CELEX: 51988PC0789
Language: en
Date: 1988-12-16
Title: PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DECISION Adopting A Specific Multiannual Research and Training Programme for the European Atomic Energy Community in the Field of Radiation Protection (1990-1991) (presented by the Commission)

ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES
DE LA COMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEE DES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM (88) 789
Vol. 1988/0259
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 ---pagebreak--- COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                                 COM ( 88)789    final
                                                 Brussels ,   16 December 1988
                            PROPOSAL FOR A
                           COUNCIL DECISION
Adopting A Specific Multiannual Research and Training Programme
              for the European Atomic Energy Community
          in the Field of Radiation Protection           ( 1990-1991 )
                     ( presented by the Commission )
                  /S>
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                                       ••••'
 ---pagebreak---                                     SUMMARY
                       PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DECISION
        Adopting a Multiannual Research and Training Programme
                  for the European Atomic Energy Community
             in the Field of Radiation Protection ( 1990-1991 )
1 . The present proposal has been established in consequence of
    the EURATOM TREATY . It represents a extension of the current
    1985-1989 Programme which had been supplemented by a revision
    as a consequence of the Chernobyl accident .
2 . The current Programme has been evaluated by the Management and
    Coordination Advisory Committee ( CGC ) Radiation Protection
    ( see Appendix IV and Supplementary Document II ). An evaluation
    by an independent panel of experts will be available in March
    1989 .
3 . The       proposed    1990-1991    Radiation    Protection    Programme
    represents a part of the Community research needs in the field
    of radiation protection for the period 1990-1994 outlined in
    the explanatory memorandum . It emphasizes those aspects of
    research that are of primary importance for the protection of
    workers and the public against ionizing radiation and that are
    related to the regulatory obligations of the Commission . The
    Programme stresses research into countermeasures to prevent or
    reduce exposure in normal situations as well as after
    accidents.lt will also provide advanced training to young
    scientists to maintain scientific expertise in radiation
    protection in the Community .
4.     The Programme will deal with the following subject areas :
    A ) Human Exposure to Radiation and Radioactivity .
       A. 1 . Measurement of Radiation Dose and its Interpretation .
       A. 2 . Transfer    and   Behaviour    of   Radionuclides      in   the
              Environment .
    B ) Consequences        of  Radiation     Exposure   to    Man ;    their
        Assessment , Prevention and Treatment .
       B. 1 . Stochastic Effects of Radiation .
       B. 2 . Non-stochastic Effects of Radiation .
       B. 3 . Radiation effects on the developing organism
    C ) Risks and Management of Radiation Exposure .
       C 1 . Assessment of human exposure and risks .
       C. 2 . Optimization and Management of Radiation Protection .
5 . A funding of 21.2 Mio ECU for a programme involving the period
    1990-1991 is considered appropriate for the realization of the
    Programme proposed . The research will be carried out primarily
    by means of cost-shared contracts .
 ---pagebreak---                    EXPLANATORY *ffiMQRANDUM
                 Community Research Needs in the field of
               Radiation Protection for the Period 1990-1994
                              TABLE OF CONTENTS
                                                                      Page
I.    Terms of Reference                                                 1
II .  The Need for Radiation Protection Research                         5
      A. Radiation Protection under normal conditions                    6
      B.  Radiation Protection in emergency situations                   8
III . The Commission 's Programme in Radiation Protection Research     11
      A. The role of the Commission 's Radiation Protection Programme  11
      B. The implementation of research in the Radiation Protection
         Programme                                                     13
      C. The promotion of cooperation and exchange of scientific
         information within the Community                              l ^1
      D. International cooperation in radiation protection             15
IV .  The Radiation Protection Programme and other Community
      Research Programmes                                              17
V.    Summary of the scientific objectives and planned research        21
VI .  Management of the Radiation Protection Programme                 27
      A. Management of research                                        27
      B. Information exchange , cooperation and training               28
      C. Evaluation of the Programme                                   29
      D. Required means for Community radiation protection research
         activities                                                    30
 ---pagebreak---                                   -1-
I. Terms of Reference .
   The EURATOM TREATY in Article 2 defines as one of its aims " to
promote research and ensure the dissemination of technical
information” and , in Annex I -VI , it charged the Commission with
the " Study of the harmful effects of radiation on living
organisms ". As a consequence of this Treaty , the Radiation
Protection Research and Training Programme of the Commission of
the European Communities was initiated in 1961 and has been
continued through a series of multiannual programmes . These
research activities are complementary to the regulatory functions
of the Commission specified in Chapter III , Art . 30-38 of the
EURATOM Treaty .
   The SINGLE EUROPEAN ACT defines the specific and indispensable ,
role the Community has to play in research and technological
advancement ( Art . 24-26 ). Accordingly , the Single European Act
lays down the legal and procedural basis for the Framework
Programme .
   The FRAMEWORK PROGRAMME of Community activities in the field
of research and technical development ( 1987-1991 ) identifies
under the activity " Quality of Life : Radiation Protection " the
main lines of research to carry out at Community level in this
field . The Radiation Protection Programme is of relevance also to
other specific programmes in the Framework Programme , for
example , to those relating to the environment , nuclear safety and
controlled nuclear fusion .
   The European Parliament has            regularly emphasized  the
importance of the Radiation Protection Programme and , in
particular in its opinion on the 1987 Programme revision , " takes
the view that the efforts made to step up research in the field
 ---pagebreak---                                   -2-
of radiation protection should be maintained in forthcoming
programmes after 1990”
   Respect for Human Life and for the Natural Environment demands
that the potential risks of human activities be understood , be
assessed and be limited to an acceptable level . This is
particularly important for those technologies whose impact , due
to normal operation and especially in accident situations , may
affect a large number of people , and with consequences not
necessarily confined within national boundaries . All human
activities involve risks to health of very different nature , but
the development of modern technologies , associated with radiation
and , to a lesser degree , the exposure to natural background
radiation have become a matter of much discussion for both the
public and politicians . This concern has intensified because of
recent nuclear accidents and incidents .
   A Community Research Programme on Radiation Protection thus
remains essential in view of the obligations of the Commission
with respect to the " Basic Safety Standards for the Health
Protection of the General Public and Workers against the Dangers
of Ionizing Radiation " and related problems of Community
regulation which are the task of the Directorate-General ,
Environment , Consumer Protection and Nuclear Safety . A Radiation
Protection Research Programme is also vital in view of the
widespread concern of the public about radiation risks , the
social and economic impact of long-term choices in energy policy
on man and his environment ,          the possible trans-frontier
consequences of accidents , and , last but not least , the need to
maintain and expand Community competence in radiation protection
in the future . Research carried out in the Radiation Protection
Programme makes use of many diverse scientific approaches and
methodologies in order to achieve the integration necessary for
optimal protection . It is for this reason that the Programme must
maintain its balanced and comprehensive structure .
      1
        A2-240 / 87 PE 116,284 final 7.12.1987
 ---pagebreak---                                 -3-
The Commission 's Radiation Protection Programme aims to provide
by scientific research :
 - The scientific basis for the continued updating of the " Basic
   Safety Standards for the Health Protection of the General
   Public and Workers against Dangers of Ionizing Radiation ",
 - The scientific knowledge needed to assess the carcinogenic and
   genetic risks to workers and the general public from exposure
   to  low doses  and  low dose  rates  of radiation of  different
   quality arising from natural radiation , medical diagnostic
   radiology and nuclear industry .
 - Methods to assess risks from radiation accidents , and to
   provide rationales and techniques for the implementation of
   countermeasures e.g. for emergency reference levels for
   radioactivity in food , decontamination of the environment , and
   diagnosis and treatment of accident victims .
 - The information necessary to expand radiation protection
   concepts and practices in response to demands created , for
   example , by innovative applications of radiation in medicine ,
   by progress in fusion research , by conventional industries
   releasing radioactive effluents , by projects for the safe
   disposal of radioactive waste ....
 - The objective scientific background to help the relevant
   national authorities reach optimal decisions on the operation
   of the nuclear industry , the development of environmental
   criteria for radioactivity , and the management of rare
   emergency situations , and to give objective answers to the
   public about risks and benefits .
 - The incentive and the support for cooperation between
   scientists and research institutions from the different: Member
   States .
 - The stimulus for continued development of radiation protection
   concepts in an international forum and its extension to other
   comparable noxious agents in the environment .
 ---pagebreak---                                  -5-
 II .The Need for Radi ation Protection Research .
   Living organisms have always been exposed to radiation from
natural sources and have adapted to this situation . Medical and
industrial developments have added other sources of radiation
which - although contributing less on the average than the dose
from natural background radiation and yielding a benefit to
society and the individual - have caused increasing concern to
the public and have given rise to demands for a better knowledge
of possible harmful consequences and greater protection of man
and his environment . Public acceptance of radiation technologies
in industry and medicine will depend on the understanding of what
radiation is and how it acts , what hazards it presents under
operational conditions and after accidents , and how the benefits
of   radiation   applications    are    perceived . When    radiation
protection legislation has to be updated or when an emergency
situation arises , authorities must be able to rely on a sound and
comprehensive scientific basis of radiation protection in order
to make rational decisions that will safeguard the health of
individuals , protect the environment , and are also acceptable to
the public . Such decisions which involve important social and
economic considerations are obviously the responsibility of
public authorities , but they require a scientific assessment of
risks and benefits for which research in radiation protection
must provide the basis .
   Such research must therefore define the extent of ,        and the
ways by which , exposure to radiation can occur , it must study the
consequences of irradiation to man including the treatment of
over-exposure , and it must assess , in a comparative way , the
risks radiation can pose to man and his environment . This
research  must   also   contribute   to   an  understanding   of  how
radiation accidents occur , how they can be prevented and how
their consequences can be mitigated .
 ---pagebreak---                                   -6-
   The understanding of radiation exposure , effects and risks
has , indeed , made much progress . Radiation protection philosophy ,
regulations and practices have followed closely the expanding
scientific knowledge , providing a stimulus and methods for the
protection from other harmful agents . Nevertheless , as a result
of the progress , the remaining gaps and uncertainties became more
apparent , and other problems arose in relation to the development
of new radiation technologies or to the management of radiation
accidents . Changes in perception and acceptance of risks are also
reflected     in major modifications      of   radiation protection
philosophy . Conseguently the present proposal , taking into
account the changes and developments that have taken place in
radiation     protection   research    in   recent   years , differs
substantially from earlier ones .         Objectives and research
strategies developed in the proposed Radiation Protection
Programme ( 1990-1994 ) are detailed in chapter V and Supplementary
Document I.       Examples from two principal problem areas are
briefly outlined in the following .
