CELEX: 51975PC0524
Language: en
Date: 1975-10-23
Title: PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DECISION ADOPTING A RESEARCH AND TRAINING PROGRAMME FOR THE EUROPEAN ATOMIC ENERGY COMMUNITY ON FAST BREEDER REACTORS (SAFETY - CODES AND STANDARDS) (submitted to the Council by the Commission)

ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES
DE LA COMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEE DES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM (75) 524
Vol. 1975/0198
 ---pagebreak--- Disclaimer
Conformément au règlement (CEE, Euratom) n° 354/83 du Conseil du 1er février 1983
concernant l'ouverture au public des archives historiques de la Communauté économique
européenne et de la Communauté européenne de l'énergie atomique (JO L 43 du 15.2.1983,
p. 1), tel que modifié par le règlement (CE, Euratom) n° 1700/2003 du 22 septembre 2003
(JO L 243 du 27.9.2003, p. 1), ce dossier est ouvert au public. Le cas échéant, les documents
classifiés présents dans ce dossier ont été déclassifiés conformément à l'article 5 dudit
règlement.
In accordance with Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 354/83 of 1 February 1983
concerning the opening to the public of the historical archives of the European Economic
Community and the European Atomic Energy Community (OJ L 43, 15.2.1983, p. 1), as
amended by Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1700/2003 of 22 September 2003 (OJ L 243,
27.9.2003, p. 1), this file is open to the public. Where necessary, classified documents in this
file have been declassified in conformity with Article 5 of the aforementioned regulation.
In Übereinstimmung mit der Verordnung (EWG, Euratom) Nr. 354/83 des Rates vom 1.
Februar 1983 über die Freigabe der historischen Archive der Europäischen
Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft und der Europäischen Atomgemeinschaft (ABI. L 43 vom 15.2.1983,
S. 1), geändert durch die Verordnung (EG, Euratom) Nr. 1700/2003 vom 22. September 2003
(ABI. L 243 vom 27.9.2003, S. 1), ist diese Datei der Öffentlichkeit zugänglich. Soweit
erforderlich, wurden die Verschlusssachen in dieser Datei in Übereinstimmung mit Artikel 5
der genannten Verordnung freigegeben.
 ---pagebreak--- COMMISSION OS THE EUROEPAN COMMUNITIES
                                                             COM(75)524 final
                                                             Brussels , 23 October 1975
                 PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DECISION ADOPTING A RESEARCH
                           AM) TRAINING PROGRAMME FOR THE
              EUROPEAN ATOMIC ENERGY COMMUNITY ON FAST BREEDER REACTORS
                            ( SAFETY - CODES AND STANDARDS )
                      ( submitted to the Council by the Commiss ion )
   COI.l(75 ) 524 final .
 ---pagebreak---                                                           111/658/75 -3
                                                              Orig. : F
  INTRODUCTION
  During the mid-oO 's the initial development on LHFER' S ( liquid metal
  fast breede# reactors ) in the Community of the Six was largely carried
  out under association agreements between iOQRiTOII and the research esta­
  blishments of the member countries .   In the walce of this direct asso­
  ciation , the Council of Ministers set up the Coordinating Committee on
  Past Reactors (CCFR) in April 1970 .   Its items of reference were "to
  examine and to put into effect as broad a coordination and cooperation
  as possible between the different programmes , using the most appropriate
  procedures , and to formulate any useful suggestions to that effect ".
  The FRCC has continued its work within these terms of reference for the
  past four years .  It has carried on regular examination of the entire
  range of problems and initiated the UrTIPEDH study on "Long-term develop­
  ment prospects for fast breeder reactors in the Community of the Nine ".
  A number of further complementary studies on this subject are at present
  under way.   It has called upon two , Working Parties - one on Safety , set
  up in 1971 » and the other on Codes and Standards , set' up in 1974 - "to
  pursue these, particular subjects furthex-.   At the same time , bilateral
  and multilateral contracts and agreements at all levels have helped to
  change and improve European cooperation on fast reactors .
  Broadly speaking , the present system of collaboration on the various
  programmes nay be considered as adequate up to the prototype stage , i.e.
  including the exchange of information on the construction and operation
  of prototype and other existing ma.jor facilities .
