CALL FOR EVIDENCE

FOR AN EVALUATION AND IMPACT ASSESSMENT RUN IN PARALLEL

Title of the initiative

Interim Evaluation of the Euratom Research and Training Programme 2021-2025

Extension of Euratom Research and Training Programme for 2026-2027

Lead DG – responsible unit

DG Research & Innovation, Unit C.4 – Euratom research

Likely type of initiative

Commission Report on the Interim evaluation of Euratom Research and Training Programme 2021-2025

Commission Proposal for Council Decision on the Euratom Research and Training Programme 2026-2027

Indicative Planning

Q3 2024 – Q1 2025

Additional information

https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe/euratom-research-and-training-programme_en

A. Political context, evaluation, problem definition & subsidiarity check

Political context

The Euratom Research and Training Programme 2021–2025 (the ‘Programme’) is the EU’s main funding programme for nuclear research with a budget of nearly EUR 1.4 billion. The Programme is focused on maintaining the highest nuclear safety standards and Europe’s skills in the nuclear domain. The Programme also funds the development of fusion energy, a long-term option for large‑scale, low‑carbon electricity production, which could help address energy demand in future.

In the fusion sector, international competition is increasing and a vibrant private sector is emerging globally. There is a significant danger that the EU fusion know-how and industrial capacity might be lost if the innovation potential of the EU private sector is not used to accelerate technology development. The Commission Communication on Europe’s 2040 climate target (COM(2024)63) underlines that all zero and low carbon energy solutions, including nuclear, are necessary to decarbonise the energy system by 2040. The Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) Industrial Alliance, launched in 2024 aims to support decarbonisation under the highest standards of nuclear safety, and should also identify future research needs. It is also important to acknowledge the significance of nuclear research in non-energy fields, such as medical or space applications, and the wide need for nuclear skilled professionals. 

While the MFF covers the period 2021-2027, the Programme has a duration of only five years (2021-2025) due to the limit set in Article 7 of the Euratom Treaty. To continue supporting nuclear research for the remaining two years (2026-2027), the Commission needs to present a new proposal (the ‘extension’).

Evaluation

The interim evaluation will analyse the Programme’s design, implementation and first results achieved during 2021-2023. It will address the Programme’s relevance, coherence, efficiency, effectiveness and EU value added. It fulfils the Commission’s legal obligation in Article 14 of the Regulation establishing the Programme. As a related Programme, it will also provide evidence required for the ex-ante assessment of the extension.

On its part, the ex-ante evaluation will identify and analyse the issues to be addressed, the added value of EU involvement, objectives, expected effects of different options and monitoring and evaluation.

Problem the initiative aims to tackle

Nuclear technologies play an important role in the EU’s and its Member States’ energy and climate policies. For Member States which don’t use nuclear power, nuclear science also remains important in non-power applications in fields such as medicine, industry, agriculture, environment and space.

The secure and safe use of these technologies remains paramount: from the safety of existing and future power plants to protection from ionising radiation, from the safe management of radioactive waste management to decommissioning. Public and private research has a significant role to play in this effort.

Europe is also at a risk of losing its know-how and skills in this area. Young people were put off studying for careers in fission. In fusion, the increased interest and investment outside the EU risks attracting talent away from the EU and the EU losing its leadership position.

Basis for EU action (legal basis and subsidiarity check)

The Euratom Treaty states that the Commission is responsible for promoting and facilitating nuclear research in the Member States and for complementing it by conducting a Community research and training programme (Art. 4). This programme is to be adopted by the Council, acting unanimously on a proposal from the Commission (Art. 7).

Nuclear safety and security issues transcend borders and developing fusion energy calls for research efforts on a very large scale. The matter is of interest not only to Member States operating nuclear power plants (around half of EU Member States) but those who also operate research reactors (also for radioisotope production). Finally, all Member States use radiation for non-power purposes, particularly medical.

Research investment by individual Member States, especially the ones with a lower research intensity, are unlikely to achieve the critical mass required given the level of investment needed. There are also the risks of duplication, fragmentation and unaddressed research gaps. For this reason, an EU-level Programme is necessary.