A. Radiation protection under normal conditions .
   Nearly all radiation exposure to man occurs in the low dose
range where risks from cancer and genetic effects , so-called
stochastic damage , might arise . Exposure of the public originates
mainly from natural background radiation and from medical
diagnostic procedures ; therefore , if radiation risks in general
are to be reduced , countermeasures against excessive indoor
exposure to radon and optimization of medical diagnostics are
certainly the most efficient ways . This requires the definition
of the conditions under which such exposure occurs and of the
factors that influence it , as well as an assessment of the risks
to man and the design of protection strategies .
   The exact assessment of the consequences of low level exposure
requires a delicate approach involving more than just the
definition and determination of exposure conditions . All reliable
 ---pagebreak---                                  -7-
information    available   comes   from   human   epidemiology   and
experimental animal studies carried out with a dose level of at
least two orders of magnitude greater than man 's average annual
exposure to natural background . It is a logical and largely
conservative assumption , and one which is used in radiation
protection , that , also at low doses , the incidence of these
effects   is    proportional   to    dose   without   a   threshold .
Nevertheless , the effect of low doses remains of primary concern
to legislators and the public alike and requires further
investigations . The incidence of cancer and genetic effects in
the population is naturally high , and the probability of
causation by low radiation doses is small , therefore a direct
observation    of  these   radiation   effects   is  difficult   and
unreliable ; instead , one must apply a research strategy that
obtains and integrates information from rather different
scientific areas , such as from studies on how radiation interacts
with biological molecules , on appropriate biophysical models , on
cellular and animal systems , and on epidemiological follow-up of
selected human populations .
   Reduction of exposure from natural sources , mainly from radon
emanating from the ground and construction materials , and which
may cause lung cancer , is costly because it can involve
modifications of existing houses in areas of high background and
changes in building codes . Appropriate scientific information
must be available to put into proper perspective the potential
benefits as well as the risks and costs of the countermeasures .
Such optimization of protection on the basis of scientific data
is also needed for man-made radiation .    In the case of radiation
in medicine , one must identify those procedures contributing most
to the population dose and one must provide physicians with the
information that allows them to use medical radiation diagnostics
in such a way that optimal clinical information is obtained at a
reasonably low exposure level .
 ---pagebreak---                                  -8-
B. Radiation protection in emergency situations .
   Serious nuclear accidents are extremely rare events , but , as
Chernobyl has taught us , can create emergency situations on an
international scale which pose grave problems of a social ,
regulatory and economic nature . Accident consequence analysis has
been a subject of scientific study in radiation protection
research in the past , but the Chernobyl accident indicated that
scientific information had not been fully integrated into
procedures applicable for crisis management . Public authorities
have obviously the primary responsibility for crisis management ,
but they have to rely on scientific expertise . Although most
basic scientific elements for setting derived intervention levels
for radioactivity in food were available at the time of the
accident , a rapid agreement was impossible because considerations
relating to political and economic aspects and to public
acceptance played a major role in decision making .
   Future research must increasingly keep in mind the practical
management of radiological emergencies . Data collection and
monitoring of radioactivity should be made more efficient and
rapid , and the communication of this information should be
standardized . Improved , more realistic and rapid computer models
should be developed which integrate these data as well as other
information from the emergency , in order to help to make
immediate decisions on countermeasures . This also requires
research to improve knowledge of the dispersion of radioactivity
and its transfer through the food-chain to man . The potential
exposure levels and effects must be assessed near and at some
distance from the accident for each          given situation , and
appropriate countermeasures must be developed . In addition , the
short - and long-term health , social , environmental and economic
consequences of the contamination and of the countermeasures have
to be taken into account .
 ---pagebreak---                                 -9-
   Persons , usually at the site of an accident , who receive a
radiation exposure which could endanger their life must be
identified rapidly and correctly , and must obtain treatment based
on   the    most   recent  scientific    knowledge .    Several   new
possibilities of treating such persons are now under study .
Better treatment modalities must also be provided for persons
exposed under conditions where only parts of the body , mainly
skin   or    subcutaneous  tissues ,   are   affected ,    or   where
radionuclides have been incorporated into the body .
 ---pagebreak---                                 - 11-
     III .The Commission' s Programme
     in Radiation Protection Research .
A. The Role of the Commission 's Radiation Protection Proqramme .
   The Radiation Protection Programme of the Commission of the
European Communities was initiated as a result of the EURATOM
TREATY . The current five year programme for the period 1985 to
1989 has been endowed with a budget of 58 Mio ECU . The Programme
has recently been revised to take account of the specific topics
of radiation protection research recognized after the Chernobyl
accident with an additional budget of 10 Mio ECU for a period of
2 years .
   The Programme has , in the past , contributed substantially to
the world-wide efforts in radiation protection and is being
continuously adapted to the changing requirements of radiation
protection ; the research proposed in chapter V for the years
1990-1994 logically extends past work and incorporates newly
recognized research needs .
The Radiation   Protection   Programme  of  the  Commission of  the
European Communities
 - contributes to the scientific basis on a Community level for
   the updating of the Basic Safety Standards ,
 - takes into account and adapts itself to newly arising
   Community-wide problems in radiation protection ,
 - allows rapid referral of , and answer to , problems arising in
   the context of the Commission 's regulatory activities and its
   relations with the European Parliament ,
 - has developed an optimal structure to stimulate and support
   radiation protection research in institutions of Member States
   by means of cost-shared contracts ,
 - represents a cost-effective means for carrying out radiation
   protection research in Member States ,
 - produces   effective    and   economical    cooperation  between
   scientists thus creating a European network of research ,
 - furnishes essential information to assist in the industrial
   design and   improvement of equipment needed for radiation
   protection in industry and medicine ,
 ---pagebreak---                                   - 12-
 - provides     the   scientific    research   atmosphere   in   which
   scientists obtain and maintain the           specialized knowledge
   needed for radiation protection in normal situations and for
   the efficient management of radiation accidents ,
 - permits optimal and rapid dissemination of scientific
   information      on .  radiation     protection    among   research
   institutions in Europe ,
 - forms a suitable basis for cooperation with international
   organizations active in radiation protection and with
   countries outside the Community ,
 - is associated with about 80 % , and participates in about 30 %
   of all radiation protection research carried out in the
   Community ; about 550 full time scientists work on contracts of
   the Programme ,
 - is indispensable to maintain the know-how of the Community in
   the field of radiation protection and can provide the
   necessary training and contact to other laboratories for young
   scientists .
   The Commission 's Radiation Protection Programme was first
initiated at a time when radiation research was becoming
increasingly complex demanding specialized knowledge in many
different areas and more expensive experimental facilities .
During its multiannual Programmes , the Community 's Programme has
been able to link together the research efforts of all Member
States into a coherent network resulting in an intensive and
cost-effective interdependence of European research in radiation
protection . Interests of all Member States are accurately
reflected by the way the Programme is implemented . Thus , it is no
longer necessary for Member States to develop the expensive
installations and expertise in every area of radiation protection
research as they can rely on the research and experience in other
Member States and can concentrate on those subjects where they
have acquired the greatest expertise and where they perceive
their needs to be most urgent .
   The research actions of the Commission 's Programme and the
cooperation it has initiated have brought substantial net
financial benefits to Member States because they have allowed to
share knowhow and facilities and have avoided costly duplications
of efforts . Another aspect , probably as important as the direct
 ---pagebreak---                                  - 13-
savings on a longer term , is the Community spirit of research
which the programme has created among participating scientists .
This   has  been  achieved  because    almost  all  relevant   research
institutions in the Community are associated with the programme .
   The expertise in radiation protection research now available
in the Community and acquired as a result of the previous
programmes must be maintained in the future . A substantial number
of expert scientists active in the field will retire during the
next 5-10 years , and young trained scientists are scarce ,
especially in some Member States . The situation coiild become
critical without the support by the Commission 's programme . If
crucial expertise in the field of radiation protection is not to
be irreplaceably lost , efforts must be maintained and extended to
give comprehensive training to young scientists , to give them the
opportunity to obtain additional expertise by working in
laboratories in another Member State , and to convince them that
future research opportunities and interest in this field will
continue to exist .
   In addition to supporting research , scientific cooperation ,
exchange of information and training , the Programme must continue
to   provide   scientists  with    the   stimulation    and  scientific
atmosphere which is a prerequisite for maintaining the competence
needed to handle the increasingly complex problems of radiation
protection in normal and in emergency situations .
B.  The implementation of    research in the Radiation Protection
   Programme .
   Research in the Radiation Protection Programme is carried out
by means of shared cost contracts concluded with national
institutions   and  universities    in  Member   States   to which  the
Commission contributes , in general , now from 25 to 50 % of the
cost of research ( for further details of future management and
decision criteria see chapter VI ). The programme currently gives
support to more than 350 research projects in the frame of the
 ---pagebreak---                                   - 14-
regular programme and to more than 50 contracts in the frame of
the post-Chernobyl revision of the programme .
    Research priorities are elaborated with the help of the
Management     and Coordination      Advisory Committee     " Radiation
Protection " ( CGC ) and of experts from Member States and from
outside the Community . The priorities and the management of the
Programme are subject to regular evaluation . Progress in all
contracts is annually reviewed by the CGC . In addition , regular
independent evaluations are being performed ; the last one has
been published in 1984 and covered the 1976-1980 Programme and
parts of the 1981-1984 Programme . An evaluation of the current
( 1985-1989 ) Programme made by the CGC in spring 1988 is attached
to the proposal ( Supplementary Document II ). An independent
evaluation is under way and will be available in spring 1.989 .
C.   The  promotion   of   cooperation   and  exchange  Of  scientific
    information within the Community .
    Promotion of cooperation among scientists from different
institutions is a primary aim of the Commission 's Programme in
which both the CGC and the Commission 's staff are actively
engaged . In addition , specialized groups of scientists such as
the European Late Effects Project Group , established under the
sponsorship of tne Radiation Protection Programme , have
collaborated intensively on a scientific-technical level . These
groups have been successful in helping to create a " Europe for
Scientists "   and   have   been  able   to  motivate   scientists   to
cooperate    with  each   other ,  demonstrating   to  them   the  many
advantages they can thereby gain . The long-term nature of
research in radiation protection , the need for specialized
facilities and know-how and its relation to regulatory activities
make cooperation indispensable for an efficient use of limited
means .
    Rapid diffusion of information through the European and
International scientific community as well as to regulatory
 ---pagebreak---                                  - 15-
bodies is another important feature of the Programme . The
Commission 's staff maintains contact with individual scientists ,
and convokes study groups among contractors engaged in work on
specialized subjects . It also organises workshops , seminars etc .
in which the international scientific community participates . The
Radiation     Protection   Programme     publishes   and   distributes
proceedings of such meetings and commissions reviews and reports
on topical subjects .
