(1 a)

The European Parliament should be consulted at all relevant steps during the implementation and evaluation of the Programme. The Council asked the European Parliament for its opinion on the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community for the period 2021-2025. However, since the ordinary legislative procedure does not apply under the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community, the European Parliament is not considered to be on an equal footing with the Council when adopting legislation relating to atomic energy. 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.

(2)

Nuclear research can contribute to social well-being, economic prosperity and environmental sustainability by improving nuclear safety, security and radiation protection. Radiation protection research has led to improvements in medical technologies from which many citizens benefit and that research can now lead to improvements in other sectors such as industry, agriculture, environment and security. Equally important is the potential contribution of nuclear research to the long-term decarbonisation of the energy system in a safe, efficient and secure way.

(2)

Nuclear research can contribute to social well-being and economic prosperity by improving nuclear safety, security and radiation protection. Nuclear research makes an important contribution to environmental sustainability and the fight to combat climate change by reducing the Union’s dependence on imported energy, while radiation protection research has led to improvements in medical technologies from which many citizens benefit and that research can now lead to improvements in other sectors such as industry, agriculture, environment and security. Equally important is the contribution of nuclear research to the long-term decarbonisation of the energy system in a safe, efficient and secure way.

(4)

The Commission's Report on the interim evaluation of the 2014-18 Euratom Research and Training Programme (COM(2017)0697) provides a set of guiding principles for the Programme. These include: to continue supporting nuclear research focused on nuclear safety, safeguards, security, waste management, radiation protection and development of fusion; to further improve, together with beneficiaries, the organisation and management of the European Joint Programmes in the nuclear field; to continue and reinforce the Euratom education and training actions for developing relevant competencies which underpin all aspects of nuclear safety, security and radiation protection; to further exploit synergies between Euratom programme and other thematic areas of the Union Framework Programme; and to further exploit synergies between direct and indirect actions of the Euratom programme.

(4)

The Commission's Report on the interim evaluation of the 2014-18 Euratom Research and Training Programme (COM(2017)0697) provides a set of guiding principles for the Programme. These include: to continue supporting nuclear research focused on nuclear safety, performance, safeguards, security, radioactive waste management, radiation protection and development of fusion; to further improve, together with beneficiaries, the organisation and management of the European Joint Programmes in the nuclear field; to continue and reinforce the Euratom education and training actions for developing relevant competencies which underpin all aspects of nuclear safety, security and radiation protection in order to ensure a high level of skills, in particular in the new generation of engineers ; to further exploit synergies between Euratom programme and other thematic areas of the Union Framework Programme; and to further exploit synergies between direct and indirect actions of the Euratom programme , helping to ensure consistency and effectiveness throughout the Euratom programme .

(4a)

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

(5)

The conception and design of the Programme is set against the need to establish a critical mass of supported activities. This is achieved by establishing a limited number of specific objectives focussed on safe use of nuclear fission for power and non-power applications, maintaining and developing necessary expertise, fostering fusion energy and supporting policy of the Union on nuclear safety, safeguards and security

(5)

The conception and design of the Programme is set against the need to establish a critical mass of supported activities. This is achieved by establishing a limited number of specific objectives focussed on safe use of nuclear fission for power and non-power applications, maintaining and developing necessary expertise, fostering fusion energy and supporting policy of the Union 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, an area in which provisions and investment is lagging behind.

(5a)

The Programme is a crucial part of Union’s efforts to maintain and enhance scientific and industrial leadership in the field of energy technologies. In order to support the safe operation of existing fission power and facilitate the decarbonisation of the power system, fission research should continue to form an integral part of the Euratom programme.

(5b)

The safe and secure use of nuclear energy and non-power applications of ionizing radiation, including nuclear safety and decommissioning, should be supported by means of structural cross-border inspections and the sharing of knowledge 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.

(5c)

Severe nuclear accidents could endanger human health. Therefore, nuclear safety and, where appropriate, security aspects dealt with by the Joint Research Centre (the ‘JRC’) should be given the greatest possible attention in the Programme.