• The problem of commercial introduction of fast reactors including the
  Demonstration Plant phase are extremely complex , related as they are to
  the industrial operation and development of other reactor types and to
  fuel strategy.    While it is clear that the largest possible degree of
  concertation will be required in order to ensure success and to minimize
  the risks , the problems are not amenable to quick solutions , given both
  the development pattern of fast reactors in the member countries and the
 ---pagebreak---                                - 2 -                   II 1/6 53/75-3
                                                            Orig. : F
lact that marketing at Community level is still far in the future .
It may generally be concluded rt he,t the numerous initiatives of recent
years . at the level of government , industry and public utilities havo
been in the right direction .             .
The main functions of the Commission end of the FRCC will be continually
to improve exchanges of information to stimulate discussion and to pre-
p<?xe the ground for joint projects wherever- necessary . - The most impor­
tant subjects are safety research and general software development , the
fuel cycle ( especially reprocessing) strategic considerations connected
with the marketing of fast- reactors (which are currently being studied
by UNIPEDE), advanced fuels development and strategy, and perhaps the
question of adequate insurance or back-up for the liquid metal cooling
system ( i.e. possible development of an alternative fast reactor' concept )
Safety research and general software development are now the main sub­
jects which merit , 'and indeed demand , more Community action . -A direct
action programme in these fields is in fact under way at the Ispra JRC
to supplement national- programmes and the FRCC has concentrated its
efforts in these fields through the Norking Parties on Safety and on
Codes and Standards .   However , it is not enough to have set up these
working pairties and to have given them a remit ;   it will still be
necessary to follow up and evaluate their work and to ensure that they
obtain the necessary support to fulfil the tasks assigned to them .
For those reasons the FRCC , at its meeting on 12 June l975 » adopted an
Advice ( see Annex A) on the activities of the Safety .and Codes and
Standards Working Parties , in which it advocated strengthening their
scientific and technical secretariat .       ,               r.
The Council itself , in its -Resolution of 22nd July 1975 1 » noted that
the activities of the working parties in the field of nuclear safety
could require the inscription in the budget of credits to finance an
appropriate technical secretariat .
 ---pagebreak---                                - 3 -                     111/658/75-3
                                                             Orig. : F
The Working Parties
1.1 Objectives
The terms of reference of the two working parties are given in Annexes B
and C.    Clearly the long-term objective of these working parties is to
provide the software considered vital to ensure commercial introduction
of the fast reactors on a Community basis , bearing in mind the following
two requirements :
- development of a technically and economically viable concept ;
- establishment of a competitive industry , operating in an open market .
To achieve this aim , it is essential' to devise, common , or at /least compa­
tible , safety criteria and engineering standards for the design , manufac­
ture , inspection and operation of such plants .   Naturally this will be
a long-term process which will have to advance step by step , not only
because of purely practical reasons but also because of the natural
learning process involved and the general state of the act for this
concept .   It is for this reason that the initial phase of the work must
concentrate on exchanges of information about on-going programmes , deter­
mination of the state of the art , the tackling of -urgent specific pro­
blems , and in general , preparation of a sound technical foundation for
the ensuing stages .
1.2 l'Iorking method .
The working parties normally meet three to . four times a year for one-day
or two-day meetings .   The first problem is the definition of the material
which will provide the necessary input data" for the working parties .
Tliis input has to be supplied by the national specialists and. represen­
tatives working on specific projects .   Then there is the compilation
 ---pagebreak---                                - 4 -                   111/63 *5 /75 -3
                                                            Orig . : F
of inventories (fl & l ) , libraries ( codes ) and other comparative listings
 ( accident analysis ) which have to be evaluated in order to identify dif­
ferences , problems , and necessary additional- work ,:, likewise any changes
to be o .effected in national attitudes, which ere incompatible with common
objectives ... State-of-the-art - surveys submitted by . specialists , are used
to probe areas where there is particular uncertainty, and where it is
difficult at first sight to define the best way of handling, the: situa­
tion .
It should be noted that the SNG which has been in existence for longer
than, the Codes and Standards Working Party has subcontracted part of its
work to two expert study groups , one on Whole Core Accidents , and the
other on Containment Loading' and Response . '       ' -
1.3 Support required
The principal advantage of the groups mentioned abotfe , as with all groups
of this tyoe , is that they bring together a vast body of experience and
know-how which can be used to analyse information and input and output
before ( iri preparation for) and after meetings .    Their efficiency is ,
therefore , in direct relation to the quality or quantity of support made
available to them .       '           "  '
The type of support required can be defined as follows :
- the generation or compilation of information eirtracted from national
 - programmes , in a form suitable for the groups * purposes ;
- the evaluation of this documentation in the light of the groups'
    objectives and terms of reference , and the formulation pf conclusions
    and necessary recommendations ;   .           .