   Staff of the Programme also participate in the meetings of the
expert groups set up according to Articles 31 and 37 of the
EURATOM TREATY and is    involved in the activities related to the
Articles    35 and 36 of this Treaty . The information obtained is
used to define priorities in the Radiation Protection Programme
and , conversely , the scientific information obtained in the
Programme serves as input to the Commission 's regulatory
activities . These activities underline the unique status of the
Programme in Community-wide radiation protection .
D. International cooperation in radiation protection .
   The Programme has also established contacts with countries
outside the Community : memoranda of understanding have been
signed with the US Department of Energy ( Office of Health and
Environmental Research ), and the Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd .
These memoranda are being implemented by meetings of staff from
both institutions to discuss priorities and approaches thereby
avoiding duplication of        research ,    by mutual     reviews of
programmes , by coorganisation of workshops , by short-term visits
of    scientists     to  initiate      direct    cooperation    between
institutions , and by collobaration on selected research projects .
Contacts , albeit not yet institutionalized , have been established
with the Nordic countries and Japan , and scientists from these
countries participate in meetings organized by the Programme .
   Recommendations for regulations in radiation protection are
normally formulated by independent international committees . The
 ---pagebreak---                                     - 16-
Radiation Protection Programme maintains official contacts and
has given some support to the International Commission on
Radiological Protection ( ICRP ), to the International Commission
on Radiation Units and Measurements ( ICRU ), and , for assistance
in the post-Chernobyl evaluation ,             to the United Nations
Scientific     Committee     on   the    Effects   of    Atomic  Radiation
( UNSCEAR ) . Information is exchanged with , and staff frequently
attend meetings of , the . World Health Organization ( WHO ), the
International Atomic Energy Agency ( IAEA ), the Nuclear Energy
Agency of the Organization for Cooperation and Economic
Development , ( OECD / NEA ) and the Food and Agriculture Organization
( FAO ) .  The   information     obtained     from    these   contacts  is
transmitted to scientists in Member States and made use of in the
management of the programme .
 ---pagebreak---                                       - 17-
IV- The Radiation Protection Programme
   and other Community Research Progrannies .
     The Radiation Protection Programme forms part of the general
  research strategy of the Commission of the European Communities
  as outlined in the Framework Programme of Community activities in
  the field of research and technological development .
     The Radiation Protection Programme maintains a close liaison
  with other Community programmes dealing with nuclear energy , with
  the environment and with medicine . Coordination is assured by
  means of the regular exchange of information between programmes ,
  meetings between staff to define priorities and scientific
  approaches , discussion of ongoing specific projects , briefing
  contractors     on    developments        in   other    programmes ,    and
  participation in and coorganisation of workshops and seminars .
  The organizational structure of              the Radiation Protection
  Programme within the Directorate " Nuclear Safety Research "
  facilitates its relations with programmes dealing with nuclear
  energy .
     The programme " Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Radioactive Waste "
  investigates the means by which long-lived radioactive waste can
  be   safely    stored .    It    is    therefore   concerned with       the
  physico-chemical processes occurring as radionuclides migrate
  through the geosphere . By comparison , the Radiation Protection
  Programme   deals   with    the   transfer    of  radionuclides    in   the
  biosphere and via the foodchain to man and studies how different
  physico-chemical forms ( speciation ) of the radionuclides affect
  these transfer properties .
     The Commission 's actions on " Nuclear Safety " are concerned
  with the technical ' and regulatory aspects of the safety of
  nuclear  plants    and   aim   to   provide a    satisfactory degree     of
  protection   to   man   and   his   environment    from   radiation   risks
  arising from the normal operation of nuclear plants and from
 ---pagebreak---                                  - 18-
accidents . These objectives are comparable with those of the
Radiation Protection Programme , but the scientific approaches and
the subjects studied complement each other . Close cooperation is
maintained between the two programmes , particularly with respect
to accident consequence analysis and accident preparedness .
   The programme " Fusion " aims to develop a safe and efficient
energy supply from nuclear fusion . The techniques utilized make
use of considerable quantities of tritium and also result in the
formation of activation products . On site problems related to
radioactivity released under normal operational conditions and
following an hypothetical accident are treated in the Fusion
Programme , whereas the environmental and health consequences of
such releases fall within the domain of the Radiation Protection
Programme . The safe development of fusion energy requires an
understanding of both the possible source terms and their
potential radiological impact on man .
   The programme " Environment " is concerned with the pollution of
ecosystems and of the foodchain by non-radioactive contaminants .
Mechanisms of transport in the environment and models to describe
this transport are of a similar nature to those developed for the
radioactive contaminants . The " Environment " programme also deals
with genotoxic properties of chemicals including aneuploidy ;
related work dealing with comparable effects of radiation are
being studied in the Radiation Protection Programme . Risk
assessment for non-radioactive contaminants is also an important
part of the programme " Environment ". Risk assessment for non¬
radioactive contaminants and indoor air quality are also
important parts of the programme " Environment ". Both programmes
thus are complementary and follow some similar research
strategies .
   The research and coordination development programme " Medical
and Health Research " in its target area " Cancer " emphasizes ,
among others , epidemiology and experimental fundamental research .
Research   on  radiation-induced    cancer is  carried  out in  the
 ---pagebreak---                                   - 19-
Radiation Protection Programme , but the aims and methods of
execution of the two programmes are basically different . Whereas
the medical research programme attempts , by means of concerted
actions , to optimize health care for cancer and to increase the
general efficiency of research efforts in this area , the
Radiation Protection Programme is concerned specifically with the
effectiveness and the ways by which certain cancers are induced
by radiation and radionuclides , and this requires special
expertise in radiation dosimetry and radiation biology . Another
target area " Medical Technology Development” in the " Medical and
Health Research Programme "        assesses the efficacy of new
diagnostic techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging and
ultrasound . These diagnostic tools might be alternatives for
those using ionizing radiation , the risks and benefits of which
are evaluated in the Radiation Protection Programme . Cooperation
between the two programmes is also of importance with respect to
epidemiological studies , for example those carried out on birth
defects and on aneuploidy in the frame of EUROCAT .
    In its newly developed contributions to radiation protection ,
the   " Joint Research Centre " has defined two areas for which the
necessary prerequisites at a physical-technical level are
available . It is setting up a data bank on Radioactivity
Environmental Monitoring ( REM ) and it is developing data
collection procedures for airborne radioactivity . With respect to
both subjects , and in particular the latter one , the Radiation
Protection Programme cooperates with the Joint Research Centre in
establishing contacts and initiating cooperation with Member
State 's laboratories active in this field , especially those who
are contractors of the Commission 's Programme .
 ---pagebreak---                                 - 21-
V. Srnmary of Scientific Objectives
and the Planned Research .
    Radiation protection research deals with a series of complex
 problems the solution of which requires that information from
 quite different subject areas be integrated by means of a
 multi-disciplinary research Programme . The Radiation Protection
 Programme has been formulated to be a comprehensive and balanced
 research approach which is made up essentially of three basic
 elements :  A ) Determination of human exposure to radiation and
 radioactivity , B ) Consequences of radiation exposure to man ;
 their assessment , prevention and treatment , and C ) Risks and
 management of radiation exposure . Consequently , to provide a
 scientific foundation for radiation protection , research in the
 Programme aims to     define in detail the sources , pathways and
 circumstances under which exposure occurs , determine accurately
 the characteristics and extent of such exposure , study and
 understand the health consequences of exposure to man , and
 finally combine these data to obtain a risk assessment in the
 framework of a general risk management policy . Research will also
 provide the scientific basis for countermeasures in normal
 situations and for crisis management after a nuclear accident , to
 protect people against detrimental health consequences and to
 limit risks to workers and the general public , and will develop
 further methods for treating radiation injuries .
    Three major types of exposure situations , all in the low dose
 range , apply to normal conditions : Natural background radiation
 dominates human exposure in general but is subject to
 considerable    variations .  Medical   radiological    diagnostic
 procedures contribute an additional average dose to the public in
 an industrialized society equal to about half that of natural
 background . Radiation from other sources such as nuclear
 industries and various industrial applications can give rise to
 doses to workers employed in these industries in the order of the
 ---pagebreak---                                  - 22-
average natural exposure , while , members of the general public
receive  a  dose  from  these activities which    is less  than a  few
percent of the natural exposure .
   In an emergency situation , as the Chernobyl accident has
shown , a small number of people may receive doses endangering
their life or causing severe acute radiation syndromes . However ,
even after a severe accident like Chernobyl , most members of the
general public would receive only doses of less than the annual
average background .
   In the low dose range , cancer and genetic effects are the most
important consequences to be considered . The probability , but not
the severity , of these , so-called stochastic , effects occurring
is thought to be proportional to dose without a threshold ,
although at low doses the incidence cannot be measured directly .
In contrast , the rare accidental over-exposures can cause
non-stochastic effects with a severity which increases with dose
once a certain threshold dose has been exceeded . These threshold
doses are well above the dose limits defined in the Basic Safety
Standards for the public and workers .
   Studies on exposure and effects of radiation provide the basis
for assessing the risks which may occur in normal situations and
after accidents . Radiation protection must be continuously
optimised taking into account , quantitatively , risks as well as
benefits of radiation . Moreover , risks need to be considered in a
comparative    manner    together     with   other   risks    in   the
industrialized society . In this way , it will be possible to
develop a comprehensive philosophy for risk management that aims
for the lowest overall impact of all hazards on man and the
environment .
   Continuation of research is the indispensable prerequisite if
a broad competence in radiation protection is to be maintained
in  the  future  in  the  Member   States . In  view of  the  imminent
retirement of many senior scientists and the shortfall of younger
ones entering the field , the Programme also stresses the need for
 ---pagebreak---                                  - 23-
advanced training of young scientists . Such training should not
only give them access to new ideas and methods and give to them
a more complete education in , and understanding of , the general
problems of radiation protection , but it should also integrate
them progressively into the European radiation protection
research community .
   The scientific problems and objectives pursued by the
Radiation Protection Programme are expounded in more detail in
chapter I of Supplementary Document I. This Supplementary
Document also contains , in its chapter II , a list of the specific
priority research subjects of the Radiation Protection Research
Programme arranged according to the three comprehensive subject
areas exposure , effects , risks . The following section presents a
summary of these scientific priorities .
 ---pagebreak---                                        - 24-
A ) Human Exposure to Radiation and Radioactivity .
A. 1 . Measurement of Radiation Dose and its Interpretation .
A. 1 . 1 . Development and implementation of standards and procedures
           linked to the concepts of dose equivalent quantities for
           both external and internal exposure .
A. 1 . 2 . Radiation    and   instrumentation   for   individual   and  area
           dosimetry .
A. 1 . 3 . Dérivation of organ doses and effective dose équivalent .
A. 1 . 4 . Assessment of internal exposure .
A. 2 . Transfer and Behaviour of Radionuclides in the Environment .
A. 2 . 1 . Environmental behaviour of radionuclides           in situations
           meriting particular attention for long-term behaviour or
           post-accident conditions .