(7)

By supporting nuclear research, the Programme should contribute to achieving the objectives of the Horizon Europe — Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (‘Horizon Europe’) established by Regulation (EU) No […] of the European Parliament and of the Council (20) and should facilitate implementation of the Europe 2030 strategy and strengthening of the European Research Area.

(7)

By supporting nuclear research, the Programme should contribute to achieving the objectives of the Horizon Europe — Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (‘Horizon Europe’) established by Regulation (EU) No […] of the European Parliament and of the Council (20) , in particular by promoting excellence and open science, and should facilitate implementation of the Europe 2030 strategy and strengthening of the European Research Area.

(8)

The Programme should seek synergies with Horizon Europe and other Union programmes, from their design and strategic planning, to project selection, management, communication, dissemination and exploitation of results, to monitoring, auditing and governance. With a view to avoiding overlaps and duplication and increasing the leverage of EU funding, transfers from other Union programmes to Horizon Europe activities can take place. In such cases they will follow Horizon Europe rules.

(8)

The Programme should seek synergies and a closer alignment with Horizon Europe and other Union programmes, from their design and strategic planning, to project selection, management, communication, dissemination and exploitation of results, to monitoring, auditing and governance . It is vital that the key principles of excellence and open science are maintained across programmes . With a view to avoiding overlaps and duplication and increasing the leverage of EU funding, transfers from other Union programmes to Horizon Europe activities can take place. In such cases they will follow Horizon Europe rules.

(12a)

The activities developed under the Programme should aim to promote equality between women and men in research and innovation, by addressing in particular the underlying causes of gender imbalance, exploiting the full potential of both female and male researchers, and integrating the gender dimension into the content of projects in order to improve the quality of research and stimulate innovation. The activities should also aim at the implementation of the principles relating to equality between women and men laid down in Articles 2 and 3 of the Treaty on European Union and Article 8 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).

(17a)

The JRC provides support for standardisation, open access by Union scientists to individual nuclear facilities and training activities in areas such as nuclear guarantees, forensics or decommissioning.

(b)

to potentially contribute to the long-term decarbonisation of the energy system in a safe, efficient and secure way.

(b)

to contribute to the long-term decarbonisation of the energy system in a safe, efficient and secure way.

(a)

improve the safe and secure 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;

(a)

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;

(d)

support the policy of the Community on nuclear safety, safeguards and security.

(d)

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 .

(a)

EUR 724 563 000 for fusion research and development;

(a)

43 % for fusion research and development;

(b)

EUR 330 930 000 for nuclear fission, safety and radiation protection;

(b)

25 % for nuclear fission, safety and radiation protection;

(c)

EUR 619 507 000 for direct actions undertaken by the Joint Research Centre.

(c)

32 % for direct actions undertaken by the Joint Research Centre.

—

respect for the principles of the rule of law;

(1)

Nuclear safety: safety of reactor systems and fuel cycles, in use in the Community or, to the extent necessary in order to maintain broad nuclear safety expertise in the Community, those reactor types and fuel cycles, which may be used in the future, focusing exclusively on safety aspects, including all aspects of the fuel cycle such as partitioning and transmutation.

(1)

Nuclear safety: safety of reactor systems and fuel cycles, in use in the Community or, to the extent necessary in order to maintain and develop broad nuclear safety expertise in the Community, those reactor types and fuel cycles, which may be used in the future, focusing exclusively on safety aspects, including all aspects of the fuel cycle such as partitioning and transmutation; Support 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.

(3)

Decommissioning: research for the development and evaluation of technologies for decommissioning and environmental remediation of nuclear facilities; support for sharing best practices and knowledge on decommissioning.

(3)

Decommissioning: research for the development and evaluation of technologies for decommissioning and environmental remediation of nuclear facilities; support for sharing best practices and knowledge on decommissioning , including 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 .