cycles;
              B.3. Instrumention,    for the detection and mitigation of high-risk situations.
           C. Assessment and management of risk
               C.l. Hazards' identification and mapping, risk aggregates, vulnerability of complex industrial/urban
                     systems;
               C.2. Safety and reliability of complex industrial systems, cost/benefit of safety/mitigation devices;
               C.3. Human factor, man-machine interaction;
               C.4. Risk perception by the public, acceptable risk level;
               C.5. Development of 'expert systems' (coupled to data banks), for risk assessment and accident manage-
                     ment;
               C.6. Probabilistic approach to the analysis and simulation of major accident scenarios, with emphasis
                     on hazardous transports;
               C.7. Decision-taking and countermeasures in an emergency, emergency planning;
               C.8. Behaviour of populations in an emergency.
           Cross-sectoral studies, to be launched early, will evidence interrelationships and determine priority issues,
           guiding selection of topics and implementation in Sectors B and C.
 ---pagebreak--- No C 301/14                              Official Journal of the European Communities                                      25. 11. 85
                                                              PARTI
               Proposal for a research and development programme in the field of environmental protection
                                         (1986 to 1990) as part of the RAP—Environment
A. INTRODUCTION                                                                were redefined in close association with Com-
                                                                               munity programmes.
This proposal is concerned with a new R & D pro-
gramme in the field of environmental protection for                            In 1981, the third Environmental Research Pro-
the period 1986 to 1990. It is the fourth Community                            gramme (1981 to 1985) was approved, which
programme in this area concerning contract research                            encompassed for the first time both contract
and Concerted Actions (first programme: 1973 to 1975;                          research and Concerted Action, providing for
second programme: 1976 to 1980; third programme                                the association of non-Member States.
1981 to 1985) and is a logical continuation of the
preceding ones.
                                                                               With the presentation of the Framework Pro-
                                                                               gramme in 1983 (see below), the RAP concept
The programme should be seen as an integral part of
                                                                               was introduced, providing for a closer connec-
the RAP—Environment, which at present encompasses,
                                                                               tion between contract research and Concerted
in line with the Council Resolution of 25 July 1983 on
                                                                               Action on the one side and the pertinent JRC
Framework Programmes for Community R, D & D
                                                                               research on the other; however, for legal
(1984 to 1987) (1), research in four different sectors:
                                                                               reasons these are based on separate Council
— environmental protection,                                                    Decisions.
— climatology,
                                                                               The present proposal is a logical continuation
— industrial risk,                                                             of the third Environmental Research Pro-
— remote sensing,                                                              gramme (1981 to 1985), approved in 1981 (3)
                                                                               reviewed in 1983/84 and formally revised by
                                                                               Council Decision in 1984 (4).
implemented either as part of the JRC Programme
1984 to 1987 (2) or by means of contract research and
concerted action.
                                                                          1.2. Aims of Community             Environmental  Research
B. JUSTIFICATION AND AIMS
                                                                                In preparing the last (third) Environmental
                                                                                Research Programme three major aims were
1. Community Environmental                 Research;   History,                 defined, which are still valid. These are
     Aims and Achievements
                                                                               — to provide scientific and technical data
     1.1.    Evolution       of    Community      Environmental                      which support the Community Environ-
           Research                                                                  mental Policy (Environmental Action Pro-
                                                                                     gramme, see below),
           Community Environmental Research has evol-                          — to address longer-term environmental
           ved, in parallel with the definition and updat-                           problems, thus preparing the way for the
           ing of a Community Environmental Policy (see                              development of preventive and anticipatory
           below), from a modest start in 1971 to a sub-                             policies taking account of foreseeable
           stantial research activity. Three COST agree-                             environmental trends, and to provide the
           ments, signed in 1971, were followed by a                                 means to evaluate the effectiveness of cur-
           first (1973) and second (1976) programme on                               rent environmental policies,
           contract research.
                                                                                — to serve as an instrument for enhancing
           Environmental Research was incorporated in                                further, at Community level, the coordi-
           the early seventies and gradually increased.                              nation of national research activities in the
           During the seventies, several COST projects                               environmental field, in order to improve
(') O J N o C 2 0 8 , 4. 8. 1983, p. 1.                               (3) OJ No L 101, 11. 4. 1981, p. 1.
(2) OJ No L 3, 5. 1. 1984, p. 21.                                     (4) OJ N o L 7 1 , 14. 3. 1984, p. 13.
 ---pagebreak--- 25. 11. 85                          Official Journal of the European Communities                               No C 301/15
              the productivity of the overall effort                    used for assuming an important role in this
              through the encouragement of joint pro-                   task.
              jects; the elimination of duplication; and
              the evaluation of gaps in research coverage.
                                                                        The training of scientists, in particular through
                                                                        transnational exchange, has always been recog-
         In the light of the R & D Policy of the Com-                   nized as an obligation of the Community. To
          munities defined in the Framework Programme                   date, this has been promoted as an independent
          and after a review of the achievements of the                 activity; this has now to be incorporated within
          previous programmes, these aims need to be                    the specific research programmes, as appro-
          supplemented by three further items:                           priate.
         — improvement of industrial competitivity,
         — the processing and evaluation of research
               results in the environmental field in view
               of their use in environmental regulation
               and management,
          — promotion of training in environmental
               sciences.
                                                                   1.3. Achievements      of Community         Environmental
                                                                         Research
          These supplementary aims can be justified as
          follows:                                                       It is widely recognized that the Community
                                                                         Environmental Research Programmes have
                                                                         contributed significantly to present knowledge
          Reduction of emissions, waste disposal, testing                in environmental sciences, and many results
          of products, etc., are more and more of an                     have found practical applications or have been
          economic factor for industry. It should be men-                considered in drawing up the environmental
          tioned that a number of processes, e.g. the                    legislation of the Communities. These achieve-
          removal of nitrogen oxides from flue gases or                  ments are well documented.
          the catalytic conversion of car exhausts are at
          present mainly based on imported technol-
          ogies. Any development which will result in
                                                                         Syntheses of selected results are given in general
          an improvement of the economic viability of
                                                                         reviews of Community research {l) and of the
          abatement technologies or the acceptability of
          products from an environmental point of view                   Community Environmental Policy (2).
          will certainly increase the competitivity of
          European industry. The assessment of cost/
          benefit relationships of various options for                    In Annex II, a list is given of Commission
          regulatory approaches will also contribute to                   publications which either summarize the results
          this goal.                                                      or give, via their bibliographies, access to spec-
                                                                          ific publications on research funded within the
                                                                          programme.
          Since the establishment of a Community
          Environmental Policy in 1973, substantial data
          have been generated on the effects of a multi-                  As far as contract research is concerned, con-
          tude of pollutants; much of this information,                   tract partners were encouraged to publish in
          however, still awaits qualified-expert appraisal                the open literature, hence ensuring a wide dis-
          in order to make it usable for regulatory pur-                  semination of results. The summary reports on
          poses. Community regulation of chemicals                        research contracts, published in several vol-
          covers with few exceptions only products not                    umes by the Commission, comprise extensive
          previously marketed; there is a need for the                    bibliographies (see Annex II).
          evaluation of data on an enormous number of
          'existing' chemicals for which only scarce and
          often contradictory information is available,
                                                                          In suitable areas, reports have been prepared
          waiting for a critical assessment, also in view
                                                                          which provide a critical synthesis of Com-
          of setting priorities for testing. Furthermore,
                                                                          munity research (e.g. epidemiological survey of
          the Commission was encouraged, in a more
          general way, by the panel entrusted with an
          evaluation of the preceding programmes (see
          below), to make strong efforts to present the
          results of the programme in a form which             7j7
                                                                   La politique communautaire de la recherche et la technologie;
          enhances their immediate utilization for regu-           ses developpements jusqu'en 1984, EUR 9229 (in print).
          latory purposes. The scientific expertise associ-   (2) Ten Years of Community Environment Policy, Commission
          ated with the programme can profitably be                of the European Communities, 1984.
 ---pagebreak--- No C 301/16                        Official Journal of the European Communities                                 25. 11. 85
       air-pollution effects; interim report on the ILE-                     are an integral part of the scientific basis
       project, conjointly with the JRC).                                    for various regulations enacted or proposed
                                                                             for the control of air pollution.
                                                                        The second programme (1976 to 1980) and the
                                                                        first phase of the third programme (1981 to
       With regard to Concerted Actions, special                        1983) together with the relevant JRC activities
       emphasis has been given to collate the results                   are at present subject to an evaluation by an
       at various levels of condensation:                               independent panel of high-ranking scientists.
                                                                        The evaluation report will be available by mid-
                                                                        1985.
       — executive reports have been edited at reg-
            ular intervals, outlining the main achieve-
            ments in a condensed way,
       — numerous 'European Symposia' and work-              2. R & D in support of the Environmental Action
            shops on specific subjects have been pub-             Programme
            lished and made available to the scientific
            community and to regulatory bodies.
                                                                  In preparing the programme proposal, the Com-
                                                                  mission has been guided mainly by the updating of
                                                                  the Environmental Action Programme approved by
                                                                  the Council in 1983 (Resolution of the Council of
                                                                  the European Communities and of the representa-
        In addition to the conferences directly connec-           tives of the Governments of the Member States,
        ted to the programme, many open conferences               meeting within the Council of 7 February 1983 on
        were organized by the Commission, alone or                the continuation and implementation of a European
        in cooperation with other institutions, and con-          Community policy and action programme on the
        tract partners were preferentially invited to             environment (1982 to 1986)) {l).
        report on results from Community research.
        Such conferences served in particular to better
        define Community research and to identify                 In the annex describing the content of this pro-
        priorities (e.g. Clean Technologies, 1980; Acid           gramme, reference is made to the relevant chapters
        Deposition, 1983; Environment and Chemicals               of the third Environment Action Programme and to
        in Agriculture, 1984).                                    the priorities identified in the Council Resolution;
                                                                  these are the following:
                                                                  (a) integration of the environmental dimension into
                                                                       other policies;
        As regards the utilization of research results
        for regulatory purpose, a few examples are                (b) environmental impact assessment procedure;
        highlighted below:
                                                                  (c) reduction of polluction and nuisance, if possible
       — many data sets on the effects of various                      at source, in the context of an approach to
            pollutants on health and the environment                   prevent the transfer of pollution from one part
            have been used by the Commission as a                      of the environment to another, in the following
            basis in proposing quality objectives for                  areas:
            various subtances (heavy metals, organic
            pollutants),                                               — combating atmospheric pollution,
        — a series of tests for the assessment of chemi-               — combating           fresh-water and marine   pol-
            cals elaborated or evaluated within the pro-                    lution,
            gramme are already incorporated or pro-                    — combating pollution of the soil;
            posed for inclusion in the protocols
            annexed to Directive 67/548/EEC (base set
            and level 1 and 2) and other regulatory                (d) environmental protection in the Mediterranean
            texts,                                                     region, paying particular attention to the specific
                                                                       aspects of that region when giving practical
                                                                       application to the action programme;
        — the results from sewage-sludge research
            provide the main scientific basis of a pro-
             posed Directive on the use of sewage sludge           (e) noise pollution and particularly noise pollution
             in agriculture,                                           caused by means of transport;
        — the elucidation of the mechanisms of the
            conversion of pollutants in the atmosphere        (>) O J N o C 4 6 , 17. 2. 198.3, p. 1.
 ---pagebreak--- 25. 11. 85                          Official Journal of the European Communities                             N o C 301/17
    (f) combating transfrontier pollution;                         More specifically, the proposal for the Environmen-
                                                                   tal Research Programme takes into account the
    (g) dangerous    chemical    substances    and   prep-         relevant chapter (6.2) of the Framework Pro-
        arations;                                                  gramme ( ! ), as well as the 'Plan by Objective Protec-
                                                                   tion of the Environment and Prevention of Health
    (h) waste management, including treatment, recyc-              Hazards' (2) elaborated during the preparation of
        ling and re-use and in particular toxic and                that Programme. In the latter document, an attempt
        dangerous waste;                                           is made to put Community research on the Environ-
                                                                   ment in the general context of research in Europe
    (i) encouraging the development of clean tech-                 and overseas.
        nology;
    (j) protection of areas of importance to the Com-
                                                                   The programme proposal meets three out of the
        munity which are particularly sensitive environ-
                                                                   four selection criteria for Community R & D pro-
        mentally;
                                                                   grammes:
    (k) cooperation with developing         countries   on
        environmental matters.                                     — financial benefits arising from a joint research
                                                                        effort by providing input to Community regu-
                                                                        lations, in view of the regulatory responsibilities
    It should be emphasized, that the above Resolution                  of the Communities in environmental matters,
    underlines the need to carry out careful research
    before submitting proposals for regulation to the              — research over a large geographical scale which
    Council.                                                            is required in view of the transboundary nature
                                                                        of environmental pollution,
    This proposal also takes into account the research             — research strengthening the cohesion of the com-
    needs derived from the implementation of various                    mon market and leading to the establishment of
    specific Council Directives approved during recent                  uniform standards, justified by the impact of the
    years or at present under discussion by the Council.                Community Environmental Policy on free trade
                                                                        (regulation of products, common assessment
                                                                        procedures, etc.).
    An effort has been made to anticipate new research
    needs which will arise from the next Environment
    Action Programme (1988 to 1991), at present in
    preparation, such as research related to an integral
    concept of soil protection.
                                                              C. RESEARCH PRIORITIES AND SCIENTIFIC CONTENT
                                                                   OF THE PROGRAMME
                                                              1. Research Priorities
3. Environmental R & D         and the Framework Pro-
    gramme
                                                                   Environmental research in general covers a huge
                                                                    area of activities, encompassing also investigations
    As regards the general research policy of the Com-              of sometimes only local importance. Specific con-
    munities, in preparing this document attention has              sideration was therefore given to setting priorities
    been paid to the Council Resolution of 25 July                  on problems of undoubted importance at Com-
    1983 on framework programmes for Community                      munity level. The main criteria for setting research
    research, development and demonstration activities              priorities were the requirements derived from the
    and a first Framework Programme, 1984 to 1987,                  Community Environmental Policy (Environment
    in which protection of the environment is among                 Action Programme).
    the scientific and technical objectives, related to the
    goal 'improving living and working conditions'. The
    contributions to all other goals, in particular to              Furthermore, in setting such priorities, the Com-
                                                                    mission could not ignore recent strong reactions of
    — promoting industrial competitiveness,                         the public to major environmental problems such
                                                                   as acid deposition, forest die-back, disposal of toxic
    — improving the management of raw materials,                   and dangerous waste, protection of soil, etc. Due
    — promoting agricultural competitiveness,
                                                               f1) Doc. COM(83) 260 final.
    are fully recognized.                                      (2) Doc. XII/35/82, January 1983.
 ---pagebreak--- No C 301/18                         Official Journal of the European Communities                               25. 11. 85
    consideration was given, in particular, to several            involvement in the follow-up to the 1982 Versailles
    resolutions of the European Parliament on such                Summit of the Heads of State and Government and
    issues, many of which include forceful recommen-              the Representatives of the European Communities,
    dations for increased research effort in these areas.         reconsidered at the 1984 London Summit; during
                                                                  the latter, environmental protection was identified
                                                                  as a major issue of cooperation. The Working
                                                                  Group—Technology, Growth and Employment,
    Substantial input to the definition of the programme          established to respond to the summit declarations,
    came from the numerous symposia and workshops                 reviewed the situation in environmental research,
    organized by the Commission, alone or in cooper-              recognized the value of the Community programme
    ation with other institutions (see Annex II). Usually,        and recommended the following research priorities,
    outstanding personalities were entrusted with draw-           which are to a large extent identical to those of the
    ing the conclusions of these conferences, with par-           RAP—Environment:
    ticular attention to the establishment of research
    priorities. The most important of these conferences           — atmospheric pollution,
    were
                                                                  — toxic and radioactive wastes,
    — Clean Technologies, The Hague, November
         1980,                                                    — marine pollution,
    — Acid Deposition — a Challenge for Europe,                   — pollution of soils and waters,
         Karlsruhe, September 1983,
                                                                  — appropriate land husbandry,
    — Environment and Chemicals in Agriculture,
         Dublin, October 1984.                                    — climatic change.
                                                                   The Commission's services, with the assistance of
    The Commission cosponsored the Conference on                   the formal advisory bodies and in numerous infor-
    Environmental Research and Management Priori-                  mal contacts with Member States, analysed the
    ties for the 1980s, organized by the Swedish Acad-             national environmental research programmes and
    emy of Science in Rattvik in 1982, which had, as               their funding, in order to avoid duplications, to
    the prime objective, the establishment of research             identify those areas requiring specific input by Com-
    priorities. Among those identified, this proposal              munity research and to explore the possibilities for
    addresses, in particular, the following:                       effective coordination (e.g. by concerted actions).
    — Reduction of biological diversity,
                                                                   Guidance for setting research priorities was given
    — Acid deposition,                                             during comprehensive discussions during 1984 by
                                                                   the Advisory Committee on Programme Manage-
    — Impact of hazardous substances on ecosystems                 ment for Environmental Research. These dis-
         and man,                                                  cussions were continued by the recently established
                                                                   Management and Coordination Advisory Commit-
    — Impact of urbanization                                       tee (CGC)—Environment and Climatology, which
                                                                   expressed a formal Opinion on 19 March 1985
     (the other priorities concern mainly climatology and          (Annex III).
     problems in developing countries).
                                                                   The scientific content of the programme is outlined
                                                                   in Annex I and is introduced in the following chap-
                                                                   ter. This content represents a balanced conclusion
     With regard to acid deposition and effects of air
                                                                   of the aforementioned considerations. The most
     pollutants, intensive discussions within the Com-
                                                                   appropriate ways of implementing the proposed
     mission's services took place in order to match
                                                                   scientific programme are indicated.
     regulatory and research activities which resulted in
     a specific report (1).
     This programme proposal attempts also to meet
     some requirements of the Community in view of its
                                                               2. Scientific Content of the Programme
(!) Report on the actions of the Commission of the European
    Economic Community on acid deposition, Doc. CI/886/84,         In the light of experience gained in the preceding
    December 1984.                                                 programmes, which were divided into rather broad
 ---pagebreak--- 25. 11. 85                           Official Journal of the European Communities                             No C 301/19
     areas, it is proposed to subdivide the fourth pro-             Area 8 will allow a better insight into the function-
     gramme into 11 more strictly and logically defined             ing of ecosystems, which is vital for a sound, long-
     areas as follows:                                              term approach to environmental protection.
      1. Health effects of pollutants.
                                                                    Areas 9 and 10 are focused on technological research
      2. Ecological effects of pollutants.                          aimed at investigating efficient means to reduce
      3. Assessment of chemicals.                                   pollution.
      4. Air quality.
      5. Water quality.                                             Area 11 encompasses activities which will permit a
                                                                    better application of research results to management
      6. Soil quality.                                              and the establishment of links to other scientific
                                                                    disciplines (economics, sociology) which are of vital
      7. Noise research.
                                                                    importance for the implementation of the Com-
      8. Ecosystem research.                                        munity Environmental Policy.
      9. Waste research.
     10. Reduction of pollution.                                    With regard to the distribution of available funds
                                                                    between these research areas and to the priorities
     11. Scientific basis of environmental legislation and          within them, the Commission will consult the Man-
          management.                                               agement and Coordination Advisory Committee
                                                                    (CGC)—Environment and Climatology.
    A detailed description of these areas is given in
    Annex IA.
