Considerations on COM(2009)198 - Adoption of a supplementary research programme to be implemented by the Joint Research Centre for Euratom

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dossier COM(2009)198 - Adoption of a supplementary research programme to be implemented by the Joint Research Centre for Euratom.
document COM(2009)198 EN
date January 29, 2009
 
table>(1)Within the framework of the European Research Area, the high flux reactor at Petten (hereinafter HFR) has been, and continues to be, an important means available to the Community to contribute to materials sciences and testing, to nuclear medicine and to safety research in the field of nuclear energy.
(2)The operation of the HFR has been supported by a series of supplementary research programmes the last of which, Council Decision 2007/773/Euratom of 26 November 2007 on a one year extension of the supplementary research programme to be implemented by the Joint Research Centre for the European Atomic Energy Community (1) expired on 31 December 2007.

(3)The operation of the HFR continued throughout 2008 without a supplementary research programme, while efforts were made to base its operation and exploitation on an independent and more durable legal regime. Since those efforts failed, it is necessary to provide for continued financial support under a new supplementary research programme.

(4)Given the continued need for the HFR as an irreplaceable infrastructure for Community research in the fields of improvement of safety of existing nuclear reactors, of health including the development of medical isotopes to answer questions of medical research, of nuclear fusion, of fundamental research and of training and waste management including the possibility to study the safety behaviour of nuclear fuels for the new generation of reactor systems, its operation should continue under this supplementary research programme until 2011.

(5)Due to their special interest in the continued operation of the HFR, Belgium, France and the Netherlands should, as indicated by them, finance this programme through financial contributions made to the general budget of the European Union by way of assigned revenue.

(6)Part of the contributions under the present supplementary programme should also cover expenditure made during the year 2008,