CELEX: 32006D0970
Language: en
Date: 2006-12-18 00:00:00
Title: 2006/970/Euratom: Council Decision of 18 December 2006 Concerning the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) for nuclear research and training activities (2007 to 2011)

L 400/60         EN               Official Journal of the European Union              30.12.2006
                                                     II
                             (Acts whose publication is not obligatory)
                                               COUNCIL
                                      COUNCIL DECISION
                                        of 18 December 2006
                         Concerning the Seventh Framework Programme
                     of the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom)
                    for nuclear research and training activities (2007 to 2011)
                                         (2006/970/Euratom)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community, and in particular
Article 7 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
Having regard to the Opinion of the European Parliament 1,
Having regard to the Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee 2,
1
        Opinion of 15 June 2006 (not yet published in the Official Journal).
2
        OJ C 65, 17.3.2006, p. 9.
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Whereas:
(1)      Joint national and European efforts in the area of research and training are essential to
         promote and ensure economic growth and citizen's wellbeing in Europe.
(2)       The Seventh Framework Programme should complement other EU actions in the area of
         the research policy that are necessary for the implementation of the Lisbon strategy, in
         particular those on education, training, competitiveness and innovation, industry,
         employment, and environment.
(3)       The Seventh Framework Programme builds on the achievements of its predecessor towards
         the creation of the European Research Area and carries them further towards the
         development of the knowledge economy and society in Europe.
(4)      The Commission Green Paper ‘Towards a European strategy for energy supply‘ highlights
         the contribution of nuclear power to reducing emissions of greenhouse gases and to
         reducing Europe's dependence on imported energy.
(5)      On 24 August 2005, the Commission submitted the conclusions of an external assessment
         of the implementation and results of the Community activities in this field carried out in
         the five years preceding that assessment, accompanied by its observations.
 ---pagebreak--- L 400/62         EN                 Official Journal of the European Union                  30.12.2006
(6)      With reference to the Council Decision of 26 November 2004 amending the directives of
         negotiations on International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), the realisation
         of ITER in Europe, within a broader approach to fusion energy, should be the central
         feature of the activities on fusion research carried out under the Seventh Framework
         Programme.
(7)      Implementation of the Seventh Framework Programme may give rise to the setting up of
         joint undertakings within the meaning of Articles 45 to 51 of the Treaty.
(8)      Research activities supported by the Seventh Framework Programme should comply with
         fundamental ethical principles, including those reflected in the Charter of Fundamental
         Rights of the European Union. The opinions of the European Group on Ethics in Science
         and New Technologies are and will be taken into account.
(9)      This Decision establishes, for the entire duration of the programme, a financial envelope
         which constitutes the prime reference within the meaning of point 37 of the
         Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006 between the European Parliament,
         the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline and sound financial
         management1, for the budgetary authority during the annual budgetary procedure.
1
        OJ C 139, 14.6.2006, p. 1.
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(10)      It is important to ensure sound financial management of the Seventh Framework
         Programme and its implementation in the most effective and user-friendly manner
         possible, as well as ease of access for all participants.
(11)      Under the Seventh Framework Programme, due regard should be paid to the role of
         women in science and research with a view to further enhancing their active role in
         research.
(12)      The Joint Research Centre (JRC) should contribute to providing customer-driven scientific
         and technological support for the formulation, development, implementation and
         monitoring of Community policies. In this regard, it is useful that the JRC continues to
         function as an independent reference centre of science and technology in the EU in the
         areas of its specific competence.
(13)      The international and global dimension in European research activities is important in the
         interest of obtaining mutual benefits. The Seventh Framework Programme should be open
         to the participation of countries having concluded the necessary agreements to this effect,
         and should also be open, on the project level and on the basis of mutual benefit, to the
         participation of entities from third countries and that of international organisations for
         scientific cooperation.
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(14)     The Seventh Framework Programme should contribute to the enlargement of the European
         Union by bringing scientific and technological support to the candidate countries for the
         implementation of Community acquis and for their integration into the European Research
         Area.
