Specific research programmes (Euratom) to be implemented by the Joint Research Centre - Nuclear fuels and actinides research -, 1988-1991

Part of the Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (1987-1991) under sub- activity 5.1: "Fission: nuclear safety".

Related to the programmes on environmental and materials research, it involves several large-scale experiments, joint studies of the observed behaviour of operating plants, the establishment of common models both of hypothetical accidents and for the safe management of nuclear materials and waste, and research into special nuclear elements. The High-Flux Reactor (HFR) at the Petten establishment of the Joint Research Centre (JRC) offers a wide variety of means for testing and experimentation.

The activities involved are in line with Article 4 of the Euratom Treaty, which specifies the chemistry and metallurgy of plutonium and other transuranium elements as fields for which the Commission should provide means for Community research.
To enhance the scientific and technical knowledge related to fission and to investigate properties, handling risks and the possibilities for technological application of the heaviest elements in the Periodic Table.
Four themes:

- Safety studies for nuclear fuels:
The behaviour of high water reactor fuel fission products during normal and abnormal reactor conditions as well as an improvement in the operating capabilities of advanced fuels;

- Safety of the fuel cycle and its effect on the environment:
In-pile actinide formation and the assessment of scenarios arising from the accumulation of minor actinides by assuming their transmutation in fast reactors or in special minor actinide burners;

- Actinides research:
The systematic preparation of single crystals of actinide compounds with identical single crystal structures and the preparation of new compounds with potentially significant properties for both fundamental and applied materials science;

- Actinides information centre:
A retrieval system for computer-stored bibliographical references on actinides.
The Commission, assisted by the board of governors of the Joint Research Centre (JRC), is responsible for implementing this programme.

The research is undertaken by the Institute for Transuranium Elements at Karlsruhe.

The Commission ensures that periodic consultation be maintained with the relevant Management and Coordination Advisory Committees (CGCs) or equivalent committees with a view to ensuring coordination and consistency between shared-cost actions and JRC activities in the same areas.

Before 31 March each year the Commission submit a report on the implementation of the Decision.

The research carried out by the JRC pursuant to the Decision will subsequently be evaluated in a report by a panel of independent external experts set up by the Commission.

These reports are submitted to the European Parliament and the Council.