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18.2.2012 Official
Journal
of
the
European
Union L
47/33
COUNCIL DECISION
of 19 December 2011
concerning the specific programme, to be carried out by means of indirect actions, implementing
the Framework Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community for nuclear research and
training activities (2012-2013)
(2012/94/Euratom)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
(5) In
accordance
with
Article
101
of
the
Treaty,
the
Community has concluded a number of international
agreements in the field of nuclear research, and efforts
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Atomic
should be made to strengthen international research
Energy Community, and in particular Article 7 thereof,
cooperation, with a view to further integrating the
Community within the worldwide research community.
Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission
Bilateral international cooperation is based on a solid
submitted after consultation of the Scientific and Technical
legal framework of cooperation agreements between the
Committee,
Community and third countries. The Framework
Programme is fundamental to the implementation of
those agreements. Therefore, this specific programme
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament ( 1 ),
should be open to the participation of countries that
have concluded agreements to this effect and should be
Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and
also open at project level, and on the basis of mutual
Social Committee (
benefit, to the participation of entities from third

2 ),
countries and of international organisations for scientific
cooperation.
Whereas:
(1) Joint national and European efforts in the area of
(6) This
specific
programme
should
contribute
towards
research and training are essential to promote and
promoting sustainable development and ensuring that
ensure economic growth and the well-being of citizens
an appropriate safety culture is maintained.
in Europe.
(2) In
accordance
with
Council
Decision
2012/93/Euratom (7) Sound
financial
management
of
this
specific
programme
of 19 December 2011 concerning the Framework
and its implementation should be ensured in an effective
Programme of the European Atomic Energy
and user-friendly manner, while ensuring legal certainty
Community for nuclear research and training activi-
and the accessibility of this programme to all partici
ties (2012-2013)
( 3 ) (hereinafter 'the Framework
pants, in accordance with Council Regulation (EC,
Programme'), the Framework Programme is to be imple
Euratom) No 1605/2002 of 25 June 2002 on the
mented through specific programmes that define detailed
Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of
rules for their implementation, fix their duration and
the European Communities ( 4 ) and Commission Regu
provide for the means deemed necessary.
lation (EC, Euratom) 2342/2002 of 23 December 2002
laying down detailed rules for the implementation of
(3) The
Framework
Programme
comprises
two
types
of
Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 on
activities: indirect actions in fusion energy research and
the Financial Regulation applicable to the general
research on nuclear fission, safety and radiation
budget of the European Communities ( 5 ).
protection, and direct actions for activities of the Joint
Research Centre (JRC) in the field of nuclear waste
management, environmental impact, safety and security,
(8) Appropriate
measures
—
proportionate
to
the
Union's
especially related to nuclear events and taking into
financial interests — should be taken to monitor both
account lessons learned from previous experiences. The
the effectiveness of the financial support granted and the
indirect actions should be implemented by this specific
effectiveness of the utilisation of these funds in order to
programme.
prevent irregularities and fraud. The necessary steps
should also be taken to recover funds lost, wrongly
(4) The
rules
for
the
participation
of
undertakings,
research
paid or incorrectly used, in accordance with Regulation
centres and universities and for the dissemination of
(EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002, Regulation (EC, Euratom)
research results under the Framework Programme
No 2342/2002, Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No
should apply to this specific programme.
2988/95 of 18 December 1995 on the protection of
the European Communities' financial interests
( 6 ),
Council Regulation (Euratom, EC) No 2185/96 of
( 1 ) Opinion of 15 November 2011 (not yet published in the Official
Journal). Opinion delivered following non-compulsory consultation.
( 2 ) OJ C 318, 29.10.2011, p. 127. Opinion delivered following non-
( 4 ) OJ L 248, 16.9.2002, p. 1.
compulsory consultation.
( 5 ) OJ L 357, 31.12.2002, p. 1.
( 3 ) See page 25 of this Official Journal.
( 6 ) OJ L 312, 23.12.1995, p. 1.