(15)     Appropriate measures should also be taken to prevent irregularities and fraud and the
         necessary steps should be taken to recover funds lost, wrongly paid or incorrectly used, in
         accordance with Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2988/95 of 18 December 1995 on
         the protection of the European Communities financial interests 1, Council Regulation
         (Euratom, EC) No 2185/96 of 11 November 1996 concerning on-the-spot checks and
         inspections carried out by the Commission in order to protect the European Communities'
         financial interests against fraud and other irregularities2 and Council Regulation (Euratom)
         No 1074/1999 of 25 May 1999 concerning investigations conducted by the European
         Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF)3.
(16)     The Scientific and Technical Committee has been consulted by the Commission and has
         delivered its opinion,
HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:
1
        OJ L 312, 23.12.1995, p. 1.
2
        OJ L 292, 15.11.1996, p. 2.
3
        OJ L 136, 31.5.1999, p. 8.
 ---pagebreak--- 30.12.2006        EN                Official Journal of the European Union                      L 400/65
                                                  Article 1
                            Adoption of the Seventh Framework Programme
A multiannual framework programme for nuclear research and training activities, hereinafter
referred to as the "Seventh Framework Programme", is hereby adopted for the period from
1 January 2007 to 31 December 2011.
                                                  Article 2
                                                 Objectives
1.       The Seventh Framework Programme shall pursue the general objectives set out in Article 1
         and Article 2(a) of the Treaty, while contributing towards the creation of a
         knowledge-based society, building on the European Research Area.
2.       The Seventh Framework Programme shall comprise Community research, technological
         development, international cooperation, dissemination of technical information and
         exploitation activities as well as training, to be set out in two specific programmes.
         The first specific programme shall cover the following:
         (a)    fusion energy research, with the objective of developing the technology for a safe,
                sustainable, environmentally responsible and economically viable energy source;
         (b)    nuclear fission and radiation protection, with the objective of enhancing in particular
                the safety performance, resource efficiency and cost-effectiveness of nuclear fission
                and other uses of radiation in industry and medicine.
 ---pagebreak--- L 400/66         EN                 Official Journal of the European Union                30.12.2006
         The second specific programme shall cover the activities of the Joint Research Centre
         (JRC) in the field of nuclear energy.
3.       The broad lines of the specific programmes are described in Annex I.
                                                  Article 3
                 Maximum overall amount and shares assigned to each programme
1.       The maximum overall amount for the implementation of the Seventh Framework
         Programme for the period 2007 to 2011 shall be EUR 2 751 million. That amount shall be
         distributed as follows (in EUR million):
         Fusion energy research1                                            1 947
         Nuclear fission and radiation protection                            287
         Nuclear activities of the JRC                                       517
2.       The detailed rules for Community financial participation in the Seventh Framework
         Programme are set out in Annex II.
1
        Within the amount foreseen for fusion energy research, at least EUR 900 million will be
        reserved to activities other than the construction of ITER, listed in Annex I.
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                                                  Article 4
                           Protection of the Communities' financial interests
For Community actions financed under this Decision, Regulations (EC, Euratom) No 2988/95 and
(Euratom, EC) No 2185/96 shall apply to any infringement of a provision of Community law,
including infringement of a contractual obligation stipulated on the basis of the Seventh Framework
Programme, resulting from an act or omission by an economic operator, which has, or would have,
the effect of prejudicing the general budget of the European Union or budgets managed by it, by an
unjustified item of expenditure.
                                                  Article 5
                                     Fundamental ethical principles
All the research activities carried out under the Seventh Framework Programme shall be carried out
in compliance with fundamental ethical principles.
                                                  Article 6
                                   Monitoring, assessment and review
1.       The Commission shall continually and systematically monitor the implementation of the
         Seventh Framework Programme and its specific programmes and regularly report and
         disseminate the results of this monitoring.
 ---pagebreak--- L 400/68         EN                 Official Journal of the European Union                   30.12.2006
2.       Not later than 2010, the Commission shall carry out, with the assistance of external
         experts, an evidence-based interim evaluation of the Seventh Framework Programme and
         its specific programmes building upon the ex-post evaluation of the Sixth Framework
         Programme. This evaluation shall cover the quality of the research activities taking place,
         as well as the quality of implementation and management, and the progress towards the
         objectives set.
3.       Following the completion of the Seventh Framework Programme, the Commission shall
         cause to be carried out an external evaluation by independent experts of its rationale,
         implementation and achievements.