- the study of specific problems and presentation of critical studies
    on the state of the art ;
–' the drafting of criteria , codes and standards .
hTiile it is clear that the bulk of the information will have to come
from the national programmes , the experts unanimously agree that this
 ---pagebreak---                                                            111/658/75 -E
                                                               Orig. : F
kind of support will , in the first place , have to come from the
scientific secret ariat provided "by the Commission .     This is all the
more true in the present situation , for oil orisis in particular
has brought increasing pressure on national organizations to carry
out their programmes on very tight work schedules and the need for
such programmes to make increased use of cooperation and harmoniza­
tion at Community level has become increasingly apparent .       The Com­
mission therefore proposes to make available to the working parties
concerned a scientific and technical secretariat able to fulfil these
tasks satisfactorily .     This may even help to reduce the number of
experts' meetings prior to the full working party meetings .
At the same time the Commission will ensure in connection with the
competent Advisory Committee that the JBC research programme on reactor
safety takes , as far as possible ," into account the needs identified by
the working parties .
Programme proposal
For the various reasons and motives outlined above it is proposed to
carry out support activities for the "Safety" and "Codes and Standards "
Working Parties on Fast Breeder Reactors under an action programme to
be carried out at headquarters and to be entirely financed by the Com­
munity .
The project is expected to run until the commercial maturity of fast
reactors in the Community is reached , i.e. , for at least 5-10 years .
It is therefore proposed that the project run over a five-year period
 ( 1976-30 ) , subject to further extension .
The only costs for the project will be expenditure for 5 scientific
and technical staff , namely 3 A 's , 1. B and 1 C 's , and administrative •
expenditure .
T'he means to be provided exe :
Staff                                   5
Staff expenditure               1.120,000 U.A.
Adrninistrative expenditure       410.000 U.A.
 ---pagebreak---                                   - 9 -
,      The Commission shall undertake to find the five officials
       necessary to the execution of the programme in respecting the
  . , existing staff roster ;  the Commission shell therefore not
     , ask for the creation of supplementary posts .
              « - J . • l,
 ---pagebreak---                                          - 7.-                ΙΙΙ/658/75-Ε
                PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DECISION ADOPTING A RESEARCH
              . •  .     . AND TRAINING PROGRAMME FOR -THE .
           EUROPEAN 'ATOMIC ENERGY COMMffi'ITY ON PAST BREEDER REA.CTORS "
                           ( SAFETY - CODES AFD STANDARDS )
                (Nuclear project to be oarried. out at Headquarters )
-..- THE COUICIL OP THE .. EJJHOP5&N.COMKU1TITJSS ,
     HAVIIIG REGARD TO the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy ,
     Community , and in particular Article 7 thereof ;
     HAVING REGARD TO the proposal from the Commission submitted after
     consultation , with the Scientific and Technical Committee ; ... .
     WIERES.S , in the actual state of development of fast breeder reactors ,
     it is . important to intensify the action at Community level, for the -  -
     coordination of the national programmes which has been going on in .,
     this matter for several yearsj especially concerning the aspects connected
     with safety and the establishment of codes and standards for the cons­
     truction and operation of the reactors mentioned ;
                         A  :  '
     WHEREA.S the Coordinating Committee on Past Reactors by its advice of
     12 June 1975 invited the institutions of the Community and the national
     organizations to take any useful initiative to this effect and to
     cooperate in their implementation ;
     WHEREA.S the Council by its resolution of 22 July 1975 agreed to an
     increased effort on the technological problems of nuclear safety at
     Community level ;
 ---pagebreak---                                      - 3 -                     111/653/75-5
  1'JHSREA.S a research programme at Community - level constitutes , at a first
  stage , an appropriate means to implement these principles ; ;
  Hfl.S DECIDED AS FOLLOWS :
                                 Article 1
  A research and. training programme on fast breeder reactors ( Safety -
  Codes and Standards ) as set out in Annexes I and II , is hereby' adopted
  for a period of five years from 1 January 1976 .         The Annexes form an
  integral part of this Decision .
                                 Article 2
  The maximum coonitnerrfco - in rqepect of expenditure and staff to carry out
  this programme shall be respectively 1,53 million units of account and
" five staff, the unit of account being defined in Article - 10 <sf the
  1'inancial Regulation of 25 April 1973 applying to - the General ' Budget
  of; the European Communities .
