THE EU RESEARCH ACTIVITIES ON PARTITIONING AND TRANSMUTATION : FROM THE 4 TH TO THE 5 TH FRAMEWORK PROGRAMME Michel

The European Commission is partly supporting research work on partitioning and transmutation of radioactive waste under the Fourth Framework Programme (1994-1998). This work includes nine research projects. Five strategy studies are evaluating the capabilities of various burners and fuel cycles to limit the production and even destroy the stock of actinides (plutonium and minor actinides). Two experimental projects are aiming at developing techniques for the chemical separation of actinides and two others are dealing with the investigation of transmutation of americium and longlived fission products. The objectives of these studies are described together with the main results already obtained. The European Union should adopt the 5 Framework Programme (1998-2002) at the end of 1998. The broad lines of the research activities foreseen in partitioning and transmutation and future systems under the 5 Framework Programme are briefly presented.