    Annex IB describes the content of formal concerted
    actions; these require further details in view of the      D. WAYS OF IMPLEMENTATION
    possible association of non-Member States within
    the framework of the COST. The scientific content
    of these actions was reviewed in 1983 in preparing         It is proposed, to introduce 'catalytic activities' as a
    the revision of the third Environmental Research           further type of activity complementing contract
    Programme; a major updating at this stage is there-        research and formal concerted actions and also to incor-
    fore not necessary.                                        porate training activities. It is hoped that by these
                                                               means sufficient flexibility will be obtained to respond
                                                               to new problems arising during the implementation of
                                                              the programme.
    The proposed subdivision meets best the require-
    ments of the Environment Action Programme and
    will facilitate the management of the programme,          Thus, in the future, the programme               should  be
    in particular the formulation of well-defined calls       implemented using the following means:
    for proposals.
                                                               (a) Contract    Research
    Areas 1 and 2 concern the establishment of
   exposure/effect relationships (criteria) within the
    meaning adopted for the first Environment Action               Shared-Cost Research Contracts should be funded
   Programme, and as required for the regulation of                in areas which are of immediate relevance to
   individual pollutants. Research in these areas has              environmental policy, as defined in the Environment
   been considerably reduced compared to previous                  Action Programme, in order to generate, within
   programmes.                                                     acceptable time limits, the knowledge necessary for
                                                                   its implementation.
   Area 3 is related essentially to the assessment of              Projects will be selected normally on the basis of
   chemicals, with a strong emphasis on the develop-               well-defined calls for proposals, phased in such a
   ment of methodologies.                                          way as to allow continuity in the work of the
                                                                   Commission's Services and the advisory bodies.
   Areas 4, 5 and 6 permit a consistent approach to
   the protection of the media air, water and soil.           (b) Coordination     and Concerted    Actions
                                                                   Formal Concerted Actions should be defined in
   Area 7 concerns noise research.                                 suitable areas, preferably those in which research is
 ---pagebreak--- No C 301/20                          Official Journal of the European Communities                              25. 11. 85
    more of a long term nature. They should receive a          (d) Training    Activities
    specific budget for their implementation; the
    Council Decision should, as in the past, incorporate           These will allow support for the transboundary
    an obligation on the Member States to introduce                exchange of scientists between institutes participat-
    appropriate national research into the coordination            ing in the programme, and to organize, if appropri-
    process. In general, such actions should be open to            ate, training courses in suitable subject areas.
    cooperation with Non-Member States within the
    framework of COST.
                                                               The Management and Coordination Advisory Commit-
                                                               tee (CGC)—Environment and Climatology will be con-
    Concerted Action can be complemented by contract
                                                               sulted to give guidance on the most appropriate means
    research, provided that the projects to be funded
                                                               of implementation of research in the various areas.
    fill real gaps. Such projects should be identified in
    cooperation with the Member States.
    Formal concerted actions will be complemented in
    a flexible way by coordination of national research
    in areas which, due to their size or nature, do not
    justify a formal concerted action, whenever such a         E. FUNDING AND STAFF
    coordination offers benefits to the Community.
                                                               For a five-year period (1986 to 1990) the allocations
                                                               necessary to implement the programme are estimated
                                                               at 65 million ECU, comprising 4,55 million ECU ear-
                                                               marked for the implementation of seven concerted
                                                               actions.
(c) Catalytic     Activities
                                                               These allocations constitute a small increase in real
    A number of areas within the programme to date             terms above the present level of funding, as calculated
    could not be handled in the most appropriate way           on the basis of annual appropriations to the third
    since the available tools (contract research and con-      Environmental Research Programme (subprogramme
    certed action) were not sufficiently flexible, e.g.        —Environmental Protection), after the programme
                                                               revision in 1984.
    — the evaluation of chemicals,
    — 'packaging' of knowledge, in order to make it            Such an increase is justified by
         easily accessible to the users,
                                                               — a shift of emphasis to research in more resource
    — societal and economic aspects of environmental                intensive technical disciplines (waste research,
         protection.                                               abatement technologies, clean technologies),
                                                               — the incorporation of two new concerted actions,
    Such 'catalytic activities' should allow
                                                               — the enlargement of the Communities by two new
    — the organization of panels to evaluate chemicals             Member States, to be effective in 1986, which will
         and to draw up assessment papers on specific              require supplementary funds to promote research
         problems pertinent to the Environment Action              in these countries,
         Programme,
                                                               — the incorporation of training activities, which were
    — the organization of workshops in certain areas               financed till now from a separate budget.
         (also with the participation of scientists from
         Non-Member States) and the subsequent compi-
         lation and evaluation of the results, in general      For the implementation of the programme, a total of
         to be commissioned to qualified scientists,            17 staff is necessary. This constitutes an increase of
                                                               four, justified by supplementary concerted actions and
    — the award of small (normally fully paid) con-            by new tasks, in particular scientific input to a number
         tracts for handling specific problems mainly in       of catalytic activities (evaluation of results, coordi-
         borderline areas, e.g. societal or economic           nation of national research) which are not part of
         aspects of environmental protection.                  formal concerted actions. Furthermore, the general
                                                               trend to reduce contract research while expanding con-
                                                               certed actions and coordination of national research
    Specific examples of such 'catalytic activities' are       in suitable areas will inevitably increase manpower
    given in Annex IA under the respective programme           requirements for the execution of the proposed pro-
    areas.                                                     gramme.
 ---pagebreak--- 25. 11. 85                             Official Journal of the European Communities                                        No C 301/21
                                                                 ANNEX     IA
                                         SCIENTIFIC CONTENT OF THE PROGRAMME
                  Health effects of pollutants           This area covers the effects of pollutants of all environmental
                                                         media on human health.
            1.1.  Chronic and late effects at low In view of the considerable knowledge accumulated in recent years,
                  exposure levels and early indicators it is intended to limit the research effort (essentially by contract
                  of health effects                      research or, wherever appropriate, by catalytic activities) to a
                                                         number of issues particularly relevant to environmental exposure,
                                                         i.e. low-exposure levels for prolonged time, such as:
                                                        — effects of lead on the CNS and on intellectual performance,
                                                        — effects of certain metals and organic pollutants on specific
                                                              organs (e.g. effects of cadmium on kidney function),
                                                        — identification of subclinical effects and of 'early indicators' of
                                                              exposure,
                                                        — risk of cancer induction form pollutants, e.g. organic products
                                                              in diesel exhausts, solvents, agrochemicals (e.g. EDB),
                                                        — effects at molecular level.
            1.2. Epidemiology and exposure trends Epidemiological research, in view of its long-term nature, should
                                                        be promoted predominantly as catalytic activity, e.g. by contri-
                                                        butions to planning and coordinating such studies, but not to the
                                                        operational cost. Example: Monitoring the decrease of blood-lead
                                                        levels following regulatory action to be implemented (reduction or
                                                        elimination of lead in fuel).
                 Ecological effects of pollutants       This area, to be implemented mainly by contract research, covers
                                                        the effects of individual pollutants (organic and inorganic) on non-
                                                        human targets in all media (marine and freshwater environment,
                                                        terrestrial environment) in order to support the establishment of
                                                        quality objectives. Consequently, it is intended to limit research,
                                                        as far as the aquatic environment is concerned, essentially to those
                                                        substances which are in the priority list of Council Directive 76/
                                                        464/ECC (Official Journal of the European Communities No C 176
                                                        of 14 July 1982). Emphasis will be on effects at low concentrations;
                                                        compounds already regulated are excluded. Interactive effects are
                                                        dealth with in areas 4, 5 and 6.
           2.1.  Effects on sensitive key species      To a limited extent, laboratory and field research (by contracts)
                                                       on sensitive key species should be funded, in view of their use as
                                                        bio-indicators or for the definition of pollution indices.
           2.2.  Effects on ecosystems                 Emphasis is to be on overall effects at the ecosystem level, by field
                                                       studies, model ecosystems or experimental microcosms.
           3.    Assessment of chemicals               Research in this area is directly related to existing Community
                                                       regulations on dangerous substances, in particular to the sixth
                   Environment Action                 Amendment to Council Directive 67/548/EEC and to forthcoming
                   Programme:                          initiatives to be taken with regard to existing chemicals.
                   Chapter 22, priority item
 ---pagebreak--- No C 301/22                           Official Journal of the European Communities                                           25. 11. 85
          3.1. Development and assessment of         Research will be limited to test systems likely to be considered for
               testing procedures                    incorporation in Annex VIII of Directive 67/548/EEC (levels 1 and
                                                     2) and to research necessary for the interpretation of test results
                                                     (e.g. mechanistic and quantitative aspects of mutagenicity and
                                                     carcinogenicity testing, which will permit the comparison of con-
                                                     centration in vitro v. dose in vivo, tests for epigenetic carcinogens,
                                                     etc.) to be implemented mainly by contract research.
          3.2. Replacement of vertebrates used       It is likely that some of the tests already specified in the sixth
               for toxicity testing                  Amendment of Directive 67/548/EEC and other Community regu-
                                                     lations will have to be replaced by tests using no, or considerably
                                                     fewer, laboratory animals. Contract research in this area will be
                                                     promoted (complementary to some aspects of the Communities'
                                                     biotechnology programme).
          3.3. Structure/activity relationships      SAR are of increasing importance for the evaluation of chemicals
                (SAR)                                and for the selection of existing chemicals for testing and assess-
                                                     ment. This topic is to be dealt with by catalytic activity.
          3.4. Evaluation of chemicals               It is considered necessary' to generate within the Environmental
                                                     Research Programme a capacity to generate reports, assessments,
                                                     etc., compiled by competent scientists, for the evaluation of import-
                                                     ant environmental chemicals, also with a view to assist the 'user
                                                     packaging' of knowledge elaborated within the programme. This
                                                     topic will be handled by catalytic activities only (panels, small
                                                     fully-paid contracts).
          4.   Air quality                           This area will be one of the most important within the programme
                                                     in view of current regulatory activities of the Communities. Dra-
                  Environment Action                 matic effects on terrestrial ecosystems (in particular forests) and
                  Programme:                         aquatic ecosystems have been observed in recent years, which gave
                  Chapter 21, priority item          rise to major public concern. These effects are attributed, at least in
                                                     part, to the influence of air pollutants and their reaction products,
                                                     although the exact mechanisms and the interaction with other
                                                     environmental factors are poorly understood. A greatly increased
                                                     research effort is needed immediately to elucidate these phenomena.
                                                     Similar concern is expressed with regard to the effects of air
                                                     pollutants on buildings and monuments (see also research area 8,
                                                     in particular 8.4).
          4.1. Analysis, sources, transport, trans- Mainly by concerted action (follow-up of COST 611, see Annex
               formation and deposition of pol- IB) with some complementary contract research to fill gaps in
               lutants                               national research.
          4.2. Effects on air pollution on the natu- Research will cover the effects on
               ral environment
                                                     — terrestrial ecosystems, in particular forests,
                                                     — aquatic ecosystems and wetland ecosystems,
                                                     — agricultural productivity,
                                                     and will be executed by a combination of contract research and
                                                     concerted action (follow-up of COST 612, see Annex IB).
          4.3. Effects of air pollution on materials Contract research will be essentially limited to the mechanisms of
                                                     deterioration of materials used in historical buildings and monu-
                                                     ments, and to fundamental aspects of their conservation.
          4.4. Stratospheric chemistry               The follow-up to ongoing activities will be done essentially by
                                                     catalytic activities (panels, workshops), not excluding, however,
                                                     some selected contracts. Emphasis will be given to exchange with
 ---pagebreak--- 25. 11. 85                            Official Journal of the European Communities                                        No C 301/23
                                                     the troposphere and to the role of the stratosphere as a sink for
                                                     tropospheric pollutants (e.g. N 2 0 ) (see also 8.4, biogeochemical
                                                     cycles).
           4.5. Remote sensing techniques            Catalytic activities only (organization of measurement campaigns
                                                     and evaluation of new instruments).
           4.6. Indoor-air quality                   Concerted Action only, complementing JRC activities (see Annex
                                                     IB).
           5.   Water quality                        Research in this area will cover freshwater, estuarine and marine
                                                     environment (work on ground water quality is to be handled
                  Environment Action                 withing the context of area 6).
                  Programme:
                  Chapter 16, priority item
           5.1. Analytical methods                   Development of analytical methods with emphasis on organic
                                                     compounds which might be included in Directive 76/464/EEC, by
                                                     concerted action only (COST 641 — follow-up, see Annex IB).
           5.2. Biotic and abiotic degradation of Mainly as concerted action within the framework of COST 641
                pollutants                           follow-up with some complementary contract work, in particular
                                                     with regard to mechanisms of abiotic degradation especially by
                                                     photochemical processes.
           5.3. Eutrophication                       Although substantial knowledge is available in this area, some
                                                     specific problems, in particular in the coastal and estuarine environ-
                                                     ment, may be subject of contract research and/or evaluation of
                                                     control measures.
           5.4. Remote sensing techniques            Catalytic activities (e.g. organization of campaigns for comparative
                                                     measurements) in support of the JRC programme.
           6.   Soil quality                         There is increasing concern about the deterioration of soil quality,
                                                     the accumulation of pollutants in soils and their transfer to ground
                  Environment Action                 water and the food chain, which justifies a significant research
                  Programme: Chapter 26 and          effort in this area, to be complemented by specific research on
                  others, priority item              waste disposal (see area 9).
           6.1. Analytical methods                   Exclusively, as part of a concerted action (COST 681 follow-up,
                                                     see Annex IB) with emphasis on problems arising from Annex IIB
                                                     of the sewage sludge Directive (under discussion by the Council),
                                                     taking into account possible future amendments of this Directive
                                                     (in particular organic pollutants).
           6.2. Behaviour of pollutants in soil      Substantial gaps in knowledge remain in this area regarding
                                                     — the mobility of pollutants (metals and organic pollutants) and
                                                          their transfer to ground water,
                                                     — the degree of availability of pollutants to plants as a function
                                                         of soil type and crop characteristics,
                                                     — degradation of organic pollutants.
                                                     A substantial effort by contract research is required to elucidate
                                                     these phenomena.
           6.3. Effects of pollutants in soil        Contract research in this area should elucidate the effects of pol-
                                                     lutants and agrochemicals on soil organisms.
           6.4. Effects of agricultural and forestry A limited effort may be devoted to the effects of agricultural
                practice on soil quality             and forestry practice (cultivation techniques and management,
                                                     excessive spreading of fertilizers) on soil and water quality, includ-
 ---pagebreak--- No C 301/24                            Official Journal of the European Communities                                           25. 11. 85
                                                      ing specific erosion problems arising from human activities, as far
                                                      as these are not covered by the Climatology Programme (contract
                                                      research).
          7.     Noise research                       In this area, essentially a continuation of ongoing activities is
                                                      foreseen, taking into account the priorities, identified at the two
                   Environment Action                 last congresses 'Noise, a public health problem', organized by
                   Programme:                         the International Commission on the Biological Effects of Noise
                   Chapter 23, priority item          (ICBEN) in Freiburg (1978) and in Torino (1983), and also by the
                                                      noise advisory group of the CEC.
          7.1.   Effects of noise on the cardiovascu- Experimental data demonstrate that noise is one stressor, among
                 lar system                           others, which induces effects on the cardiovascular system, includ-
                                                      ing that of children. It remains to identify groups at risk, and to
                                                      obtain quantitative relationships between noise levels at home,
                                                      during leisure activities and at work, on the one hand, and mor-
                                                      bidity on the other. Longitudinal epidemiological studies on is-
                                                      chemic heart disease related to noise, carried out in iMember States,
                                                      should be coordinated.
          7.2.   Comparison between effects of Because of ISO Standard 1996, accepted by many countries, impulse
                 impulse noises and those of con- noise sources have to be considered separately from other noise
                 tinuous noises                       sources in the environment. This distinction creates many difficult-
                                                      ies. It is necessary to investigate in detail how to take into account
                                                      the impulsive component of the noise in the environment, in
                                                      particular as a function of the total noise level.
          7.3.   Synergism     between    noise   and The drivers and passengers of trains, buses and cars are subjected
                 vibrations                           to a combination of noises and vibrations, each of which may have
                                                       a number of effects. The combination of noise and vibrations at
                                                      special low frequencies corresponding to those of internal organs
                                                      of the human body might provoke enhanced reactions, especially
                                                      on the vigilance of drivers. This synergism has to be investigated
                                                       under laboratory conditions.
           8.    Ecosystem research                    Substantial knowledge on many problems has been accumulated
                                                       with regard to individual pollutants. The current trend in environ-
                                                       mental research is towards a more general and multidisciplinary
                                                       approach aimed at a better understanding of the stability (or
                                                       vulnerability) of ecosystems and of the impact of a combination
                                                       of factors on the overall ecological balance as well as on different
                                                       compartments of the environment. It is intended, during the fourth
                                                       programme, to gradually introduce such concepts.
             .1. Basic Research on the Functioning It is envisaged to gradually extend the concerted action COST 647
                 of Ecosystems                         from a baseline study to a more comprehensive research on coastal
                                                       ecosystems. A further example is research into the characterization
                                                       of a number of typical European forest ecosystems, with particular
                                                       emphasis on their resistance to the effects of acid deposition. Such
                                                       research is first to be tackled (in addition to the concerted action
                                                       mentioned above) by catalytic activities (panels, workshops, etc.),
                                                       not excluding, however some selected contracts.
             .2. Effects of agricultural practice and The rapid changes in land and crop management in agriculture, as
                 urbanization on ecosystems, loss of well as urbanization and other human activities (e.g. tourism) lead
                 genetic diversity                     to disturbances in ecosystems and to the extinction of species. Loss
                                                       of genetic diversity causes growing concern (second priority among
                                                       10 identified by the Conference on Environmental Research and
                                                       Management Priorities, Rattvik, 1982). To be implemented mainly
                                                       by catalytic activities.
          8.3.   Environmental oceanography            Apart from soil, ocean and estuaries are the only significant sink
                                                       of persistent pollutants; little knowledge is available on the fate of
                                                       such substances. In particular, the processes of sedimentation and
 ---pagebreak--- 25. 11. 85                            Official Journal of the European Communities                                       No C 301/25
                                                     coprecipitation merit a more careful examination, with a view
                                                     to predicting the potential for immobilization of pollutants, in
                                                     particular heavy metals. Catalytic activities will be complemented
                                                      by some contract research (links to 8.4: biochemical cycles).
            8.4. Biogeochemical cycles               The debate on acid deposition has given a new impetus to this
                                                      area, since any sound strategy for curing effects and restabilizing
                                                      ecosystems is impossible without a thorough understanding of the
                                                      natural cycles of sulphur and nitrogen. Research executed by
                                                     contracts should also incorporate phosphorus. The carbon cycle is
                                                      to be handled within the Climatology Programme.
            8.5. Conservation of flora and fauna      Research on birds as support to Community regulation will be
                                                     essentially done by concerted action (see Annex IB); more specific
                   Environment Action                problems (marine mammals, reptiles, amphibia) derived from the
                   Programme:                         Community Environment Policy (e.g. Mediterranean Action Plan)
                   Chapter 22, priority item         will require contract research.
                 Waste research                      This area should receive particular attention within the fourth
                                                     programme, in view of the growing concern about the long-term
                   Environment Action                effects of waste disposal on soil and aquifers and the multiple
                   Programme:                        health problems arising from inappropriate waste disposal. As a
                   Chapter 24 and 29, priority item  general rule, research will emphasize the possibilities for waste
                                                     recycling instead of disposal. Overlaps with the complementary
                                                     R & D programme — Recycling of urban and industrial waste will
                                                     be avoided. As far as appropriate, research into biotechnological
                                                     methods of waste treatment will be considered in close cooperation
                                                     with the Biotechnology R & D Programme.