                                           Done at Brussels ,          ' v"
                                           For the Council ,
                                     " •"- The President
 ---pagebreak---                                                            111/658/75-3
                                                               Orig .: F
                                 / MEX   I
                   MJCLLAR PROJECT TO 35 CARRIED OUT AT
                               H3TJX3JABTERS
                     Scientific and technical support
                  for activities to bo carried out by the
                            working parties on
        Past Reactor Safety and Fast Reactor Codes and Standards
A masinrum amount of 1.53 million U.A. shall be allocated to this pro­
gramme , for which the staff provision shall be 5 in number .
The programme shall provide the following type of support :
- the generation or compilation of information extracted from national
   programmes , in a form suitable for the working groups * purposes ;
- the evaluation of this documentation in the light of the working
   groups' objectives and terras of reference , and the formulation of
   conclusions and necessary recommendations ;
- the study of specific problems and presentation of oritical studies
 - on the state of the art ;
- the drafting of criteria , codes and standards .
The programme will provide the necessary support for projects aimed at
providing the software considered vital to ensure commercial introduction
of fast reactors on a Community basis .
                                   MMS.    II
                   TABLE OP MXEîUïî EXPELÏTIIURE AND STAFF
                                            Commitments
               Programme                                     | Staff
                                         (million U.A. )
   Fast Breeder Reactors
   ( Safety - Codes and Standards )
                                              . -\ 53       II
                                                                 5
 ---pagebreak---                                 ,                         IIl/658/75-E
                                                              Orig. : F
                                                          ΑΜΠϋΧ  Α
                              ADVICE
             of the   Past Reactor Coordinating Committee
             delivered at the meeting of . June 12th , 1975 .
1 . During the last four years , the Past Reactor Coordinating Committee
     has pursued its work within its terms of reference .     It has regularly
     examined the entire range of problems and initiated the UNIP3DE study
     on "Prospects of the Long Terra Development of Past Breeder Reactors
     in the Community of the Nine ", for which a certain number of comple-
  * mentary studies are under way . " The Fast Reactor Coordinating Committee
     has , in particular called upon Working Groups - one on Safety, created
     in 1971 , and the other on Codes and Standards , created in 1974 " "to
     pursue the study of these specific subjects further .
2 . The - Safety Uoricing Group has doalt in depth with a number of subjects
     specified in its terms of reference .    The Codes and Standards Working
     Group has made an initial survey of the problems . and has drawn up a
   . working plan for dealing with them .        , , ,
     Open exchanges of views have enabled an effective improvement to be
     achieved in reciprocal information on the different activities carried
     out in the Member States , as well as increased collaboration and more
     profound understanding of certain aspects of fast reactors .
3 . With regard to their future activities the Working Groups have defined
     a certain nunber of tasks of priority interest ( e*g<, development of a
     common code . for the analysis of serious accidents , a detailed study
     pf fault trees , a comparison of the codes and standards applied to .
     fast reactor projects under construction , elaboration of a common
     technical guide ).
                                                                        /.
 ---pagebreak---                                                     - 2 -                       III/Ô58/75-3
                                                                                      Orig. : F
                                                                            ■ ANKEX      A
             4 . In the light of the work proposed by- the Working Group , the Core-
                       mission has' placed before tfre;Fasft .React or . Coordinating Coamitteo
                       a document indicating the possible ways in which it could contribute .
             5 « At its meeting on June 12th , 1975 » the Fast Reactor Coordinating
                       Committee studied the suggestions made " by its Working Groups and
     Η   * ■   ,              ...
                       also the document from the Commission .                          *
                 :• The -Fast Reactor Coordinating Committee is satisfied with the work
  ' i-            * carried out within the framework of the Working Groups ," marks its
                       agreement with the proposed tasks and priorities , and emphasizes
               ; its interest in the continuation of their activity.
