2013/791/Euratom: Council Decision of 13 December 2013 amending Decision 2007/198/Euratom establishing the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy and conferring advantages upon it

21.12.2013 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 349/100
COUNCIL DECISION
of 13 December 2013
amending Decision 2007/198/Euratom establishing the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy and conferring advantages upon it
(2013/791/Euratom)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community, and in particular the third and fourth paragraphs of Article 47 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,
Whereas:
(1) Council Decision 2007/198/Euratom (1) established the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy (the ‘Joint Undertaking’) to provide the contribution of the European Atomic Energy Community (‘Euratom’) to the ITER International Fusion Energy Organisation and the Broader Approach Activities with Japan as well as to prepare and coordinate a programme of activities in preparation for the construction of a demonstration fusion reactor and related facilities.
(2) Decision 2007/198/Euratom provides for a financial reference amount deemed necessary for the Joint Undertaking together with the indicative total contribution of Euratom towards such amount, which should be made available through the Euratom research and training programmes adopted pursuant to Article 7 of the Euratom Treaty.
(3) The resources deemed necessary for the Joint Undertaking during the ITER construction phase, covering the 2007-2020 period, amounted to EUR 7 200 000 000 (in 2008 value) in March 2010. In July 2010, the Council capped this amount to EUR 6 600 000 000 (in 2008 value).
(4) The European Parliament and the Council set the maximum level of the Euratom commitments for ITER in the Multiannual Financial Framework for the 2014-2020 period at EUR 2 707 000 000 (in 2011 value).
(5) It is necessary to amend Decision 2007/198/Euratom to allow the financing of the activities of the Joint Undertaking for the 2014-2020 period from the general budget of the European Union and not through the Euratom research and training programmes.
(6) Third countries which have concluded a cooperation agreement with Euratom in the field of nuclear energy research, including controlled nuclear fusion, that associate their respective research programmes with the Euratom programmes are to contribute to the financing of the activities of the Joint Undertaking. Their contribution should be determined in the respective cooperation agreement with Euratom.
(7) The 2012 fusion roadmap developed by national fusion laboratories has the ultimate aim of supporting ITER design and construction and demonstrating electricity production by fusion by around the middle of the century. Therefore, in order to fulfil its tasks, the Joint Undertaking should maintain a close working relationship with the European entities implementing this roadmap.
(8) It is also appropriate to update Decision 2007/198/Euratom as regards the provisions on protection of the Union's financial interests.
(9) It is appropriate to inform the European Parliament and the Council on the implementation of Decision 2007/198/Euratom on the basis of information provided by the Joint Undertaking.
(10) Decision 2007/198/Euratom should therefore be amended accordingly,