A. 2 . 2 . Natural radioactivity in the environment and its pathways
           to man .
A. 2 . 3 . Inf luence of speciation , chemical modification , changes in
           physico - chemical properties and biological conversion ,
           particularly with respect to : long-lived fission and
           corrosion products ,     actinides , tritium e.g. reduction of
           hydrogen gas       and   transformation     of   inorganic   into
           organically       bound    tritium ,     and     effluent     from
           radiopharmaceutics or nuclear medicine .
A. 2 . 4 . The behaviour of accidentally released radionuclides ,
           evaluation of the reliability of transfer parameters and
           experimental studies .
A. 2 . 5 . The   role  of   retention   and  release   of  radionuclides   in
           natural ecosystems such as forests , moorland , swamps ,
           marshlands , water bodies and in marginal agricultural
           areas .
A. 2 . 6 . Development of countermeasures to reduce the contamination
           in the environment and to impede its transfer to man .
 ---pagebreak---                                        - 25-
B ) Consequences of Radiation Exposure to Man ; their Assessment ,
     Prevention and Treatment .
B. 1 . Stochastic Effects of Radiation .
B. 1 . 1 . Interpretation of low dose and low dose rate effects with
            the help of microdosimetry .
B. 1.2 . Repair and modification of genetic damage and individual
            radiosensitivity .
B . 1 . 3 . Cellular ,  molecular and animal      studies   to determine the
            risk   of   stochastic  somatic    effects   of   radiation  with
            respect to low dqse , low dose rate and radiation quality .
B . 1 . 4 . Assessment of genetic risks in man .
B. 1.5 . Action of radionuclides on target cells in relation to
            radionuclide metabolism and studies on biological models
            for radionuclide-induced cancer particularly of lung , bone ,
            liver . . .
B. 2 . Non-stochastic Effects of Radiation .
B. 2 . 1 . Radiation syndromes and their treatment after exposure of
            large parts of the body .
B. 2 . 2 . Irradiation     ard   committed    exposure    from   incorporated
            radionuclides .
B. 2 . 3 . Radiation     syndromes   and    their   treatment    after  local
            exposure to skin and subcutaneous tissues .
B. 2 . 4 . Radiation damage to lens , thyroid and other tissues of
            relevance in radiation protection .
B. 3 . Radiation effects on the developing organism
 ---pagebreak---                                       - 26-
C ) Risks and Management of Radiation Exposure .
C 1 . Assessment of human exposure and risks .
C . 1 . 1 . Evaluation and statistics of the different types of human
            exposure .
C . 1 . 2 . Exposure to natural radioactivity          and  evaluation    of
            parameters influencing these risks .
C. 1 . 3 . Comparative assessment of exposure and risks .
C . 1 . 4 . Epidemiological studies in human populations .
C. 2 . Optimization and Management of Radiation Protection .
C . 2 . 1 . Optimization of radiological protection
C. 2 . 2 . Réduction   of   patient    exposure   in   medical    diagnostic
            Radiology
C . 2 . 3 . Management  of   radiological    protection    in   normal   and
            accident situations .
C . 2 . 4 . Probabilistic  risk   assessment   and   real-time   models  for
            assessing the consequences of accidental releases of
            radioactivity   and    for    evaluating    effectiveness    and
            feasibility of countermeasures .
 ---pagebreak---                                     - 27-
VI -Managemsit of the Radiation Protection Programme.
    A. Management of Research .
        Research in the Radiation Protection Programme is to be
    carried out by " cost-sharing actions " to which , in general , the
    Commission contributes up to 50 % of the total cost of research .
    The " Management and Coordination Advisory Committee 'Radiation
    Protection' " ( CGC ) advises the Commission on the management of
    the Programme and its contracts . This ensures that a close
    liaison is maintained with relevant research carried out in the
    Member States .
     Proven structures for an effective and flexible management have
    evolved gradually during the previous Multiannual Programmes .
    Research proposals submitted by national research institutions or
    university departments from Member States are examined by the CGC
    and the staff of the Commission . The different proposals are
    assigned priorities , and proposals are accepted for funding on
    the basis of their scientific merits , their relevance for
    radiation protection and their cooperative aspects .
        During the course of the Programme , the progress of the
    scientific work in the individual projects is monitored by the
    CGC together with the Commission 's staff . Progress reports are
    submitted , evaluated and published annually , and regular contacts
    are maintained with contractors by means of study group meetings
    and   on  site   visits . The Commission 's  staff  also intervenes
    whenever   supplementary cooperation   needs   to be initiated , or
    research work has to be reoriented . At the end of the Programme ,
    a final report is published , and the main results are summarized
    in a synopsis prepared by the CGC together with the Commission 's
    staff .      -  ,
 ---pagebreak---                                 - 28-
B. Information exchange , cooperation and training .
    The Radiation Protection Programme organises about 30 study
group meetings , workshops and seminars on subjects of topical
interest each year . Many of these meetings are coorganised with
contractors   of  Member  States    and /or with institutions  from
countries with which Memoranda of Understanding have been signed
( US Department of Energy , Atomic Energy of Canada Limited ). The
proceedings of important meetings are published in the scientific
literature as books , special issues of relevant journals etc . The
meetings are attended by research workers involved in contracts ,
by scientists from the Community and from third countries . Where
appropriate , non-scientif ic observers from regulating bodies or
concerned organizations are also invited to attend the meetings .
    The progress reports published annually , the proceedings of
the meetings , the reviews commissioned by the Commission on
specific topics and , especially , the 700 or so scientific
publications coming each year from research supported by the
Commission 's Programme have a major impact on radiation
protection . This is , for example , clearly endorsed by their
frequent citation in the comprehensive reports issued at regular
intervals by UNSCEAR ( United Nations Scientific Committee on
Effects of Atomic Radiation ).
    The emphasis of the Commission 's Programme on cooperation
results in numerous collaborative research projects between
institutions in Member States .  It is the role of the CGC and the
Commission 's   staff  to    point    out   such opportunities   to
contractors . In addition , cooperative groups such as EULEP
( European Late Effects Project Group ) fulfill an essential role
in maintaining cooperation in crucial fields of radiation
protection research .
    Special attention is paid to the training of scientists at
several levels . Teaching aids at the university level could be
provided with the help of the cooperative groups . Promising young
 ---pagebreak---                                   - 29-
scientists working in radiation protection and health physics
must be able to train for several months in other institutions in
different Member States to improve their expertise and to
establish contacts with other scientific organizations . This
mobility of workers complements the efforts that the Programme
makes to keep scientists informed of the latest developments and
needs of radiation protection research . The training activities
of the Radiation Protection Programme thus supplement those of
the newly decided ( 29.6.1988 ) plan to Stimulate the International
Cooperation and Interchange needed for European Research
Scientists ( Science ) by providing the specific aspects related to
the training and maintenance of expertise              in radiation
protection .
C ) Evaluation of the Programme .
    An interim evaluation of the Programme carried out by the CGC
is joined to this proposal . A full evaluation by a panel of
independent scientists is under way and will be joined to the
Proposal as soon as it is available . The Programme was already
evaluated in 1984 ( EUR 864 8 EN,FR Luxembourg 1984 ) when it was
concluded " that the Programme is mature , in the main , well
balanced , productive and reasonably comprehensive and that most
major laboratories in Community countries are involved in it " .
The ongoing evaluation is based on the following criteria :
 - the relevance of    the  results   of the research carried out in
    the Programme for the theoretical foundation of         radiation
    protection and its practical applications ,
 - the scientific originality of the work ,
 - the efficiency of the management ,
 - the extent to which the Programme has contributed               to
    cooperation among Member State 's laboratories ,
 - its role in the dissemination of knowledge ,
 - the   relevance   and   applicability   of  the  results  for  the
    Commission 's regulating activities .
 ---pagebreak---                                   - 30-
 Dl   Required means   for Community    radiation protection  research
    activities .
 D.l . Global needs for radiation protection research activities
       during the period 1990-1994 .
    The Commission estimates the global needs for the implementation
of the research activities outlined in this paper for the five
years period 1990-1994 at about 90 Mios ECU based on the following
considerations :
  - Support of research in radiation protection should continue at
    the present level in real costs , taking into account also the
    new Member States , and the normal percentage of support should
    be reestablished .
  - Certain post-Chernobyl actions initiated following the revision
    of the Radiation Protection Programme should be continued for
    a limited period of time as part of the new Programme .
  - Funds should be foreseen ( in the order of 5 % of the funds of
    the entire Programme ) for the training and mobility of young
    scientists .
As a guideline , planned expenditure for the entire 1990-1994 period
is given as follows :
                                                             Mio ECU
Contractual Activities .
Expenditure for cost-shared contracts                            70.4
Training , mobility of research workers and flexibility           4.0
Expenditure for Commission staff ( 28 )                          13.7
    at head quarters and detached to contracts .
Management and Administration .
Expenditure for organization of meetings , publications
    infrastructure , administrative and related tasks             1.9
Total                                                            90.0
    In this respect , it should be recalled that the budget allocated
for the Programme 1980-1984 was 59 Mio ECU and that for the 1985-
 ---pagebreak---                                  - 31-
1989 Programme it was 68 Mio ECU including the revision of the
Programme decided as a consequence of the Chernobyl accident 1 .
D.2 . Amount Deemed Necessary for the actual        Proposal   for a
       Radiation Protection Programme 1990/ 1991 .
   The Framework Programme for Community activities in the field
of research and technological development had foreseen an amount
of 34 Mio ECU for decisions concerning radiation protection
research to be taken during the period 1987 to 1991 . From this sum ,
10  Mio   ECU have  been  used for the   revision  of the  Radiation
Protection Programme as a consequence of the Chernobyl accident and
2.8 Mio ECU have been allocated for Radioactivity Environmental
Monitoring ( REM) in the frame of the Joint Research Centre .
Consequently , within the present Framework Programme 1987/ 1991 ,
there remain only 21.2 Mio ECU for a decision on the continuation
of Community radiation protection research as set forward in this
draft proposal .
   As a consequence , the present proposal is limited to a 2 years
period 1990-1991 during which time the activities of the Radiation
Protection Programme will have to be severely curtailed . It is
essential , nevertheless , to maintain a balanced programme of
research and thereby to guarantee the broad range of expertise in
radiation protection in the future . Consequently activities will
have to be temporarily reduced in all research areas of the
Programme , although not all areas will be equally affected .
      1 Council Decisión 21.12.1987 , O.J. L16 21.1.1988 , P.44
 ---pagebreak---                                   - 32-
     Planned expenditure for the Radiation Protection Programme
proposal       1990-1991     are      given   by    categories     as
 follows :
                                                            Mio ECU
Contractual Activities .
Expenditure for cost-shared contracts                           14.73
Training , mobility of research workers and flexibility          0.60
Expenditure for Commission staff ( 28 )                          5.51
     at head quarters and detached to contracts .
