REPORT on the proposal for a Council decision 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)

17.10.2011 - (COM(2011)0073 – C7‑0075/2011 – 2011/0043(NLE)) - *

Committee on Industry, Research and Energy
Rapporteur: Jan Březina

DRAFT EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION

on the proposal for a Council decision 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)

(COM(2011)0073 – C7‑0075/2011 – 2011/0043(NLE))

(Consultation)

The European Parliament,

–   having regard to the Commission proposal to the Council (COM(2011)0073),

–   having regard to Article 7 of the Euratom Treaty, pursuant to which the Council consulted Parliament (C7‑0075/2011),

–   having regard to Rule 55 of its Rules of Procedure,

–   having regard to the report of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy(A7-0358/2011),

1.  Approves the Commission proposal as amended;

2.  Calls on the Commission to alter its proposal accordingly, in accordance with Article 293(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and Article 106a of the Euratom Treaty;

3.  Calls on the Council to notify Parliament if it intends to depart from the text approved by Parliament;

4.  Asks the Council to consult Parliament again if it intends to substantially amend the Commission proposal;

5.  Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council and the Commission.

Amendment 1 Proposal for a decision Recital 3 a (new)
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
	(3a) The design and implementation of the Framework Programme (2012 - 2013) should be based on the principles of simplicity, stability, transparency, legal certainty, consistency, excellence and trust following the recommendations of the European Parliament in its Report on simplifying the implementation of the Research Framework Programmes.
Amendment  2 Proposal for a decision Recital 8
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
(8) Appropriate measures – proportionate to the Union's financial interests – should be taken to monitor both the effectiveness of the financial support granted and the effectiveness of the utilisation of these funds in order to prevent irregularities and fraud. The necessary steps should also be taken to recover funds lost, wrongly paid or incorrectly used, in accordance with Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002, Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2342/2002, Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2988/95 of 18 December 1995 on the protection of the European Communities' financial interests, Council Regulation (Euratom, EC) No 2185/96 of 11 November 1996 concerning on-the-spot checks and inspections carried out by the Commission in order to protect the European Communities' financial interests against fraud and other irregularities and Regulation (EC) No 1073/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 May 1999 concerning investigations conducted by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF).	(8) Appropriate measures – proportionate to the Union's financial interests – should be taken to monitor both the effectiveness of the financial support granted and the effectiveness of the utilisation of these funds in order to prevent irregularities and fraud. Special attention should be paid to the development of contractual arrangements that reduce the risk of failure to perform as well as the reallocation of risks and costs over time. The necessary steps should also be taken to recover funds lost, wrongly paid or incorrectly used, in accordance with Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002, Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2342/2002, Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2988/95 of 18 December 1995 on the protection of the European Communities' financial interests, Council Regulation (Euratom, EC) No 2185/96 of 11 November 1996 concerning on-the-spot checks and inspections carried out by the Commission in order to protect the European Communities' financial interests against fraud and other irregularities and Regulation (EC) No 1073/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 May 1999 concerning investigations conducted by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF).
Amendment  3 Proposal for a decision Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point a
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
a) fusion energy research (including ITER);	a) fusion energy research (including mainly ITER);
Amendment  4 Proposal for a decision Article 6 – paragraph 2
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
2. The work programme shall take account of relevant research activities carried out by the Member States, associated states and European and international organisations. It shall be updated where appropriate.	2. The work programme shall take account of relevant research activities carried out by the Member States, associated states and European and international organisations as well as industry. It shall be updated where appropriate.
Amendment  5 Proposal for a decision Article 6 – paragraph 3
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
3. The work programme shall specify the criteria on which proposals for indirect actions under the funding schemes are to be evaluated and projects selected. The criteria shall be those of excellence, impact and implementation. Additional requirements, weightings and thresholds may be further specified or complemented in the work programme.	3. The work programme shall specify the criteria on which proposals for indirect actions under the funding schemes are to be evaluated and projects selected. The criteria shall be those of excellence, impact and implementation. Additional requirements, weightings and thresholds that are clearly justified may be further specified or complemented in the work programme.
Amendment  6 Proposal for a decision Article 7 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
	2a. The composition of the committee referred to in paragraph 2shall in each case be such as to ensure a reasonable balance between men and women and between Member States undertaking research and training activities in the nuclear field.
Amendment  7 Proposal for a decision Annex – part I – section I.A – point 1 – paragraph 3
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
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.	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, testing, validation and reliability verification of components and dependable systems.
Amendment  8 Proposal for a decision Annex – part I – section I.A – point 2 – indent 2 a (new)
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
	– planning of a new satellite experiment under the 8th Framework Programme which can complement ITER experimentation, with a view to ensuring the facilities required while limiting risks and operational costs, and can also cover the study of key aspects of the DEMO technologies;
Amendment  9 Proposal for a decision Annex – part I – section I.A – point 4 – indent 3
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
– studies of the sociological aspects and economics of fusion power generation, and actions to promote public awareness and understanding of fusion.	– studies of the sociological aspects and economics of fusion power generation, and actions to promote public awareness and understanding of fusion. Particular attention will be given to ensuring that the right information is communicated to the public, and specific actions will be used for communication and outreach programme efficiency.
Amendment  10 Proposal for a decision Annex – part I – section I.A – point 6
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