         The Commission shall communicate the conclusions thereof, accompanied by its
         observations, to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social
         Committee and the Committee of the Regions.
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                                                  Article 7
                                             Entry into force
This Decision shall enter into force on the day following its publication in the Official Journal of
the European Union.
Done at Brussels, 18 December 2006.
                                                For the Council
                                                The President
                                                J.-E. ENESTAM
 ---pagebreak--- L 400/70         EN                Official Journal of the European Union                     30.12.2006
                                                ANNEX I
                       SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL OBJECTIVES,
                                    THEMES AND ACTIVITIES
INTRODUCTION
The Seventh Framework Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) for
nuclear research and training activities is organised in two parts corresponding to the "indirect"
actions on fusion energy research and nuclear fission and radiation protection, and the "direct"
research activities of the JRC.
I.A.    FUSION ENERGY RESEARCH
Objective
Developing the knowledge base for, and realising ITER as the major step towards, the creation of
prototype reactors for power stations which are safe, sustainable, environmentally responsible, and
economically viable.
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Rationale
There are serious shortcomings in Europe's energy supply with respect to short, medium, and
long-term considerations. In particular, measures are needed to address the issues of security of
supply, climate change, and sustainable development, while ensuring that future economic growth
is not threatened.
In addition to the efforts which the EU is making in the field of research into renewable energies,
fusion has the potential to make a major contribution to the realisation of a sustainable and secure
energy supply for the EU a few decades from now after the market penetration of commercial
fusion reactors. Its successful development would provide energy which is safe, sustainable and
environmentally friendly. The long-term goal of European fusion research, embracing all the fusion
activities in the Member States and associated third countries, is the joint creation, in approximately
thirty or thirty-five years and subject to technological and scientific progress, of prototype reactors
for power stations which meet these requirements, and are economically viable.
The strategy to achieve the long-term goal entails, as its first priority, the construction of ITER
(a major experimental facility which will demonstrate the scientific and technical feasibility of
fusion power), followed by the construction of DEMO, a "demonstration" fusion power station.
This will be accompanied by a dynamic programme of supporting R&D for ITER and for the
developments in fusion materials, technologies and physics required for DEMO. This would
involve European industry, the fusion associations and third countries, in particular parties to the
ITER Agreement.
 ---pagebreak--- L 400/72         EN                 Official Journal of the European Union                     30.12.2006
Activities
1.       The realisation of ITER
         This includes activities for the joint realisation of ITER (as an international research
         infrastructure), in particular for site preparation, establishing the ITER Organisation and
         the European Joint Undertaking for ITER, management and staffing, general technical and
         administrative support, construction of equipment and installations and support for the
         project during construction.
2.       R&D in preparation of ITER operation
         A focused physics and technology programme will exploit the relevant facilities and
         resources in the fusion programme, i.e. JET and other magnetic confinement devices,
         existing, future or those under construction (Tokamaks, Stellarators, RFPs). It will assess
         specific key ITER technologies, consolidate ITER project choices, and prepare for
         ITER operation through experimental and theoretical activities.
3.       Technology activities in preparation of DEMO
         This entails the vigorous development of fusion materials and key technologies for fusion,
         including blankets, and the establishment of a dedicated project team to prepare for the
         construction of the International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility (IFMIF) to qualify
         materials for DEMO. It will include irradiation testing and modelling of materials, studies
         of the DEMO conceptual design, and studies of the safety, environmental and
         socio-economic aspects of fusion energy.
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4.        R&D activities for the longer term
         The activities will include further development of improved concepts for magnetic
         confinement schemes with potential advantages for fusion power stations (focussed on the
         completion of the construction of the W7-X stellarator device), theory and modelling
         aimed at a comprehensive understanding of the behaviour of fusion plasmas and
         coordination, in the context of a keep-in-touch activity, of Member States' civil research
         activities on inertial confinement.
5.       Human resources, education and training
         In view of the immediate and medium term needs of ITER, and for the further
         development of fusion, initiatives aimed at ensuring that adequate human resources will be
         available, in terms of numbers, range of skills and high-level training and experience will
         be pursued, in particular in relation to the physics and engineering of fusion.
6.        Infrastructures
         The construction of the international fusion energy research project ITER will be an
         element of the new research infrastructures with a strong European dimension.
