Council Decision of 18 December 2006 concerning the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) or nuclear research and training activities (2007 to 2011) (2006/969/EC)

Article 1 Adoption of the Seventh Framework Programme

A multiannual framework programme for nuclear research and training activities, hereinafter referred to as the ‘Seventh Framework Programme’, is hereby adopted for the period from 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2011.

Article 2 Objectives

1. The Seventh Framework Programme shall pursue the general objectives set out in Article 1 and Article 2(a) of the Treaty, while contributing towards the creation of a knowledge-based society, building on the European Research Area.

2. The Seventh Framework Programme shall comprise Community research, technological development, international cooperation, dissemination of technical information and exploitation activities as well as training, to be set out in two specific programmes.

The first specific programme shall cover the following:

(a) fusion energy research, with the objective of developing the technology for a safe, sustainable, environmentally responsible and economically viable energy source;

(b) nuclear fission and radiation protection, with the objective of enhancing in particular the safety performance, resource efficiency and cost-effectiveness of nuclear fission and other uses of radiation in industry and medicine.

The second specific programme shall cover the activities of the Joint Research Centre (JRC) in the field of nuclear energy.

3. The broad lines of the specific programmes are described in Annex I.

Article 3 Maximum overall amount and shares assigned to each programme

1. The maximum overall amount for the implementation of the Seventh Framework Programme for the period 2007 to 2011 shall be EUR 2 751 million. That amount shall be distributed as follows (in EUR million):

a Within the amount foreseen for fusion energy research, at least EUR 900 million will be reserved to activities other than the construction of ITER, listed in Annex I.
Fusion energy researcha	1 947
Nuclear fission and radiation protection	287
Nuclear activities of the JRC	517

2. The detailed rules for Community financial participation in the Seventh Framework Programme are set out in Annex II.

Article 4 Protection of the Communities' financial interests

For Community actions financed under this Decision, Regulations (EC, Euratom) No 2988/95 and (Euratom, EC) No 2185/96 shall apply to any infringement of a provision of Community law, including infringement of a contractual obligation stipulated on the basis of the Seventh Framework Programme, resulting from an act or omission by an economic operator, which has, or would have, the effect of prejudicing the general budget of the European Union or budgets managed by it, by an unjustified item of expenditure.

Article 5 Fundamental ethical principles

All the research activities carried out under the Seventh Framework Programme shall be carried out in compliance with fundamental ethical principles.

Article 6 Monitoring, assessment and review

1. The Commission shall continually and systematically monitor the implementation of the Seventh Framework Programme and its specific programmes and regularly report and disseminate the results of this monitoring.

2. Not later than 2010, the Commission shall carry out, with the assistance of external experts, an evidence-based interim evaluation of the Seventh Framework Programme and its specific programmes building upon the ex-post evaluation of the Sixth Framework Programme. This evaluation shall cover the quality of the research activities taking place, as well as the quality of implementation and management, and the progress towards the objectives set.

3. Following the completion of the Seventh Framework Programme, the Commission shall cause to be carried out an external evaluation by independent experts of its rationale, implementation and achievements.

The Commission shall communicate the conclusions thereof, accompanied by its observations, to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions.

Article 7 Entry into force

This Decision shall enter into force on the day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Done at Brussels, on 18 December 2006

For the Council

The President

J.-E. Enestam