Management and Administration .
Expenditure for organization of meetings , publications
     infrastructure , administrative and related tasks           0.76
Total                                                           21.20
D. 3 . Personnel .
    The management of the Programme requires a scientific staff with
expertise in the different fields of radiation research . The staff
consists of personnel at headquarters responsible for the
management of the programme and scientists which , for the time
being are detached to work in contractual research in Member
States . These scientists continue to form a useful link between
the Radiation Protection Programme and the activities in institutes
of Member States , but it remains the policy of the Commission not
to replace this staff when they retire .
    In this respect the development in the number of staff
authorized is of interest : In 1973 the staff totalled 97 persons ;
it was reduced progressively to 79 in 1976 , to 64 in 1980 , to 60
in 1985 and should be 28 in 1990 .
    Although it would be desirable to distinguish clearly between
costs for administration and costs for research , this is not easy
since   staff   detached  to  contracts   devote all  their  time   to
research , and staff at headquarters spends a major part of their
 ---pagebreak---                                  - 33-
work , about 70 % ,     coordinating ongoing research , organizing
workshops etc . . A considerable part of the administrative costs ,
about 30 % also concern the organization of meetings , publication
of proceedings of workshops , progress and final report , and
convocation of experts . Thus , the real administrative costs are
much less than is apparent from the above figures .
D.4 . Distribution of funds among different research activities .
   The   different  research  sectors  of the Radiation  Protection
Programme overlap to a certain extent and are interdependent .
Budget figures for individual sectors are therefore of limited
significance . By way of indication only , the following values are
given : " Human Exposure to Radiation and Radioactivity" ( 35
percent ) ; Consequences of Radiation Exposure to Man ; their
Assessment , Prevention and Treatment " ( 35 percent ) ; Risks and
Management of Radiation Protection ( 30 percent ).
 ---pagebreak---                                APPENDIX I
                     PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DECISION
 ADOPTING A SPECIFIC MULTIANNUAL RESEARCH AND TRAINING PROGRAMME
               FOR THE EUROPEAN ATOMIC ENERGY COMMUNITY
           IN THE FIELD OF RADIATION PROTECTION ( 1990-1991 )
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy
Community , and in particular Article 7 thereof ,
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament 1 ,
Having    regard   to   the  opinion  of   the  Economic  and Social
Committee    ,
Whereas , by its Decision 87/516/EURATOM, EEC of 28 September 19873 ,
the Council has adopted a multiannual Framework Programme of
Community Research and Technological Development ( 1987-1991 ) ,
providing inter alia for activities dealing with radiation
protection ;
Whereas the Scientific and Technical Committee * has given a
positive opinion on the programme proposal 1990-1991 from the
Commission ,
     1 O.J. No C
     2 O.J. No C .
     3 O.J. No L302 , 24.10.1987 , p.l
     t, _         ..
        see Appendix III
 ---pagebreak---                                       -2-
Whereas it is in the interest of the Community to supplement and
broaden the knowledge and the scientific information needed for
an objective study of human exposure to radiation and
radioactivity , of the consequences of radiation exposure to man
and of the assessment and management of its risks as identified
in the document dealing with " Community research needs in the
field of radiation protection for the period 1990-1994 ";
Whereas advanced training , scientific cooperation and exchange of
scientists    and    of    scientific    information  are  essential to
radiation protection ;
Whereas the research covered by this Decision is an appropriate
way of pursuing such action ;
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION
                                  Article 1
A specific Research and Training Programme for the European
Atomic Energy Community in the field of Radiation Protection ,
defined in the Annex , is hereby adopted for a period of two years
from 1 January 1990 .
                                  Article 2
The amount deemed necessary for the execution of the Programme is
21.2 Million ECU , including expenditure on a staff of 28 .
                                  Article 3
Detailed rules for the implementation of the Programme and the
rate of the Community 's financial participation are set out in
the Annex .
                                  Article 4
1 . An evaluation of the results achieved shall be conducted by
    the Commission , which shall report thereon to the Council and
    the European Parliament .
2 . The above mentioned report shall be established having regard
    to the objectives set out in the Annex to this decision and in
    conformity with the provisions of Art . 2 ( 2 ) of Council
    Decision 87 / 516 / EURATOM , EEC , of 28 September 1987 .
 ---pagebreak---                                        -3-
                                    Article 5
1 . The Commission shall be responsible for the execution of the
    Programme and shall be assisted in its implementation by the
    Management and Coordination Advisory Committee ( CGC ) on
    Radiation       Protection ,    set up by the Council  Decision
    84 / 338 / EURATOM/ ECSC / EEC 5 .
2 . The contracts entered into by the Commission shall regulate
    the rights and obligations of each party , including the
    methods of disseminating , protecting and exploiting the
    research results .
                                    Article 6
The Commission is authorized to negotiate , in accordance with
Article 101 paragraph 2 of the EAEC Treaty , agreements with non -
Member States , and international organizations , with a view to
associating them wholly or partially with the programme .
                                    Article 7
This Decision is addressed to the Member States
                                           Done at
                                           For the Council
                                           The President .
       5
          OJ No L177 , 4.7.1984 , p.25
 ---pagebreak---                                   -5-
                                 ANNEX
             Radiation Protection Programme ( 1990-1991 )
                             I. OBJECTIVES
The Radiation Protection Programme 1990-1991 aims by means of a
cooperative European research effort to provide :
 - the scientific basis for the continued updating of the " Basic
   Safety Standards for the Health Protection of the General
   Public and Workers against Dangers of Ionizing Radiation ",
 - the scientific knowledge needed to assess the carcinogenic and
   genetic risks to workers and the general public from exposure
   to  low doses   and  low dose    rates of radiation  of different
   quality arising from natural radiation ,      medical diagnostic
   radiology and nuclear industry ,
 - the methods to assess risks from radiation accidents as well
   as the rationales and techniques for the implementation of
   countermeasures ,
 - the information necessary to expand radiation protection
   concepts and practices in response to demands created , for
   example , by innovative applications of radiation in medicine
   and industry ,
 - the objective scientific background to help the relevant
   national authorities reach rational decisions on the operation
   of the nuclear industry , on the development of environmental
   criteria for radioactivity , on the management of rare
   emergency situations , and on the objective information to be
   given to the public about risks and benefits ,
 - the incentive and the support for cooperation between
   scientists and research institutions from the different Member
   States , and the advanced training necessary to maintain
   competence in the Community ,
 - the stimulus for continued development of radiation protection
   philosophy and concepts in an international forum .
                       II . TECHNICAL CONTENTS
The 1990-1991 Radiation Protection Programme represents a part of
the Community research needs in the field of radiation protection
for the period 1990-1994 outlined in COM . It emphasizes
those aspects of research that are of primary importance for the
protection of workers and the public against ionizing radiation
and that are related to the regulatory obligations of the
Commission . The Programme stresses research into countermeasures
to prevent or reduce exposure in normal situations as well as
after accidents.lt will also provide advanced training to young
scientists to maintain scientific expertise in radiation
protection in the Community .
 ---pagebreak---                                      -6-
The Programme will deal with the following subject areas :
A ) Human Exposure to Radiation and Radioactivity .
    A. 1 . Measurement of Radiation Dose and its Interpretation .
    A. 2 . Transfer    and   Behaviour     of  Radionuclides  in  the
            Environment .
B ) Consequences of Radiation Exposure to Man ; their Assessment ,
    Prevention and Treatment .
    B. 1 . Stochastic Effects of Radiation .
    B. 2 . Non-stochastic Effects of Radiation .
    B. 3 . Radiation effects on the developing organism
C ) Risks and Management of Radiation Exposure .
    Cl . Assessment of human exposure and risks .
    C . 2 . Optimization and Management of Radiation Protection .
                            III . Implémentation
The Programme will be carried out mainly by means of cost-shared
contracts with national institutions and university departments
in Member States . Contracting parties shall be required to meet a
substantial proportion of the costs , which should normally
correspond to at least 50% of the total expenditure . In specific
cases , a higher rate of Community financing may be appropriate .
In such cases , the Commission shall consult the Committee
referred to in Article 5.1 .
                                         *
 ---pagebreak---                                  -7-
                                                            Addendum
                                                            to Annex
                         Evaluation Criteria
              for the Research and Training Programme
                in the Field of Radiation Protection
The Commission 's recent Communication to the Council concerning a
Community Plan of Action relating to the evaluation of Community
research and development activities for the years 1987-1991 1
states that the objectives and milestones of each research
programme have to be set out in a testable form so as to guide
subsequent evaluations . Accordingly this note puts forward
evaluation criteria appropriate to tjhis programme .
The major evaluation criteria for the programme are
 - the relevance of    the results   of the research carried out in
   the Programme for the theoretical foundation of         radiation
   protection and its practical applications ,
 - the scientific originality of the work ,
 - the efficiency of the management ,
 - the extent to which the Programme has contributed to
   cooperation among Member State 's laboratories ,
 - its role in the dissemination of knowledge ,
 - the rele /ance and applicability of the results for the
   Commission 's regulating activities .
In addition , the criteria set up for the 1988-1989 revision 2
should also be considered :
1 O.J. No C 14 , 20.1.1987 , p.5
2 Council Decisión 21.12.1987 , O.J. L16 21.1.1988 , p.44
 ---pagebreak---                                 -8-
 - whether a significant contribution has been made to the
   development of more cost-effective techniques to prevent and
   counter harmful effects of radiation , especially those
   occurring as a result of hypothetical accidents taking into
   account the Chernobyl situation . In particular whether
     the reliability of long distance atmospheric transfer models
     has been improved ,
     improved data and models on the transfer of radionuclides in
     the food chain have been obtained ,
     the feasibility of epidemiological studies on health effects
     in the population has been demonstrated or rejected ,
     the radiological consequences of nuclear accident scenarios
     have become better understood ,
     the scientific basis of the underlying data for derived
     emergency reference levels has been developed ,
     practical countermeasures with respect to the agricultural
     and   aquatic   environment ,   the  urban   environment and
     preventive medication have been improved ,
     better methods for monitoring and surveillance in accidental
     situations have been found ,
     the treatment methodologies and diagnosis of exposed persons
     have advanced .
Evaluations are normally conducted once during each programme and
most of these criteria can be tested only after the research
contracts have been terminated and the final reports have been
assessed .
The evaluation should be conducted by panels of independent
external experts , chosen in accordance with point 3.5 of the
Community Plan of Action relating to the evaluation of Community
research and development activities for the years 1987-1991 , and
who will need to take evidence on all above points .
 ---pagebreak---                                 APPENDIX II
                              OPINION OF THE
           MANAGEMENT AND COORDINATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE
                         " RADIATION PROTECTION "
       concerning the Draft Proposal by the Commission for a
   RESEARCH AND TRAINING PROGRAMME ( 1990-1994 ) in the field of
                          RADIATION PROTECTION .