                   Hie Fast Roactor Coordinating Committee :
                       requests the national Organisations       - < '                    "  -
    :                  - to contribute as effectively as possible to the accomplishment
                     '    of the tasks proposed ;
                    ' calls upon the Commission of the European Communities
                       - to take into account the requirements identified by the Working
                          Groups , when drawing ; up the programme propositions for the JRC ;
.                      - to undertake in a first step , any initiative which could increase
                          its support to the work of the groups by strengthening their
                          scientific - and technical secretariat ; '                .     :
       :               - to examine in a next, step the usefulness of proposing any further ac­
             '         ■' tion - about which the Fast Reactor Coordinating Committee will be
                          consulted in due time - which is likely to increase - the community
                          effort in the field of safety. -and codes and standards for fast
                       " reactors.''     .     :                          / '•' ■■■
 ---pagebreak---                                                            III/658/75-E
                                                               Orig. : F
                                                               MW3Z    B
                           Terms of referenc e
            for 8. ITorlcing Pcrty -on Codes and Stn.nd.ards
In the field of industrial-scale application ," the Working Party on
Codes and Standards for Fast Reactors set up "by the Coordinating
Committee on Past Reactors is to :
- draw up a list of the construction codes , standards ajid regula­
  tions in force in the Member States with regard to component design
  criteria and the choice of structural materials , their use end
  their control for operating conditions in sodium cooled- fast reac­
  tors ;
- define the points of similarity and analyse the problems relating
  to . points of dissimilarity.
The Working Party will also define the fields in which additional
theoretical or experimental data are required.
The Uorkirig Party will inform the Coordinating Committee on Fast
Reactors of its working plan as soon as possible , together with the
order of priorities to be applied as its work progresses .
 ---pagebreak---                                                          111/653/73--
                                                             Orig. : F
                            ; AMv'SX -C .      ;
                 :    .. Terras of reference  • > '• ; •–     ■
           for the Working Party on Safety of the Past
        Reactor Coordinating Committee as drawn up at the
            meeting held in Brussels on .9 December 71
The Working Party on "Safety" set up by the Fast Heactor Coordinating
Committee shall draw up a list of work undertaken or planned under
the various programmes . It shall help to improve the exchanges of
know-how in fast reactor safety in order to facilitate coordination
of the programmes , in due awareness of the desirability of making
preparations for harmonization of safety criteria within the Community
to be put into effect at a later date according to appropriate proce­
dures . It shall also be able to propose new studies at the technical
level which could be used to back up existing programmes .
The Working Party shall deal with the following :
- Identification and study of phenomena involved in the initiation
  and evolution of accidents which could damage the reactor and lead
  to a safety problem for the staff and environment !
- Methods for accident analysis and safety evaluation ;
- Evaluation of the efficiency and reliability of both the systems
  and the equipment provided for the prevention of accidents ;
- Furtherance of knowledge on the sources end magnitude of energy
  and radioactivity released under normal and accident conditions ,
  in order to facilitate the design and analysis of safety systems ;
- Evaluation of the efficiency and reliability of the safety systems
  and limitation of accident consequences .
 ---pagebreak---                                                               III/658/75-E
                                                                  Orig. : F
                          FINAîTCIAL RICO?!) SHEET
Budget entry : Chapter 3.&7 "Fast Reactors " in the Statement of
                  expenditures relating to research and investment
                  activities (Annex: I to Seotion III "Commission" of
                  the . Budget of the . European Communities )
Legal "basis s Article 7 of tho I3AEC Treaty
                  Proposal forwarded to the Commission , on
Aut hori sing
depctv^uent   : Directorate General for Industrial and technological
                  Affairs
                '                       . >                 ..V
Description , aims and grounds for the pro.ject ;
Support activities for the Safety and Codes and Standards working groups
of the Coordinating Committee on Fast Reactors .
These include :
1 ) preparation and compilation of information derived from national
    programmes ,
2 ) evaluation of this data,
3 ) study of specific problems ,
4 ) establishment of draft criteria , codes and standards .
The aim of the programme is to provide a technical secretariat for the
working groups responsible for promoting the commercial introduction of
a Community network of fast reactors , having regard to the need to develop
a competitive industry in an open market .
Duration of pro.ject : I.I.7S - 3I0XII.8O (5 years )
Staff                    : 3 category "A"
                         . 1 category " B"
                           1 category "C "
                           5 Community servants
Cost of project          : 1,530,000 UA ( staff expenditure and administrative
                                            expenditure )
Timetable of commitments and payments :
      197o          225,000 UA
      1977          260,000 UA
      1978          300,000 UA
      1979          3^-5,000 UÂ
      1980          400,000 UA
 ---pagebreak---                             - 2 -                 III, 553/ 75-2
                                                       Origo : F
Financing of project :
Entered in Chapter 9-33 of the 1976 budget . ;
Type of control to be applied :
Scientific and technical control will be carried out by -the Coor­
dinating Committee on Fast Reactors .
Financial control will be carried out in accordance with the proce­
dures laid down by the Financial Regulation applicable to research
appropriations .