Considerations on COM(2017)83 - Adoption of the 2016-2019 High Flux Reactor supplementary research programme to be implemented by the Joint Research Centre for Euratom

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dossier COM(2017)83 - Adoption of the 2016-2019 High Flux Reactor supplementary research programme to be implemented by the Joint Research Centre ...
document COM(2017)83 EN
date May 29, 2017
 
table>(1)Within the framework of the European Research Area, the high flux reactor (‘HFR’) at Petten has been, and will for some time continue to be, an important resource for Community research on materials science, the testing of materials, nuclear medicine and nuclear reactor safety.
(2)The operation of the HFR has been supported by a series of supplementary research programmes, the last of which (1) expired on 31 December 2015.

(3)The operation of the HFR continued throughout 2016 without a supplementary research programme, pending negotiations between the entities mandated by the financing Member States. Since those efforts have resulted in the agreement between two national entities, a new supplementary research programme is necessary to provide continued financial support to the HFR.

(4)In order to ensure continuity between supplementary research programmes, this Decision should apply from 1 January 2016. Part of the contributions under the 2016-2019 HFR supplementary research programme should be permitted to cover expenditure made during the year 2016.

(5)Given that the HFR is irreplaceable infrastructure for Community research on nuclear reactor safety, health (including the development of medical isotopes for medical research), nuclear fusion, basic science, training and waste management (including the safety behaviour of nuclear fuels that are used in specific Union reactor systems of interest to Europe), its operation should continue under the 2016-2019 HFR supplementary research programme until the end of 2019.

(6)Due to their special interest in the irradiation capabilities of the HFR, the Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (‘CEA’) and the NRG: Nuclear Research and consultancy Group V.O.F. (‘NRG’), as implementing agents for France and the Netherlands, respectively, have agreed to finance the entire 2016-2019 HFR supplementary research programme through contributions that they will make to the general budget of the European Union by way of assigned revenue.

(7)Those contributions are to finance the operation of the HFR in order to support a research programme that presupposes the normal operation and regular maintenance of the HFR. An official notification of definitive shutdown by the operator NRG to the Dutch national regulatory authority prior to the declaration of safe conservation state should suspend the payments that remain to be effected and the calls for funds by the Commission,