            9.1. Waste management                    Catalytic activities are foreseen for a number of general aspects,
                                                     such as waste characterization and classification.
           9.2.  Organic wastes                      Research on sludges and manures will continue in the form of a
                                                     concerted action (COST 681, see Annex IB). With regard to other
                                                     organic wastes, the borderlines with the recycling programme will
                                                     be defined.
           9.3.  Toxic and dangerous waste           Contract research will give particular emphasis to the following
                                                     topics:
                                                     — special treatment of toxic industrial waste (e.g. solvents, tem-
                                                         pering baths, residues from electrolytic surface treatment,
                                                         chemical waste),
                                                    — solidification of waste prior to disposal,
                                                    — specific recycling methods (e.g. recovery of hydrocarbons from
                                                         cutting oils).
           9.4.  Abandoned disposal sites           As special effort is necessary for research (by contracts) on monitor-
                                                    ing abandoned waste dumps and, possibly, their recovery.
           10.   Reduction of pollution             Research in this area will require significant allocations (contract
                                                    research) and may encompass projects for upscaling of processes
                  Environment Action                developed in the laboratory in selected areas.
                  Programme: Chapters 25 and 30,
                  priority items
           10.1. Advanced abatement technologies    Contract research in selected areas of air- and water-pollution
                                                    abatement for developing new, improved or more cost-effective
                                                    technologies should be funded, including the computer-assisted
                                                    automation or optimization of treatment processes aiming at a
                                                    reduction of energy consumption.
 ---pagebreak--- No C 301/26                             Official Journal of the European Communities                                          25. 11. 85
          10.2. Clean technologies                     The efforts made within the third programme should be continued,
                                                       aiming at the development of technologies designed to avoid or
                                                       reduce particular types of pollution and waste or to reduce signifi-
                                                       cantly energy and material consumption, in line with the con-
                                                       clusions of the Commission of the European Communities (CEC)
                                                       symposium 'Clean technologies', The Hague, November 1980. As
                                                       in the third programme the following industrial sectors will receive
                                                       priority:
                                                       — chemical industry,
                                                       — glass and ceramics,
                                                       — pulp and paper,
                                                       — metallurgy,
                                                       — metal finishing and coating,
                                                       — food and feed,
                                                       — fibres and textiles,
                                                       — tanning.
                                                       Research will be complementary to the demonstration activities in
                                                       this area implemented by the Commission.
           11.    Scientific basis of environmental Catalytic activities (reviews, workshops, pannels, etc.) will allow
                  legislation and management           the utilization of knowledge acquired within the programme (and
                                                       assessing complementary information) in regulatory procedures.
                                                       The scientific expertise available in the institutes under contract or
                                                        associated with the programme within the framework of concerted
                                                        actions should be used to achieve a presentation of the results in a
                                                        way which makes them easily accessible. Due consideration will
                                                        be given to the sociological and economic aspects of environmental
                                                        regulations.
                                                              ANNEX IB
          SCIENTIFIC PROGRAMME OF THE CONCERTED ACTIONS
          1. Physico-Chemical Behaviour of Atmospheric Pollutants (COST 611)
               (a) Improvement and standardization of analytical methods, especially for nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons
                   and photochemical oxidants.
               (b) Elucidation of mechanisms and rate constants of the reactions between atmospheric pollutants and
                   of their reactions with natural constituents of the atmosphere, in particular in the aqueous state,
                   including oxidation and degradation chemistry of selected atmospheric pollutants in fresh and sea
                   water, reactions with soil constituents, and the investigation of catalytic processes in cloud and
                   rainwater chemistry.
               (c) Investigation of the physico-chemical processes leading to the formation of particles, characterization
                   of the chemical and physical nature of very fine aerosols, and determination of the chemical
                   composition of aerosols.
               (d) Identification and quantification of sources and sinks of various pollutants, especially for nitrogen
                   oxides.
               (e) Investigation of phenomena leading to acid deposition with particular emphasis on:
                   — conversion, transport and deposition (dry and wet) of S0 2 , N O x and aerosol particles,
                   — analysis of precipitation chemistry data for acidity trends,
                   — NO x chemistry in cloud droplets and chemical composition of cloud and rain water,
                   — dry deposition of NO x and H N O ? ,
                   — the role of oxidizing agents like OH, H O , , H 2 0 ? ,
                   — physico-chemical conversion of air pollutants after deposition, considering water bodies and soil,
                       analytical techniques for the measurement of ammonia, nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide in both
                       gas and liquid phase at low concentrations,
 ---pagebreak--- 25. 11. 85                              Official Journal of the European Communities                                         No C 301/27
                   — analytical methods for the determination of acidity of aerosols.
                    (f) Modelling of atmospheric chemistry related to photochemical pollution and acid deposition;
                        coordination between data-producing teams and mathematicians for the quantification of source-
                        receptor relationships with emphasis on modelling of emissions, transformation, transport and
                        deposition of precursors and reaction products.
                    (g) Elaboration of test protocols which permit the prediction of abiotic degradability of chemicals, in
                        particular for persistent compounds.
           2. Air Pollution Effects on Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecosystems (COST 612)
               (a) Direct effect of air pollutants, (SO„ NO , HC1, ozone, photochemical oxidants and their atmospheric
                   reaction products) on plants and terrestrial ecosystems.
               (b) Indirect effects of such air pollutants on plants and terrestrial ecosystems, e.g. via the acidification of
                   soil and the mobilization of phytotoxic elements.
               (c) Links between the effects of air pollutants and other factors involved in the observed phenomenon of
                   severely damaged terrestrial ecosystems, in particular forests, such as drought, plant diseases, fungi
                   and pests.
               (d) Effects of air pollutants and their reaction products on crop plants, in particular reduced productivity.
               (e) Effects of air pollutants and their reaction products on aquatic ecosystems (reduction of the population
                   of fish and other aquatic organisms due to acidification and mobilization of trade elements).
           3. Organic Micropollutants in the Aquatic Environment (COST 641)
               (a) Analytical methodologies and data treatment:
                   — Basic analytical techniques, including sampling and sample treatment, gas chromatography, high-
                        pressure liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry,
                   — Specific analytical problems, in particular analysis of selected classes of compounds, such as those
                        likely to be regulated by Council Directive 76/464/EEC, chlorinated paraffins, tensides, optical
                        brighteners, organo-metallic and organo-phosphorus compounds,
                   — Collection and treatment of analytical data.
               (b) Physical/chemical behaviour of organic micropollutants in the aquatic environment:
                   — Distribution and transport mechanisms,
                   — structure/activity relationships,
                   — bioavailability and bioaccumulation.
               (c) Transformation reactions in the aquatic environment:
                   — chemical and photochemical reactions,
                   — biological transformations.
              (d) Behaviour and transformation of organic micropollutants in water-treatment processes:
                   — infiltration,
                   — waste-water treatment,
                   — drinking-water treatment (including haloform formation).
           4. Treatment and Use of Organic Sludges and Liquid Agricultural Wastes (COST 681)
              (a) Treatment of sludges and agricultural wastes:
                   — further improvement of conventional treatment methods, mainly with regard to their economic
                       aspects, and of processes for fuel production from sludges and manures,
                   — study of technologies specifically applicable to small plants and of processes to eliminate heavy
                       metals at their source.
 ---pagebreak--- No C 301/28                          Official Journal of the European Communities                                         25. 11. 85
             (b) Analysis of sludges and residues:
                 — development and standardization of economic multi-element methods for the analysis of trace
                     elements in sludges, soils and plants, and for the analysis of organic pollutants.
             (c) Hygienic aspects of treatment and use of sludges:
                 — elaboration and improvement of methods for the detection and identification of bacteria, viruses
                     and other pathogens, and study of their survival and contamination potential,
                 — investigations of the efficiency of hygienization processes, definition of 'indicator organisms'.
             (d) Nuisances:
                 — odour characterization and emission control.
             (e) Environmental effects of spreading of sludges and manure:
                 — long-term field experiments on the accumulation of heavy metals, their availability to crops and
                     on transfer of pollutants via soil to plants, and assessment of various application methods with
                     regard to ground and surface water pollution.
             (f) Improvement of land-use of sludge and manure:
                 — long-term field experiments on fertilizing value and soil-improvement properties of sludges and
                     manures,
                 — improvement of treatment processes and spreading equipment with regard to optimum land use,
                 — study of the agricultural value of residues from treatment processes,
                 — use of sludges and derived products for land reclamation and specific crops (e.g. biomass
                     production).
          5. Benthic Coastal Ecosystems (COST 647)
             Implementation of 'baseline studies' for selected key species in undisturbed conditions along the Norwegian
             Sea and Atlantic coast, in the Mediterranean and in the Baltic Sea for the following habitats:
             —   subtidal sediments,
             —   intertidal sediments,
             —   subtidal rock,
             —   intertidal rock.
             Assessment of the role of
             — local physical factors,
             — biological interactions,
             — climatic and hydrographic factors on the population dynamics of selected components of benthic
                 coastal ecosystems.
             The programme should gradually evolve into a comprehensive investigation of the dynamics of coastal
             ecosystems and their modelling.
          6. Indoor-Air Quality and its Impact on Man
             Investigation of a variety of indoor pollutants and pollutant classes, in particular N 0 2 , RSP (respirable
             suspended particulate), formaldehyde, organics, allergens, CO, S0 2 , asbestos and other mineral fibres,
             comprising
             (a) Exposure determination and estimates:
                 —   modelling,
                 —   source strength determinations,
                 —   infiltration and ventilation rate determinations,
                 —   methods of field measurements:
                     — spot sampling,
                     — time integrated sampling,
                     — continuous monitoring,
                     — personal and population exposure,
                     — biological monitoring.
 ---pagebreak--- 25. 11. 85                              Official Journal of the European Communities                                       No C 301/29
                 (b) Health effects measurements:
                     — controlled human exposure studies,
                     — design of sequential studies,
                     — epidemiological studies.
                 (c) Collection of exposure and health effect related data.
            7. Bird Protection
                 (a) Habitat selection by birds and breeding distribution.
                 (b) Passerine migrations.
                 (c) Waterfowl census according to the Annex V of the Directive on Conservation of Wild Birds (1).
                 (d) Requirements of bird species dependent upon threatened habitats (notably coastal and other wetlands,
                     scrubland, etc.).
                 (e) Habitat requirements and biology of endangered species.
                 (f) Collection and compilation of the results of research on bird conservation and on wintering sites in
                     Africa and exploitation of the information already available.
            (') OJ No L 103, 25. 4. 1979.
                                                                ANNEX II
                                       R&D PROGRAMME ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
                                             List of reports published by the Commission (')
                                                                1975-1985
            A) GENERAL REPORTS
                 1) Final reports on research sponsored under the first Environmental Research Programme (1973-75),
                     EUR 5970, 1978 (in series 'Environment and Quality of Life')
                2) Second Environmental Research Programme 1976-80, reports on research sponsored under the first
                     phase 1976-78, EUR 6388, 1980 (in series 'Environment and Quality of Life')
                3) Environmental Research Programme 1976-80, report on the first phase 1976-78, EUR 6145, 1979 (in
                     series 'Environment and Quality of Life')
                4) Second Environmental Research Programme 1976-80, reports on research sponsored under the second
                     phase 1979-80, EUR 7884 EN, 1981 (in series 'Environment and Quality of Life')
           B) SPECIFIC REPORTS AND PROCEEDINGS OF CONFERENCES ORGANIZED OR CO-ORGANIZED
                BY THE COMMISSION WITHIN THE ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH PROGRAMME (2)
                  1) Water Purification in the EEC; a State-of-the-Art Review, report prepared by Water Research Centre
                      on behalf of the Commission, Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1977
                  2) Tests for Ecological Effects of Chemicals, Proceedings of a Research Seminar jointly organized by
                      the Commission of the European Communities and the Umweltbundesamt in Berlin, 7-9 December
                      1977, Erich Schmidt Verlag Berlin, 1978 (UBA-Bericht 10/78)
           (!) This list cannot give reference to the numerous publications prepared by scientific institutes under contract
               and submitted to scientific journals. Bibliographies for each contract are contained in the general reports
                1, 2 and 4.
            2
           ( ) Proceedings of conferences organized within Concerted Actions are listed separately.
 ---pagebreak--- No C 301/30                           Official Journal of the European Communities                                     25. 11. 85
                3) Trace Metals, Exposure and Health Effects, Proceedings of a Research Seminar held in Guildford,
                    10-13 July 1978, edited by E. DI FERRANTE, Pergamon Press Oxford, 1979 EUR 6389
                4) Clean Technologies, Proceedings of the European Symposium held in The Hague, 4-7 November
                    1980 (jointly organized by the Commission of the European Communities and the Ministry of Health
                   and Environmental Protection, The Netherlands), edited by H. O T T and F. VAN DEN AKKER,
                   EUR 7108, 1983 (in series 'Environment and Quality of Life')
                5) Proceedings of the first conference on the scientific bases for environmental regulatory actions:
                   prevention of pollution by substances derived from wastes, held in Rome, 11-12 May 1981, CNR
                    IRSA, Rome, 1984
                6) Proceedings of the second conference on the scientific bases for environmental regulatory actions:
                   health-environment, held in Evry (France), 14-16 December 1981, edited by E. DI FERRANTE, EUR
                   7952, 1982 (in series 'Environment and Quality of Life')
                7) Proceedings of the Symposium 'Acid Depostion — A Challenge for Europe', Karlsruhe, 19-21
                   September 1983 (jointly organized by the Commission of the European Communities and Kernfor-
                   schungszentrum Karlsruhe), edited by H. O T T and H. STANGL, preliminary edition 1983) (final
                   edition in print)
                8) Screening Tests in Chemical Carcinogenesis, Proceedings of a workshop organized by IARC and the
                   Commission of the European Communities in Brussels, 9-12 June 1975, edited by R. MONTESANO,
                   H. BARTSCH and L. TOMATIS, Lyon, 1976 (joint IARC/CEC publication)
                9) Molecular and Cellular Aspects of Carcinogen Screening Tests, Proceedings of a meeting organized
                   by IARC and the Commission of the European Communities in Hannover, 4-9 June 1979, edited by
                   R. MONTESANO, H. BARTSCH and L. TOMATIS, Lyon, 1980 (joint IARC/CEC publication) (*)
               10) Host Factors in Human Carcinogenesis, Proceedings of a symposium organized by IARC, the
                   Commission of the European Communities, the Greek Ministry of Social Services, the Greek Ministry
                   of Civilization and Science and the Hellenic Cancer Society in Cape Sounion, 8-11 June 1981, edited
                   by H. BARTSCH and B. ARMSTRONG, Lyon, 1982 (joint IARC/CEC publication)
               11) Evaluation of the Effects of Chlorofluorocarbons on Atmospheric Ozone, report on a workshop
                   held in Brussels, 13-15 January 1981, edited by A. GHAZI, 1981 (available on request)
               12) Nickel in the Human Environment, Proceedings of an international symposium held in Lyon, 8-11
                   March 1983 (jointly organized by CEC, IARC, IPCS, ILO and the Ministry of the Environment of
                   France), EUR 9163, Lyon, 1984 (joint IARC/CEC publication)
               13) Measurement of air pollution at Drax during the 1976 CEC remote sensing campaign, prepared by
                   R.A. SCRIVEN (CEGB), EUR 6420, 1979 (in series 'Environment and Quality of Life') (2)
               14) Proceedings of the World Symposium on Asbestos, jointly organized by the Commission of the
                   European Communities, the Government of Canada and the Government of Quebec, 25-27 May
                   1982, Montreal, 1982
              15) Shorebirds and Large Waterbirds Conservation, Proceedings of two workshops held in Durham
                   (United Kingdom), 17-18 September 1983, edited by P.R. EVANS, H. HAFNER and P. L'HERMITE,
                   Brussels, 1984 (available on request)
              16) Report on the EC epidemiological survey on the relationship between air pollution on respiratory
                   health in primary school children, edited by C. DU V. FLORY, A.V. SWAN, R. VAN DER LENDE,
                   W.W. HOLLAND, A. BERLIN and E. DI FERRANTE, Brussels, 1983 (available on request)
              17) Cadmium in the European Communities: a prospective assessment of sources, human exposure and
                   environmental impact, report prepared by M. HUTTON for the Commission of the European
                   Communities, published as MARC-Report No. 26, 1982
              18) Cadmium Exposure and Indicators of Kidney Function, report prepared by M. HUTTON for the
                   Commission of the European Communities, published as MARC-Report No. 29, 1983
              19) Stratosphere, Proceedings of a working party meeting held in Brussels on 18 May 1984, edited by A.
                   GHAZI, 1984 (available on request) (•*)
              20) Proceedings of the European Symposium on Environment and Chemicals in Agriculture, Dublin, 15-
                   17 October 1984, jointly organized by the Commission of the European Communities and the Irish
                   Government, edited by P. WINTERINGHAM, 1985 (in print)
              21) Atmospheric Ozone, Proceedings of a Symposium held in Halkidiki (Greece), 3-7 September 1984,
                   edited by C.S. ZERFOS and A. GHAZI, D. Reidel Publishing Company, Dordrecht, 1985, EUR 9574
          (') The reports of ad hoc working groups presented to this meeting are published under the title 'Long-Term
              and Short-Term Screening Assays for Carcinogens: A Critical Appraisal' as Supplement 2 to the IARC
              Monographs, Lyon, 1980.
          (2) The results of other CEC remote sensing campaigns are published in scientific journals or by the co-
              organizers; a complete list of these reports is available.
          (5) Comprises also work funded under the Climatology Programme.
 ---pagebreak--- 25. 11. 85                            Official Journal of the European Communities                                   N o C 301/31
            C) REPORT AND PUBLICATIONS GENERATED WITHIN THE CONCERTED ACTIONS
                C.I)  Physico-Chemical Behaviour of Atmospheric Pollutants (COST 61a) 0)
                      a) Executive Reports (2)
                          1) Final Report of the Management Committe of COST Project 61a 'Physico-Chemical
                              Behaviour of S 0 2 in the Atmosphere', Brussels 1977 (also available in DE and FR)
                          2) Activity report of the Community-COST Concertation Committee covering the period
                              October 1978-December 1980 (also available in DE and FR)
                          3) Activity report of the Community-COST Concertation Committee covering the period
                              January-December 1981 (also available in DE and FR)
                          4) Final activity report of the Community-COST Concertation Committee for the period
                              1978-1983
                      b) Proceedings of Conferences and Other Publications
                          1) Proceedings of the First European Symposium 'Physico-Chemical Behaviour of Atmospheric
                              Pollutants', Ispra, 16-18 October 1979, edited by B. VERSINO and H. O T T , EUR 6621,
                              Brussels/Luxembourg, 1980
                          2) Proceedings of the Second European Symposium 'Physico-Chemical Behaviour of Atmos-
                              pheric Pollutants', Varese, 29 September - 1 October 1981, edited by B. VERSINO and H.
                              OTT, D. Reidel Publishing Company, Dordrecht, 1982, EUR 7624
                          3) Acid Deposition, Proceedings of a CEC-Workshop, Berlin, 9 September 1982, edited by S.
