Materials science also addresses several classes of materials. These include those that are essential to nuclear reactor cores (e.g. metallic alloys and ceramics; fuel cladding and fuels; substances for neutron control; concrete; and polymers for cables). Innovative solutions for research into the development, manufacturing and qualification of these nuclear materials are necessary if the EU’s nuclear sector is to not only maintain the highest safety standards but also be competitive with other energy-generating technologies (as well as with a range of international players in this area).

This action is therefore expected to significantly contribute to the development and qualification of materials and related advanced manufacturing techniques, thus ensuring the highest safety standards for nuclear components and reducing time to market. This will require a shift from the traditional ‘observe and qualify’ materials science approach to the modern ‘design and control’ one that is already pursued in CONNECT-NM and is further targeted in its extension. Accurate materials-health-monitoring methods also need to be developed for application during operations, along with advanced predictive methodologies that incorporate modern digital techniques blended with physics-based models.

Drawing on the advisory bodies already established in CONNECT-NM, the partnership should consolidate its exploitation and innovation group (comprising members from industrial bodies and other relevant institutions) and should also have expertise in innovation and the exploitation of results. In addition, the consolidation of the independent international scientific advisory board established by CONNECT-NM will benefit the partnership’s activities.

The partnership should be goal-oriented and have well-defined major milestones to enable proper monitoring. Its scope should include all scientific and technical areas, as well as all the horizontal activities related to KM that have been described above.

Research lines should continue to be proposed with specific projects that cover the scientific and technical priorities identified in the strategic research agenda. Projects that are expected to be launched in the partnership via new calls for proposals should correspondingly cover areas of interest for the relevant national actors and allow new partners to be included if relevant. The projects should be defined by technical scope and the corresponding calls should be open to any participant.

The allocation of project tasks and funding to partners should be revised annually through the preparation of an annual work programme. Emerging research priorities that are relevant for the Euratom programme should be considered (taking into account the opinion of the advisory boards) during this annual revision of the partnership.

To maximise KM (especially its impact on smaller and less advanced national programmes), a set of horizontal activities on knowledge-transfer and education and training should continue to be designed and implemented within the partnership. The partnership should be open to international R&D cooperation. Its managers should be expected to represent it in areas of competence in international events and forums.

Commitments by the partners regarding their financial and/or in-kind contributions to the European partnership are expected to be provided in the governance structure (through the open calls and in other dedicated implementation actions and efforts for national coordination). Proposals should pool the necessary financial and/or in-kind resources from the participating national (or regional) research programmes with a view to implementing joint research activities that are described in the proposed research lines and/or open calls for transnational proposals that also result in grants to third parties.