The Management and Coordination Advisory Committee " Radiation
Protection " ( CGC ) has - examined in detail the proposal of the
Commission during its meetings in December 1987 , March 1988 and
May 1988 and states unanimously :
 - The CGC is of opinion that it is in the interest of the
   Community to advance and broaden scientific knowledge in the
   field of radiation protection by means of the Commission 's
   Radiation Protection Programme in order to implement the goals
   of the Framework Programme to gain adequate scientific and
   technical understanding and control of radiation risks .
 - The CGC stresses the need for a balanced and comprehensive
   Community Radiation Protection Research Programme which takes
   into account the various scientific aspects most essential for
   the protection of man and his environment from ionizing
   radiation and which is indispensable to maintain Community
   competence in radiation protection .
 - The    CGC  strongly     supports    the  draft   programme   proposal
   1990-1994 and states its conviction , based on a valid
   assessment of Community needs in radiation protection , that
   the research proposed is relevant , contains the most essential
   elements   and   will    assure   a  cost-effective   coordination  of
   national effort , avoiding unnecessary duplication .
 - The CGC points out that , in order to prevent any further
   decline in the scientific radiation protection expertise
   presently available within the Community , it is essential that
   opportunities for advanced training be now provided for
   scientists working in this area .
 - The   CGC  stresses    the   need   for  funds  to  assure  a  certain
   flexibility of the Programme which is needed to respond
   rapidly to important developments in radiation protection or
   to a changed situation such as that presented by the Chernobyl
   accident .
 ---pagebreak---                                      -2-                         Appendix II
 - The CGC has evaluated the current programme 1985-1989 ( see
   annex )* and concludes that this programme is comprehensive ,
   balanced and well managed , that it contributes significantly
   to relevant knowledge on radiation protection and that it has
   achieved a high degree of Community cooperation in this area .
 - The CGC takes note of the fact that , within the present
   Framework Programme 1987 / 1991 , the funds available for a
   decision on a future Radiation Protection Programme as
   presented in the draft proposal allow only limited progress .
   Consequently , the Programme will have to be executed in two
   phases .
Consequently the CGC unanimously asks the Council to agree to the
renewal of the Multiannual Research and Training Programme in
Radiation Protection for a period of five years as an appropriate
way of assuring an adequate level of radiation protection in the
Community .
                                                 n!     \
Brussels , 15 . July 1988                      Prof. Dr. A. Cig'na
                                               Chairman of the CGC
                                               " Radiation Protection
   see Appendix IV and Supplementary Document part II
 ---pagebreak---                                                      31 . October , 1988
                                                           STC - 88 - D. 106
                               APPENDIX III
                              OPINION OF THE
                   SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL COMMITTEE
                   ON THE PROPOSAL OF THE COMMISSION
            FOR A RESEARCH AND TRAINING PROGRAMME 1990=1991
       FOR THE EUROPEAN ATOMIC ENERGY COMMUNITY IN THE FIELD OF
                          RADIATION PROTECTION
1 . During its meeting on 31 October 1988 , the Committee has
    examined the Community programme in the field of Radiation
    Protection
      - on the one hand , it has examined the Programme proposal 1990 -
        1991 ,
      - on the other hand , it has started a discussion on certain
        aspects of the Community programme which should receive
        particular attention , especially during the period which
        follows the forthcoming revision of the Framework Programme .
2 . The Committee gives a positive advice on the Programme proposal
    for the years 1990-1991 . It considers that it is important that
    the Community efforts be continued in the three subject areas
    A , B and C of the proposed Programme .
3 . The Committee considers that the present uncertainties in the
    estimates of the effect       of low doses of radiation and the
    widespread tendency to exaggerate the effects make it important
    to emphasize these parts of the programme that are likely to
    improve the scientific basis of radiation protection standards
    applying to low doses whether from occupational or natural
    sources .
    The Committee also recognizes that there are significant
    differences of opinion in the Community with respect to the use
    of available scientific information for the management of
    radiation protection .
    The Committee therefore encourages those activities within the
    Radiation Protection Programme which could usefully contribute
    to a better common understanding of the corresponding scientific
    issues and an improved communication with the public .
 ---pagebreak---                                   -2-                     Appendix III
4 . The Committee is concerned about the discrepancies in
    measurement and interpretation that became apparent after the
    Chernobyl accident . While these aspects may not be part of a
    Radiation Protection Research Programme , the Committee advises
    the Commission to provide additional help to Member States for
    improving measurement and interpretation procedures .
5 . At its next meeting , the Committee will continue to discuss the
    orientations of the Radiation Protection Programme to be
    recommended for the Framework Programme revision , taking into
    account the evaluation of the current programme by an
    independent panel .
 ---pagebreak---                                 APPENDIX IV
                               OPINION OF THE
           MANAGEMENT AND COORDINATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE
                         " RADIATION PROTECTION "
             concerning the Evaluation of the 1985-1989
                    Radiation Protection Programme .
The Management and Coordination Advisory Committee             " Radiation
Protection "   ( CGC )  has     evaluated   the   Radiation    Protection
Programme ( see Supplementary Document II ) in preparation for a
new Programme proposal . On the basis of its discussions and
annual evaluation of the ongoing research projects , the CGC
concludes :
 - Despite the reduction in funding compared to the original
   proposal of the Commission , a reasonably balanced Radiation
   Protection Research Programme has been achieved although
   several relevant research areas had to be reduced or abandoned
   with a consequent loss of expertise in this area . Moreover ,
   the amputation of the funds for flexibility did not permit the
   Programme to respond immediately to the Chernobyl accident by
   an appropriate extension of research projects .
 - The  research     carried    out  in   the  different   areas   of  the
   Programme ( sectors )       is highly relevant for conceptual ,
   practical and regulatory problems in radiation protection on a
   Community level , and the great majority of the projects have
   made remarkably good progress in attaining their specified
   goals . The scientists involved in the projects of the
   Programme have proven their ability to respond to the
   challenge of Chernobyl as far as their limited means allowed .
 - The Radiation Protection Programme has continued to be highly
   productive in relation to the means available , with an output
   of about 700 scientific publications / year and a large number
   of proceedings from workshops and symposia on topical subjects
   (a total of 25 from 1985-1987 ).
 - The study groups , workshops and seminars organised by the
   Commission alone or together with other institutions have had
   a substantial impact in fostering the exchange of information
   and cooperation and have noticeably contributed to the
   cost-effectiveness of the programme . The Commission 's workshop
   were among the first ones to evaluate objectively the
   consequences of the Chernobyl accident .
 - The present structure qf the CGC has facilitated and
   contributed to an - effective management of the Programme in
   cooperation with         the Commission 's     staff .  This    allowed
   scientific priorities relevant to the practical and regulatory
   needs of Community radiation protection to be defined and the
   progress of all different research projects to be closely
   monitored .    This   structure     also   has   become   a    valuable
   instrument for the interchange of information and for
   cooperation between the different national efforts and the
   Community 's Radiation Protection Programme .
 ---pagebreak---                                  -2-                     Appendix IV
 - Many of the scientific recommendations of the earlier
   independent evaluation panel have been adopted successfully in
   the programme , a few ,  however , could not be realized or be
   funded .
 - The Memoranda of Understanding concluded recently with the US
   Department of Energy and the Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd . have
   started with much good will on both sides and are becoming a
   basis of valuable cooperation .
 - The cooperative groups initiated and supported by the
   Programme have continued to be useful instruments for the
   implementation of technical cooperation . They have contributed
   significantly to the creation of an European climate of
   research and have helped in the training of scientists in
   radiation protection .
 - Only a small number of short term training fellowships have
   been possible under the programme . In view of the critical man
   power situation , the training and exchange of young scientists
   should be expanded to prevent a decline in the expertise in
   radiation protection occurring in the near future .
Brussels , 4 . May 1988                   Prof. Dr. A. Cigna
                                          Chairman of the CGC
                                          n
                                            Radiation Protection "
 ---pagebreak---                                                      30 . November 1988
                                 Appendix V
                             EVALUATION OF THE
                      RADIATION PROTECTION PROGRAMME
             OF THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                PROVISIONAL SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
 I.    INTRODUCTION
     The Commission of the European Communities ( CEC) has set up a
 Panel to evaluate the Radiation Protection Programme by assessing
 the Programme 's scientific priorities , future needs , execution ,
 management and its impact on world-wide radiation protection and
 on human society as well as on the Commission 's own regulatory and
 economic activities . In addition , the Panel has considered the
 Programme in relation to national research activities in Member
States *, and to some extent in relation to those in the USA and
Canada .
The Panel has evaluated :
  - the 1980-1984 Programme and the current 1985-1989 Programme ;
  - the research initiated as a consequence of the revision of the
    Programme after the Chernobyl accident ;
  - the " Community Research Needs in the Field of Radiation
    Protection for the Period 1990-1994 " and the accompanying
    Programme proposal for the years 1990-1991 .
    The present document expresses the Panel 's view at the initial
stage of its work . A more comprehensive evaluation will follow in
the Panel 's main report .
         using the documents supplied by the Management and
Coordination Advisory Committee " Radiation Protection " CGC for the
COPOL exercise      ( Comparison   of  Community Member    States  S/ T
Policies ) .
 ---pagebreak---                                    Page 2
  II .   General Comments .
       The need for a thorough programme of research in radiation
 protection based on recent rapid advances in radiobiological
 knowledge and environmental dissipation of radionuclides has never
 seemed more important than at present . Many people are assailed by
 pervasive fears of radiation and radioactivity caused by the
 Chernobyl disaster . Concern about the problem of radon in homes
 also threatens their composure if not their healths , people are
 alert as never before to radiation and the environmental problems
 associated with it . No radiation protection research programme can
 dissipate these fears entirely but it can provide answers to some
 of the questions vexing people . The problems created by radiation
 exposure are to be faced , understood and managed , but not to be
 feared unreasonably . The Radiation Protection Research Programme
 of the Commission is essential to meet this goal .
 11(a) The Need for a Radiation Protection Research Programme Today.
      Apart from the concerns of the general public , the professional
 scientific community now has important additional reasons for
vigourously pursuing radiation protection studies . These include
the following :
a ) Cancer risks .
     It has recently been recognized that the cancer risk estimates
     on which radiation protection standards are largely based are
     significantly higher than those estimated about a decade ago .
     This necessitates reconsideration of standards for workers and
     for the public , re-evaluation of risk benefit equations and a
     reconsideration of potential epidemiological studies that might
     be expected to cast further light on cancer risks .
b ) Genetic risks .
     Risks of genetic damage , for those effects well identified as
     hereditary in the past , and inducible by radiation , seem not to
     have increased . However , a new aspect , multifactorial diseases
   . of genetic origin , often appearing late in life , now looms much
     larger than before . While the radiation inducibility of these
 ---pagebreak---                                  Page 3
    diseases is as yet undetermined , they could constitute a new
    and larger heritable component of the risks of radiation .