                              BEILKE and A.J. ELSHOUT, D. Reidel Publishing Company, Dordrecht, 1983, EUR 8307
                          4) Proceedings of the Third European Symposium 'Physico-Chemical Behaviour of Atmos-
                              pheric Pollutants', Varese, 10-12 April 1984, edited by B. VERSINO and G. ANGELETTI,
                              D. Reidel Publishing Company, Dordrecht, 1984, EUR 9436
                          5) Oxidation reactions in the troposphere, Proceedings of a CEC workshop held in Orleans,
                              30-31 October 1984 (available on request)
                C.II) Analysis of Organic Micropollutants in Water (COST 64b)
                      a) Executive Reports (3)
                          1) Summary report on COST Project 64b 'Analysis of Organic Micropollutants in Water' and
                              third report of the Management Committee for the year ending 31 October 1975, Brussels,
                              1976 (also available in DE and FR)
                          2) Activity report of the Community-COST Concertation Committee covering the period
                              October 1978-December 1981, Brussels, 1982 (also available in DE and FR)
                          3) Summary report (1978-1983) and activity report of the Community-COST Concertation
                              Committees covering the period January 1982 - December 1983, Brussels, 1984 (also
                              available in DE and FR)
                      b) Proceedings of Conferences and Other Reports
                          1) Proceedings of the First European Symposium 'Analysis of Organic Micropollutants in
                              Water', held in Berlin, 11-13 December 1979, Brussels, 1982 (available on request)
                          2) Proceedings of the Second European Symposium 'Analysis of Organic Micropollutants in
                              Water', held in Killarney (Ireland), 17-19 November 1981, edited by G. ANGELETTI and
                              A. BJ0RSETH, D. Reidel Publishing Company, Dordrecht, 1982, (EUR 7623)
                         .3) Proceedings of the Third European Symposium 'Analysis of Organic Micropollutants in
                              Water', held in Oslo, 19-21 September 1983, edited by G. ANGELETTI and A. BJ0RSETH,
                              D. Reidel Publishing Company, Dordrecht, 1984, EUR 8518
           (J) From 1972 to 1976, this project was implemented under the title 'Physico-Chemical Behaviour of S 0 2 in
               the Atmosphere'.
           (2) These reports contain a comprehensive list of internal reports available on request.
           (3) These reports contain a comprehensive list of international reports available on request.
 ---pagebreak--- No C 301/32                            Official Journal of the European Communities                                        25. 11. 85
                          4) A comprehensive list of polluting substances which have been identified in various fresh
                               waters, effluent discharges, aquatic animals and plants, and bottom sediments, fourth
                               edition, four volumes, Brussels, 1984, compiled by Water Research Centre, Stevenage
                               (available on request) (!)
                          5) Behaviour and transformation of organic micropollutants in water treatment processes,
                               Proceedings of a CEC Workshop held in Barcelona, 19-20 November 1984 (available on
                               request)
                          6) Methodologies for the analysis of organic micropollutants in the aquatic environment,
                               Proceedings of a CEC Workshop held in Ghent, 27-29 November 1984 (in print)
               CHI) Treatment and use of sewage sludge (COST 68) (2)
                       a) Executive Reports (3)
                           1) Final report of the Management Committee on COST Project 68 'Sewage Sludge Processing',
                               1972-1975, Brussels, 1975 (available on request)
                           2) Final report of the Community COST Concertation Committee covering the period 1976-
                               1980, Brussels, 1981 (available on request)
                               — Part I:    General Report (also available in FR and DE)
                               — Part II: Scientific Report
                               — Part III: Technical Annexes
                           3) Activity report of the Community-COST Concertation Committee covering the period
                                October 1980 - June 1982, Brussels, 1982 (available on request)
                           4) Final report of the Community-COST Concertation Committee covering the period 1981-
                                1983, Brussels, 1984 (available on request)
                               — Part I: General Report (also available in FR and DE)
                               — Part II: Scientific Report
                       b) Proceedings of Conferences
                             1) Treatment and Use of Sewage Sludge, Proceedings of a CEC Symposium held in Cadarache,
                                 13-15 February 1979, edited by D. ALEXANDRE and H. O T T , Brussels 1980 (available
                                 on request)
                             2) Phosphorus in Sewage Sludge and Animal Waste Slurries, Proceedings of a CEC Seminar
                                 held in Groningen, 12-13 June 1980, edited by T.W.G. HUCKER and G. CATROUX, D.
                                 Reidel Publishing Company, Dordrecht, 1981, EUR 7112
                             3) Copper in Animal Wastes and Sewage Sludge, Proceedings of a CEC workshop held in
                                 Bordeaux, 8-10 October 1980, edited by P. L'HERMITE and J. DEHANDTSCHUTTER,
                                 D. Reidel Publishing Company, Dordrecht, 1981, EUR 7196
                             4) Characterization, Treatment and Use of Sewage Sludge, Proceedings of the Second
                                 European Symposium held in Vienna, 21-23 October 1980, edited by P. L'HERMITE and
                                 H. OTT, D. Reidel Publishing Company, Dordrecht, 1981, EUR 7076
                             5) The Influence of Sewage Sludge Application on Physical and Biological Properties of Soils,
                                 Proceedings of a CEC seminar held in Munich, 23-24 June 1981, edited by G. CATROUX,
                                 P. L'HERMITE and E. SUESS, D. Reidel Publishing Company, Dordrecht, 1982, EUR
                                 8023
                             6) Disinfection of Sewage Sludge: Technical, Economic and Microbiological Aspects, Pro-
                                 ceedings of a CEC workshop held in Zurich, 11-12 May 1982, edited by A.M. BRUCE,
                                 A.H. HAVELAAR and P. L'HERMITE, D. Reidel Publishing Company, Dordrecht, 1982,
                                 EUR 8024
                             7) Environmental Effects of Organic and Inorganic Contaminants in Sewage Sludge, Proceed-
                                 ings of a CEC seminar held in Stevenage, 25-26 May 1982, edited by R.D. DAVIS, T.W.G.
                                 HUCKER and P. L'HERMITE, D. Reidel Publishing Company, Dordrecht, 1983, EUR
                                 8022
          (') 1st edition, 1974;
             . 2nd edition, 1976;
               3rd edition, two volumes, 1979 (all out of print).
          (2) From 1972 to 1984, this project was implemented under the title 'Sewage Sludge Processing'.
          (3) These reports comprise a comprehensive list of internal reports available on request.
 ---pagebreak--- 25. 11. 85                              Official Journal of the European Communities                                    No C 301/33
                            8) Nitrogen and Phosphorus Value of Sewage Sludges; state of knowledge and practical
                                recommendations, Brussels, 1982 (available on request)
                            9) Utilisation of Sewage Sludge on Land: Rates of Application and Long-Term Effects of
                                Metals, Proceedings of a CEC Seminar held in Uppsala, 7-8 June 1983, edited by S.
                                BERGLUND, R.D. DAVIS and P. L'HERMITE, D. Reidel Publishing Company, Dor-
                                drecht, 1984, EUR 8822
                           10) Methods of Characterisation of Sewage Sludges, Proceedings of a CEC Workshop held in
                                Dublin, 6 July 1983, edited by T.J. CASEY, P. L'HERMITE and P.J. NEWMAN, D.
                                Reidel Publishing Company, Dordrecht, 1984, EUR 9171
                           11) Processing and Use of Sewage Sludge, Proceedings of the Third European Symposium
                                held in Brighton, 27-29 September 1983, edited by P. L'HERMITE and H. O T T , D. Reidel
                                Publishing Company, Dordrecht, 1984, EUR 9129
                           12) Chemical Methods for Assessing Bio-available Metals in Sludge and Soils. Proceedings of
                                a Seminar held at Munster (FRG) on 11-13 April 1984, edited by R. LESCHBER, R.D.
                                DAVIS and P. L'HERMITE, Elsevier Applied Science Publishers Ltd. (in print)
                           13) Inactivation of Micro-organisms in Sewage Sludge by Stabilisation Processes. Proceedings
                                of a round-table held at Stuttgart-Hohenheim (FRG) on 8-10 October 1984, edited by D.
                                STRAUCH, A.H. HAVELAAR and P. L'HERMITE, Elsevier Applied Science Publishers
                                Ltd. (in print)
                           14) Long-term Effects of Sewage Sludge and Farm Slurries Applications. Proceedings of a
                                round-table held at Pisa (I) on 25-27 September 1984, edited by J.H. WILLIAM, G. GUIDI
                                and P. L'HERMITE, Elsevier Applied Science Publishers Ltd. (in print)
               CIV) Coastal Benthic Ecology (COST 47)
                       1) Activity report of the Management Committee for the period April 1979-March 1983, Brussels
                           1983 (available on request)
                       2) COST 47 Newsletter (Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4), published by the National Board for Science and
                           Technology, Dublin, Ireland
                       3) Final report of the Management Committee on COST Project 47, Coastal Benthic Ecology,
                           (in print).
                                                               ANNEX III
                                                                OPINION
           of the Management and Coordination Advisory Committee (CGC)—Environment and Climatology on the
                  draft proposal for an R & D Programme in the field of Environmental protection (1986 to 1990)
            1. The CGC discussed the draft proposal for a Research and Development Programme in the field of
                Environmental Protection (1986 to 1990) (Doc. XII/ENV/50/84). In formulating this Opinion, it took
                into account the views previously expressed by the ACPM—Environmental Research and the CREST
                Environmental Subcommittee.
            2. The Committee notes the substantial achievements of the previous programmes. It emphasizes the
                continuing need for a Community Programme on environmental-protection research, given the current
                concerns about environmental Problems. The Committee's comments and recommendations on specific
                aspects of the Proposal are listed below.
           Aims and objectives
            3. The CGC supports the aims of the proposed Programme which is designed to provide R & D support
                to the environmental policy of the Communities, and in particular to its Environment Action Programmes.
                The Programme should also provide a basis for the development of anticipatory and preventive policies.
            4. The Committee is of the opinion that the proposed Programme contributes to a number of the
                Communities' scientific and technical objectives, as defined in the Framework Programme, in particular
                the 'improvement of safety and protection of health' and 'protection of the environment and prevention
                of pollution'. It stresses the need to ensure coordination with the relevant activities and programmes in
                DG V, VI, XI, to be undertaken in close association with the CGC—Environment and Climatology.
 ---pagebreak--- No C 301/34                            Official Journal of the European Communities                                      25. 11. 85
          Ways of implementation
            5. The Committee endorses the three types of activities (contract research, concerted actions and catalytic
               activities) proposed to implement the Programme, and welcomes the introduction of the last (catalytic
               activites) as providing additional flexibility for its execution.
            6. The Committee urges a careful examination of the balance between these three activities, and requests
               an assurance of close links between them, as well as with relevant parts of the JRC R & D programme.
               It also recommends that the distribution of funds between the research areas be decided by the
               Commission in close consultation with the CGC.
            7. As far as Contract Research is concerned, the Committee strongly urges the simplification of procedures
               in the selection, administration and management of research projects, in order to ease the workload on
               Commission Services and on itself.
            8. In general, the Committee is of the opinion that Concerted Actions should be encouraged whenever
               appropriate. Furthermore, within the framework of the proposed Programme, cooperation between
               scientific institutes throughout the Community should be promoted, in particular by initiation of joint
               projects, exchange of scientists and organization of scientific meetings.
            9. The CGC recommends that the reporting of all types of EC-level environmental R & D be further
               improved.
          Scientific Content
          10. The CGC is in agreement with the contents of the proposed Programme. It suggests that within each
               area the priorities for EC environmental R & D be carefully defined by the Commission in consultation
               with it, taking into account the financial and manpower resources available, the scientific and technical
               capabilities within the Community, and the possibilities for effective coordination.
          11. The CGC recognizes that the differences in scientific, technical and economic capabilities within the
               Community should be taken into consideration. In particular, the Commission is urged to promote
               training in the light of the needs arising from the proposed R & D Programme.
          12. The CGC is aware of the current independent evaluation of EC level environmental research; it urges
               the Commission, in consultation with the Committee, to take proper account of the findings in the
               design and execution of future environmental research.
          Funding and Staff
          13. The proposed Programme represents a real, but realistic, strengthening of EC environmental research
               and development, which is necessary to meet the needs of the Environment Action Programmes.
          14. In order to achieve these aims, the CGC recognizes the need for the provision of adequate financial
               resources and staff, and that these will require a real increase compared with the resources provided in
               the third Environmental R & D Programme. The United Kingdom delegation reserves its position on
               this last point.
 ---pagebreak--- 25. 11. 85                           Official Journal of the European Communities                           N o C 301/35
                                                          PART II
              Draft proposal for a research and development programme in the field of climatology (1986
                            to 1990) as part of the research action programme—environment
A. THE R & D PROGRAMME—CLIMATOLOGY                                     December 1982; (ii) Symposium on Climate-
                                                                       Biosphere Interactions, Osnabriick, March 1983;
1. Introduction: the First Commission of the European                  (iii) Symposium on Desertification in European
    Communities (CEC) Climatology Programme                            Countries, Mitilini, April 1984.
    The programme proposed should be the continu-
    ation of the first Climatology Research Programme,
    which as a part of the Sectoral R &C D Programme                   Three Courses at the International School of
    in the field of Environment (1981 to 1985) was                     Climatology (Centre for Scientific Culture,
    decided upon by the Council on 3 March 1981. The                   Erice, Sicily) have been supported by the Com-
    contents of the first programme were                               mission, the teachers being chosen mostly from
                                                                       research workers involved in the EC Clima-
                                                                       tology programme, either as Advisory Commit-
                                                                       tee Members or as Contractors. The third course
                                                                       has been directed by a member of the Clima-
                                                                       tology staff of the CEC.
    Research area 1: Understanding       climate
                                                                          (i) Course on Climatic Variations: Facts and
    1.1. Reconstruction of past climates. Exploration
                                                                              Theories, March 1980;
          and analysis of: (a) natural records; (b) obser-
          vational and other historical records.
                                                                         (ii) Course on Carbon Dioxide and Climate,
                                                                              July 1982;
    1.2. Climate modelling and prediction
                                                                        (iii) Course on Climatic Aspects of Desert-
                                                                              ification, October 1983.
    Research area 2: Man-climate       interactions
                                                                        Publications: In addition to publications of con-
    2.1. Climate variability and European resources: (a)                tract research results in international Scientific
          impact on agricultural and water resources;                   Journals, the following books have appeared or
           (b) climatic hazards' evaluation; (c) impact on              are in preparation: (i) The Climate of Europe:
          energy requirements, use and production.                      Past Present and Future, H. Flohn and R. Fante-
                                                                        chi, Editors, Reidel 1984; (ii) Interactions
    2.2. Man's influence on climate: (a) chemical pol-                  between Climate and Biosphere, H. Lieth, R.
          lution of the atmosphere, with special emphasis               Fantechi and H. Schnitzler, Editors, Swets and
          on carbon dioxide accumulation; (b) release of                Zeitlinger 1984; (iii) Palaeoclimatic Research
          energy.                                                       and Models, A. Ghazi, Editor, Reidel 1983; (iv)
                                                                        Proceedings of a working party meeting 'Strato-
                                                                        sphere', CEC Report, A. Ghazi, Editor, 1984; (v)
                                                                        Climatic Aspects of Desertification, R. Fantechi,
    As regards the implementation of the first pro-                     J.P. Van Ypersele and A. Longhetto, Editors (in
    gramme, the following facts and figures can be                      preparation); (VI) Desertification in European
    quoted:                                                             Countries, R. Fantechi and N. Margaris, Editors
                                                                        (in preparation); (vii) Various Contact Group
     (a) Contracts. Overall, 115 contracts have been                    Meeting Reports.
         signed. The Commission of the EC has contrib-
         uted to the total costs of each contract an aver-
         age of about 30 %.
     (b) Meetings. Apart from the review Symposium                  To determine the state of the art as regards the
         to be mentioned later, and the Contact-Group               development of the previous programme, a review
         Meetings (Climate Modelling, Reconstitution of             Symposium was held in Sophia Antipolis, France,
         Past Climates, Anthropogenic Climate Pertur-               from 2 to 5 October 1984. The Symposium was
         bations, Climatic Impacts), the following                  devoted to the presentation and discussion of items
         specialized meetings have been organized, sup-             regarded as the highlights of the programme, but
         ported or sponsored: (i) Workshop on Palaeocli-            results from all the contracts were available in the
         matic Research and Models (PRAM), Brussels,                form of summary reports (l). The proceedings of
 ---pagebreak--- N o C 301/36                         Official Journal of the European Communities                                       25. 11. 85
    the Symposium themselves will be published as a                 bon cycle and mechanisms of carbon exchange
    book. Various rapporteurs were chosen by the-Com-               between various compartments have been explored.
    mission Services, assisted by the Climatology Advis-            The need for a continuing cooperative research
    ory Committee. On the basis of the evaluation                   effort has been recognized in this area which is
    offered by their reports, the continuation of the               situated at the intersection between all the others
    Climatology programme is well justified.                        The first programme has also been found promising
                                                                    as regards impact studies concerning agriculture,
                                                                    hydrology and energy, and successful in collecting,
                                                                    building and testing impact models. Further collab-
                                                                    oration in a continuing CEC programme is rec-
                                                                    ommended in order that the results of the climatic
    Quoting from the various Reports, it appears in
                                                                    impact studies may be soon made operational as
    particular that the EEC programme, in addition to
                                                                    tools for European decision making. It is recognized
    the specific results of the research, has accomplished
                                                                    that impact studies form an essential part of the
    the most useful function of bringing European cli-
                                                                    CEC Climatology Programme.
    matologists into contact and of favouring a flow of
     information between them, so that they became
     aware of the work going on elsewhere in Europe
    while having the opportunity to compare their
     results. It has been recognized that especially in the
     modelling area scientists can learn a great deal by        2. Background and Justification
    close intercomparison of sets of results derived inde-
    pendently, since it is extremely difficult to investi-          The justification given for the first programme
     gate mechanisms by experimental techniques,                    remains valid, but should be expanded on the basis
     because the climate itself can neither be exper-               of the results obtained and of the needs which in
     imented with nor reproduced adequately in the lab-             the meantime have emerged.
     oratory. The contacts established between model-
     lers and palaeoclimatologists within the CEC pro-
     gramme have already proved useful: palaeoclimato-               Among all the components of the human environ-
     logists have become more aware of the possibility               ment, climate (!) may certainly be said to be the most
     of interpreting their observations by means of                  important, or at least one of the most important. It
     models, and equally through this interaction model-             is anyway the one upon which our health and well-
     lers have learned about past climatic states, the               being, the amount of our water resources, the qual-
     simulation of which provides additional tests of the            ity and quantity of our harvests, our needs in terms
     applicability of their models.                                  of energy and shelter, largely depend.
                                                                     Climate can make any given region habitable to
                                                                     man, or the contrary.
     Concerning the prediction of climate with a high-               Climate is intrinsically variable, and natural climate
     CO atmospheric concentration, the work by Mit-                  variations are known to have had a major impact
     chell (British Meteorological Office) has in particu-           on human civilizations in the past, and their effects
     lar provided data for climatic impact evaluation.
     As regards palaeoclimatic research, the high degree        (!) The climatic system embraces atmosphere, ocean, floating
     of complementarity between various techniques                  and continental ice, soil and vegetation. All these sub-systems
     which it was possible to compare through the CEC               vary on quite different time scales and interact in complex
     programme has emerged. In particular, it would                 ways, partly damping, partly amplifying the motions and
     now be possible, on the basis of existing skills and           variations of each other. Therefore the climatic system as a
     experience, to develop a large research programme              whole is capable of undergoing fluctuations on many time
                                                                    scales, and because of their different lengths, ranging from
     on the dynamics of the last glacial/interglacial cycle,
                                                                    101 to 109 years, the climatic system can never be in equilib-
      involving the cooperation of modellers. Concerning            rium.
