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Contenuto archiviato il 2023-03-27

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Second research and training programme (Euratom) - Fusion and plasma physics -, 1963-1967

 
This second programme on fusion formed part of the second Community research and training programme in the field of nuclear energy. Like the first, it was carried out in accordance with the 1957 Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom).
To study the phenomena produced by hot dense plasma and the mechanisms of confinement, in order to achieve a better knowledge of the properties of plasma in general and of plasma confined by a magnetic field in particular.
- Study of phenomena deriving from hot dense plasma produced by rapid discharges;
- Study of the mechanism of confinement formation in nearly stationary devices and of the stability of this confinement.
The 1957 Euratom Treaty provided for the setting up by the Commission, after consulting the Scientific and Technical Committee, of a Joint Nuclear Research Centre to ensure that the Community research and training programmes and other tasks assigned to the Centre are carried out. It authorized the Commission to entrust, by contract, the carrying out of certain parts of the programmes to Member States, persons or undertakings, or to third countries, international organizations or nationals of third countries.

For the purpose of coordinating and complementing research undertaken in Member States, the Treaty authorizes the Commission to call upon Member States, persons or undertakings to communicate to it their programmes, following which it may deliver a reasoned opinion on these programmes with a view to discouraging unnecessary duplication and to directing research towards sectors which are insufficiently explored. To encourage the carrying out of research programmes communicated to it, the Commission may provide financial assistance within the framework of research contracts, supply source materials or special fissile materials which it has available (free of charge or against payment), and place installations, equipment or expert assistance at the disposal of Member States, persons or undertakings (free of charge or against payment). It may also bring together representatives of public and private research centres as well as any experts engaged in research in the same or related fields for mutual consultation and exchanges of information.

Under the second five-year research and training programme, the establishments of the Joint Nuclear Research Centre at Ispra, Karlsruhe, Petten and Geel continued to be developed. Research on fusion was carried out both by the Centre and by outside contractors, notably through association contracts.

The total budget of the second five-year programme was initially set at 445.5 million units of account (u.a.) including 20.5 million u.a. carried over from the first programme. Of this amount, 31 million u.a. were allocated for fusion and plasma physics research. Subsequent modifications in 1965 and 1967 increased the total budget to 455 million u.a. and set the budget for fusion and plasma physics research at 33.9 million u.a..

The Treaty requires that the Commission submit annual reports to the Council on the implementation of the research and training programmes and that it keep the Economic and Social Committee informed of their broad outlines. Concerning the dissemination of information over which the Community has power of disposal, the Commission may grant licences and sub-licences on terms to be agreed with the licensees.