19. 12. 83 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 341/9
(b) expected easing of congestion in conurbations or on the links between them.
9. Environmental repercussions (expected reduction in environmental pollution — exhaust
gases, noise, use of land) in:
(a) conurbations;
(b) recreation areas.
10. Repercussions on energy consumption (expected reduction in energy used per passenger/
tonne mile, especially scare types of energy (petroleum)).
11. Social repercussions through improvement of the working conditions of those employed in
transport.
12. Distribution of overall repercussions between:
(a) the Member State or national traffic;
(b) Community or cross-frontier traffic.
The answers to the individual questions should as far as possible be illustrated by tables.
13. Has a cost-benefit assessment (cost-benefit analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis, multi-
dimensional effect analysis, etc.) been carried out for the scheme? What is the gist of this
assessment?
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Decision adopting a research programme to be
implemented by the Joint Research Centre for the European Atomic Energy Community
and for the European Economic Community (1984 to 1987)
The text referred to the Committee has been published in Official Journal of the Euro-
pean Communities No C 225 of 23 August 1983, page 7.
A. LEGAL BASIS FOR THE OPINION
On 24 June 1983 the Council referred the abovementioned proposal to the Economic
and Social Committee in accordance with Article 7 of the Treaty establishing the
European Atomic Energy Community and Article 235 of the Treaty establishing the
European Economic Community.
B. OPINION OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE
The Economic and Social Committee prepared its opinion on the above matter at its
210th plenary session held in Brussels on 28 and 29 September 1983.
The full text of the opinion is as follows:
THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the Euro-
pean Atomic Energy Community, and in particular
Article 7 thereof and the Treaty establishing the
European Economic Community, and in particular
Article 235 thereof,
of the European Communities on 1 July 1983 for an
opinion on the proposal for a Council Decision
adopting a research programme to be implemented
by the Joint Research Centre for the European
Atomic Energy Community and for the European
Economic Community (1984 to 1987) ('),
Having regard to the request made by the Council (') OJ No C 225, 23. 8. 1983.
No C 341 /10 Official Journal of the
Having regard to the decision taken by its Bureau
on 5 July 1983, instructing the Section for Energy
and Nuclear Questions to draw up an opinion on
the matter,
Having regard to the opinion adopted by the Sec-
tion for Energy and Nuclear Questions at its 82nd
meeting held on 9 September 1983,
Having regard to the oral report made by the rap-
porteur, Mr von der Decken,
Having regard to the discussions on 28 September
1983 during the 210th plenary session held on 28
and 29 September 1983,
HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING OPINION
by a unanimous vote:
1. Inclusion in a common research policy
1.1. The Committee considers research and
development to be one of the key factors in bringing
about an economic upturn in the Community and
improving the employment situation. It therefore
attaches considerable importance to a research
policy and a research strategy and welcomes the fact
that the Commission is in the process of framing
such a common research policy.
1.2. The Committee welcomes the fact that
research in the Community's Joint Research Centre
(JRC) is to be included in a general framework pro-
gramme for Community research and development
and is to be organized in the form of 'action pro-
grammes'. As a result, the JRC will be better
equipped to act as a catalyst, coordinator and guide
with regard to Community research and develop-
ment policy. Accordingly, the Committee also wel-
comes the fact that the Commission intends to use
the JRC mainly to achieve the present objectives of
its research strategy.
1.3. The inclusion of JRC research in the action
programmes will enable the JRC and national
research establishments to work more closely
together, and increase cross-fertilization. There
should also be closer contacts between the JRC and
the large private research establishments.
2. Main programme topics
2.1. The Council decided at its 10 March 1983
meeting to terminate the Super Sara project, fix the
European Communities 19. 12. 83
JRC's staff numbers at 2 260 and put a ceiling on
the funds available. Consequently, the Commission
has been forced to draw up a completely new pro-
gramme, on which the Committee has the following
comments to make:
2.2. The Committee applauds the concentration on
two main topics, viz.:
— safety and protection of the environment; and
— standardization.