     Anthropogenic Climate Perturbations (the C 0 2                 Climate and weather are associated in the atmosphere
      issue) significant results have been obtained con-            through a complex interacting hierarchy of processes from
     cerning the level of preindustrial C 0 2 ; a l o w - C 0 2     small fine weather clouds to fully developed hurricanes and
     content has been found associated with the last                mid-latitude cyclones. But this fast-living system is only a
     glacial maximum; various aspects of the global car-            part of the much vaster and much more complex climatic
                                                                    system.
                                                                    As regard the atmospheric climate, it can be defined as
                                                                    the statistical description of the state (temperature, pressure,
                                                                    cloudiness, precipitation, wind) of the atmosphere at a par-
                                                                    ticular location over some specified time period (usually one
                                                                    month or longer) together with the oceanic, biospheric and
(') To be published soon as a EUR Report.                           land surface data regarded as boundary conditions.
 ---pagebreak--- 25. 11. 85                            Official Journal of the European Communities                           N o C 301/37
    have been keenly felt in droughts, bad harvests,               climate regime will depend in large part upon
    floods and other extremes and catastrophes even in             changes in the distribution of precipitation and soil
    recent years. There exists today no generally                  moisture over time and space, such as we should
    accepted explanation of these fluctuations, and                expect on a warmer Earth.
    there exists no reliable empirical or theoretical
    method for their prediction. The impact of man's
    expanding activities on climate also constitutes a
    potentially grave danger which cannot yet be prop-
    erly assessed.
                                                                   Climatic research is also justified by the fact that
                                                                   our society, due to increasing population and com-
                                                                   plexity of societal structures, and the consequently
    This is especially true nowadays with the manifold
                                                                   greater demand upon climate-dependent resources,
    problems posed by the increasing of the concen-
                                                                   is becoming increasingly vulnerable to such
    tration of the atmospheric carbon dioxide, due pri-
                                                                   extremes as droughts or heavy storms, with all their
    marily to fossil-fuel burning and at the same time
                                                                   consequences, such as wind or water erosion of
    to the clearing of large forest areas. The carbon
                                                                   soils, forest fires, depletion of water resources and
    dioxide issue may well be defined the great environ-
                                                                   increased need for irrigation water, occurrence of
    mental issue of the present century and of the next
                                                                   floods, etc. Even less drastic events, depending upon
    one. For the first time man looks capable of inducing
                                                                   the perturbations referred to above, would be cause
    a drastic change in his environment, the conse-
                                                                   for concern, especially for their occurrence during
    quences of which may be so far-reaching as to
                                                                   the sowing, growing and harvesting seasons.
    cause irreversible disruptions not only in the natural
    equilibrium as known so far, but also in economic
    and social structures. The threat is real and serious
    and much research is certainly needed to at least
    achieve a degree of preparation towards what well
    seems to be an inevitable change. We may at least
    hope to become able to avert some of the foreseen
    consequences.                                                  Many such climatic extremes have occurred during
                                                                   recent years and the economic and social impacts
                                                                   of some of these have sometimes been rather drastic:
                                                                   in 1972, for example, climatically caused de-
                                                                   ficiencies in different production areas accumulated.
    Among the latter, those most to be feared are those            A failure of the global cereal production by a few
    depending on perturbations of the temperature and              percent was accompanied by a price increase of a
    precipitation patterns, which according to a model             factor of three (H. Flohn, in 'Climatic Variations
    developed within the previous Climatology pro-                 and Variability', First Course of the International
    gramme could result in an increase in surface tem-             School of Climatology, Erice, 1980; Reidel Publish-
    perature over the European Community through                   ing Company, 1981). The starvation of millions
    the year, with a decrease in precipitation in Southern         of people in developing countries is nowadays an
    Europe and an increase in Northern Europe. The                 example of the kind of tragedies that mismanage-
    land surface in summer would be drier over the                 ment of resources, coupled to adverse climatic con-
    whole European Community. If these results were                ditions, can bring about. For these reasons the need
    confirmed by further research, the danger for Euro-            has been felt to strengthen the power of existing
    pean soils, agriculture and water resources would              European climate models so as to achieve the pre-
    be evident.                                                    dictability of the European climate on the seasonal
                                                                   (three to six months) scale. Such an effort should
                                                                   provide the tools we need for the kind of forecasting
                                                                   needed for policy decisions as regards the proper
                                                                   management of our land and water resources.
    The hydrologic cycle is in fact an important com-
    ponent of the climate system and determines
    regional water availability; precipitation and soil
    moisture storage add to the water supply, while
    evaporation, transpiration, and runoff subtract
    from it.
                                                                   Climatic change is therefore not only a subject of
                                                                   theoretical interest: the most compelling reasons for
                                                                   its study are in fact the growing awareness that
    The changes in precipitation due to a climate change           not only our climate-dependent resources, but our
    represent a key element in the study of potential              economic and social structures as well, are deeply
    climatic impacts on water supplies, and hence food.            influenced by climate, while man's activities them-
    Precipitation is, after all, the prime source of all our       selves may be able to contribute to climate's insta-
    fresh water. Water-resource planning for a future              bility, possibly in undesirable direrctions. It is that
 ---pagebreak--- No C 301/38                               Official Journal of the European Communities                                25. 11. 85
     awareness that has given rise to the World Climate                   encouraging present efforts and stimulating new
     Programme and has led to more intense efforts in                     research in a field of growing interest and urgency.
     climate research all over the world.                                 It has accomplished the most useful function of
                                                                          bringing European climatologists into contact, thus
                                                                          favouring a flow of information between them and
                                                                          making them aware of work going on elsewhere in
                                                                          Europe. Fruitful cooperation, not existing before,
     The critical nature of climate has to be stressed in                 has been established between modellers and palaeo-
     particular for the EC countries, which are closely                   climatologists, between scientists dealing with cli-
     interrelated both economically and socially, and                     mate impacts and modellers, between theoreticians
     which share regional climates extending across pol-                  and people concerned with data collection and
     itical boundaries. Thus any major impact, whether                    application. The continuation of such a cooperative
     of climatic variability on natural resources or of                   effort has been recognized as being necessary by top
     human activities on climate, could never be limited                  European climatologists if their work has to bring
     to any one European country. In this respect it may                  about such an understanding of climate as can lead
     also be observed that the EC Countries cover an                      to reliable tools for decision making as regards
     area which has the ideal dimensions for the study                    climate-dependent resources.
     of regional impacts, as distinguished from local
     or microclimatic and global effects. It is therefore
     appropriate to have a European programme within                      Hence the necessity of taking advantage of the many
     the broader international context as a contribution                  opportunities offered by the strengthening and
     to the overall effort, in the spirit of the solemn
                                                                          widening of the present efforts, and hence the justifi-
     Declaration of the World Climate Conference, and
                                                                          cation for the additional effort required for their
     with a strongly applied character aiming at a better
                                                                          implementation.
     understanding and management of our climate-
     dependent resources.
                                                                          One of the main results would be, inter alia, the
                                                                          achievement of an independent European view con-
                                                                          cerning the serious problems posed to our age by
                                                                          climate and its interactions with man.
     The expansion of the previous programme to the
      size proposed for the new one is therefore motivated
      by actual needs and is aimed at meeting vital chal-
      lenges that our future has in store (1).                            As regards the first Framework Programme for
                                                                          Community Research, the Climatology Programme
                                                                          concerns directly the following Scientific and Tech-
                                                                          nical Objectives:
      Because of the transfrontier nature of climatic prob-                1. Promoting agricultural competitiveness (30%).
      lems, and because of the fact that they can only
      be solved through an interdisciplinary approach,                    2. Improving      living   and  working     conditions
      climatological research is a field where coordinated                     (70%).
      and problem-oriented activities are most needed and
      efficient. The previous EC programme has proved
      its capability to bring together the best specialists
      available in each discipline, thus making the opti-
      mum use of their knowledge and experience, besides
                                                                       3. Objectives of the Programme
                                                                           As with the previous Programme, the one now
                                                                           proposed is concerned with a number of basic ques-
 (') The Subject Area Report VI 'World Climate and Climate                 tions concerning the correct understanding of our
     Change' (TGE ENV 9) issued by the Technology Growth                   climatic environment and the management of our
     and Employment working group instituted at the Versailles             climate-dependent resources.
     Summit of 4 to 6 June 1982, states that 'for example, the
     determination of the effect of increased C 0 2 involves palaeo-       1. How does the climate system work? How did it
     climatologists, glaciologists, biologists, chemists, meteorol-            evolve in the past, and how is it going to evolve
     ogists, oceanographers, agriculturalists, economists, etc., that          in the future?
     'the exchange of scientists, data and intercomparison of
     results between different countries should be encouraged to
     foster the development of new ideas', and that 'given that the        2. Upon which factors do climatic variations
     importance of a full understanding of climate change and its              depend? How does the system respond to vari-
     impact is essential to the well-being of nations, it is necessary         ous forcing factors, and especially to the conse-
     to accept that the achievement of this degree of understanding            quences of certain human activities?
     requires the commitment of significant resources for a long
     period of time for the necessary projects to be made' (sections       3. Especially as regards Europe, how can climatic
     37 to 39).                                                                variations affect our basic resources, namely
 ---pagebreak--- 25. 11. 85                            Official Journal of the European Communities                            No C 301/39
         water, soil, vegetation, food? How can such                     greater depth and on a larger scale. Such prob-
         climatic impacts be assessed in order to advan-                 lems include the growing vulnerability of par-
         tageously plan our future?                                      ticular areas to climatic factors likely to cause
                                                                         aridity and loss of vegetation, forest fires,
                                                                         floods, landslides, water and wind erosion of
                                                                         soils, and so on.
    Upon that basis, three Research Areas have been
    defined, namely:
                                                                   (iii) Impossible in the previous programme due to
    1. The Physical Basis of Climate.                                    the small budget thereto allocated, the need
                                                                         for making use of the possibilities offered by
    2. Climate Sensitivity.                                              satellite data analysis and applications is
                                                                         becoming increasingly imperative. The Com-
                                                                         mission has been already approached by vari-
    3. Climatic Impacts.                                                 ous sides in search for cooperation in this field.
                                                                         Ocean and land surface properties, most con-
                                                                         veniently explored by satellite data collection
    A description of these Research Areas is to be found                 and imagery, are growing in importance as
    in the following Section.                                            regards climate modelling and resource fore-
                                                                         casting.
    In respect of the previous programme, which was                (iv) The fact that Europe finds itself on the border
    mainly conceived as a pilot programme, the present                   of the northern desert belt of the Earth should
    proposals are characterized by a marked expansion                    add to our concerns. Desert belts lie beneath
    of various research items and objectives. In par-                    the two great atmospheric subsidence belts of
    ticular:                                                             our globe, and the present day circulation pat-
                                                                         terns of the atmosphere situate those belts in
      (i) The growing importance has been recognized                     the subtropical latitudes. In the perspective of
          of increasing our knowledge of the history of                  a climate change, induced by the increasing
          climate in the past, especially as regards the                 concentration of atmospheric C O , , the risk of
          relationship between climate and biosphere                     a northward shift of the nearest desert belt is
          conditions.                                                    possible and should therefore receive the closest
                                                                         attention.
          Such understanding would improve our capa-
          bility of forecasting future situations especially
          as regards climate-vegetation (in particular, cli-
          mate-deforestation), climate-water resources             The programme would have a twofold structure: (i)
          and climate-soil conditions.                             a conceptual structure defined by the three research
                                                                   areas described below, as the basis for judging the
          Hence the need of strenghtening the cooper-              relevance of research projects to the programme;
          ation between palaeoclimatologists and climate           (ii) an operational structure, mainly defined by the
          modellers, while expanding the power and                 condition that projects should be cooperative. It is
          scope of present modelling efforts.                      in fact felt that a second Climatology programme
                                                                   should be based explicitly upon projects involving
                                                                   more than one Member State.
     (ii) Due to the importance of climate models as
          regards forecasting future conditions, signifi-
          cantly greater efforts should be exerted to
          improve our modelling capabilities.
          In this context the importance has been recog-
          nized, not only of improving existing models,
          but also of engaging in intercomparisons of
          models on the European and world scales.
                                                                4. The Conceptual Structure of the Programme
          In particular, it has been recognized that times
          are ripe for European scientists to engage in
          exploring the feasibility of seasonal (three to
                                                                   4.1. Research Area I: the Physical Basis of Climate
          six months) forecasting of elements of the Euro-
          pean climate. All such efforts should provide
          well-tested approaches that could be used for                   The global climate system involves the atmos-
          policy decisions and resource management.                       phere, the oceans, the snow and ice masses, the
                                                                          land surfaces and the biosphere. Despite the
          Problems arising from possible climate change                   complexity of the system, it is essential to
          or variations could thereby be studied at a                     understand its mechanism, and as a matter of
 ---pagebreak---  No C 301/40                            Official Journal of the European Communities                                  25. 11. 85
            fact considerable progress is being made in that               six months) forecasting of elements of the
            direction, thanks especially to new empirical                  European climate should be studied. Such
            and theoretical approaches involving the use                   efforts should aim at providing approaches that
            of satellite remote sensing and computer math-                 could be used for policy decisions and resource
            ematical modelling.                                            management.
            One way of gaining insight into how the mech-                  The following structure is proposed for the
            anism behaves would be to understand how                       present research area:
            the climate has varied in the past. Studies of
            past climatic changes provide valuable infor-
            mation on the interactions of the atmosphere,                  4.1.1. Past climates and climatic change
            oceans, ice masses and the land surfaces. The
                                                                                   Coordinated investigations involving
            responses of the climate system to such forcing
                                                                                   palaeochmatologists and climate mod-
            factors as changes in the orbital parameters of
                                                                                   ellers, or aiming at a quantitative evalu-
            the Earth could also be studied.
                                                                                   ation of palaeoclimatological par-
                                                                                   ameters such as can be used in models,
                                                                                   will be encouraged.
            Research into the fundamental physical and
            chemical processes that influence climate is also             4.1.2. Climatologically significant processes
            needed in order to understand the latter and
            predict its evolution. Studies of those processes                      Studies should be aimed at improving
            should therefore be aimed at improving the                             the physical formulation of processes,
            physical formulation and 'parametrization' in                          for inclusion in preferably complete 3D
            climatic models.                                                       models, and as a basis for investigation
                                                                                   in all the three research areas. The pro-
                                                                                   cesses concerned include land-surface
                                                                                   processes, ocean processes, biogeo-
            Modelling and predicting climate changes,                              chemical cycles, cloud and related radi-
            especially as regards Europe, have in fact                             ation processes, aerosols, sun-earth pro-
            acquired a sense of urgency, especially with the                       cesses,    cryosphere.      Climatological
            realization that anthropogenic activities can                          applications of, satellite data analyses
            induce or accelerate such changes.                                     are here included.
                                                                          4.1.3. Modelling and predicting European cli-
            Models should therefore be developed and                               mates within a global context
            applied in order to provide accurate predictions
                                                                                   Interannual variability and teleconnec-
            of both natural and inadvertent climatic vari-
                                                                                   tions will be priority areas. Studies of
            ations, by including as many as possible of
                                                                                   model intercomparisons would be
            the components of the system and coupled
                                                                                   encouraged.
            feedback processes in a realistic manner.
                                                                          4.1.4. Forecasting European climates
            A certain amount of effort should be devoted                           Studies would be encouraged concern-
            to investigations dealing with the interannual                         ing the feasibility of the seasonal (three
            variability of climate and with teleconnec-                            to six months) forecasting of elements
           tions( 1 ). Understanding gained by such studies                        of the European climate.
           will be a necessary foundation for simulating
           and predicting European climate on longer
           time scales and for climate sensitivity studies.
           One primary objective is the development of
           climate simulation and prediction models able
           to make forecasts of the European climate. In             4.2. Research Area 11: Climate       Sensitivity
           particular, the feasibility of seasonal (three to
                                                                          Life on Earth depends critically on climate
(!) The spatial coherencies that control climatic anomalies at            factors such as precipitation, temperature and
    different locations. Those anomalies are therefore not ran-           sunlight which interact with soil, air, water
    domly distributed.                                                    and biomass—our basic resources.
 ---pagebreak--- 25. 11. 85                           Official Journal of the European Communities                           No C 301/41
         For the studies of long-term sensitivity of cli-                       which could be used as early indicators
         mate, changes in all these climate factors have                        of climatic change. Improvement of
         to be considered. The variations of the atmos-                         techniques for detecting the signal
         pheric climate over years to decades can only                          above noise level.)
         be fully understood when coupled dynamics
         of oceans and global atmosphere and their
         interactions with terrestrial ecosystems are
         adequately described.
                                                                  4.3. Research Area III: Climatic    Impacts
                                                                       It has been noted under Research Area II that
                                                                       life on Earth depends critically on climate.
                                                                       Therefore studies on the long-term sensitivity
         There is no doubt that, as regards climate, the               of climate to various external factors, implying
         most important problems are being posed by                    changes in the relevant climatic parameters,
         the increase of carbon dioxide in the atmos-                  have to be considered.
         phere and of the possible response of the
         Earth's climate to that increase. A proper
         research strategy should also include the study
         of the radiative effects of other potentially                 Conversely, the impacts that climatic changes
         active trace gases (e.g. H 2 0 , CH 4 , 0 3 ) and             or variability could have on such vital resources
         aerosols, while paying due attention to the                   as soil, water and vegetation should receive all
         study of aspects of the global carbon cycle                   our attention in order to develop the necessary
         important for climate together with changes                   preparation to any change that climate may
         in land surface factors. In addition, the data                have in store.
         relevant to the aforementioned climatologically
         significant processes (3.1.2.) should be continu-
         ously evaluated and compared with the model
         sensitivity studies.                                          The gravity of the problem is easily appreciated
                                                                       when one considers that, for instance, the
                                                                       hydrological cycle is a major component of the
                                                                       climatic mechanism, and that any perturbation
                                                                       of the hydrological cycle would affect our only
                                                                       source of fresh water and consequently the
                                                                       water resources and the agriculture of entire
         In this way a balanced approach on the basis of
                                                                       regions. Such perturbations would be of great
         modelling, monitoring and diagnostic studies
                                                                       importance for Europe, with its southern semi-
         should be developed in order to pave the way
                                                                       arid countries where climate is already a
         towards early and reliable detection of climate
                                                                       problem.
         change.
                                                                       Three time-and-space scales have to be con-
                                                                       sidered in this context:
         In this context, priority should be given to                  1. Large-scale changes: the response to global
         studies related to the possible effects of human                  long-term climate changes such as those
         influences, concerning European climates par-                     resulting from natural or man-induced fac-
         ticularly. The following items are considered                     tors ( C 0 2 accumulation, energy policies,
         to be essential to this research area:                            deforestation, etc.).
         4.2.1. Changes in atmospheric composition                     2. Medium-scale        fluctuations:     regional
                                                                           responses to medium-term climatic events,
                   (i) The climatic effect of enhanced                     such as droughts or severe cold or heat
                       co2.                                                periods.
                  (ii) Aspects of the global carbon cycle
                                                                       3. Short-term events: responses to extreme
                       important for climate prediction.
                                                                            (low-frequency, high-intensity) phenomena
                 (iii) The climatic effect of other trace                  such as severe storms and floods.
                       gases and particulates.
         4.2.2. The climatic effect of changes in land-                Correspondingly, the results of research con-
                 surface properties                                    ducted under this area should provide the basis
                                                                       for policy decisions and strategies in terms of
         4.2.3. Early detection of climatic change                     general preparation to the changes, fluctu-
                 (Identification and study of parameters               ations and hazards mentioned.
