Overview of EU Research Activities in Partitioning and Transmutation and Innovative Reactor Systems within the EURATOM Framework Programmes

European Union’s (EU) (currently 27 Member States) shared-cost research has been organised in Framework Programmes (FP) of durations of 4-5 years since 1984. The 6th European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM) Framework Programme (2002-06) and the current 7th FP (2007-11) have been allocated a fission research budget respectively of 209 and 287 Million Euro from the European Community (EC). In FP6, there are 11 projects (total budget 82 M€, EC contribution 44 M€) in all aspects of partitioning and transmutation (P&T) ranging from road-mapping exercise to large integrated projects on chemical separation, accelerator driven systems, lead-cooled Fast critical systems for waste transmutation, technology, fuel, accelerator facilities for nuclear data etc. In Innovative Reactor concepts, there are about half-a-dozen projects (total budget 30 M€, EC contribution 14 M€) including High Temperature Reactors, Gas-cooled Fast reactors, road-mapping exercise on sodium fast reactors etc. The main research and training activities in FP7 are: management of radioactive waste, reactor systems, radiation protection, infrastructures, human resources and mobility and training. In the two call for proposals (2007 and 2008) in FP7, 10 projects have been accepted in P&T and Innovative Reactor concepts (total budget 92 M€, EC contribution 44 M€). These research projects cover activities ranging from chemical separation, materials, fuels, treatment of irradiated graphite waste and European sodium fast reactor to the establishment of a Central Design Team of a Fastspectrum Transmutation Device in Europe. The third call for proposals is underway requesting proposals on nuclear data, thermal hydraulics, gas and lead-cooled fast reactor systems with a total EC budget of 20 M€. International collaboration is an important element of the EU research policy. This overview paper presents elements of the strategy of EURATOM research and training in waste management including accelerator driven transmutation systems and Innovative Reactor concepts that are being pursued through Euratom Programmes. A brief outline of FP6/FP7 research projects is also outlined.