7.       Technology transfer processes
         ITER will require new and more flexible organisational structures to enable the process of
         innovation and technological progress which it creates to be swiftly transferred to industry,
         so that the challenges can be met to enable European industry to become more competitive.
 ---pagebreak--- L 400/74         EN                Official Journal of the European Union                     30.12.2006
I.B.     NUCLEAR FISSION AND RADIATION PROTECTION
Objective
Establishing a sound scientific and technical basis in order to accelerate practical developments for
the safer management of long-lived radioactive waste, enhancing in particular the safety
performance, resource efficiency and cost-effectiveness of nuclear energy and ensuring a robust and
socially acceptable system of protection of man and the environment against the effects of ionising
radiation.
Rationale
Nuclear power currently generates one third of all electricity consumed in the EU and, as the most
significant source of base-load electricity that, during the operation of a nuclear power plant, does
not emit CO2, constitutes an important element in the debate on the means of combating climate
change and reducing Europe's dependence on imported energy. The European nuclear sector as a
whole is typified by cutting-edge technology and provides highly skilled employment for several
hundred thousand people. More advanced nuclear technology could offer the prospect of significant
improvements in efficiency and use of resources, at the same time ensuring even higher safety
standards and producing less waste than current designs.
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There are, however, important concerns that affect the continued use of this energy source in
the EU. Efforts are still required to ensure a continuation of the Community's outstanding safety
record and the improvement of radiation protection continues to be a priority area. The key issues
are operational reactor safety and management of long-lived waste, both of which are being
addressed through continued work at the technical level, though allied political and societal inputs
are also required. In all uses of radiation, throughout industry and medicine alike, the overriding
principle is the protection of man and the environment. All thematic domains to be addressed here
are characterised by an overriding concern to ensure high levels of safety. Similarly there are clearly
identifiable needs throughout nuclear science and engineering relating to availability of research
infrastructures and expertise. In addition, the individual technical areas are linked by key
cross-cutting topics such as the nuclear fuel cycle, actinide chemistry, risk analysis and safety
assessment and even societal and governance issues.
Research will also be needed to explore new scientific and technological opportunities and to
respond in a flexible way to new policy needs that arise during the course of the Seventh
Framework Programme.
Activities
1.        Management of radioactive waste
          Implementation-oriented research and development activities on all remaining key aspects
          of deep geological disposal of spent fuel and long-lived radioactive waste and, as
          appropriate, demonstration of the technologies and safety, and to underpin the
          development of a common European view on the main issues related to the management
          and disposal of waste. Research on partitioning and transmutation and/or other concepts
          aimed at reducing the amount and/or hazard of the waste for disposal.
 ---pagebreak--- L 400/76         EN                 Official Journal of the European Union                   30.12.2006
2.       Reactor systems
         Research to underpin the continued safe operation of all relevant types of existing reactor
         systems (including fuel cycle facilities), taking into account new challenges such as
         life-time extension and development of new advanced safety assessment methodologies
         (both the technical and human element) including as regards severe accidents, and to assess
         the potential, the safety and waste-management aspects of future reactor systems, in the
         short and medium term, thereby maintaining the high safety standards already achieved
         within the EU and considerably improving the long-term management of radioactive
         waste.
3.       Radiation protection
         Research, in particular on the risks from low doses, on medical uses and on the
         management of accidents, to provide a scientific basis for a robust, equitable and socially
         acceptable system of protection that will not unduly limit the beneficial and widespread
         uses of radiation in medicine and industry. Research to minimise the impact of nuclear and
         radiological terrorism and diversion of nuclear material.
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4.        Infrastructures
         Supporting the availability of, and cooperation between, research infrastructures such as
         material test facilities, underground research laboratories, radiobiology facilities and tissue
         banks, necessary to maintain high standards of technical achievement, innovation and
         safety in the European nuclear sector.
5.       Human resources, mobility and training
         Supporting the retention and further development of scientific competence and human
         capacity (for instance through joint training activities) in order to guarantee the availability
         of suitably qualified researchers, engineers and employees in the nuclear sector over the
         longer term.