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.	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, and will entail, in the context of the complementary European programme, the creation of a new research infrastructure in support of the ITER experiment.
Amendment  11 Proposal for a decision Annex – part I – section I.B – introduction
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
The overall objective is to enhance in particular the safety, performance, resource efficiency and cost-effectiveness of nuclear fission and uses of radiation in industry and medicine. Indirect actions in nuclear fission and radiation protection will be undertaken in five principal areas of activity detailed below. 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, 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 collaboration will be a key feature of the activities in many of the activity areas, in particular advanced nuclear systems that are being investigated in the Generation IV International Forum.	The overall objective is to enhance in particular the safety, performance, resource efficiency and cost-effectiveness of nuclear fission and uses of radiation in industry and medicine. Indirect actions in nuclear fission and radiation protection will be undertaken in five principal areas of activity detailed below. 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, in particular in the areas of energy, European standards, education and training, environmental protection, health, material science, governance, common infrastructures, security and safety culture, as well as with the nuclear fission proposals of the Strategic Energy Technology Plan endorsed by the Council in March 2008. International collaboration will be a key feature of the activities in many of the activity areas, in particular advanced nuclear systems that are being investigated in the Generation IV International Forum. The typical design lifetime of the current generation of nuclear plants in operation in Europe is 40 years, and possible additional life extensions are envisaged. Gen III and future-safe Gen IV aim for 60 years or a longer lifetime while minimising operation and maintenance costs due to ageing.
Amendment  12 Proposal for a decision Annex – part I – section I.B – introduction – paragraph 1 a (new)
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
	There is a clear need to enhance the collaboration with IAEA on Safety Standards applicable to all nuclear facilities and activities. These standards should be broadly applied by designers, manufacturers, operators in power generation, medicine, industry, research and education.
Amendment  13 Proposal for a decision Annex – part I – section I.B – point 1 – title
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
1. Geological disposal	1. All storage including geological disposal
Amendment  14 Proposal for a decision Annex – part I– section I.B – point 1 – paragraph 1
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Through implementation-oriented research, to establish a sound scientific and technical basis for demonstrating the technologies and safety of disposal of spent fuel and long-lived radioactive wastes in geological formations, and to underpin the development of a common European view on the main issues related to the management and disposal of waste.	Through implementation-oriented research, to establish a sound scientific and technical basis for demonstrating the technologies and safety of disposal of spent fuel and long-lived radioactive wastes including long-lived waste from decommissioning of civil nuclear power and radioisotope applications in medicine, industry, agriculture, research and education activities, in geological formations, and to underpin the development of a common European view on the main issues related to the management and disposal of waste.
Amendment  15 Proposal for a decision Annex – part I – section I.B – point 1 – paragraph 2
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Geological disposal: Engineering studies and demonstration of repository designs, in situ characterisation of repository host rocks (in both generic and site-specific underground research laboratories), understanding of the repository environment, studies on relevant processes in the near field (waste form and engineered barriers) and far-field (bedrock and pathways to the biosphere), development of robust methodologies for performance and safety assessment and investigation of governance and societal issues related to public acceptance.	Geological disposal: Engineering studies and demonstration of repository designs, in situ characterisation of repository host rocks (in both generic and site-specific underground research laboratories), understanding of the repository environment, studies on relevant processes in the near field (waste form and engineered barriers) and far-field (bedrock and pathways to the biosphere), development of robust methodologies for performance and safety assessment and investigation of governance and societal issues related to public acceptance. To secure more effective confinement of radioactive substances in case of unanticipated events, it is necessary to implement robust systems maintaining the service with downgraded modes of operation.
Amendment  16 Proposal for a decision Annex – part I – section I.B – point 2 – paragraph 2
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Nuclear installation safety: Operational safety of current and future nuclear installations, especially 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 mitigation of severe accidents, with associated activities to optimise knowledge management and maintain competences.	Nuclear installation safety: Operational safety of current and future nuclear installations, taking into account particularly the research implications of the Fukushima accident, especially 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 mitigation of severe accidents, with associated activities to optimise knowledge management and maintain competences. Additional work to be undertaken as a consequence of the Fukushima accident should include: improved seismic resistance, redefinition of ‘beyond design basis’ accidents, analysis of common failure modes, better emergency management, avoidance of hydrogen accumulation from hot metal/steam reactions, hydrogen recombination, design of filter/scrubber systems able to withstand gas overpressure.
Amendment  17 Proposal for a decision Annex – part I – section I.B – point 2 – paragraph 3
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Advanced nuclear systems: Improved efficiency of present systems and fuels and the study of advanced reactor systems in order to assess their potential, proliferation resistance and impacts on long-term sustainability, including basic and key cross-cutting research activities (such as material science) and the study of the fuel cycle, innovative fuels and waste management aspects, including partitioning and transmutation the more efficient use of fissile material in existing reactors.	Advanced nuclear systems: Improved efficiency of present systems and fuels and the study of advanced reactor systems in order to assess their potential, proliferation resistance and impacts on long-term sustainability, including basic and key cross-cutting research activities (such as material science) and the study of the fuel cycle, innovative fuels and waste management aspects, including partitioning and transmutation the more efficient use of fissile material in existing reactors. The above activities should be geared to supporting the European Sustainable Nuclear Industrial Initiative (ESNII), launched at the Strategic Energy Technology Plan conference of the Belgian Presidency in November 2010, including the design of the key research demonstrators ASTRID, ALLEGRO, ALFRED and MYRRHA.