It is vital not to cover too wide a range of activities
for the simple reason that the JRC is to serve the
Community's research strategy. Similarly, the Com-
mittee approves the action programmes' concentra-
tion on:
— industrial technologies,
— fusion,
— fission,
— non-nuclear energy sources,
— environment.
However, the Committee wonders whether the
Commission has managed to concentrate the JRC's
work as much as it set out to do, bearing in mind the
criteria referred to in 1.2 which the Commission pro-
poses.
2.3. The Committee welcomes the restoration to
life of a number of research activities which had to
be shelved because of the Super Sara project.
2.4. It regrets, however, that the switch in emphasis
from fission to other activities, which despite diffi-
culties got off to such a good start between 1972 and
1983, has now come to a complete halt. Fission still
accounts for more than 50% of a staff and the
funds. The ESC regretted in its opinion on the
revised JRC multiannual research programme (•)
that the Super Sara project prevented continuation
of the switch from fission activities. Following the
termination of the Super Sara project, the Com-
mittee would have expected this switch in emphasis
to have taken place now.
2.5. Above all, the Committee regrets that the
activities in the non-nuclear energy sector have been
pruned so savagely. Even though the decision to
(') OJ No C 326, 13. 12. 1982.
19. 12. 83 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 341/11
end research into hydrogen production by thermo-
chemical means may be correct, the question arises
as to whether other work in the non-nuclear energy
sector could not be tackled. The Committee also
thinks that the JRC's activities in the field of envi-
ronment protection should be expanded still more,
though great care should be taken to ensure that the
work of national and other international research
establishments is not duplicated.
3. Powers of the JRC Council of Administration
3.1. The Committee is aware of the difficulties of
drawing up a balanced programme so quickly after
such a drastic event as the ending of the Super Sara
project. It therefore considers a high degree of flexi-
bility to be absolutely necessary. The Committee
accordingly welcomes the proposed establishment
of a Council of Administration, though it would
emphasize that the powers of the Council must be
defined very clearly. It is suggested by the Com-
mittee that consideration should be given to whether
a scientists' representative could be appointed to sit
on the Council as an observer.
i
3.2. In the interests of flexibility the Committee
also recommends that 5 % of the funds should be set
aside for exploratory research and new highly prom-
ising work.
4. Large-scale projects
4.1. No decision has to be taken for the moment
on the large-scale projects currently in the process of
being studied. The mistakes made with the Super
Sara project should not be repeated. Above all, it is
vital not to underestimate initially the expenditure
which these large-scale projects will involve. When
the Ignitor Plasma experiment, the tritium testing
laboratory and the vibrating table project are exam-
ined, consideration should be given to national and
international facilities and experience. The deci-
sions to be taken should be based as far as possible
on objective considerations and should not be influ-
enced by political pressures.
Done at Brussels, 28 September 1983.
5. Programme management
5.1. The Committee hopes that programme man-
agement can be made more effective and thus less
unwieldy by the new approach to management
through research action programmes.
5.2. The Commitee considers that beside providing
advice on programmes the CGC's proposed in the
new systems and procedures should also be more
purposeful in fulfilling their role as carriers of infor-
mation between the JRC and national research estab-
lishments.
6. Staffing
The JRC's staffing problems are shared by prac-
tically all large-scale national research centres. The
problem of the increased ageing of staff is com-
pounded by the need to change the research pro-
grammes more.
The Committee generally considers that the pro-
posed releasing of older staff and taking-on of a
temporary surplus in their place is a suitable solu-
tion. However, this is naturally a financial problem.
The Committee would also point out that these
measures are no substitute for a long-term staff
policy, of which there are no signs so far and which
is urgently required. The problem of temporary con-
tracts must also be discussed in this connection.
7. General
Subject to the comments made above, the Com-
mittee endorses the Commission's proposal for a
research programme to be implemented by the Joint
Research Centre for the European Economic Com-
munity (1984 to 1987).
The Committee assumes that the programme will be
revised after three years.
The Chairman
of the Economic and Social Committee
Francis CEYRAC
Full & Egal Universal Law Academy