II.      NUCLEAR ACTIVITIES OF THE JOINT RESEARCH CENTRE (JRC)
Objective
To provide customer driven scientific and technical support to the Community policy-making
process in the nuclear field, ensuring support to the implementation and monitoring of existing
policies while flexibly responding to new policy demands.
 ---pagebreak--- L 400/78          EN                Official Journal of the European Union                       30.12.2006
Rationale
The JRC supports the objectives of the European strategy for energy supply, in particular that of
meeting the Kyoto objectives. The Community has a recognised competence in many aspects of
nuclear technology, and this is built on a solid basis of past successes in the domain. The usefulness
of the JRC in its support to Community policies and in its contribution to the new trends in nuclear
research are based on its scientific expertise and its integration in the international scientific
community and on cooperation with other research centres as well as dissemination of knowledge.
The JRC has competent staff and state-of-the-art facilities to carry out recognised scientific and
technical work, aiming at keeping European research at the forefront through the quality of its
scientific and technical work. The JRC supports the policy of the Community to maintain basic
competences and expertise for the future by giving access to its infrastructures to other researchers
and by training young scientists and fostering their mobility, thus sustaining nuclear know-how in
Europe. New demand has emerged in particular in the external relations and security-related
policies. In these cases, in-house and secure information, analyses and systems are needed which
cannot always be obtained on the market.
The nuclear activities of the JRC aim to satisfy the R&D requirements to support both Commission
and Member States. The objective of this programme is to develop and assemble knowledge and to
provide input to the debate on nuclear energy production, its safety and reliability, its sustainability
and control, its threats and challenges, including the assessment of innovative and future systems.
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Activities
The JRC activities will focus on:
1)       nuclear waste management and environmental impact, aiming to understand the nuclear
         fuel processes from production of energy to waste disposal and to develop effective
         solutions for the management of high level nuclear waste following the two major options
         (direct disposal or partitioning and transmutation). Activities will also be developed to
         enhance knowledge and improve the processing or conditioning of long-lived waste and
         basic research into actinides;
2)       nuclear safety, in implementing research on existing as well as on new fuel cycles and on
         reactor safety of both western and Russian reactor types as well as on new reactor design.
         In addition the JRC will contribute to, and coordinate, the European contribution to the
         Generation IV International Forum R&D initiative, in which the best research
         organisations in the world are involved. The JRC should act as integrator of research in this
         area with the aim of ensuring the quality of the European contribution to GIF. The JRC
         will contribute exclusively to those areas that can improve safety and safeguard aspects of
         innovative fuel cycles, in particular characterisation, test and analysis of new fuels; the
         development of safety and quality goals, safety requirements and advanced evaluation
         methods for systems;
 ---pagebreak--- L 400/80          EN                Official Journal of the European Union                     30.12.2006
3)       nuclear security, in supporting the accomplishment of Community commitments, in
         particular the control of the fuel cycle facilities emphasising the back-end of the fuel cycle,
         the monitoring of the radioactivity in the environment, or the implementation of the
         additional protocol and the integrated safeguards, and the prevention of the diversion of
         nuclear and radioactive material associated with illicit trafficking in such material.
In addition, the JRC will facilitate fact-based debate and informed decision-making on the
energy mix appropriate to meet the European energy needs (including renewable sources of energy
and nuclear power).
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                                                 ANNEX II
                                         FUNDING SCHEMES
Subject to the rules for participation established for the implementation of the Seventh Framework
Programme, the Community will support research and technological development activities,
including demonstration activities in the specific programmes, through a range of funding schemes.
These schemes will be used, either alone or in combination, to fund different categories of actions
implemented throughout the Seventh Framework Programme.
1.        FUNDING SCHEMES IN FUSION ENERGY
In the field of fusion energy research, the particular nature of the activities in the area necessitates
the implementation of specific arrangements. Financial support will be given to activities carried
out on the basis of procedures set out in:
1.1.      the Contracts of Association, between the Commission and Member States or fully
          associated third countries or entities within Member States or fully associated
          third countries which provide for the execution of part of the Community fusion
          energy research programme according to Article 10 of the Treaty;
1.2.      the European Fusion Development Agreement (EFDA), a multilateral agreement
          concluded between the Commission and organisations in, or acting for, Member States and
          associated third countries providing inter alia the framework for further research on fusion
          technology in associated organisations and in industry, use of the JET facilities and the
          European contribution to international cooperation;
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1.3.      the European Joint Undertaking for ITER, based on Articles 45 to 51 of the Treaty;
1.4.      international agreements between Euratom and third countries covering activities in the
          field of fusion energy research and development, in particular the ITER Agreement;
1.5.      any other multilateral agreement concluded between the Community and associated
          organisations, in particular the Agreement on Staff Mobility;
1.6.      cost-sharing actions to promote and contribute to fusion energy research with bodies in the
          Member States or the third countries associated with the Seventh Framework Programme
          in which there is no Contract of Association.
