Programme for research and training to be implemented by the Joint Research Centre by means of direct actions for European Atomic Energy Community, 1998-2002

The European Parliament, in its opinion of 18 December 1997, and the Council, in the common position which it adopted on 23 March 1998, have endorsed the general principles underlying the Commission's proposals concerning the Fifth Framework Programme for Community research. These principles place emphasis on a concentration of research activities that will make it possible to meet the Union's main socio-economic needs through the implementation of multidisciplinary activities grouped together in thematic and horizontal programmes.

This document is the Commission's proposals for the direct research and technological development actions to be implemented by the Joint Research Centre. The actions will comprise research and scientific and technical support activities of an institutional character.

Although the Framework Programme itself has not yet been adopted, the Commission has adopted these proposals in order to start in-depth discussions on the specific programmes as soon as possible with the aim of ensuring that the Framework Programme can be implemented from the beginning of 1999.

The mission of the JRC is to provide scientific and technical support for the formulation, implementation and monitoring of EU policies. As a service of the European Commission, the JRC functions as a reference centre of science and technology for the Union. Close to the policy-making process, it serves the common interest of the Member States while remaining independent of commercial or national interests.

Nuclear energy continues to supply about a third of Europe's electricity, and vigilance is still required to ensure a continuation of Europe's outstanding safety record, to maintain efforts to avoid proliferation and to manage the processing and long term storage of waste efficiently. New challenges include a reactor park whose average age is increasing, an enlargement of the Union to include countries with a different safety culture, and the handling of material arising from the disarmament process.
To provide scientific and technical support for the formulation, implementation and monitoring of EU policies.
The JRC programme forms part of the framework programme, which meets the objectives set out in articles 7 and 8 of the Euratom treaty. The target population is Europe's scientific and industrial community and that concerned with the various sectoral policies of the Commission in which the JRC is required to provide its support.

The specific programme is structured around four areas:

- Controlled thermonuclear fusion. JRC activities complement Member State activities and are fully integrated in this common effort on the same level as the Euratom Associations. They are focussed on its specific skills and facilities and concern materials research and testing;

- Nuclear fission safety. JRC will support public authorities and industry in maintaining safe nuclear installations and the safe management of the fuel cycle. It will offer unique facilities and traditional competence and scientific excellence while concentrating on activities where the added-value from its support is unquestioned. They will concern research aspects along the following four main lines:

. Ageing of materials and components;

. Fuel cycle safety;

. Study of irradiated fuels with a view to direct disposal, the examination of long-term behaviour under storage, and determination of the risks associated with their raditoxicity;

. Study of severe accidents.

- Control of fissile materials and nuclear safeguards, targeted along the following five main lines:

. Development and improvement of measurement, monitoring and analytical techniques with emphasis on automation;

. Development of dedicated information technologies for the analysis and detection of anomalies between declarations and verifications;

. Evaluation with regard to controls on fissile materials;

. Development of analytical techniques adapted to the fight against illicit trafficking and radioactive dumping;

. Training of inspectors in new technologies.

- Decommissioning of nuclear installations, waste management. Undertaking and intensifying work on the decommissioning and dismantling of installations used for nuclear activities which have been out of use for some time and are becoming obsolete.
The programme will be implemented during the period 1998-2002.

The Commission is responsible for the implementation of the programme to be carried out by the JRC. It will establish a work-programme and a timetable for the implementation of the programme, based on the scientific objectives and contents set out in the proposals. It will be advised by the Board of Governors of the JRC.

JRC RTD project activities will be carried out in the relevant institutions and will be implemented through 'direct RTD actions' - institutional research, scientific and technical support activities and accompanying measures funded entirely by Community own resources. The direct actions will be implemented on the basis of the following specific rules:

- JRC will, wherever possible, participate in or organize networks of public and private laboratories in the Member States or European research consortia. Particular attention will be paid to cooperation with industry, especially SMEs and to cooperation with research laboratories and institutes in central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. JRC will be responsible for disseminating any knowledge gained through the implementation of projects. Research bodies established in third countries may also cooperate on scientific and technological cooperation between the Community and the third countries concerned;

- Accompanying measures, including:

. Organization of visits to JRC institutes of grant holders, visiting scientists and seconded experts;

. Organization of the secondment of JRC staff to national laboratories, industrial laboratories and universities;

. Specialized training in support of the elaboration or implementation of European policies and specialized training with emphasis on multidisciplinarity;

. Systematic exchange of information, through inter alia the organization of scientific seminars, workshops and colloquiums and scientific publications;

. Independent scientific and strategic evaluation of the performance of the projects and programmes.

JRC activities are selected on the basis of their relevance to EU policies and subsidiarity - meaning that the research must be in an area where EU involvement is appropriate and appropriate for the involvement of the JRC. It will operate in areas such as cross-border issues, consumer protection and anti-fraud where its unique pan-European identity provides added-value.