Supporting access to key pan-European research infrastructures and international cooperation

Abstract

Large research infrastructures, especially nuclear ones, are extremely expensive to build and operate. Therefore, to develop expertise and competences in nuclear research is more efficient to have a limited number of complementary specialized large nuclear research infrastructures, shared by European researchers from different countries. This paper describes three different actions to improve the European collaboration in the experimental nuclear research, namely open access to the nuclear research infrastructure of the JRC, the optimization of the use of research reactors in Europe and operation planning of the Jules Horowitz reactor currently under construction. Supporting access to key pan-European research infrastructures strengthens research and innovation, avoiding duplication and optimising resources. It contributes to the European Research Area (ERA) and the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI), as well as to maintaining competence in the EU, which is one of the objectives of the Euratom research and training programme.