Bilateral relations
Updated on January 2011
Insofar as concerns countries in Western, Central and Eastern Europe, the CEA has maintained an extensive partnership with these countries for several decades. This partnership is, obviously, implemented through the many Framework Programme projects in which the CEA participates, as well as through bilateral co-operation agreements. Of around 1,500 bilateral agreements signed in Europe since the 1980s, 250 agreements are still in progress today, in other words, about one-fifth of the agreements signed to date.
The recent and future enlargement of the European Union has provided an ideal opportunity for developing closer links with our counterparts in the new Member States and those that may join in the future, the majority of which possess a nuclear industry.
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Germany - 1
In spite of Germany's decision to withdraw from nuclear energy programmes, it remains a major partner for the CEA insofar as nuclear energy is concerned (particularly in the areas of safety and waste management), and also insofar as concerns nuclear fusion: agreements have been signed with the "Helmholtz Gemeinschaft Deutscher Forschungszentren" institutes (FZK, FZJ). In the fields of nanotechnologies and new energy technologies, where Germany occupies a high standing at international level, there are agreements with the "Fraunhofer Gesellschaft".
Belgium - 2
Since Belgium has a strong nuclear energy base, there are a great many agreements in existence with nuclear partners such as SCK-CEN, Belgonucléaire and the ONDRAF (the radioactive waste management agency) covering all areas of research. Insofar as concerns microelectronics and nanoelectronics, the IMEC in Leuven is a key European player in the field and one with which the CEA-LETI works extensively.
Finland - 3
Finland is one of the CEA's special partners, especially since the commissioning of the 1 st EPR reactor, it is actively involved in boosting the nuclear industry. An Agreement on co-operation in the field of nuclear energy research was signed in November 2002 between the CEA and the VTT (the Finnish counterpart to the CEA) and co-operation now extends to NET and microelectronics.
Italy - 4
Bilateral agreements concern the reactors of the future and nuclear waste transmutation reactors (with ENEA) and, since November 2003, an agreement on dismantling and radioactive waste management has been signed with SOGIN. Italy is interested in developing co-operation programmes in the fields of NET and information and health technologies.
Slovenia - 5
Slovenia is one of the new countries that have joined the EU. Research in Slovenia is dynamic and high-performance. An agreement on co-operation in scientific research (covering the entire spectrum of activities pursued by the CEA) is due to be signed within the next few weeks with the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology.
Switzerland - 6
34 signed agreements are in progress, 4 with the Paul Sherrer Institute (particularly that on Co-operation in the field of advanced nuclear energy systems and in the field of radioactive waste management). In the area of microtechnologies, the CEA-LETI works with the Swiss Electronics and Micro-electronics Centre (CSEM).
Czech Republic - 7
Of all the new EU Member States, the Czech Republic is the one with which the CEA has established the highest number of co-operative projects (nuclear and non-nuclear). An agreement is to be signed in June 2005 with UJV-REZ, the leading player in Czech nuclear research.