 ---pagebreak--- No C 301/42                          Official Journal of the European Communities                               25. 11. 85
        Efforts should therefore be pursued in order to                        more than one EEC Member State, with-
        develop a suitable methodology for climatic                            out excluding some of them that may
        impact assessment.                                                     belong to the same Member State.
                                                                         (ii) Research contracts should contain specific
                                                                               provisions for stimulating the European
        With all such aims in view, research work                              scientific potential by various means such
        under this area should therefore be concerned                          as (a) exchange of research workers
        with the impacts of variations in the climatic                         between institutions cooperating in the
        system, or in any of its components, on Euro-                          same project; and/or (b) participation in
        pean land and water resources, and food pro-                           the project of scientists belonging to
        duction. Priority would be given to investi-                           research institutions not receiving funds
        gations based on well-documented impacts                               from the CEC Climatology Research Pro-
        from the past and to the response to increasing                        gramme but considered to be valid collab-
        co2.                                                                   orators within the framework of the coor-
                                                                               dination action described below; and/or
                                                                               (c) training of pre- and post-graduate
                                                                               research workers.
        The following research items should be con-
        sidered under this area:                                        (iii) The contract research should be coupled
                                                                               to an effort to coordinate the on-going
                                                                               research activities within Member States,
        4.3.1. Impact of climatic change or variability                        which should allow the achievement of
                  on land resources, including soil, and                       a close cooperation even among research
                  ecosystems, with special attention to                        institutions not receiving funds from the
                  desertification problems.                                    programme.
        4.3.2. Impact of climatic change or variability
                  on European water resources, including                (iv) With the assistance of the Advisory Com-
                  the development of climate-based                             mittee for Management and Coordination,
                  models for their evaluation and fore-                        the following activities should be carried
                  casting.                                                     out:
        4.3.3. Response of European vegetation to                             (a) Interdisciplinary expert meetings, the
                  increasing atmospheric C 0 2 in the con-                        purpose of which should be the examin-
                  text of a climate change.                                       ation and discussion of specific prob-
                                                                                  lems of special importance.
        4.3.4. Impact of climatic change or variability
                                                                              (b) Courses on selected climatological or
                  on sea resources and fisheries.
                                                                                  climate-related problems, to be held in
                                                                                  turn in various EC research organiz-
        4.3.5. Application of climatic knowledge to a
                                                                                  ations involved in the programme.
                  better management of land and water
                  resources.                                                  (c) Especially as an output of (a) and (b),
                                                                                  the publication of a series of volumes
        4.3.6. Causes, mechanisms and impacts of cli-                             dealing with important, climate-related
                  matological anomalies and extreme or                            problems.
                  abrupt events, with the aim in view of
                  reducing human and material losses.
                                                                   5.2. Management        and funding
                                                                        The Programme will be managed by the Com-
5. The Operational Structure of the Programme                           mission Services, assisted by the Environment
                                                                        and Climatology Advisory Committee for
                                                                        Management and Coordination.
   5.1.     Implementation
         The Programme will be implemented by means                     The distribution of resources between research
        of cost-sharing contracts with private and pub-                 areas should be determined by the Commission
         lic research institutions in the Member States,                in consultation with the Advisory Committee
         according to the following criteria:                           for Management and Coordination. A small
                                                                        indicative amount of about 5 % of the total
           (i) Research projects acceptable for funding                 budget should be used for the coordination,
               should be based on cooperation between                   education and training activities described
               different research institutions belonging to             above.
 ---pagebreak--- 25. 11. 85                               Official Journal of the European Communities                                    N o C 301/43
         Considering the transfrontier character of cli-                              the incorporation of training activities, so
         matic problems, provisions will be made to                                   far financed from a specific budget,
         offer participation in the research programme
                                                                                      the necessity of improving our modelling
         to COST countries.
                                                                                      capabilities, through expansion of the pre-
         The amount of EC funding estimated necessary                                 sent models and model intercomparisons,
         for the entire five-year period (1986 to 1990) is                            the planned attempt at forecasting the
         25 million ECU and the required number of                                    European climate on a seasonal scale (three
         staff is six.                                                                to six months),
         These allocations represent an increase with                                 the analysis and application of satellite
         respect to the previous pilot programme. Such                                data,
         an increase is justified by:                                                 the intensification of research on the cli-
         — the enlargement of the Community, to be                                    matic effect of enhanced C 0 2 and conse-
              effective in 1986,                                                      quent impacts on land and water resources.
                                                                ANNEX
                                                               OPINION
             of the Management and Coordination Committee (CGC) — Environment and Climatology on the draft
                              proposal for and R & D Programme in the field of Climatology (1986 to 1990)
               1. The CGC discussed in detail the draft proposal for a Council Decision adopting a Research and
                  Development Programme in the field of Climatology and in formulating this opinion took into account
                  the fact that its contents have been drafted with the close cooperation of the Climatology ACPM
                  established to assist the Commission in implementing the first research programme in Climatology (1981
                  to 1985).
               2. Subject to the comments below the Committee strongly endorses the proposed programme because of
                  the overwhelming importance of climate and its possible variations on human activities, the transnational
                  nature of climate issues, and the very successful outcome of the first EC research programme in
                  climatology which will come to an end in 1985, with regard to both the scientific results and the
                  development of European cooperation.
             Aims and Objectives
              3. The CGC endorses the aims and objectives of the proposed Programme as defined in the draft proposal.
                  Within this framework, it recognizes the continuing need to provide R & D support to the environmental
                  policy of the Communities, and in particular to the Environment Action Programme.
              4. The Committee is also of the opinion that the proposed Programme will provide a positive contribution
                  to a number of the Communities' scientific and technical objectives, as defined in the Framework
                  Programme, in particular the 'improvement of safety and protection of health' and 'protection of the
                  environment and prevention of hazards'. The Committee takes note that in coordination with the
                  agricultural research programme, relevant research needs in agriculture will also be convered.
             Scientific Content
              5. The Committee is in agreement with the scientific content of the proposed programme. This is in line
                  with the current concern throughout the Community about environmental problems, such as, for
                  instance, those posed by enhanced atmospheric C 0 2 , to the solution of which climatological research
                  can effectively contribute. The scope of the proposed Programme is also in line with the broad tenets of
                  the Framework Programme.
                  In order to achieve those aims, the CGC appreciates the expansion of the previous programme particularly
                  as regards the following items:
                    i) the strengthened cooperation both between different areas of the programme (e.g. palaeoclimatology
                       and climate modelling) and between teams in different Member States;
 ---pagebreak--- No C 301/44                           Official Journal of the European Communities                                          25. 11. 85
               ii) the application to climatological research of possibilities offered by modern techniques (satellite data
                   analysis, model intercomparison, attempts at forecasting European climates on the seasonal scale);
              iii) the application of climatological data op the forecasting and prevention of climatic extreme or abrupt
                   events;
              iv) the study of desertification processes in European countries and of the climate-induced natural
                   disasters.
              It considers that the distribution of resources between research areas should be determined by the
              Commission in consultation with the Committee itself.
           6. It also recognizes that the differences in scientific, technical and economic capabilities and requirements
              within the Community should be taken into appropriate consideration.
           7. The CGC strongly supports the further development of anticipatory and preventive environmental
              policies, and considers that EC level climatological R & D should help provide a basis for such policies.
          Ways of implementation
           8. The Committee endorses the ways proposed to implement the programme and especially the fact that
              cooperation between scientific institutes of the Member States will be strongly supported by means of
              joint projects, exchanges of research workers and scientific meetings.
           9. The Committee is also of the opinion that the training activities described in the draft proposal should
              be encouraged whenever appropriate, and that the results of such actions be made widely available.
          Funding and Staff
          10. The proposal represents a realistic programme for EC climate research taking account of the needs and
              opportunities in the field in Europe.
              The CGC recognizes the need for the provision of adequate financial resources and staff, and that this
              will require a real increase in fundings as compared to the first Climatology programme. The UK
              delegation is not able to express an opinion on funding. The German delegation states the programme
              to be absolutely necessary on scientific grounds, but cannot express an opinion on funding.
 ---pagebreak--- .25. 11. 85                                 Official Journal of the European Communities                               N o C 301/45
                                                                   PART III
                Proposal for a research and development programme in the field of major technological
                         hazards as part of the 1986 to 1990 research action programme — Environment
 I.   INTRODUCTION                                                            cept. But, statistically speaking, dangers to the
                                                                              public-at-large arise primarily from bulk flam-
                                                                              mable and bulk toxics'and more particularly from
 1.1. The present document outlines motivations and                           their bulk transportation and storage. Danger dis-
        contents of a shared-cost research programme on                       tances are typically a few kilometres.
        major technological hazards [x) to be implemented
        in the period 1986 to 1990 as part of the Research
        Action Programme on Environment.
                                                                        1.3. A number of other issues, sometimes of compar-
                                                                              able or greater magnitude, are not covered here
        This shared-cost programme does not purport to                        for reasons of consistency of work proposed, or
        encompass the whole spectrum of industrial haz-                       because they are subject to own forms of control.
        ards, or of loss-prevention research. As a guiding                    For instance:
        principle, attention is focused on categories of
        comparatively infrequent, but highly significant                      — natural/ecological disasters; nuclear energy;
        accidents (in terms of loss of lives, material damage                      mining activities,
        or environmental impact) which may occur in
        diverse transportation, energy-related or process
                                                                              — high condensed explosives for military pur-
        activities. A similar approach is manifest in the
        Member States, where indeed appropriate standing                           poses,
        bodies exist already, dealing specifically with the
        major hazards issue.                                                  — transportation of people,
                                                                              — to some degree, a wide variety of industrial
                                                                                   incidents of lesser impact, or not susceptible of
 1.2. Major hazards presently considered are of chemi-                             escalating to major proportions.
        cal and petrochemical origin and associated, for
        instance, with:
        — large inventories of flammable/explosive sub-                        For the latter category, however, knowledge and
             stances, principally common hydrocarbon fuels                     methodologies often accrue from the major haz-
             and derived chemicals,                                            ards research proposed and a rigid borderline
                                                                               should not be drawn always. Conversely too, some
        — large inventories of unstable or very reactive                       methodologies developed in other fields of research
             substances (some nitrates, liquid hydrogen and                    (nuclear safety, atmospheric transport of pol-
             oxygen),                                                          lutants, toxicology, etc.) can profitably be trans-
                                                                               posed and interdisciplinary studies are sometimes
        — large inventories of common toxic chemicals,                         called for.
             consumed or present in process industries
             (chlorine, ammonia and many other lesser
             ones), -
                                                                         1.4. A second guiding principle restricts however the
        — small inventories of very toxic and persistent
                                                                               number and nature of research areas one may
             chemicals.                                                        successfully tackle under a shared-cost scheme.
                                                                               Shared-cost research consists in sectoral groupings
                                                                               of a finite number of projects each, pooling expert-
        It is indeed in such spirit that the EC Council                        ise, facilities (often extant) and eventually results.
        Directive (2) on the major accident hazards of cer-                    The areas proposed below for shared-cost work
        tain industrial activities was drafted and its                         focus on well-defined problems and situations and,
         annexes list process activities and above all sub-                    as a result, potential projects.
         stances, with appropriate threshold quantitives, to
         which its requirements apply. Those thresholds
        embody an approximate 'equivalent hazard' con-
                                                                               Those projects are generally of marked experimen-
                                                                               tal, physical-modelling or engineering content and
                                                                               often call for complex and expensive experimental
  (') The term 'industrial risk' is also used, e.g. with respect to            validations or simulations, justifying a pooling of
      certain activities of the JRC, but it has a broader meaning.             resources and results at EC level. Others address
  (2) OJ No L 230, 5. 8. 1982.                                                 common problems, of risk management and
 ---pagebreak--- No C 301/46                            Official Journal of the European Communities                                 25. 11. 85
       acceptance. All then lend themselves well to coop-              histories could be cited retroactively to the last
       erative ventures, teaming-up of researchers and                 century, covering (in decreasing order of fre-
       thorough exchange of up-to-date scientific and                  quency) transportation, storage and process-plant
       regulatory information, within the Community.                   disasters.
                                                                       Actually, considerable daily attention is paid by
                                                                       industry to operational safety and to the control
                                                                       and mitigation of accidental events; it should cer-
                                                                       tainly not be thought, that the issue is one of
1.5. The present shared-cost research programme pro-
                                                                       malpractice. The problem rather resides in the
       posal thus addresses a limited group of highly
                                                                       ubiquity of the chemical/petrochemical hazard
       significant issues at this stage. Other facets of
                                                                       and, for historical reasons, its proximity to popu-
       relevance are already addressed by the on-going
                                                                       lated areas and transportation links, potentially
       direct action research programme on 'Industrial
                                                                       magnifying accident consequences.
       risk' at the Joint Research Centre, or by other
       Directorates-General of the Commission, and also
       by way of concerted/catalytic actions, as will
       appear next. It should indeed be emphasized, that
       the field of loss prevention and safety promotion         II.2. Clearly, the siting or transportation situation
       is extremely wide and calls for a variety of                    extant could not and cannot be improved upon in
       approaches.                                                     a very short time, whereas potential problems have
                                                                       grown together with the 'size' of carriers, storages
                                                                       and plants and the enormous diversification of
                                                                       derived substances. Improvements are, however,
                                                                       steadily possible on several fronts:
       Those approaches form a coherent whole and this                 — prevention, by appropriate design, mainten-
       shared-cost proposal should not be viewed in iso-                    ance, choice of alternative processes, transport
       lation: it is indeed one component of a broader                      regulations, etc.,
       overall Community approach, to the major haz-
       ards issue. Common guidelines result from:                      — mitigation, by appropriate built-in counter-
                                                                            measures and contingency/emergency plan-
       — the options and objectives of the Framework                        ning,
           Programme,
                                                                       — safety audit appropriate siting and        monitoring
       — the requirements of the Directive,                                 of plants and terminals.
       — the integration of research efforts within one
           single Research Action Programme (RAP) on                    These, in turn, demand well-founded knowledge
           Environment, major hazards/industrial risk                   for proper evaluations and predictions, of what-
           sector.                                                      ever major damage potential and, correspondingly,
                                                                        for eventual decisions. This is where and why
                                                                        appropriate safety research is needed, in an essen-
                                                                       tial manner.
       The last is of particular significance here, allowing
       an optimum repartition of efforts and resources           II.3. One cannot but emphasize the extreme complexity
       between the various types of activities, consider-              and manifold aspects of most phenomena dealt
       ation taken of best competences extant, while pre-              with here and, as a result, the embryonic state
       serving the benefit of integration. This is also why,           of much present knowledge. That complexity is
       of necessity, ample recall is made below (e.g. under            physical and intrinsic, it is not simply due to the
       C: evaluation and management of risk) of topics                 evident variety of accident circumstances and evol-
       currently addressed at the JRC and elsewhere.                   ution ( ] ), of which proper account must also be
                                                                       taken. One reason is, that the underlying processes
                                                                       can often be strongly influenced by seemingly lesser
                                                                       factors and fraught with considerable 'variability'.
                                                                       A fair amount of research has been devoted, some-
II. JUSTIFICATIONS                                                     times for many years, to certain of those problems.
                                                                       More recently, increasing attention being paid to
II. 1. Several recent catastrophic events (Cubatao, Mex-               some areas proposed below under Sector A, pro-
       ico City, Bhopal) have once again illustrated the
       hazard potential of bulk fuels and chemicals. Such        (') Proverbially, each accident is a unique event (albeit with
       concern is not new, and extensive lists of case               patterns).
 ---pagebreak--- 25. 11. 85                            Official Journal of the European Communities                             N o C 301/47
      gress has been achieved topically, (i.e. with respect           a mutually-acceptable safety philosophy, would
      to particular aspects or experimental conditions)               bring very tangible results in the design and oper-
      but knowledge often remains too fragmentary for                 ation of hazardous plants.
      qualified overall predictions. Similarly, 'learning
      from precedents' would be of limited help: the
      number of major accidents on record and
      adequately documented is reduced, the variety of
      conceivable ones endless.                                 II.6. The quantitative evaluation of single hazardous
                                                                      objects is not, however, altogether separable from
                                                                      their context, human and geographical, nor from
                                                                       the appreciation of the likelihood of predicted
                                                                      events. This is why sizeable research efforts are
                                                                       also devoted to:
                                                                      — human aspects in general, be it plant or carrier
II.4. The formulation and implementation of the Direc-
                                                                            staff or the public-at-large,
      tive, its embodiment in national legislations, will
      now result in the systematic safety assessment of
                                                                      — global siting and transportation issues,
      a great many so-called 'potentially hazardous
      industrial objects' (albeit of relevant magnitude).
                                                                      — probabilistic approaches.
      This pertains to fixed installations (process plants,
      storages, terminals), as well as to mobile items
      (rail- and road-tankers, marine carriers), but the
      predictive and assessment methodologies are basi-
      cally the same.                                                 Broader issues are often addressed here, interfacing
                                                                       with policy or regulatory ones and a variety of
                                                                      topics results. Some salient ones are listed below,
                                                                       under Sector C, but the list is not exhaustive.
      Evaluations to come will thus require better-found-              One may note that some also pertain to the JRC
      ed methodologies and data bases and render desir-                'Industrial risk' programme headings and that
      able a common approach to risk analysis, guided                 efforts will be integrated, within the RAP —
      by the common requirements of the Directive.                    Environment.
      Under that heading, research chiefly aims at
      improved physical understanding, modelling and
      simulation, in a determinist spirit, and the shared-
      cost approach is eminently suitable in view of
      expertise and facilities extant in the Member States      II.7. Some broad issues, however, are not reducible to
      and of the cost and complexity of such research.                the content (or spirit) of one given Sector and call
      Areas outlined under Sector A illustrate its major              for an integrated approach, possibly spanning all
      aspects and issues.                                             three. 'Cross-sectoral' studies, to be launched early
                                                                      in the programme, on a few relevant themes, will
                                                                      highlight their interdependance. They should guide
                                                                      the research options and selection of priority topics
                                                                      in Sectors B and C.