    Further research in this area is urgently required .
c ) Irradiation of embryo .
    An " old" phenomenon resulting from irradiation of the embryo
    has , in the last five years or so , developed an important new
    twist . Mental retardation ( and some general decrease in IQ ) has
    been established as being a particularly likely consequence of
    irradiation during a specific " high risk" period of gestation
    of the human embryo viz 8-15 weeks ( and with less sensitivity
    16-25 weeks ) during which the radiation risk is considerable .
    Although the possibility of a threshold for this effect is real
    and perhaps even likely , experimental work has so far failed to
    establish such a threshold . Consequently , radiation protection
    guidance must take special note of this problem with respect to
    pregnant females .
é ) Nuclear accidents .
    The Chernobyl accident has demonstrated the need for additional
    efforts to clarify pathways for radionuclides after a serious
    accident . The capability to predict effects of dispersion and
    fallout in all areas of the Community and at different seasons
    of the year must be strengthened . The capability to predict
    consequences of radioactive releases must include such phenomena
    as secondary contamination , for example of soils , of lakes and
    forest areas , which are now being observed after the Chernobyl
    accident . Research must be intensified on transfer factors from
    radionuclides , such as Caesium , through the biological system
    to man , so that improved models will be available . The research
    must also provide background information for emergency
    preparedness in different European regions and with adherence
    to the IAEA convention on mutual assistance . The need to be able
    to reduce radioactive levels in animals forming part of the food
    chain , and to have a scientific basis for acceptable radioactive
    levels in foodstuffs were also demonstrated by the Chernobyl
    accident .
 ---pagebreak---                                  Page 4
e ) Radon in dwellings .
     In recent years radon has been recognized as a general problem
     of " first world " countries in which the indoor environment is
    heated and cooled during much of the year . Radon gas , mainly
     from the ground , reaching living areas and trapped there ,
    especially where ventilation is limited , gives rise to radon
    daughter products which irradiate the occupants . Levels have
    been measured to be substantial and , in Europe , may account for
    about 10 % of the 150,000 annual death due to lung cancer . This
    projects radon into the area of severe public health hazards and
    the countries of the European Community to a greater or lesser
    degree share this problem . The evaluation of the radon problem ,
    the detection of the more significantly irradiated regions and
    homes and mitigation of the more serious exposures is the
    radiation protection problem of the latter part of the 20th
    century . It also emphasizes the critical importance of further
    radiobiological and epidemiological research on the radon
    problem . Studies of the dosimetry of radon daughter deposition ,
    critical to understanding radon effects must be           pursued .
    Furthermore , epidemiological research on populations exposed in
    homes to relatively high radon concentrations is urgently
    required to supplement and confirm information on radon-induced
    cancers in uranium miners .
f ) Protection of workers .
    A related but distinct problem concerns the exposure of
    radiation workers " at work" to all sources , including natural .
    The International Labor Organization ( ILO ) has recently declared
    that all such sources at work must be taken into account in
    evaluating worker 's exposure vis -a-vis the standards for
    workers . This will particularly concern the exposure of some
    workers to radon ( and to a lesser degree to other natural and
    perhaps some man-made sources ) while at work . It will
    necessitate a wide-spread programme of radon ( and other
    radiation ) measurement: in thousands of work places not
    previously recognized as potential sources of exposure . In turn ,
 ---pagebreak---                                   Page 5
     it will require further study of methods of management of the
     problem where significant exposure is found .
g ) Radiological examinations .
     Up to 40 % of the total radiation exposure of members of the
     Community population results from medical and dental radiology .
     Dose reduction must therefore remain a high priority and newer
     methods of reducing dose , and alternative imaging and other
     procedures must constantly be sought . It is noted that dental
     radiography , while contributing rather little to the overall
     effective dose equivalent , may contribute to the induction of
     tumours ( such as those of the parotid gland ) in the dental
     exposure field itself .
     The unquestionable benefit brought to individual human health
     by radiological techniques should , however , be emphasized . In
     many situations the non-execution of a radiological examination
    .( eg , one involving early detection of a curable tumour) is more
     dangerous than the radiation risk . Here again , an objective and
     updated risk versus benefit analysis is necessary .
h ) Effects of low doses .
     Research in radiation biology is of major importance , not only
     to assist in establishing risk estimates at low doses , but also
     to advance our understanding of basic mechanisms . First of all ,
     it is critical that we understand how to estimate the cancer
     risks at low dose and dose rate , compared with the high dose
     and dose rate to which the Japanese atomic bomb survivors were
     exposed . Currently , the " dose rate effectiveness factor " is
     determined mainly from animal and cell culture experiments in
     the laboratory since too few human data are available . Further
     studies must be pursued to establish this factor more reliably .
     Secondly , recent studies are beginning to point out ways to an
     elucidation of the molecular processes involved in radiation-
     induced cancer . Specific cellular or viral genes associated with
     the process of cancer induction ( oncogenes ) are now being
     characterized , and the programme is expected to contribute to
     further developments leading to an understanding of the overall
 ---pagebreak---                                 Page 6
    process of radiation-induced cancer . It is probably no
    exaggeration to say that we are at the threshold of a new
    understanding of the molecular basis of induced malignancies ,
    a lead which must be pursued with all possible vigour in the
    field of radiation biology .
i ) Training .
    The Community Radiation Protection Programme has been evolving
    over some 30 years and many of its originators are nearing the
    end of their professional careers . Now it is essential ( and in
    the recent past regrettably it has been neglected ) to fund
    training programmes that will ensure :
    1 ) continuity of existing knowledge which has been carefully
    built up over a period of years by a selected , but still
    relatively small , community of scientists ,
    2 ) the background to pursue research avenues that will advance
    knowledge in the last decade of this century and into the next
    century and
    3 ) the availability of up-to-date knowledge and well-trained
    scientific and medical specialists for advice in the case of
    accidents such as that at Chernobyl .
    The time for conducting this effort has almost expired ; past
    pleas about training have not been answered ; new pleas must be
    couched in terms of the utmost urgency before it is too late .
    There is an absolute need to preserve and build on what we now
    know . It is a paramount responsibility of our generation of
    scientists to make this need known and for administrators and
    politicians to ensure that it is carried out . Funds must be
    provided in 1990-1994 and beyond for effective training at all
    levels for operational and research purposes .
 ---pagebreak---                                 Page 7
j ) Public Information .
    There is a growing public awareness in Europe of the need for
    protection of the environment from chemical pollutants , carbon
    dioxide and from radiation . Any Community policy on radiation
    protection must be based on sound scientific grounds and must
    safeguard the well-being of all the people . These objectives can
    be met only if the scientific knowledge , as advanced by
    research , reaches a high level of achievement . If the results
    of scientific research are conveyed to the public in an honest ,
    comprehensive and easily understood way , the public perception
    will move towards an accord with the real problem . The goal of
    this effort is to create a greater sense of public
    responsibility and partnership in dealing with radiation
    problems , and thus cannot be solved by science alone .
Ilb) The Rôle of the European Community
    The countries of Europe must not only share in the process
described above but the Community must take a lead in partnership
with other countries in Europe , the United States , Canada , Japan ,
etc . . The problems addressed above are essentially global but the
highly industrialized countries have a critical role to play ;
because of their populous nature some of the problems are more
acute for them ; because of their long tradition of science and
technology , they are better able to address them than most others .
    The CEC cannot leave the problem to others to resolve , the
global and regional nature of the problems are so interwoven that
only a concerted effort by the most comprehensive authority in
Europe can account for and discharge this responsibility . It is
collective , for all the countries of the CEC and their neighbors .
The experience of earlier Community programmes in this field has
shown that it is possible to attain joint goals through such
programmes .    This   programme    also    gains    strength    from
interrelationships with other Community activities .
 ---pagebreak---                                 Page 8
 III . Evaluation of the Scientific Programmes .
    This evaluation Panel has not yet made a full evaluation of the
Radiation Protection Programmes sponsored by the CEC in recent
years . It is charged with doing so for the 1980-1984 Programme and
the 1985-1989 Programme . A recent evaluation by an independent
Panel for the forerunner Programme 1976-1980 ( EUR 8648 ) indicated
that the CEC conducted a "programme which was mature , in the main ,
well-balanced , productive and reasonably comprehensive ", although
the Panel made a variety of suggestions for Programme improvement ,
many of which have subsequently been adopted by the CEC . The
Programme for 1980-1984 has been reported on ( EUR 10394 ) and in
part evaluated by an independent team of experts after the
Chernobyl accident ( EUR 11449 ) . The 1985-1989 Programme has also
already been evaluated , on a sector by sector basis , after only
three years of Programme activity , by the CGC " Radiation
Protection " . The main elements of the Programme have continued and
have progressed according to acknowledged scientific principles and
with substantial improvements since the last major independent
evaluation . The initial impression of the Panel is that it is faced
with a well -co-ordinated research programme representing
significant potential advances in various aspects of radiation
protection .
    This Panel has reviewed the proposal for 1990-1994 in a
preliminary way and finds that the Programme is structure to meet
the needs outlined above in the paragraph 11(a ). The Panel notes
that this proposal was developed through interaction with
scientists in the CEC programmes and by the CGC acting as a body
and includes the accumulated knowledge of the CEC 's specialists in
this area . Also , this Panel , by adopting an independent stance
concerning the critical elements of a radiation protection
programme ( as for example , the items listed in 11(a ) above ) finds
that most of these have been addressed in the proposals made for
1990-1994 . The Panel is gratified to note that the proposed
programme includes many new and important research topics , while
maintaining the essential long-term continuity of Community
research .
The Panel is therefore in favor of the adoption of this Programme .
 ---pagebreak---                                  Page 9
 IV .   Management .
      The initial impression received by the Panel is that the current
research programme is well-managed and co-ordinated by the staff
of the Commission . The Panel is , however , concerned to note the
recent reduction in the number of staff involved with the Programme
which may interfere with the ability of the Commission to maintain
the current standard .
      More detailed evaluation of the effectiveness of management
practice should await the result of the analysis of replies to the
questionnaire mailed to contractors and of other studies the Panel
may undertake .
V     Social and Economie Aspects .
      The people of the European Community should be among the
foremost in the world to understand and to accommodate radiation
problems . Artificial radiation was first produced in Europe
 ( Rontgen 1895 ) and natural radioactivity was first discovered ine
Europe also ( Becquerel 1896 ) . The Community has already a wide
experience with natural radiation and a growing awareness of some
of the problems of interfacing modern society with natural problems
like radon . Many industrial uses of radiation are performed in the
European Communities . To a greater or lesser degree , Member States
also enjoy the benefits of nuclear power . The benefits of medical
and dental radiography , begun in Europe , are so much an integral
part of modern medicine and modern society that Europeans would be
chagrined if these were denied to us . The hazards of radiation ,
though real , are small compared with their manifold benefits . Again
we must return to the public . It can be understood that an ill -
informed public can get confused about the relative merits of these
benefits and risks . Therefore , as already indicated , the public
needs to be better informed about the nature of radiation problems
and a strong programme of radiation protection research
demonstrates to them the committment of the CEC to their welfare
in this area .
