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Specific research and development programme to be implemented by the Joint Research Centre for the European Atomic Energy Community, 1995-1998

 
Part of the Framework Programme of Community research and training activities for Euratom (1995-1998), the present programme sets out the strategic and applied research to be carried out by the JRC in support of the two nuclear specific programmes, i.e. Nuclear safety and safeguards and Controlled thermonuclear fusion. JRC activities are to be carried out as an integral part of the European science and technology system and should also contribute to the scientific foundation of the various Community policies.

The activities to be carried out by the JRC in support of certain non-nuclear specific programmes under the Fourth Framework Programme are set out in a separate Decision.
To provide independent scientific and technical expertise to Community institutions and support for the implementation of Community policies and activities; to make JRC capabilities and scientific and technical installations available to public and private bodies; and to contribute the improvement of public safety aspects of new technologies, the environmental impact assessment and environmental protection, and the reduction of scientific and technological differences between Member States.
Two categories of research:

Institutional research activities:

- Nuclear fission safety:
. Reactor safety;
. Fuel cycle safety;
. Safeguards and fissile materials management;

- Controlled thermonuclear fusion:
. Aspects of safety and the environment (use of the tritium laboratory);
. Support activities within the framework of the quadripartite ITER Agreement (materials and remote handling);

Institutional scientific and technical support activities:

- Nuclear fission safety and reactor safety;

- Safeguards (implementation of safeguards in accordance with the Euratom Treaty and in support of the IAEA).
The Commission, assisted by the Board of Governors of the Joint Research Centre (JRC), is responsible for the implementation of the programme, for which it shall employ the services of the JRC.

JRC direct actions in support of the Framework Programme of Community research and training activities for Euratom are divided into two categories: institutional research consisting of research and training activities for which the JRC has capabilities and installations which are special, if not unique; and institutional scientific and technical support for the formulation and implementation of Community policies and tasks assigned to the Commission under the Treaty.

The JRC may also participate in the indirect actions carried out under the specific programmes on the same basis as third parties and participate, on a competitive basis, in any other activity implemented by the Community, as well as conducting research on behalf of third parties.

The RTD projects are to be carried out in the relevant institutes of the JRC. The institutes shall endeavour to carry out the research in cooperation, preferably on the basis of networks, with the national research bodies in the Member States. Particular attention must also be paid to cooperation with industry, especially with small and medium-sized enterprises.

Accompanying measures include:

- The organization of visits to JRC institutes of grant holders, visiting scientists and seconded experts;
- Organization of the detachment of JRC scientists to national laboratories, industrial laboratories and universities;
- The organization of scientific seminars, workshops and colloquiums;
- Specialized training activities, with an emphasis on multidisciplinarity;
- Training in the field of safeguards and the management of fissile materials, in particular for nationals of the ex-USSR, subject to the allocation of short-term grants;
- An information exchange system;
- Promotion of the exploitation of the research results;
- An independent scientific and strategic evaluation of the performance of the projects and programmes.

In principle, the research activities carried out by the JRC will be 100% funded from the Community's own resources.

The budget allocated to the programme is divided between the two specific nuclear programmes as follows: Nuclear fission safety ECU 254 million (of which an amount of ECU 87 million is estimated as necessary for institutional support activities; Controlled thermonuclear fusion ECU 46 million. These figures include resources to finance the participation of the JRC in the shared-cost actions of both programmes and an amount, equivalent to 6%, which may be allocated to exploratory research.

The budget allocated to the programme may increase before the end of June 1996, in accordance with the Decision establishing the Framework Programme of Community research and training activities for Euratom.

Provisions are made to enable the JRC to execute projects, on the basis of the criterion of mutual benefit, with bodies and undertakings established in third countries, in particular European third countries and the independent states of the former Soviet Union, in the context of the specific programmes carried out by the JRC. An emphasis is placed on research in support of the development of the quadripartite ITER-IDA experimental reactor and the activities of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The Commission, assisted by the Board of Governors of the JRC, will continuously review the progress in implementing the programme to ensure that its objectives, priorities and financial resources remain appropriate. On the basis of this review process it shall, where appropriate, submit proposals to adapt or supplement the content of the programme.

The Commission is required to submit an annual report on the implementation of the programme to the Council, the European Parliament and the Economic and Social Committee before 15 April each year.

In addition, regular assessments of the activities covered by the specific programme will be conducted by independent experts who, upon completion of the programme, will carry out a final evaluation of the results achieved compared to initial objectives. A report of this final evaluation will be communicated to the Council, the European Parliament and the Economic and Social Committee.