II.5. The evaluation of hazardous plants and carriers
      quite naturally leads to seeking the improvement or       II.8. A Community approach to the major hazards issue
      substitution of processes, technologies and built-in            is strongly advocated for several principal reasons:
      devices. Such technological research, evoked below
      under Sector B, is not always amenable to a Com-                — the problems are considerable and extremely
      munity approach, for reasons of industrial confi-                    varied indeed, but shared by the entire Euro-
      dentiality. However, aspects of common interest,                     pean chemical/petrochemical sector. Often
      safety improvements in general can be dealt with,                    too, industrial safety issues evidence transna-
      evidently in a shared-cost approach together with                    tional aspects (e.g. with respect to the export
      the industry.                                                       of plants and processes or the transportation of
                                                                          dangerous substances) part of which of major
                                                                          hazards relevance and deserving of a concerted
                                                                           approach,
      Another benefit, less immediately apparent, may
      be to alleviate safety-motivated overconservatisms              — the research needed is correspondingly varied
      of plant design or built-in devices, which result                    and can often be quite intricate and expensive.
      from present insufficiencies of knowledge. Over-                     Experimentation, simulations, some engineer-
      conservatism is not only costly, but at times coun-                  ing developments require specific instrumen-
      ter-productive and a concerted approach, towards                     tation, rigs, sites and proper know-how. For
 ---pagebreak--- No C 301/48                             Official Journal of the European Communities                                   25. 11. 85
           adequate scaling, elaborate and extensive field                    long run they would also lead to a crippling
           trials are sometimes needed (with recent trends                    public aversion towards those industrial activi-
           towards joint projects or multisponsorships,                       ties at close quarters.
           for obvious cost reasons). Modelling of com-
           plex situations or systems can be computer-
           intensive and costly too,
                                                                      III. STRUCTURE
           the ultimate purpose is, to dispose of better-
           founded tools, be it for prediction or eventually          III. 1. Within the framework of the RAP—Environ-
           regulation. Three principal research sectors (A,                    ment, the Commission intends to promote a
           B, C) are briefly illustrated below, of somewhat                    broad and integrated Community research
           different character, but each one is relevant                       effort on major hazards/industrial risk.
           to that objective and deserving of a common                         This—partly        new—activity      would      be
           approach: only thus will improved, common,                          implemented by way of direct, shared-cost and
           mutually agreed tools become available to con-                      concerted/catalytic actions, also in liaison with
           trol and mitigate major hazards.                                    other Directorates-General of the Com-
                                                                               mission. It should, of course, be appreciated
                                                                               as a relatively long-term effort, in view of the
                                                                               magnitude and complexity of problems to be
                                                                               tackled, not many of which can be fully solved
      Those are prime, cogent reasons for pooling                              withing the span of one multiannual pro-
      resources and expertise and avoiding duplication                         gramme, regardless of modalities.
      in a field mostly void of genuine commercial motiv-
      ation, but wide-ranging. Outstanding expertise is
      extant in the Member States, on practically each
      topic hereby proposed and many others, but it is
      diffused over many organizations, institutions and              III.2. It is recalled that, for pre-existing timing
      industries and a need for sustained and improved                         reasons, the direct action part of this research
      Community-wide communication and cooperation                             effort was already included in exploratory
      is undeniable, which it would be a prime purpose                         fashion in the 1984 to 1987 multiannual pro-
      of this programme to promote.                                            gramme of the JRC( 1 ), as a new chapter on
                                                                               'Industrial risk'. Topics retained therein, under
                                                                               Accident prevention or under Accident miti-
                                                                               gation and management, draw in good part
                                                                               on competences earlier acquired in nuclear
                                                                               safety and reliability activities and are essen-
                                                                               tially complementary to those proposed below,
                                                                               albeit with points of joint interest and allow-
                                                                               ance made for the evolutie nature of such
                                                                               research activities.
II.9. Finally, the major hazards research proposed meets
      primarily the following options and objectives of                        The areas thus presently under active develop-
      the 1984 to 1987 Framework Programme, now                                ment at the JRC are:
      briefly recalled:
                                                                               Under Accident Prevention
      — on life- and work-quality, by insuring a better
          protection of the public at-large against the
                                                                              — Industrial systems safety and reliability,
          unwanted consequences of large-scale indus-
                                                                                    covering the harmonization of probabilis-
          trial and transportation activities and safer
                                                                                    tic risk assessment procedures, technical
          work conditions for those so employed. Well
                                                                                    support to Euredata and, in relation to
          over one-and-a-half million people work in
                                                                                    the Directive, the development of a major
          the EC chemical manufacturing industry alone,
                                                                                    accidents reporting scheme (data bank),
          exposed to the diverse magnitudes of its haz-
          ards. Millions more work or reside in the near
                                                                              — Structural safety and reliability, covering
          vicinity of conceivably hazardous installations
                                                                                    the assessment of the safety margins of
          or transports,
                                                                                    (aged) containment systems, residual life
                                                                                    estimates and the evaluation of inspection
      — on industrial competitivity, by the development                             techniques,
          of safer processes and plants and by the
          implementation of founded siting or transpor-                       — Management of industrial risk, covering
          tation criteria. Not only do repeated cata-                               the systematic evaluation of industrial risk
          strophic events entail huge economic losses
          (whichever way they are borne), but on the              (') O J N o L 3 , 5. 1. 1984.
 ---pagebreak--- 25. 11. 85                             Official Journal of the European Communities                            N o C 301/49
                regulations and the sequential computer                    — the implementation and updating of the
                modelling of hazardous substances man-                          Directive (DG XI),
                agement.
                                                                           — the concerted action on man-machine
                                                                                interaction and human error and risk
                                                                                assessment (COST A 1, DG V),
           Under Accident Management and Control                           — fires and fire safety (DG III),
                                                                           — the ESRA (European Safety and Reliability
           — Dispersion and pathway of chemicals,
                                                                                Association) exchange of information
                relating to the assessment of the state-of-
                                                                                scheme.
                the-art and the implementation of certain
                remote-sensing techniques,
           — Emergency plans, covering an information                      It is a purpose of the Framework Programme
                Centre on emergency practices and                          to place such connected activities in a common
                exchange-of-information schemes,                           frame and promote the necessary liaisons, also
                                                                           avoiding duplications.
           — Runaway reactions, relating to the assess-
                ment of the state-of-the-art and prospec-
                tive activities.
                                                                    III.5. The shared-cost part of the programme places
           Those activities are more amply documented                      great emphasis on areas and topics of marked
           in appropriate JRC documents (1). Comp-                         experimental, technological and advanced
            lementary aside, their implementation is also                  theoretical contents, generally leading to rela-
           quite different from the one of the shared-                     tively sizeable projects and requiring special-
           cost programme, being essentially intra-muros                   ized know-how, facilities, sites/stations, etc.
           work at the Ispra Centre.                                       The latter are, as said, available in the Mem-
                                                                           ber-States with a high level of qualification
                                                                           and one essential aim of the programme is, to
                                                                           take coordinated advantage thereof and there-
                                                                           by closely associate researchers and teams.
    III.3. It is also recalled that the 1979 to 1983 shared-               Further to that, a limited number of relevant
           cost nuclear-safety programme included an                       so-called 'cross-sectoral' themes are proposed
           area on 'the protection of nuclear plant against                for study, which would shed light on more
           external gas cloud explosions', whereby quite                   global issues and on interrelationships and
           significant research was carried out on the                     feedback between aspects otherwise studied
           dispersion, combustion and pressure-wave                        separately. Those studies, to be conducted
           propagation/interaction aspects of dense-gas-,                  yearly, will give guidance to the detailed for-
           cloud explosions, demonstrating too the                         mulation and selection of prime topics in the
           appropriateness of the shared-cost approach.                    three sectors, especially in Sector C which
           This 'major technological hazards' proposal                     addresses also policy and regulation aspects.
           represents, in several respects, its follow-on,
           drawing indeed on acquired knowledge and
           advice. It also incorporates under Sector A
           other significant topics than those of vapour-
           cloud explosions, yet related to major hazards
           of analogous magnitude and calling for
           research work of comparable style and closely                   Three sectors are outlined next:
           interrelated.
                                                                           A — Phenomena and mitigation,            focusing
                                                                                    on physical understanding/experimen-
                                                                                    tation, simulations and modelling.
    III.4. Finally, mention must be made of diverse Com-
           mission activities related to the major hazards/
           industrial risk theme. For instance:                            B — Technological aspects, with emphasis
                                                                                   on safer or alternative processes/tech-
                                                                                   nologies and on safety-related instru-
                                                                                   mentation.
(]) Re: Programme progress report 'Industrial risk' January to
    June 1984 Communication — Category 1.6 No 4159;
    Programme progress report 'Industrial risk' June to December           C — Assessment and management of risk,
    1984 Communication — Category 1.8 No 4179.                                      covering pre- and post-accident aspects.
 ---pagebreak--- No C 301/50                          Official Journal of the European Communities                                 25. 11. 85
  IV. CONTENTS OF THE PROPOSED PROGRAMME                                A.7. Toxic substances: dispersion in air,
                                                                                 synergies; excluding toxicology;
                                                                        A 8     Dust
       SECTOR A: PHENOMENA AND MITIGATION                                 - -          explosions: phenomenology and
                                                                                 protective measures (venting).
  IV. 1. Consideration of the potential sources of                      It is emphasized again that these areas are
         majors risks outlined under 1.2 and of the                     closely interrelated and interdependent, also
         correlative needs of the risk analysis disci-                  calling for very analogous                expertise,
         pline (account also being taken of known                       methods, equipment and facilities. In prac-
         expertise in the Member States and of present                  tice, Sector A is one coherent work scheme
         other Commission activities) has led to the                    on its own, given high initial priority in the
          restricted list of possible research areas outli-             proposed programme. As issues and work
          ned next. The classification is not disciplin-                items are quite well identified in this Sector,
          ary, nor related to a typing of industrial                    a more detailed outline is given in Annex A.
          activities/processes, but rather phenomeno-
          logical. As a result, certain research areas are
          of common relevance to a diversity of hazards
          (atmospheric dispersion for instance is cen-
          tral to the build-up and spreading of many)                   SECTOR B: TECHNOLOGICAL ASPECTS
          and certain research topics (multiphase flow,
          blast-loading, venting) pertinent to several            IV.4. The study of the origins of accidental events,
          areas. (This is illustrated in the diagram in                  especially the source term and runaway
          Annex A.)                                                      aspects evoked under A.l, A.6, quite logically
                                                                         lead to seeking:
                                                                        — every possible improvement of the intrin-
  IV.2.  In practically all instances, dangerous sub-                         sic safety of plants, processes and carriers,
          stances are contained and the hazard stems                    -— the timely detection and mitigation of
          from an accidental breach of containment.                           potentially hazardous situations or con-
          The ensuing accident scenario generally pro-                        ditions.
          ceeds step-wise, conceptually at least and the
          identification of such steps facilitates a con-
          sensus on the classification of research them-
          es. It is stressed again that emphasis is placed        IV.5. Research on those aspects is, to some extent,
          on physical understanding, simulations and                     more item- or process-specific than under A
          modelling in future work envisaged here.                       above and calls for appropriate scrutiny of
                                                                         their engineering and operational features.
                                                                         The intent would then be to promote and
                                                                        support        certain    important     topics    of
   IV.3. The areas proposed at this stage are the fol-
                                                                         industrial/transportation safety research and
          lowing:
                                                                         development, by way of appropriate shared-
          A.l. Source term: phenomenology/model-                         cost projects with industry. It is well recog-
                  ling of release, its influence on early                nized that, for industrial confidentiality
                  stages of dispersion;                                  reasons or because of the multiplicity of
                                                                         cases, not all such aspects would be tackled
          A.2. Dispersion: atmospheric advection, dif-                   and that a natural selection will result.
                  fusion and deposition, with emphasis
                  on dense/cold gases, mists and aero-
                  sols;
                                                                  IV.6. The broad areas, or themes, proposed for
           A.3. Combustion:       flammable clouds and                   further exploration are, at this stage
                  mists covering flash fires, deflagration,
                                                                        B.l.     Safety and reliability of existing tech-
                  transition to detonation and deton-
                                                                                 nologies, towards their improvement
                  ation (unconfined/ partmy confined
                                                                                 by appropriate design, operational con-
                  situations);
                                                                                 ditions, layout/siting,       control/fault
                                                                                 detection, built-in countermeasures/
          A.4. Blast formation, propagation, interac-
                                                                                 relief and mitigation devices, etc. This
                  tion with structures; generation of
                                                                                 may concern plants/plant items, stor-
                  missiles; confined explosions and their
                                                                                 age, carriers, albeit of very relevant size
                  venting;
                                                                                 or containing highly hazardous sub-
                                                                                 stances.
          A.5. Catastrophic fires: pool fires, torches
                  and fireballs; highly reactive substanc-              B.2.     Alternative technologies and processes,
                  es; conflagrations;                                            tending to the substitution of particu-
                                                                                 larly hazardous products/intermedi-
          A.6. Runaway reactions: features of overall                            ates, processes and plant features and,
                  interest (thermodynamics, flowdynam-                           more generally speaking, to the
                  ics, venting);                                                 reduction of transient inventories,
 ---pagebreak--- 25. 11. 85                            Official Journal of the European Communities                          N o C 301/51
                   pressures, temperatures, etc. Again a                  To accomplish such tasks, knowledge and
                   selection will be needed, guidance being               evaluation tools derived from the R & D of
                   given, e.g. by the analysis of certain                 Sectors A and B are quite often needed. How-
                   sequences of feedstock procurement                     ever, some broader issues, some social aspects
                   and storage, transformation, con-                      are not simply reducible to the elemental,
                   ditioning and transportation of the                    step-by-step or case-by-case approach there-
                   final product(s).                                      of. This is why 'cross-sectoral' studies are
                                                                          also needed and would guide future develop-
                                                                          ments.
           B.3.    Instrumentation: the aim would be to
                   develop systems and detection devices,
                   for high-risk situations/substances, and
                   to study their possible coupling to miti-
                                                                   IV.9.  A great variety of topics could be listed here
                   gation devices.
                                                                          (and, at the limit, a very different balance
                                                                          of the programme would result).- Subject to
                                                                          priorities which may derive from cross-sec-
   IV.7.   The character of the research to be carried                    toral studies to be first carried out, some
           out in Sector B is rather akin to the one of                   relevant topics are listed next under Risk
           Sector A: both focus on well-defined aspects,                  analysis and accident prevention or under
           features, items of plant, etc. and aim at quan-                Accident management, but the list is not
           titative predictions, Sector B, however, is                    necessarily exhaustive. Conceptually, several
           closer to the chemical engineering discipline                  of them relate rather to the direct-action part
           and to actual plant design/operation.                          of the programme sketched under III.2, not
                                                                          excluding, however, complementary or joint
                                                                          undertakings. It is also noted that Sector C
                                                                          is probably destined to be evolutive together
           Preliminary inquiries will be needed, as a first               with the implementation of the Directive,
           priority:                                                      the emergence of regulatory needs and the
                                                                          foreseable amplification and diversification
           (a) to limit the (otherwise extensive) range                   of major hazards research.
                of possible research/engineering topics to
                those of common interest and not hin-
                dered by considerations of industrial con-
                fidentiality;
                                                                   IV.10. Topics of relevance to the major hazards issue
                                                                          are thus, at this stage:
           (b) to better identify possible industrial part-
                nerships (e.g. by way of the 'expression
                of interest' procedure),
           and those activities, as well as 'cross-sectoral'              Under risk analysis and accident prevention
           studies already mentioned, are an essential
           part of rational programme preparation in                      C.l.   Hazards identification and mapping,
           this Sector.                                                          risk aggregates, vulnerability of com-
                                                                                 plex industrial/urban systems;
                                                                          C.2. Safety and reliability of complex indus-
                    SECTOR C: ASSESSMENT                                         trial systems, cost/benefit of safety/
                 AND MANAGEMENT OF RISK                                          mitigation devices;
    IV.8.  Whereas Sector A was primarily dealing with                    C.3 Human factor, man-machine interac-
           basic phenomenology and quantitative risk                             tion (also COST A 1);
           analysis and Sector B with existing or alterna-
           tive technologies, Sector C addresses broader                  C.4. Risk perception by the public, accept-
           issues: primatily those of the impact of a huge                       able risk level(s);
           and diversified industrial activity on man and
           his environment, albeit always in the context
           of resulting major hazards. Clearly, then, this                C.5. Development of 'expert systems'
           part of the programme is closest to policy                            (coupled to data banks) towards risk
           and regulation and indeed it answers some                             assessment and accident management;
           preoccupations of the Member State authori-
           ties responsible for the protection of popu-                   C.6. Probabilistic approach to the analysis
           lations and settlements and the safety of sites,                      and simulation of major accident scen-
           industrial complexes, transportation links,                           arios, with emphasis on hazardous
           etc.                                                                  transports.
 ---pagebreak--- N o C 301/52                             Official Journal of the European Communities                             25. 11. 85
               Under accident management                                     — give guidance, in Sectors B and C, to the
                                                                                  identification of prime research options
               C.7. Decision taking and counter-measures                          and to the selection of detailed research
                      in an emergency, emergency planning;                        topics.
               C.8. Behaviour of populations in an emer-
                      gency.
                                                                      V. IMPLEMENTATION
               Cross-sectoral studies
                                                                      V.l. This shared-cost programme would be
   I V . l l . The previous three research sectors are of                  implemented primarily by means of research
               somewhat different nature and each calls for                contracts with Member States' research insti-
               specific expertise, as illustrated, and this has            tutions, public and private, following a call
               indeed motivated the grouping of research                   for proposals. A significant participation of
               topics accordingly. However, not all issues of              industrial research teams should be sought.
               major hazards research and regulation can be                Emphasis will be placed too on transnational
               thus categorized and takled and broad issues                ventures, associating several teams.
               necessitate a more integrated approach.
                                                                           Programme management, by the Commission
    IV. 12. 'Cross-sectoral' studies have been suggested,                  services, would be assisted by the Management
               to highlight that linkage of the research sec-              and Coordination Committee on Environ-
               tors. Their guiding theme may be the inter-                 ment (CGC), also in its appropriate specialized
               disciplinary examination of one particularly                configuration.
               preoccupying hazard, say a substance or pro-
               cess, or the global examination of one major
               hazardous activity, say a production cycle             V.2. Prior to this, areas and contents should in
               or transportation and storage. Examples are,                some respects be further precised, with the
               non-limitatively                                            sustained scientific and technical support of
               — the production, on-site consumption and                   Member States' experts. Such forward prep-
                   off-site delivery of chlorine,                          aration is deemed beneficial and necessary as
               — the sea and land transportation of bulk                   — sizeable joint undertakings require a leng-
                   hazardous substances,                                        thy setting up,
               — the production, transient/intermediate                    — articulated projects of interest must cohere
                   storage and transformation of highly                         with the workload and previsions of estab-
                   toxic substances in a production cycle                       lishments concerned.
                   (e.g. of pesticides),
               — synergies and domino-effect in major
                   accidents or in aspects thereof.                   V.3. Fruitful implementation calls for regular meet-
                                                                            ings of specialized groups of experts and con-
    IV.13. The reasoned choice of a few such integral
                                                                            tractors, reporting to the CGC. A diversity of
               schemes should be made early on in the pro-
                                                                           complementary activities and initiatives: top-
               gramme implementation. Those studies also
                                                                            ical workshops, panels, courses, seconding of
               would
                                                                            researchers, etc. is also a quite essential part
               — highlight differences of approach to the                   of implementation and coordination. Relevant
                   evaluation of risks and to resulting                     JRC staff will be involved in thos activities,
                   decision-making,                                         with the RAP framework.
 ---pagebreak--- 25. 11. 85                             Official Journal of the European Communities                                          No C 301/53
                                                              ANNEX       A
                                  BRIEF OUTLINE OF THE RESEARCH AREAS OF SECTOR A
           A.l. Source term
                 Following a breach of containment, the hazardous substance is released to the immediate vincinity.
                 The Source term designates the nature of the emission (chemical, physical) as well as its rate (instan-
                 taneous, time-varying, prolonged) as inputs to the next step.
                 The condition and tonnage of the original inventory may be quite varied: liquefied pressurized gas;
                 refrigerated liquefied gas; pressurized gas; volatile liquid; entrained toxic material, etc. Pressure is often
                 at play.
                 Prime topics (or physical situations) to be investigated are, in that same order
                 — flashing liquid release from the liquid or gas phase, also by instantaneous vessel failure,
                 — piped flashing liquid release, pipeline breach,
                 — turbulent momentum jet release, air entrainment and jet dilution,
                 — refrigerated liquified gas and cryogen spills, evaporation on solid/liquid substrates, pool spreading/
                     evaporation, rapid phase transitions,
                 — pressurized gas releases, sudden cloud formation,
                 — volatile-liquid spill and evaporation,
                 — large toxic-fume releases, highly toxic and persistent substances.
                 As a whole, the source term area is generally granted very high priority, in expert opinion. Some
                 internal priority may be given to the first four topics, out of remaining uncertainties extant in their
                 physical modelling and of preponderant importance of the inventories/releases thus involved in actual
                 major accident situations.
