Euratom research and training programme 2021–2025

PURPOSE: to establish the research and training programme of the European Atomic Energy Community for the period 2021-2025 complementing the Horizon Europe - framework programme for research and innovation.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Regulation.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the Council adopts the act after consulting the European Parliament but without being obliged to follow its opinion.

BACKGROUND: one of the aims of the European Atomic Energy Community is to contribute to raising the standard of living in the Member States including by promoting and facilitating nuclear research in the Member States and complementing it by carrying out a Community research and training programme.

Ionising radiation technologies are used every day in Europe in a number of fields such as health, industry and research, providing large benefits to European citizens and European economy. Public and private research in Member States can significantly contribute to providing these benefits.

In this context, the Commission proposes a new five-year programme which shall pursue the current Euratom programme’s key research activities and expand research into non-power applications of ionising radiation, and make improvements in the areas of education, training and access to research infrastructure.

The proposal is part of the legislative package for the Research and Innovation Framework Programme ‘Horizon Europe’. It aims to implement the EU's next long-term financial framework for the period 2021-2027.

CONTENT: the proposal for a Regulation seeks to establish the research and training programme of the European Atomic Energy Community for the period from 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2025 and the rules for participation and dissemination in indirect actions under this the programme.

The new programme seeks to: (i) to pursue nuclear research and training activities to support continuous improvement of nuclear safety, security and radiation protection; (ii) to potentially contribute to the long-term decarbonisation of the energy system in a safe, efficient and secure way.

The specific objectives are as follows:

• improve the safe and secure use of nuclear energy and non-power applications of ionizing radiation (in areas such as health, medical applications of ionising radiation), including nuclear safety, security, safeguards, radiation protection, safe spent fuel and radioactive waste management and decommissioning. As regards decommissioning, eligible measures include research supporting the development and evaluation of technologies for decommissioning and environmental remediation of nuclear installations;
• maintain and further develop expertise and competence in the Community. This includes education and training measures, support for mobility, access to research infrastructure, technology transfer and knowledge management and dissemination;
• foster the development of fusion energy and contribute to the implementation of the fusion roadmap with a view to meeting the goal of producing electricity through fusion;
• support the policy of the Community on nuclear safety, safeguards and security.

The programme shall also support the mobility of researchers in the nuclear field in the framework of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions.

The policy objectives of this programme may be also addressed through financial instruments under the policy window research and innovation of the InvestEU Fund.

The proposed programme shall complement Horizon Europe using the same instruments and rules for participation.

Proposed budget: the financial envelope for the implementation of the Programme shall be EUR 1.67 billion in current prices for the period 2021-2025. The indicative distribution shall be:

• EUR 724 563 000 for fusion research and development;
• EUR 330 930 000 for nuclear fission, safety and radiation protection;
• EUR 619 507 000 for direct actions undertaken by the Joint Research Centre.