RESULT OF FINAL VOTE IN COMMITTEE

Date adopted	6.10.2011
Result of final vote	+: –: 0:	41 5 1
Members present for the final vote	Jean-Pierre Audy, Ivo Belet, Bendt Bendtsen, Jan Březina, Maria Da Graça Carvalho, Giles Chichester, Christian Ehler, Ioan Enciu, Vicky Ford, Adam Gierek, Norbert Glante, Fiona Hall, Jacky Hénin, Edit Herczog, Romana Jordan Cizelj, Krišjānis Kariņš, Lena Kolarska-Bobińska, Béla Kovács, Bogdan Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz, Marisa Matias, Judith A. Merkies, Jaroslav Paška, Miloslav Ransdorf, Herbert Reul, Jens Rohde, Paul Rübig, Amalia Sartori, Francisco Sosa Wagner, Konrad Szymański, Michael Theurer, Evžen Tošenovský, Ioannis A. Tsoukalas, Claude Turmes, Niki Tzavela, Marita Ulvskog, Vladimir Urutchev, Alejo Vidal-Quadras, Henri Weber
Substitute(s) present for the final vote	Antonio Cancian, Jolanta Emilia Hibner, Yannick Jadot, Werner Langen, Marian-Jean Marinescu, Vladko Todorov Panayotov, Mario Pirillo, Catherine Trautmann
Substitute(s) under Rule 187(2) present for the final vote	Werner Schulz