           A.2. Dispersion
                 This concerns the atmospheric advection and turbulent diffusion of dense, gas/mist jets and plumes
                 (generated under IV.1). Almost all substances of interest exhibit a denser-than-air behaviour initially.
                 Situations, and needed predictions, fall under two overlapping categories:
                 — flammables: concentration limits (LFL — HFL) of some %, early stages of dispersion only,
                 — toxics: lower concentration limit in the tens ppm range f1), high degree of passive dilution to be
                     considered (under IV.7).
                 Research is three-pronged:
                 — modelling: ranging from quite simple gaussian and 'box' (input-output) models through intermediate
                      (shallow layer) to highly complex 2D/3D time-dependent ones, which solve turbulent flow and
                     conservation coupled equations. Present emphasis in on
                     validating the simpler (box, intermediate) models with now available field trials data, which pertain,
                     however, to idealized conditons; when feasible, extending those simpler models to more realistic
                     conditions (of heat/humidity transfer, possibly terrain/obstacles); accounting more exactly for the
                     complicated aspects of turbulence generation, entrainment/detrainment, resulting dilution by air
                     also in 2D/3D numerical models. The latter imply advanced numerical resolution methods,
                 — field- and smaller-scale trials: these either document a postulated spill at reduced scale or supply a
                     reliable data base for model validations under well-controlled conditions. Scaling arguments are
                     central (and restrictive) here, when defining the test matrix.
           (!) For serious discomfort, or prolonged exposure. Instantaneous lethality limits are rather in the 103 ppm
               range. Also see uncertainties mentioned under A.7.
 ---pagebreak--- No C 301/54                             Official Journal of the European Communities                                          25. 11. 85
                     Releases over flat terrain/on sea have been performed and documented (Thorney Island, Maplin
                     Sands). Attention now focuses on
                     continuous plumes, over non-ideal terrain;
                     heat/humidity transfer, aerosol clouds;
                     transition to passive entrainment;
                     meandering and variability.
                     Forced dilution by water curtain, a mitigation device is also conceptually part of this heading and
                     equally relevant to A.7 below,
                — scaled-down simulations in wind or water tunnels. Considerable expertise, excellent installations
                     are available and sophisticated techniques: stratified tunnels, laser velocimetry/tomography, digital-
                     image treatment, have been developed recently.
                     A variety of projects may be considered under this heading, which would also include the digital-
                     image processing of photo/video records from field trials (the technique is common). The longer
                     term objective is to validate the wind/water tunnel as a convenient alternative to field trials with a
                     view to siting studies.
          A.3. Combustion
                 This covers the deflagrative (mostly laminar flame) and detonative (supersonic shock front) modes,
                 fundamentally different, as well as the many mechanisms and situations conducive to flame acceleration
                 and transition from deflagration to detonation in a gas (or mist) cloud.
                 The phenomenology of combustion is exceedingly complex and influenced by many side-factors. Work
                 is primarily experimental, from laboratory — to intermediate-scale to field trials. Topics studied are
                 principally
                 — under detonation: direct initiation by sparks/charges; jet ignition by hot combustion products;
                      shock-wave initiation and planar-to-spherical transition; detonation of mists, foams, etc.,
                 — under deflagration: spontaneous flame acceleration in unconfined (cloud) or confined (tube, lane)
                      situations; influence of obstacles and constrictions and/or of confinement; acceleration due to
                      concentration gradients/fluctuations (unconfined cloud); effect of cloud shape and igniter location
                      (edge/central); enhancement by jet ignition; effect of dust/aerosols in supsension.
                 Much work remains to be done in this         area, which should indeed be a strong point of the proposed
                 programme. The mechanisms conducive         to blast enhancement are reasonably well identified and scaling
                 laws have sometimes been derived, for        particular configurations. However, larger-scale verifications
                 are often still needed. This concerns, in    approximate order of priority, jet ignition, lane/duct confine-
                 ment, repeated obstacles with varying        degrees of confinement, strong turbulence, dust/aerosols in
                 suspension.
                 Modelling is perforce restricted to 'idealized', generally ID-2D geometries. The simpler models (acoustic,
                 self-similar, piston, etc.) essentially solve fluid dynamics, but the flame path or combustion rate need
                 to be postulated. A few highly complex codes input a turbulent burning subroutine. Solving the entire
                 problem, coupling the (actually interactive) flow and combustion kinetics aspects is largely beyond
                 present capabilities, but emphasis will be placed on better submodelling of turbulence, turbulent
                 combustion and flame-folding processes.
          A.4. Blast and related topics
                 A cloud explosion generates an air blast of incipient amplitude and shape determined by the      combustion
                 mode: slow deflagration (gradual subsonic pressure rise and rarefaction), fast/accelerating     deflagration
                 (a leading shock followed by gradual decompression), detonation (a steep shock of high           amplitude).
                 The pressure pulse decays and steepens during travel to become a sonic shock. Hence              propagation
                 itself markedly influences the loading and response (') of exposed structures.
          (') It is noted that response of structures is part of present JRC activities.
 ---pagebreak--- 25. 11. 85                             Official Journal of the European Communities                                      No C 301/55
                There are several approaches to the problem:
                — correlations, by means of empirical scaling laws and T N T equivalences, unsatisfactory with
                    extended cloud explosions,
                — modelling: simple acoustic, linear approximation; isentropic approximation (which reduces the
                    problem to one non-linear potential equation); numerical solution of the full Euler equations,
                    generally limitative to 1D/2D for computer-related reasons. For all, the incipient pulse must be
                     input and is crucially dependent on A.3 above,
                — experimentation: subjecting scale models to blast (shock tube, point charges, exploding balloons);
                     simulation by the 'water table' technique (a hydraulic blast-analogue); larger-scale blast loading of
                     typical structural elements. By extension: damage analysis from accidents/war records, at the basis
                     of diverse correlations.
                Emphasis will be placed on the last two approaches. Requirements as regards modelling are better
                prescription of the incipient pressure pulse (derived form A 3 above), improved description and
                numerical treatment (isentropy, adaptive grids, FCT, etc.). Experimentation will include realistic
                deflagrative waves and non-infinitely rigid structures.
                Two very relevant topics are associated with this research area:
                (a) the study of large exploding vessels, covering direct blast generation, primary and secondary missiles
                    — their travel/distribution/impact, ductile rupture of fire-engulfed vessels and BLEVE (boiling
                    liquid expanding vapour explosion) accidents; the latter relates to A.5;
                (b) the study of internal gas/vapour explosions, in large enclosures. This research has common points
                     with A.3 (on flame acceleration in confined situations, or jetting) and A.8 (on venting, which is
                    central to the problem of mitigating internal explosions).
           A.5. Catastrophic fires
                By definition, of very swift evolution and totally uncontrollable: pipeline torch, gas cloud flash-fire,
                conflagration in a very reactive inventory, fire-engulfed tank BLEVE followed by fireball formation.
                Apart from inescapable engulfment, the danger here is radiant beat at a distance, to be evaluated. Work
                is chiefly experimental, covering
                — pool (bund) and channel fires, also over water; their evolution,
                — vapour cloud burning, over land and water,
                — turbulent torch flames,
                — fireball formation, lift-off and decay following a BLEVE.
                These correspond to classic accident situations. Substances of prime interest are LNG, LPG, ethylene,
                propylene, etc. However, not all topics need to be covered in depth as fairly extensive information is
                already available on large LNG/LPG fires in relevant configurations. Less so perhaps for other
                substances or for large torches/BLEVE/fireballing.
                This area should also include relevant work on
                — mitigation by water/steam curtains, which force-dilute the cloud, the behaviour of fire-engulfed
                    vessels and structural elements,
                — the evolution of generated noxious fumes,
                — the hazards of reactive inventories (some nitrates, liquid 0 2 ) ,
                — possibly, radiant damage-at-a-distance criteria.
           A.6. Runaways
                Any exothermic reaction can diverge, from loss of temperature control or chain branching. The
                consequence is reactor-vessel failure and spill of its contents unless adequate and safe venting relief is
                provided for. Considerable attention is paid to runaway potential, by industry.
                Research follows several lines:
                — identification of runaway candidates, their kinetics,
                — stability analyses relating to (T, P) evolution in the reactor vessel,
 ---pagebreak--- No C 301/56                           Official Journal of the European Communities                                       25. 11. 85
               — phenomenology and prediction of relief venting, also coupled to reaction dynamics,
               — incipient dispersion following vessel failure or disk/stack venting,
               — alternative, less-sensitive process routes; reduction of reacting inventories.
               Common base research excludes largely product- or process-specific investigations, out of sheer number
               or confidentiality. It would focus on the more general features of divergence, venting and incipient
               dispersion.
               Venting is often from a hot pressurized liquid phase and there is a clear connection with the two-phase
               flow investigations of A.l above. However, even more complicated cases must be addressed: bubbly
               flow, foams, viscous substances, transient reacting flows, etc. The same applies to venting from the
               gas phase, with consideration of liquid drops/slugs entrainment. Those would be essential topics for
               investigation.
               The important topic of alternative, safer technologies/processes is retained under B.2 above. Other
               aspects mentioned may call for complementary exchange-of-information schemes (e.g. topical meetings,
               panels, etc.). It is noted that documentation activities have been initiated at the JRC and that
               complementarity will be particularly sought, in this area, between direct and shared-cost actions.
          A.7. Toxic substances
               Prime candidates are evidently chlorine and ammonia, manufactured and transported in yearly meg-
               atonne quantities in the EC, but also intermediates and feedstocks: phosgene, acrylonitrile, S0 2 /H 2 S
               and many others, of lesser tonnage.
               Research on toxics follows two broad and distinct lines:
               — dispersion: substances of interest are generally denser than air or, like ammonia mists, behave as
                   such. Correlatively: mitigation by evaporation — arresting foams, or dilution — promoting water/
                   steam curtains,
               — toxicology: animal testing for LC50/LD™ and analogous limit values; some war records on chlorine
                   and phosgene; probit approach.
               Research on the second point is not proposed under this programme outline, as it would call for an
               altogether different specialization from the remainder of Sector A. One may note that considerable
               uncertainties are extant and that reevaluations of existing data by specialized bodies are underway,
               which will be closely followed.
               The first point clearly relates to A.l and A.2 above. However, much less is known than for flammables
               because
               (a) toxics are dangerous at appreciably greater dilution (and downwind distance) and this is most
                   difficult to study in the field;
               (b) Cl 2 and NH ? can display dense or passive/buoyant behaviour, depending on dilution and other
                   factors (e.g. droplets entrainment for NH ? , or spill temperature), so that an accurate knowledge of
                   source term conditions is needed to predict the cloud behaviour properly.
               Experimental evidence is rather limited. For Cl 2 , open data are either from ancient war records, or
               from limited-scale mitigation tests with suppressing foams and water curtains. For NH 3 , flashing jets
               and spills on land/water have been studied at moderate scale and, more recently, large on-land releases
               performed in the USA (Lawrence Livermore, also with N 7 0 4 ) , but detailed data are not available at
               this stage.
               Outstanding issues of bulk toxics dispersion are then
               — the transition from dense to passive behaviour,
               — monogram predictions at low concentration values,
               — 'variability' and the influence of meandering and concentration fluctuations on cloud edge exposure
                   and dosage estimates.
               Also, on more practical aspects:
               — forced dilution by water curtains, sprays, etc. (also relating to A.2),
               — mitigation by foams and powders,
               — alarm sensors and real-time prediction systems (also Area B.3 above).
 ---pagebreak--- 25. 11. 85                             Official Journal of the European Communities                                      No C 301/57
                It is noted that the field study of transient low concentrations would first require the development of
                adequate sensors/tracers. Some parallel developments would also be required for wind-tunnel simula-
                tions of dispersion at these low concentrations.
                Modelling should be extended to those same aspects, as present dense-gas modelling rather concentrates
                on the near-field, or relies on simple gaussian asumptions in the far-field. Advanced treatments extant
                in air pollution modelling may give guidance.
                Acutely toxic and persistant chemicals are a somewhat separate issue, albeit of considerable relevance
                to the implementation of the Directive on major hazards. Research here relates to source term (A.l)
                and near-field dispersion, as well as runaways (A.6) and prime interest is probably in aerosol migration
                and settling. It is noted that relevant information will issue from the nuclear 'source term' research, of
                which aerosol/vapour migration, escape and deposition is a major topic (also at the JRC). More
                'practical' aspects may also be treated under Accident management, Sector C above (e.g. post-accident
                measures, area decontamination, etc.).
           A.8. Dust explosions
                Dust explosions are a common occurence and almost any dispersed organic/metallic powder in
                suspension can sustain a deflagrative process. Flame acceleration and transition to devastating deton-
                ation are ascertained in confined situations (coal-mine galleries, grain-elevator shafts, etc.). Dust
                explosions, however, are always internal and confined, prime candidates being grain silos/elevators,
                flour/animal-feed/sugar mills, etc. Major hazard potential is perhaps a matter of opinion but fatalities/
                casualties and economic losses can be quite elevated and dust hazards are truly ubiquitous, not only in
                manufacturing industries and mining, but in many agriculture- or forestry-related transformation
                activities or transportation.
                Most research so far has come under two categories:
                — laboratory testing of candidate dusts with standardized apparatus, to ascertain equally standardized
                     properties (explosible concentration, ignition energy/temperature, maximum pressure/rate of press-
                     ure rise),
                — venting, by appropriate flaps/bursting panels, and the validation of empirical scaling laws, nomo-
                     grams, etc.
                It is not proposed to cover the first topic: routine testing, competently done by specialized laboratories.
                Similarly, properties or accident data banks should, if need be, be addressed by the JRC under 'Industrial
                risk'.
                The second topic has given rise to interesting intermediate- and large-scale testing (all the way to small
                silo size) which, however, needs to be part-complemented and should be supported by appropriate
                shared-cost projects.
                What is little known is the physics of dust explosions: combustion process and its propagation; influence
                of turbulence/radiative pre-heating/volumetric combustion; detonative processes. It is suspected that
                somewhat the same processes are extant as for flammable gases (A.3); available evidence is much
                cruder. The reason is too, that explosible dust suspensions are opaque and prevent optical recording.
                Instrumentation needs to be developed or simply taken over from the gas-explosion work for progress
                to be made (fast ionic probes, doppler sounding, infra-red sensors, etc.).
                Much work remains ahead to attain a satisfactory understanding and here then lies a field almost
                entirely open for investigation, guidance being given in many respects by recent advances in the gas-
                explosion research outlined under A.3.
 ---pagebreak--- No C 301/58                   Official Journal of the European Communities                 25. 11. 85
              TOXIC                                                             RUNAWAY
                                            FLAMMABLE AND
           SUBSTANCES                                                           REACTONS
                                             VERY REACTIVE
                                              SUBSTANCES
                                                                               SINGLE-AND
                          SOURCE TERM INPUTS                                  MULTI-PHASE
                                                                              FLOW STUDIES
                            DISPERSION IN AIR
                  LIQUID        CLOUD        CONFLAGRATION      -
                           CATASTROPHIC FIRES
                                                BURNING
                                               PROCESSES
                       BLEVE                                EXPLOSIVE
                     FIREBALLS                            COMBUSTION
                                                     EXTERNAL       INTERNAL
               RADIATION OR
               ENGULFMENT
            EXPOSURE OF                                BLAST                 VENTING   ^ .
        PEOPLE, STRUCTURES                            MISSILES               STUDIES    ~
 ---pagebreak--- 25. 11. 85                               Official Journal of the European Communities                                     No C 301/59
                                                               ANNEX B
                                                               OPINION
           of the Management and Coordination Advisory Committee (CGC) — Environment and Climatology on the
                         draft proposal for a shared-cost research programme on major technological hazards
            1. The CGC has discussed the draft proposal of the Commission, towards a shared-cost multiannual
               programme in the field of major technological hazards (as defined in the EC Council Directive on major
               hazards (l) (Doc. XII/CGC/85/2/4 Rev. 2). The CGC also took note of supporting documents supplied
               by the Commission.
           2. The CGC concludes that within the framework of the Research Action Programme (RAP) —- Environment,
               this proposal on major technological hazards complements and augments the current activities of the
               Joint Research Centre (2) on 'Industrial risk' which address particular aspects of technological hazards,
               including
               — industrial systems safety and reliability, structural safety and reliability, management of industrial
                   risk,
               — dispersion and pathway of chemicals released accidentally, emergency plans, protection against
                   runaway reactions.
            Motivations and aims
           3. The CGC endorses the motivations and aims of the proposed shared-cost research programme, as outlined
               in the draft proposal XII/CGC/85/2/4 Rev. 2 and supporting documentation.
               The CGC recognizes the importance of reducing the risks of occurrence and consequences of catastrophic
               events (such as those in Cubatao, Mexico, Bhopal), and that this requires high-quality research support,
               in particular to the many risk analysis activities which the updating and implementation of the Council
               Directive (2) wil entail.
           4. The CGC considers that Community-level research in this field is needed in order to develop and
               harmonize consistent methodologies and standards, make use of existing expertise and facilities and
               promote joint undertakings. It could also benefit from methodologies developed elsewhere.
           5. The CGC considers that the proposed programme should result in
               — more realistic estimates of risks,
               — identification of weak points, uncertainties and gaps in knowledge,
               — development of technologies appropriate to reduce risks,
               — improved information for siting,
               thus significantly enhancing the safety of industrial plants and processes and of transportation and storage
               of dangerous substances.
           6. The CGC is of the opinion, that the proposed shared-cost research programme meets several of the
               Community objectives outlined in the 1984 to 1987 Framework Programme, in particular:
               — the improvement of safety and the protection of health,
               — the protection of the environment and the prevention of hazards,
               — the improvement of industrial competitivity.
           (') OJ No L 230, 5. 8. 1982, p. 1.
           (2) Council Decision of 20. 12. 1983.
 ---pagebreak--- No C 301/60                           Official Journal of the European Communities                                         25. 11. 85
         Scientific and technical content
         7. The CGC is in broad agreement with the major issues and research areas contained in the programme
             proposal
             — under sector A: physical and chemical phenomena and mitigation of consequences of accidents,
             — under sector B: safety and reliability of existing and alternative technologies and instrumentation,
             — under sector C: assessment and management of risk.
             The CGC considers that these fulfil some basic needs of major technological hazards research, including
             the main scientific, technical and social issues.
             The CGC also considers that it is essential to develop an integrated aproach to risk assessment and
             proposes to achieve this by means of cross-sectoral studies of example activities. Such studies would
             highlight different approaches to the evaluation of risks and to decision-making based on these evaluations.
             The CGC considers that initially priority should be given to sector A in view of the available information
             on uncertainties in this sector, and that later consideration of activities in sector B and C should follow,
             in particular based upon cross-sectoral studies.
         Implementation
         8. The CGC considers the proposed programme to be well-suited to coordinated implementation, by way
             of shared-cost contracts with Member States research establishments and industries and through the
             execution of joint projects allowing use of unique facilities.
             The CGC endorses the proposed implementation and further notes that
             — a close collaboration of the interested scientific and industrial parties in the Member States is intended,
             — relevant complementary initiatives and 'catalytic activities', promoting exchange of information,
                  training, dissemination of results, are also proposed.
         Funding and staff
         9. In order to achieve these aims, the CGC recognizes the need for the provision of adequate funding and
             staff.
             The Greek and Italian delegations fully endorse the text of this Opinion, but wish to emphasize that the
             financing of the proposed Programme should not result in a diminution of resources for research on other
             types of environmental problems.