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L 47/34
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
18.2.2012
11 November 1996 concerning on-the-spot checks and
Article 5
inspections carried out by the Commission in order to
protect the European Communities' financial interests
1. The
specific
programme
shall
be
implemented
by
means
against fraud and other irregularities (
of the funding schemes established in Annex II to Decision

1 ) and Regulation
(EC) No 1073/1999 of the European Parliament and of
2012/93/Euratom.
the Council of 25 May 1999 concerning investigations
conducted by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) ( 2 ).
2. The
rules
for
participation
of
undertakings,
research
centres and universities and for the dissemination of research
(9) Each
thematic
area
of
this
specific
programme
should results relating to indirect actions set out in Council Regulation
have its own budget line in the general budget of the
(Euratom) No 139/2012 of 19 December 2011 laying down
Union.
the rules for the participation of undertakings, research centres
and universities in indirect actions under the Framework
Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community and
(10) Research activities carried out within this specific
for the dissemination of research results (2012-2013) ( 3 ) shall
programme should respect fundamental ethical prin
apply to this specific programme.
ciples, including those reflected in the Charter of Funda
mental Rights of the European Union,
Article 6
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
1. The Commission shall draw up an annual work
programme for the implementation of the specific programme,
Article 1
setting out in greater detail the objectives and scientific and
technological priorities set out in the Annex, the funding
The specific programme, to be carried out by means of indirect
schemes to be used for the topics on which proposals are
actions, implementing the Framework Programme of the
invited, and the timetable for implementation.
European Atomic Energy Community for nuclear research and
training activities (2012-2013) (hereinafter the 'specific
programme') is adopted for the period from 1 January 2012
2. The
work
programme
shall
take
account
of
relevant
to 31 December 2013.
research activities carried out by the Member States, associated
states and European and international organisations. It shall be
updated where appropriate.
Article 2
The specific programme shall support activities for research and
3. The work programme shall specify the criteria on which
training on nuclear energy, covering the whole range of indirect
proposals for indirect actions under the funding schemes are to
research actions carried out in the following thematic areas:
be evaluated and projects selected. The criteria shall be those of
excellence, impact and implementation. Additional require
(a) fusion energy research (including the International Thermo
ments, weightings and thresholds may be further specified or
nuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER));
complemented in the work programme.
(b) research on nuclear fission, safety and radiation protection.
4. The
work
programme
may
identify
the
following:
The objectives and broad lines of the activities referred to in this
(a) organisations that receive subscriptions in the form of a
Article are set out in the Annex.
membership fee;
Article 3
(b) actions to support the activities of specific legal entities.
In accordance with Article 3 of Decision 2012/93/Euratom, the
maximum amount for the execution of the specific programme
is EUR 2 327 054 000, of which up to 15 % shall be for the
Article 7
Commission's administrative expenditure. This amount is
1. The
Commission
shall
be
responsible
for
the
implemen
allocated as follows:
tation of the specific programme.
(a) fusion energy research EUR
2
208
809
000;
2. For the purposes of implementing the specific programme
(b) nuclear fission, safety and radiation EUR 118 245 000.
the Commission shall be assisted by a consultative committee.
protection
The members of this committee can vary according to the
different subjects on the committee's agenda. For fission-
Article 4
related aspects, the composition of this committee and the
All research activities carried out under the specific programme
detailed operational rules and procedures applicable to it shall
shall be carried out in compliance with fundamental ethical
be as laid down in Council Decision 84/338/Euratom, ECSC,
principles.
EEC of 29 June 1984 dealing with structures and procedures for
the management and coordination of Community research,
( 1 ) OJ L 292, 15.11.1996, p. 2.
( 2 ) OJ L 136, 31.5.1999, p. 1.
( 3 ) See page 1 of this Official Journal.

