The European Parliament adopted by 468 votes to 125, with 47 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a Council regulation establishing the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community for the period 2021-2025 complementing Horizon Europe – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation.

Parliament approved the Commission's proposal subject to the following amendments:

Programme’s objectives

The proposed programme shall: (i) continue nuclear research and training activities to support continuous improvement in nuclear safety, security and radiation protection; and (ii) contribute to the long-term decarbonisation of the energy system in a safe, efficient and secure manner.

Its specific objectives shall be to: (i) improve the safe, secure and efficient use of nuclear energy and non-power applications of ionizing radiation, including nuclear safety, security, safeguards, radiation protection, safe spent fuel and radioactive waste management and decommissioning; (ii) support the policy of the Community on nuclear safety, safeguards and security, including the development of knowledge on safe, effective and cost-efficient decommissioning of installations which reach the end of their lifespan.

Members clarified that nuclear research makes an important contribution to environmental sustainability and the fight to combat climate change by reducing the EU’s dependence on imported energy.

A new recital highlights how Euratom waste management projects contribute to a better understanding of radioactive waste management issues in the EU, such as the safety of future geological disposal facilities, radioactive waste conditioning and the long-term behaviour of spent fuel in a landfill.

Nuclear safety

Members stressed the need to give the greatest possible attention to nuclear safety in the programme. They proposed to support the exchange of information and best practices on the safety of reactor systems and fuel cycles currently in use, in particular in the case of nuclear facilities located in the vicinity of one or more borders between Member States.

Budget

Parliament proposed that the budget for the programme shall be EUR 1 675 000 000 in current prices as EUR 1 516 000 000 in 2018 prices , broken down as follows:

- 43 % for fusion research and development;

- 25 % for nuclear fission, safety and radiation protection; and

- 32 % for direct actions undertaken by the Joint Research Centre (JRC).

It also proposed that in relation to JRC direct actions, the Commission may deviate from the amounts within the annual budgetary procedureby a maximum of 10 %.

Implementation

Members made the respect for the principles of the rule of law a condition for the participation of third countries in the programme. In addition, all research and innovation activities carried out under the programme should respect national, European and international ethical principles and regulations in this field.

Beneficiaries of programme funding should indicate the origin of the European funds they have received and ensure their visibility.

The Commission's information and communication activities relating to the actions and results of the programme should be presented to both specialised audiences and the public.

The programme should also ensure the effective promotion of gender equality.

Role of Parliament

The European Parliament should be consulted at all relevant stages of the implementation and evaluation of the programme. Given the European Parliament’s role as a co-legislator regarding budgetary matters and in order to ensure the coherent design and implementation of the Union´s Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, the Euratom Research and Training Programme should also be adopted by means of the ordinary legislative procedure.

The Committee on Industry, Research and Energy adopted the report by Miapetra KUMPULA-NATRI (S&D, FI) on the proposal for a Council regulation establishing the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community for the period 2021-2025 complementing Horizon Europe – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation.

The Committee’s main amendments were as follows:

Parliament should be consulted at all relevant steps during the implementation and evaluation of the programme because the European Parliament is not considered to be on an equal footing with the Council when adopting legislation relating to atomic energy.Given Parliament’s role as a co-legislator regarding budgetary matters and in order to ensure the coherent design and implementation of the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, it believed that the Euratom Research and Training Programme should also be adopted by means of the ordinary legislative procedure .

It clarified that nuclear research makes an important contribution to environmental sustainability and the fight to combat climate change by reducing the EU’s dependence on imported energy.

The Committee added a new recital highlighting how Euratom waste management projects contribute to a better understanding of radioactive waste management issues in the EU, such as the safety of future geological disposal facilities, radioactive waste conditioning and the long-term behaviour of spent fuel in a landfill.

Members also added an amendment in relation to policy on nuclear safety, safeguards and security , highlighting the importanceof developing knowledge on safe, effective and cost-efficient decommissioning of installations which reach the end of their lifespan — an area in which provisions and investment is lagging behind.