The Radiation Protection Programme has a direct impact on many
aspects of the social and economic life of the Community . Among the
most important are :
 ---pagebreak---                                 Page 10
  - socially , the improvement of the health status of both the
    general population and of workers by better protecting them from
    the harmful effects of radiation , both natural and man-made . The
    problem of radon in houses , for example , with consequent risk
    of lung cancer , is of enormous social importance .
 - economically , the use of the nuclear energy option for the
    provision of energy requires the maintenance of a strong
    Radiation Protection Programme . Such a Programme should help to
    minimize potential harmful effects , both in terms of the routine
    production of nuclear energy as well as in cases of accidents .
    In addition , the Programme provides a yardstick for the
    comparison of the risks of nuclear power with the alternatives ,
    notably fossil fuels .
    Put simply , the Programme helps save lives and prevent morbidity
arising from both natural and man-made radiation exposures .
    Determining how much resources to put into radiation protection
or how far to exploit a useful but potentially harmful clinical
diagnostic tool are examples of the need to make judgments which
balance risks . Informed decisions depend on knowing , as precisely
as possible , what the health consequences of a particular course
of action would be and what would be the corresponding needs for
resources . Past research Programmes have provided much information
on which such judgments may be based . Nevertheless , there are
certain key areas where further research work is urgently required .
These relate to the level of risk associated with any given level
of radiation ("New Risk Estimates ") ; minimizing the impact of radon
and its daughters in the home and in the workplace ; molecular
radiation biology and radiation carcinogenesis ; evaluation of
multifactorial components in genetic diseases ; and dealing with the
consequences of accidental releases of radiation .
   Apart from the benefits of the Programme which are directly
sought , previous experience suggests that there may be considerable
spin-off benefits . For example , previous work has generated a
number of medical benefits , and modelling the movement of
radionuclides through the environment and ecosystems is likely to
 ---pagebreak---                                Page 11
have applications to other pollutants .
    The social and economic benefits of an established Radiation
Protection Programme maintained by the CEC are very substantial .
If the CEC abandoned or severely curtailed its Programme and a
Chernobyl-like accident occurred there would be no levels for the
control of foodstuffs no recent estimates of risks taken into
account , reliance on data from other sources ( primarily the USA) .
The CEC must have a Radiation Protection Programme which is state-
of-the-art and in the forefront of research as well as application ,
the people of the European Community will expect nothing less .
VII . Financial Support .
   For the 1985-1989 , the funding actually decided , 58 Mio ECU ,
fell much short of the proposed funding of 94 Mio ECU . Although the
1985-1989    Programme could still maintain an essentially
comprehensive and balanced structure , this reduction in funding
represents a large bill for the future radiation protection efforts
in the Community . Certain relevant research areas had to be
abandoned because they were expected to contribute to radiation
protection on a long-, rather than on a short-term basis .
Consequently , several expert research teams were discouraged from
continuing research in radiation protection ; this and the lack of
funds for advanced training of young scientists engendered the now
obvious existing lack of young competent scientists in radiation
protection . The lack of funds for flexibility was perhaps most
serious because it prevented the Commission from reacting
immediately to the challenge of the Chernobyl accident by re¬
directing scientific research .
   Regarding the proposal for financing the first part of the
Radiation Protection Programme ( 1990-1991 ) , the Panel expresses its
strong disappointment with the insufficiency of funds foreseen in
the Framework Programme since the proposed funding level of 21.2
Mio ECU for 1990-1991 will cover little more than 50%          of the
present research activities . This cannot but cause a further rapid
decline in Community competence in this area . The Panel notes the
90 Mio ECU proposed by the Commission for the period 1990-1994 and
considers this to be the minimum funding for what would be needed
 ---pagebreak---                                  Page 12
during this period . In view of the increased need for radiation
protection research caused by the expansion of radiation protection
to new areas , the social perception of the Community populations ,
and the acquisition of new Member States , the proposed funding is
insufficient . Increased financial support for radiation protection
research would be much more appropriate . The revised Framework
Programme should include 90 Mio ECU at the very least in the budget
for the CEC Radiation Protection Programme , and this money should
be made available at the earliest possible date .
VII . Recommendations .
On the basis of this preliminary evaluation , the Panel recommends
the adoption of the proposals for the Radiation Protection
Programme for 1990-1994 . The needs for such a Programme are urgent
and     the    proposed     Programme      addresses Thfehesepropneeds .
Programme could more justly be accused of showing too little
ambition rather than too much . History will judge us all harshly
if we do not undertake now the minimum programme required .
   The financial needs of the Programme should be fully met . The
costs are modest enough for the objectives and , in the opinion of
the Panel , require an increased budget .
   Prof.  A. Wambersie , Brussels ( Belgium )    Chairman
   Prof.  R.L. Akehurst , York ( United Kingdom)
   Prof.  C. Proukakis , Athens ( Greece )
   Prof.  M.F. Rajewsky , Essen ( Federal Republic of Germany )
   Dr H.  Frossard , Bagnols s . Cèze ( France )
   Prof.  W.K. Sinclair , Washington ( United States of America )
 ---pagebreak---            COMPETITIVENESS AND EMPLOYMENT IMPACT STATEMENT
Title : Research     and Training  Programme  Radiation  Protection
       ( 1990-1991 )
1 . The proposal deals with an extension of the ongoing ( 1985 -
    1989 ) multiannual Research and Training Programme in the field
    of Radiation Protection . Research to be carried out by the
    proposed Programme emphasizes those aspects that are of
    primary importance for the protection of workers and the
    public against ionizing radiation and that are related to the
    regulatory obligations of the Commission . The programme also
    stresses research into countermeasures to prevent or reduce
    exposure in normal situations as well as after accidents .
2 . The Programme will be implemented by cost-shared contracts
    made with national research institutes and university research
    departments throughout the Community .
3 . The proposal will consequently have no direct implications for
    small and medium enterprises or for employment . However , some
    of the expected actions may lead to . the development of
    specific instrumentation which could be produced by small and
    medium enterprises .
 ---pagebreak---                                   -1-
                           FINANCIAL RECORD
              RADIATION PROTECTION PROGRAMME ( 1990-1991 )
1 . BUDGET LINE : 7313
    - Title : Radiation Protection
1.1    Title of the project
    Radiation Protection
2 . Legal Basis
    - Article 7 of the Treaty establishing the EAEC and Annex 1
       thereof
      - Council Decision of  .
L   DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT
    Extension of a coordinated Research and Training programme in
    the field of Radiation Protection , implemented primarily
    through cost-shared contracts .
3.1 Objective
    According to the Commission 's Framework Programme 1987-1991 ,
    the objective of the Radiation Protection Programme is " to
    provide data and methods needed for the prevention and
    counteraction of harmful effects of ionizing radiation and
    radioactivity , and to assess the consequences of radiation
    accidents . Particular attention will be paid to the evaluation
    of recent accidents and incidents , and to the lessons which
    can be learned from them ."
    JUSTIFICATION OF THE PROJECT
    The Framework Programme lists the Radiation Protection
    Programme under the Main Line of Activity " Quality of Life "
    with the purpose " to gain adequate scientific and technical
    knowledge and control of radiation risks ".
5_^ FINANCIAL IMPLICATION OF THE PROJECT IN RESPECT OF EXPENDITURE
    ( including staff expenditure and administrative and technical
    operating expenditure )
 ---pagebreak---                                     -2-
                                                            Mio ECU
5.1    Overall cost for the whole
       of its expected duration :                                50
    - Chargeable to the Community Budget :                       21.2
       ( in conformity with the amount foreseen
       in the Framework Programme 1987-1991 )
    - Chargeable to national budgets )
                                                                 28.8
    - Chargeable to other sectors at ) 1
       national levels
5.2    Multiannual timetable
    5.2.1 Appropriations for commitment 1990 / 91 .
             1990    1991   Total ( Mio ECU )
Staff          2.51   2.60   5.11
Administ .     0.37   0.39   0.76
Techn . Oper .
Training       0.3    0.3    0.6
Contracts 13.82       0.91  14.73
TOTAL        17.00    4.20  21.20
       5.2.2 Appropriations for payment 1990 / 92 +.
             1990    1991    1992 +      Total  ( Mio ECU )
Staff          2.51   2.60               5.11
Adm.Tech .     0.37   0.39               0.76
Oper .
Training       0.20   0.20    0.20       0.60
Contracts      5.00   6.00    3.73      14.73
TOTAL          8.08   9.19    3.93      21 . 20
 ---pagebreak---                                     -3-
    5.3 . Method of calculation of the new proposal
      a)  Staff expenditure : 28 staff
            Staffing needs have been calculated on the basis of a
            staff of 28 for the programme :
                  18 Category A staff ,
                    4 Category B staff ,
                    6 Category C staff .
            The total of 28 and the breakdown into grades
            correspond to the staffing situation in the 1989
            budget .
      b)  Administrative and / or technical operation expenditure :
            This     heading   covers     in    particular     expenditure
            connected     with  the    coordination     and    cooperation
            within the Programme , the organization of meetings ,
            the   dissemination   of   information ,   missions    and  the
            technical operating expenditure .
      c)  Contract expenditure :
            Contributions ranging from 25 to 50                 % to the
            contractual partner 's costs , dependent on       the subject
            and the partner 's situation , are taken as       a basis for
            the total estimate . The Management and          Coordination
            Advisory Committee " Radiation Protection "       ( CGC ) is to
            be   consulted   when   the   amount   of   the  Commission 's
            participation is to be determined .
6L  FINANCIAL    IMPLICATIONS   ON   THE   STAFF  AND   NORMAL    TECHNICAL
    OPERATING APPROPRIATIONS
    ( see under paragraph 5 above )
7 . FINANCING OF EXPENDITURE 1990 , 1991 .
    Appropriations to be entered under future budgets
8.  FINANCIAL    IMPLICATIONS    OF   THE    PROGRAMME    IN  RESPECT    OF
    REVENUE :
    - Community tax on official 's salaries
9_^ TYPE OF CONTROL TO BE APPLIED
    - Scientific control by the responsible officials in DG XII
       the CGC and , where pertinent , the Associations' Management
       Committees .
    - Administrative control by the Directorate-General for
       Financial Control and the Contracts Department of DG XII
       with regard to the implementation of the Budget and to check
       that the expenditure is in order and conforms to the
       relevant provisions .