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EN
18.2.2012 Official
Journal
of
the
European
Union L
47/35
development and demonstration activities ( 1 ). For the fusion-
2012/93/Euratom to be conducted concerning the activities
related aspects they shall be as laid down in Council Decision
carried out in the fields covered by the specific programme.
of 16 December 1980 setting up a Consultative Committee for
the fusion programme ( 2 ).
Article 9
This Decision shall enter into force on the third day following
its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
3. The
Commission
shall
regularly
inform
the
committee
of
the overall progress of the implementation of the specific
programme, and shall provide it with timely information on
Done at Brussels, 19 December 2011.
all actions proposed or funded under this specific programme.
Article 8
For the Council
The Commission shall arrange for the independent monitoring,
The President
assessment and review provided for in Article 6 of Decision
M. KOROLEC
( 1 ) OJ L 177, 4.7.1984, p. 25.
( 2 ) Not published.

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L 47/36
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
18.2.2012
ANNEX
SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL OBJECTIVES, BROAD LINES OF THE THEMES AND ACTIVITIES
I. THEMATIC
AREAS
OF
RESEARCH
I.A Fusion energy research
Overall objective
Developing the knowledge base for, and realising ITER as a major step towards, the creation of prototype reactors for
power stations that are safe, sustainable, environmentally responsible, and economically viable.
Activities
1. Realisation of ITER
The Community has a special responsibility within the ITER Organisation as the host of the project and has a leading
role, particularly regarding the governance of the ITER International Organisation, management and staffing, plus
general technical and administrative support.
Community participation in ITER as a Party will include further contributions to the construction of equipment and
installations needed at the ITER site, and to support the project during construction.
The R & D activities in support of ITER construction will be carried out in the Fusion Associations and European
industries. They will include the development and testing of components and systems.
2. R & D in preparation of ITER operation
A focused physics and technology programme will aim to consolidate ITER project choices and prepare for the rapid
start-up of ITER operation. It will be carried out through coordinated experimental, theoretical and modelling activities
using the JET facilities and other relevant experimental and computational devices. It will ensure that Europe has the
necessary impact on the ITER project, and will prepare for a strong European role in its exploitation. It will include:
— assessment of specific key technologies for ITER operation through exploitation of the JET Enhancements (ITER-
like first wall, heating systems, diagnostics),
— exploration of ITER operating scenarios by means of targeted experiments on JET and other facilities, and coor
dinated modelling activities.
3. Limited technology activities to prepare for DEMO
Key technologies and materials required for the licensing, construction and operation of the DEMO power plant will
be further developed in the Fusion Associations and industry in order to test them in ITER and to position European
industry to be able to construct DEMO and develop future fusion power plants. The following activities will be
implemented:
— further work by the dedicated project team on the Engineering Validation and Engineering Design Activities to
prepare for the construction of the International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility, which will be used to test
materials for a fusion power station,
— development, irradiation testing and modelling of low activation and radiation-resistant materials; development of
the key technologies required for fusion power plant operation, including blankets; conceptual design activities for
DEMO, including safety and environmental aspects.
4. R & D activities for the longer term
Building on the activities specifically concerning ITER and DEMO, the specific programme will develop competences
and enlarge the knowledge base in fields strategically relevant to future fusion power stations. These research activities
will enhance the technical feasibility and economic viability of fusion power. Specific actions under the Framework
Programme will include limited activities as follows:
— study of improved concepts for magnetic confinement schemes, including stellarators. Work will concentrate on
preparation for the operation of the W7-X stellarator, utilisation of existing devices for expansion of the experi
mental databases, and appraisal of the future prospects for these configurations,
— experiment, theory and further modelling with the ultimate aim of a comprehensive understanding of reactor-grade
fusion plasmas,