In relation to nuclear safety , they propose support should be provided for sharing information and best practices related to the safety of reactor systems and fuel cycles currently in use, especially in the case of nuclear facilities located in the vicinity of one or more borders between Member States .

Members also specify that support for sharing best practices and knowledge on decommissioning , should include knowledge sharing in the case of nuclear facilities located in the vicinity of one or more borders between Member States and by means of pooling resources and personnel in centres of excellence .

They clarified the budget of EUR 1 675 000 000 in current prices as EUR 1 516 000 000 in 2018 prices .

Members also clarified the distribution of the budget as follows:

43 % for fusion research and development; 25 % for nuclear fission, safety and radiation protection; and 32 % for direct actions undertaken by the Joint Research Centre (JRC).

They also proposed that in relation to JRC direct actions, the Commission may deviate from the amounts within the annual budgetary procedureby a maximum of 10 %.

The Committee also introduces as a condition for the participation of third countries in the programme their respect for the principles of the rule of law .

Recipients of programme funding must ensure they acknowledge the origin and indicate the origins of EU funding that they have received to ensure its visibility .

The Commission’s information and communication activities relating to the programme actions and results should be pitched at both specialist recipients and the public .

PURPOSE: to establish the research and training programme of the European Atomic Energy Community for the period 2021-2025 complementing the Horizon Europe - framework programme for research and innovation.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Regulation.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the Council adopts the act after consulting the European Parliament but without being obliged to follow its opinion.

BACKGROUND: one of the aims of the European Atomic Energy Community is to contribute to raising the standard of living in the Member States including by promoting and facilitating nuclear research in the Member States and complementing it by carrying out a Community research and training programme.

Ionising radiation technologies are used every day in Europe in a number of fields such as health, industry and research, providing large benefits to European citizens and European economy. Public and private research in Member States can significantly contribute to providing these benefits.

In this context, the Commission proposes a new five-year programme which shall pursue the current Euratom programme’s key research activities and expand research into non-power applications of ionising radiation, and make improvements in the areas of education, training and access to research infrastructure.

The proposal is part of the legislative package for the Research and Innovation Framework Programme ‘ Horizon Europe ’. It aims to implement the EU's next long-term financial framework for the period 2021-2027.

CONTENT: the proposal for a Regulation seeks to establish the research and training programme of the European Atomic Energy Community for the period from 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2025 and the rules for participation and dissemination in indirect actions under this the programme.

The new programme seeks to: (i) to pursue nuclear research and training activities to support continuous improvement of nuclear safety, security and radiation protection; (ii) to potentially contribute to the long-term decarbonisation of the energy system in a safe, efficient and secure way.

The specific objectives are as follows:

improve the safe and secure use of nuclear energy and non-power applications of ionizing radiation (in areas such as health, medical applications of ionising radiation), including nuclear safety, security, safeguards, radiation protection, safe spent fuel and radioactive waste management and decommissioning. As regards decommissioning , eligible measures include research supporting the development and evaluation of technologies for decommissioning and environmental remediation of nuclear installations; maintain and further develop expertise and competence in the Community. This includes education and training measures, support for mobility, access to research infrastructure, technology transfer and knowledge management and dissemination; foster the development of fusion energy and contribute to the implementation of the fusion roadmap with a view to meeting the goal of producing electricity through fusion; support the policy of the Community on nuclear safety, safeguards and security.

The programme shall also support the mobility of researchers in the nuclear field in the framework of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions.

The policy objectives of this programme may be also addressed through financial instruments under the policy window research and innovation of the InvestEU Fund .

The proposed programme shall complement Horizon Europe using the same instruments and rules for participation.

Proposed budget : the financial envelope for the implementation of the Programme shall be EUR 1.67 billion in current prices for the period 2021-2025. The indicative distribution shall be:

EUR 724 563 000 for fusion research and development; EUR 330 930 000 for nuclear fission, safety and radiation protection; EUR 619 507 000 for direct actions undertaken by the Joint Research Centre.