Council agrees H2020 EURATOM programme

The Council of the European Union has adopted the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM) programme for nuclear research and training activities.

The new programme allows for the continuity of nuclear research activities carried out under the current EURATOM programme, which expires at the end of 2013, as part of Horizon 2020.

The programme will have the same simplified access to research projects and rules for participation as Horizon 2020. The EURATOM programme comprises indirect and direct actions.

Indirect actions will cover fusion energy research and research on nuclear fission, safety and radiation protection. Direct actions for activities of the Joint Research Centre (JRC) in the field of nuclear waste management, environmental impact, safety and security. The nuclear fission research activities are in line with the objective of enhancing the safety of nuclear fission and other uses of radiation in industry and medicine.

EURATOM programmes are limited to five years in accordance with the EURATOM treaty. The budget of the programme is set at €1.6bn in current prices for the years 2014 to 2018.

The EURATOM programme will continue to contribute to the implementation of the ‘Innovation Union’ strategy by enhancing competition for scientific excellence and accelerating the deployment of key innovations in the nuclear energy field, notably in fusion and nuclear safety, and will contribute to tackling energy and climate change challenges. In this way it will underpin the creation of a European Research Area.