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— studies of the socio-scientific aspects and economics of fusion power generation, and actions to promote public
awareness and understanding of fusion.
5. Human resources, education and training — building the ‘ITER Generation’
Ensuring adequate human resources and a high level of cooperation within the fusion thematic area, both for the
immediate and medium term needs of ITER, and for the further development of fusion, will be addressed by:
— support for the mobility of researchers between organisations participating in the specific programme, in order to
promote enhanced collaboration and integration of the research activities, and to foster international cooperation,
— high-level training for engineers and researchers at post-graduate and post-doctoral level, including the use of
facilities as training platforms, dedicated seminars and workshops, and fostering cooperation between higher
education institutions.
6. Infrastructures
The realisation of ITER in Europe, within the international framework provided by the ITER Organisation, will add to
the new research infrastructures with a strong European dimension.
7. Technology transfer, industry involvement and innovation
ITER will require a new and more flexible organisational structure to enable the resulting innovation and technological
progress to be swiftly transferred to industry, thus enabling European industry to become more competitive. This will
be addressed by:
— promotion of innovation and exchange of know-how with related universities, research institutes and industry,
including appropriate interaction with ITER organisation and the European Joint Undertaking Fusion for Energy
(F4E) (giving equal opportunity to industry partners to participate, according to the relevant Union procurement
rules),
— encouragement for the generation of patents,
— promotion of the Fusion Industry Innovation Forum, which will develop a fusion technology roadmap and human
resource development initiatives, with an emphasis on innovation and potential for providing new products and
services.
I.B Nuclear fission, safety and radiation protection
Overall objective
Establishing a sound scientific and technical basis in order to accelerate practical developments for the safer management
of long-lived radioactive waste, enhancing in particular the safety, while contributing to resource efficiency and cost-
effectiveness of nuclear energy and ensuring a robust and socially acceptable system of protection of man and the
environment against the effects of ionising radiation.
Activities
Indirect actions in nuclear fission, safety and radiation protection will be undertaken in five principal areas of activity
detailed below. In the light of the reinforced emphasis on nuclear safety contributing to reorientation of nuclear research,
the areas of installation safety, radiation protection (including medical uses) and risk assessment shall receive the greatest
possible attention. There are important links with research in the Seventh Framework Programme of the Union adopted
by Decision No 1982/2006/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2006 concerning the
Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration
activities (2007-2013) ( 1 ), in particular in the areas of energy, European standards, education and training, environmental
protection, health, material science, governance, common infrastructures, security and safety culture. International
cooperation will be encouraged across many of the research activities, with special focus on safety of nuclear installations,
and this will be in collaboration with the relevant technical and stakeholder forums described in the rationale for nuclear
fission, safety and radiation protection activities in point I.B of Annex I to Decision 2012/93/Euratom.
1. Management of ultimate radioactive waste
Engineering studies and demonstration of geological repository designs in order to prepare implementation while
ensuring operational safety. Studies contributing to a better understanding of wastes and their behaviour over time,
development of robust methodologies for performance and safety assessment, investigation of governance and societal
issues related to public acceptance and other activities to underpin the development of a common European view on
the main issues related to waste management from discharge to disposal.
( 1 ) OJ L 412, 30.12.2006, p. 1.