Legal basis

Article 7 of the Euratom Treaty

Practical need for EU action

Euratom-funded research supports Member States’, safety authorities’ and industry’s efforts to ensure that current and future nuclear installations are designed, constructed, operated and decommissioned to the highest standards of safety, security, radioactive waste management and non-proliferation. The Programme and its extension would, in no way, be able to support major work or the development of new systems or technology demonstrators. For the development of fusion energy, the Euratom Programme funds implementation of the fusion roadmap supporting the exploitation of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) and the design and technologies for a first fusion power plant.

B. Objectives and policy options

The general and specific objectives of the 2026-2027 extension would be similar to those of the 2021-2025 Programme, but with a stronger focus on involvement of private sector for accelerating fusion energy development.

At this stage of reflection, the Commission services are considering various policy measures in Euratom research to address new developments in nuclear field:

·supporting EU innovation on key enabling technologies for fusion energy with the goal to contribute to design and development of first fusion power plant, maintain EU industrial know-how and competitiveness, and to leverage EU scientific leadership and the ITER project.

·adapting funding priorities and research directions with regard to safety of existing nuclear power plants as well as future technologies (including Small Modular Reactors) in order to address most relevant and urgent issues.

·contributing to EU’s resilience against crisis and global threats through implementation of nuclear safeguards and support to nuclear security research and capacity building.

·providing further support for the on-going Euratom co-funded European Partnerships in radiation protection, radioactive waste management and fusion energy, while ensuring partnerships’ adaptation to evolving challenges, the needs of end-users and inclusiveness for all Member States.

Based on further analysis and stakeholder input on these measures, policy options will be formulated and analysed in the impact assessment.

C. Likely impacts

Research funded through the extension will help in:

·improving safety for Long Term Operation of NPPs in Europe,

·giving regulatory authorities the tools for safety assessment of current and future technologies whether of European design or imported from third countries.

·providing the scientific basis for improved medical and space applications of nuclear science and technology

·providing solutions for safe long-term storage of radioactive waste

·strengthening nuclear security, safeguards and non-proliferation

·addressing bottlenecks in the design process of the first fusion power plant and fostering the competitiveness of European industry

·improve access conditions for European researchers to unique, shared facilities while improving mobility across the EU

D. Better Regulation instruments

Impact assessment and evaluation

The Commission services will carry out an interim evaluation of the Programme as required by the Regulation establishing the Programme. The evaluation report’s conclusions will serve as input, together with the conclusions of the ex-ante impact assessment, for a proposal for a Regulation establishing the extension to be adopted by the Commission in Q1.2025.

Consultation strategy

As they’re to take place at around the same time and as they address themselves to the same small research community, the Commission will carry out a single public consultation as part of both the interim evaluation of the Programme and the ex-ante assessment of the extension. The purpose of the public consultation will be to gather stakeholders’ views on key aspects of the Programme’s preparation, implementation and future evolution, to enable the Commission services to carry out an interim evaluation and an impact assessment. Main stakeholders identified include researchers in the nuclear field, businesses, academia, non-governmental organisations and public authorities and EU-wide ‘umbrella’ federations of these organisations.

Planned consultations:

ØA 12-week public consultation will be published in English, French and German on the Have Your Say website (https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say_en) in the first quarter of 2024. Responses may be submitted in any official EU language. The results will be presented in a synopsis report annexed to the Commission’s interim evaluation report.

ØTargeted consultations (e.g. interviews) will be carried out with the Programme’s participants as part of the external evaluation studies supporting the interim evaluation.

ØIn addition, a High-level European Fusion Innovation Roundtable, hosted by Commissioner Ivanova will be held in 2024 and include high-level stakeholders from the research and industry communities. It will shed light on potential future measures in fusion innovation and research.

In line with the European Commission’s Better regulation policy to develop initiatives informed by the best available knowledge, we will also invite scientific researchers, academic organisations, learned societies and scientific associations in the nuclear research to submit published and pre-print scientific research, analyses and data. We are particularly interested in submissions that synthesise the current state of knowledge in relevant fields.

Why we are consulting?

The Commission seeks stakeholders’ views on the Programme’s preparation, implementation and future evolution, allowing the Commission services to carry out the Programme’s evaluation and to prepare the proposal for the extension.

Target audience

This consultation is addressed mainly to researchers in the nuclear research (fission and fusion), radiation protection and radioactive waste management, businesses, academia, non-governmental organisations and public authorities and EU-wide ‘umbrella’ federations of these entities.