In addition to the above activities, actions to promote and develop human resources, fellowships,
integrated infrastructure initiatives as well as specific support actions may be undertaken in
particular to coordinate fusion energy research, to undertake studies in support of these activities
and to support publications, information exchange, and training in order to promote technology
transfer.
2.        FUNDING SCHEMES IN OTHER FIELDS
The activities in fields other than fusion energy under the Seventh Framework Programme will be
funded through a range of funding schemes. These schemes will be used, either alone or in
combination, to fund different categories of actions implemented throughout the Seventh
Framework Programme.
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The decisions for specific programmes, work programmes and calls for proposals will mention, as
and when appropriate:
–        the type(s) of scheme(s) used to fund different categories of actions,
–        the categories of participants (such as research organisations, universities, industry, public
         authorities) which can benefit from them,
–        the types of activities (research, development, demonstration, training, dissemination,
         transfer of knowledge and other related activities) which can be funded through each of
         them.
Where different funding schemes can be used, the work programmes may specify the funding
scheme to be used for the topic on which proposals are invited.
The funding schemes are the following:
(a)      To support actions which are primarily implemented on the basis of calls for proposals:
         1.    Collaborative projects
               Support to research projects carried out by consortia with participants from different
               countries, aiming at developing new knowledge, new technology, products or
               common resources for research. The size, scope and internal organisation of projects
               can vary from field to field and from topic to topic. Projects can range from small or
               medium-scale focused research actions to larger integrating projects which mobilise
               a significant volume of resources for achieving a defined objective.
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         2.    Networks of excellence
               Support to joint research programmes implemented by a number of research
               organisations integrating their activities in a given field, carried out by research
               teams in the framework of longer-term cooperation. The implementation of these
               joint research programmes will require a formal commitment from the organisations
               integrating part of their resources and their activities.
         3.    Coordination and support actions
               Support to activities aimed at coordinating or supporting research (networking,
               exchanges, studies, conferences, etc). These actions may also be implemented by
               means other than calls for proposals.
         4.    Actions to promote and develop human resources and mobility
               Support for training and career development of researchers.
(b)      To support actions implemented on the basis of decisions by the Council, based on a
         proposal from the Commission, the Community will provide financial support to
         multi-financed large-scale initiatives by the means of the following contributions:
         –     a financial contribution to the implementation of joint undertakings carried out on the
               basis of the procedures and provisions set out in Articles 45 to 51 of the Treaty,
         –     a financial contribution to the development of new infrastructures of European
               interest.
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The Community will implement the funding schemes in compliance with the provisions of the
Regulation to be adopted for the rules for participation of undertakings, research centres and
universities, the relevant State aid instruments, in particular the Community framework for State aid
to research and development, as well as international rules in this area. In compliance with this
international framework, it will be necessary to be able to adjust the scale and form of financial
participation on a case-by-case basis, in particular if funding from other public sector sources is
available, including other sources of Community financing such as the European Investment Bank
(EIB).
In the case of participants to an indirect action established in a region lagging in development
(convergence regions1 and outermost regions), complementary funding from the Structural Funds
will be mobilised wherever possible and appropriate.
3.      DIRECT ACTIONS – JOINT RESEARCH CENTRE
The Community will undertake activities implemented by the JRC, which are referred to as
direct actions.
1
        Convergence regions are defined in Article 5 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006 of
        11 July 2006 laying down general provisions on the European Regional Development Fund,
        the European Social Fund and the Cohesion Fund (OJ L 210, 31.7.2006, p. 25). This
        includes regions eligible for funding from the Structural Funds under the Convergence
        objective and regions eligible for funding from the Cohesion Fund.