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2. Reactor systems
While respecting the overall objective, research to underpin the safe operation of all reactor systems (including fuel
cycle facilities) in use in Europe or, to the extent necessary in order to maintain broad nuclear safety expertise in
Europe, those reactor types which may be used in the future, focusing exclusively on safety aspects. This includes plant
life assessment and management, safety culture (minimising the risk of human and organisational error), advanced
safety assessment methodologies, numerical simulation tools, instrumentation and control, and prevention and miti
gation of severe accidents, with associated activities to optimise knowledge management and maintain competences.
Activities include basic and key cross-cutting research activities (such as material science) ( 1 ) and, while focusing
exclusively on safety aspects, the study of future reactors and all aspects of the fuel cycle such as partitioning and
transmutation.
3. Radiation protection
Activities in this area will focus on:
— Better quantification of the risks to health for low and protracted exposures, including individual variability,
through epidemiological studies and an improved understanding of the mechanisms through cellular and
molecular biology research.
— Enhance the safety and efficacy of medical uses of radiation through new technological developments and
achieving a proper balance between the benefits and risks of such uses.
— Improve the coherence and integration of emergency and post-accident management in Europe through the
development of common tools and strategies and demonstrate their efficacy in operational environments.
— In other areas, national research activities will be more effectively integrated as considered necessary.
4. Infrastructures
Where there is clear European added value especially in order to establish critical mass, support for the design,
refurbishment, construction and/or operation of key research infrastructures required in any of the above thematic
areas, including facilitating the appropriate access to existing and future infrastructures by individual research workers
and research teams.
5. Human resources and training ( 2 )
Coordination of national programmes and provision for general training needs in nuclear science and technology
through a range of instruments, including those with shorter-term results and of a competitive nature, as part of
general support to human resources in all thematic domains. Includes support for training courses and training
networks, and measures to make the sector more attractive to young scientists and engineers and to improve coor
dination between the Union educational institutions in order to ensure qualifications are equivalent across all Member
States.
II. ETHICAL ASPECTS
During the implementation of this specific programme and in the research activities arising from it, fundamental ethical
principles are to be respected. These include, inter alia, the principles reflected in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the
European Union, including the following: protection of human dignity and human life, protection of personal data and
privacy, as well as animals and the environment in accordance with Community law and the latest versions of relevant
international conventions, guidelines and codes of conduct, e.g. the Helsinki Declaration, the Convention of the Council
of Europe on Human Rights and Bio-medicine signed in Oviedo on 4 April 1997 and its Additional Protocols, the UN
Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Universal Declaration on the human genome and human rights adopted by
Unesco, UN Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention, International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and
Agriculture, and the relevant World Health Organisation resolutions.
Account will also be taken to the opinions of the European Group of Advisers on the Ethical Implications of Biotech
nology (1991 to 1997) and the opinions of the European Group on Ethics in Science and New technologies (as from
1998).
In compliance with the principle of subsidiarity and the diversity of approaches existing in Europe, participants in
research projects must conform to current legislation, regulations and ethical rules in the countries where the research
will be carried out. In any case, national provisions apply and no research forbidden in any given Member State or other
country will be supported by Community funding to be carried out in that Member State or country.
( 1 ) It is understood that the ERC is responsible for supporting frontier research in all areas of science and technology.
( 2 ) It is understood that responsibility for mobility of researchers between all areas of science and technology rests with the People
Programme under the Union Framework Programme.

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Where appropriate, those carrying out research projects must seek the approval of the relevant national or local ethics
committees prior to the start of the RTD activities. An ethical review will also be implemented systematically by the
Commission for proposals dealing with ethically sensitive issues or where ethical aspects have not been adequately
addressed. In specific cases an ethical review may take place during the implementation of a project.
Article 13 of the Treaty on the functioning of the European Union requires the Union and the Member States to pay full
regard to the welfare requirements of animals in formulating and implementing Union's policies including research.
Council Directive 86/609/EEC of 24 November 1986 on the approximation of laws, regulations and administrative
provisions of the Member States regarding the protection of animals used for experimental and other scientific
purposes ( 1 ) requires that all experiments be designed to avoid distress and unnecessary pain and suffering to the
experimental animals; use the minimum number of animals; involve animals with the lowest degree of neurophysiological
sensitivity; and cause the least pain, suffering, distress or lasting harm. Altering the genetic heritage of animals and cloning
of animals may be considered only if the aims are ethically justified and the conditions are such that the animals' welfare
is guaranteed and the principles of biodiversity are respected. During the implementation of this specific programme,
scientific advances and national and international provisions will be regularly monitored by the Commission so as to take
account of any developments.
( 1 ) OJ L 358, 18.12.1986, p. 1.

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