15 Euratom Research and Training
Programme
| (33496) 17936/11
COM(11) 812
| Draft Council Regulation on the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (2014-2020) complementing the Horizon 2020 — the Framework programme for Research and Innovation
|
| Legal base | Article 7 Euratom; consultation; unanimity
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| Department | Business, Innovation and Skills
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| Basis of consideration | Minister's letter of 13 November 2013
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| Previous Committee Report | HC 428-xlix (2010-12), chapter 2 (1 February 2012)
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| Discussion in Council | See para 15.3 below
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| Committee's assessment | Politically important
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| Committee's decision | Cleared
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Background
15.1 In our Report of 18 January 2012, we drew to the attention
of the House proposals[67]
to establish the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme for Research
and Innovation for the period 2014-20, which would bring all EU
funding for research into a single overarching framework. This
had been accompanied by the current document, which deals with
Euratom-related elements of the EU's next framework programme
for the period 2014-18,[68]
and brings these together into a single Regulation, aimed at improving
nuclear safety, security and radiation protection, and with an
overall budget of €1.789 billion relating to indirect actions
for the fusion research and development programme; indirect actions
for nuclear fission, safety and radiation protection; and direct
actions by the Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC). However,
the provision for work on fusion research and development did
not cover funding for the International Thermonuclear Experimental
Reactor (ITER) project, which the Commission was proposing to
take "off budget", and handle through a separate funding
mechanism.
15.2 As we noted in our Report of 1 February
2012, the Government agreed that the items covered in this proposal
are of key importance to the future development of nuclear research
in Europe, and supports the work being undertaken by the JRC to
promote nuclear safety and security. However, it was strongly
of the view that the full costs of developing the ITER should,
in the interests of transparency and accountability, be brought
back within the formal EU budget processes, and said that it would
be arguing strongly to that effect in the negotiations on this
text. In view of this, we concluded that, although there was a
case for clearing the proposal, these concerns over the funding
arrangements for ITER project made it right to hold it under scrutiny,
pending further information on how this issue would be resolved.
Minister's letter of 13 November 2013
15.3 We have now received a letter of 13 November
2013 from the Minister for Universities and Science (David Willetts),
pointing out that this text had been largely left to one side,
but that a version was shortly to go to COREPER which contained
no substantive changes to the original proposal. He also says
that funding arrangements for ITER have now been agreed[69]
which provided for these to be within the EU budget. In view of
this, he asks if we would now be prepared to release the document
from scrutiny.
Conclusion
15.4 Since our main outstanding concern over
the funding of the ITER project has now been resolved satisfactorily,
we see no need to continue to hold this proposal under scrutiny,
and we are therefore clearing it.
67 See (33492) 17932/11 (33493) 17933/11 and (33495)
17935/11: HC 428-xlvii (2010-12) chapter 5 (18 January 2012). Back
68
This last date differs from that in Horizon 2020 because the Euratom
Treaty limits the duration of research programmes to five years. Back
69
See (35285) 13253/13: HC 83-xvi (2013-14), chapter 15 (9 October
2013). Back
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