Euratom

Horizon Europe is complemented by the Euratom Research and Training Programme 2021-2025 (Euratom Programme).

Euratom Programme uses mainly the same instruments and rules for participation as Horizon Europe.

It focuses on Fusion, nuclear safety, radiation protection and radioactive waste management and decommissioning.

The Euratom Programme complements the achievement of Horizon Europe’s objectives including in the context of the energy transition as well as contributing to the implementation of the European fusion roadmap.

The new programme places increased emphasis on non-powerapplicationofnucleartechnology. In this regard, the medical field is the most prominent and EURATOM is supporting the European’s Beating Cancer Plan (cf. ionising radiation used for diagnostics and therapy). There is also much potential in the application of nuclear science to fields like agriculture, environment and space.

The new Programme has five new features:

1. Simplification. The structure of specific objectives has been streamlined and the number of objectives have been reduced.
2. Education and Training. These activities have been strengthened to maintain and develop further nuclear expertise and knowledge in Europe. Nuclear researchers will be eligible to the Postdoctoral Fellowships of the Marie Skłodowska Curie actions to enhance the mobility of nuclear scientists.
3. Synergies with Horizon Europe. A clearer legal base for synergies with Horizon Europe has been provided.
4. Synergies between actions. It will also develop synergies with other areas (e.g. artificial intelligence and robotics). Regarding synergies between indirect actions and direct actions, the Commission's Joint Research Centre will complement activities of the consortia receiving Euratom grants in areas where it has the necessary competences, expertise and dedicated infrastructure. The JRC will not receive funding from indirect actions. Closer coordination and co-design of Work Programmes will allow nuclear researchers to better access to Joint Research Centre expertise and its research infrastructure. Where relevant, the JRC will complement activities of the consortia receiving Euratom grants.
5. Focus on health issues. The new Euratom Work Programme addresses research on cross-sectorial fertilisation and non-power applications. An emblematic example is the use of ionising radiation to support safe and optimised medical procedures, contributing to Europe’s Beating Cancer action plan.

Euratom Programme has direct and indirect actions.

Directactions are activities undertaken by the Commission's Joint Research Centre (within a separate work programme).

Indirectactions are research activities undertaken by multi-partner consortia.

The indirect actions of the Euratom Programme focus on 2 areas:

• nuclear fusion research and development;
• nuclear fission, safety and radiation protection.

The budget Euratom Programme is €1.38 billion to implement the new programme for the period 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2025.

The budget breakdown is as follows:

• €583 million for indirect actions in fusion research and development;
• €266 million for indirect actions in nuclear fission, safety and radiation protection;
• €532 million for direct actions undertaken by the Joint Research Centre.

In line with the Euratom Treaty, the programme will run for 5 years, from 2021 to 2025, to be extended in 2025 by 2 years in order to be aligned with the EU's long term budget 2021-2027.

The Euratom research and training programme is implemented in time according to the principle of 5 years + 2 years, thus coinciding with the 7-year cycle of Horizon Europe.

During such a cycle, Euratom Programme is implemented in several Work Programmes (3 or 4 Work Programmes).

The Euratom work programme 2021-2022 (amendment) is published on the website of the European Commission as amended.

The Euratom Work Program (2023-2025) is published on the website of the European Commission.

The Euratom Work Program (2026-2027) is the third Euratom Work Program under the Horizon Europe Program 2021-2027, which supports nuclear and fusion research.

Funding opportunities are set out in work programmes, which cover the support available.

The publication of calls has its own cycle and is related in time to a specific Work Programme.

The Euratom work program (2021-2022) has 19 calls for project proposals from European consortia.

The Euratom Work Programme (2023-2025) provides 11 topics describing specific research and training actions that the European Commission intends to fund in 2023-2025 through calls for proposals.

The first calls for proposals of the Euratom Working Group 2026-2027 are expected to be published in 2026.

Full information about funding is available on the European Commission's Funding and Tenders Portal.

The Commission is regularly on the lookout for expertise in the nuclear fields (safety and security, waste management, radiation protection and fusion).

The text of the open call EU Experts: Call for expression of interest is available for review.

To register as an expert.

The Euratom programme funds 2 prizes for researchers:

• SOFT Innovation Prize, outstanding achievements in fusion energy research;
• Nuclear Innovation Prize, excellence in nuclear innovation.