Research areas

Under the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) and the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM), the JRC's multi-annual work programme is organised into five policy themes for which the funding over the seven-year period of the Framework Programmes is as follows:

1. Prosperity in a knowledge intensive society

2. Solidarity and the responsible management of resources

3. Security and freedom

4. Europe as a world partner

5. The EURATOM programme

These themes are further sub-divided into a total of 17 policy agendas that cover specific EU policy objectives - and which draw on the integrated expertise of our seven Institutes and their research partners.

JRC budget breakdown - FP7© European Communities, 2007

The continued solid funding through successive framework programmes reflects the strong support for the work of the JRC by both the European Parliament and a broad spectrum of Member States. They also encourage the JRC to participate in all indirect actions of FP7 and recognise the important role it plays in research training, as well as the relevance to the European Research Area (ERA) of its extensive facilities for reference measurement and fundamental research.

The non-nuclear part of the JRC programme is steadily growing, and now constitutes about three quarters of the JRC's overall activities. This work is focused on research topics of particular relevance to European policy, with a new emphasis on understanding the relationship between environment and health, the increase of internal and external security, and support to the Lisbon process.

Nuclear activities continue to account for just over a quarter of the workload. They support the whole range of research actions carried out in trans-national cooperation in the thematic areas of nuclear waste management and environmental impact, nuclear safety and nuclear security.

Policy Theme 1: Prosperity in a knowledge intensive society

In the context of its Growth and Jobs initiative, investment in research is a key priority for the European Commission. Through the Seventh Framework Programme, the Commission supports research across selected areas in response to Europe's employment needs and to stimulate a competitive market.

The JRC's activities contribute to this objective by fostering research and innovation, developing a culture of excellence, establishing standards, improving market transparency, setting up appropriate regulatory context, anticipating critical issues affecting society, and designing sustainable management practices across a broad range of economic activities.

The research in this area is organised across five policy agendas:

Policy Theme 2: Solidarity and the responsible management of resources

Sustainable management of our natural resources and the environment is an ever increasing challenge for Europe, and is the focus of a broad range of policies laid down in the European Commission's Sixth Environment Action Programme. The JRC plays an active role in supporting sustainable development objectives across four key policy agendas:

Policy Theme 3: Security and freedom

The JRC's work touches upon a broad range of security issues regarding the protection of citizen, the territory and society from a range of threats, including: natural hazards, unintentional acts (e.g. accidental), intentional acts (e.g. illegal activities including fraud, organised crime and terrorism), as well as geo-political factors and global challenges affecting Europe.

JRC's research activities are divided into three priority agendas:

Policy Theme 4: Europe as a world partner

The JRC provides support across two policy areas in the external relations of the European Union: global security and development co-operation.

Policy Theme 5: The EURATOM programme

The JRC's activities in the nuclear area - reactor safety, waste management, safeguards and radiation monitoring - centre on cross-border aspects and critical issues that require a common or harmonised EU response. Major objectives are to further knowledge on the safety and reliability of nuclear energy production and reactor systems, with particular consideration to sustainability and control.