In March 2024, world leaders from over 30 countries and the European Union (EU) convened at the inaugural Nuclear Energy Summit in Brussels, marking a significant milestone as global support for nuclear power continues to grow. High-level representatives emphasized the critical role of nuclear energy in achieving energy security, meeting climate goals, and driving sustainable development. Key priorities identified for long-term success included increased financing, workforce development, and proactive support for countries new to nuclear energy. Heads of State and other senior officials highlighted the status of nuclear energy in their nations, stressing the importance of technology-neutral policies—laws and regulations that do not favor one clean energy source over another — as essential for meeting clean energy transition deadlines.

Amid this renewed momentum, scientific research and technological innovation are poised to play a crucial role in advancing the nuclear sector. The Euratom Research and Training Programme has outlined specific objectives to:

• Enhance and support nuclear safety, security, safeguards, radiation protection, and the safe management of spent fuel and radioactive waste, including the secure use of nuclear power and non-power applications of ionizing radiation.
• Preserve and further develop expertise and competence in the nuclear field across the community.
• Foster the development of fusion energy as a potential future electricity source and contribute to the implementation of the European fusion roadmap.
• Support EU and member state policies on the continuous improvement of nuclear safety, safeguards, and security.

The programme has also expanded research into non-power applications of ionizing radiation and focus on advancements in education, training, and access to research infrastructures. Euratom places a strong emphasis on developing nuclear skills and expertise, ensuring that Europe maintains its global leadership in nuclear safety and waste management while achieving the highest standards of radiation protection.

The 11th European Commission Conference on the Euratom Research and Training Programme in Safety of Reactor Systems and Radioactive Waste Management—FISA–EURADWASTE 2025—represents a pivotal moment on the EU/Euratom agenda. The event is anticipated to draw over 550 scientists from 150 organizations across 50 European countries, encompassing research and training institutions, academia, industry, technology platforms, European forums, civil society, and international organizations involved in EU/Euratom Framework Programmes. Jointly organized with the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU, the conference will be held in Warsaw, Poland, from May 12 to 16, 2025, in conjunction with the SNETP Forum.

The conference's primary goal is to showcase the accomplishments of the Euratom Research and Training Programme since the last conference in 2022. It will encompass a wide range of research and development areas, including reactor system safety, radioprotection, innovative materials and technologies, Generation IV nuclear technologies, small and modular reactors, decommissioning, radioactive waste management, knowledge management, medical and non-power applications, as well as competencies and skills development. Teams from Euratom co-funded research projects will present overviews of their findings and expected impacts. Additionally, they will be invited to draft review papers that highlight the key achievements of their respective Euratom projects.

This special issue aims to present an overview of the outcomes of the Euratom Research and Training Programme. All on-going or recently finished Euratom project coordinators were invited to draft a paper on the achievements of their respective projects.

The projects were grouped in clusters of 2 or 3 projects and structured around the following topics:

• Reactor Performance, system reliability: Long-Term Operation
• Reactor Performance, system reliability: Instrumentation and control
• Advanced numerical simulation and modelling for reactor safety
• Innovative Gen-II -III and Research Reactors’ Fuels and Materials
• Safety assessments and severe accidents, impact of external events on nuclear power plants and on mitigation strategies
• Probabilistic Safety Assessment for internal and external events on nuclear power plants and on mitigation strategies
• SMR, Innovative reactor licensing
• Advanced nuclear systems and fuel cycles
• R&D in support to safety assessment, design and licensing of ESNII/Gen-IV
• Partitioning and Transmutation, contribution to an EU strategy for HLW management
• Innovative Gen-IV Fuels and Materials, EERA-JPNM, Fission and Fusion
• Nuclear Cogeneration HTR, H2
• Nuclear Data activities
• INNOVation beyond technology
• Education, Training and mobility, knowledge management
• Radiation protection Partnership PIANOFORTE, medical applications and radioisotope supply
• Supporting Access to key pan-European research infrastructures and international cooperation
• Other, synergies and supporting international cooperation
• Radioactive Waste Management Partnership EURAD and Strategic Research
• Improved expertise and innovations in decommissioning

The expected papers will set the scene by briefly describing the initial state of the art on their topic, the global objectives of their respective projects, the methodologies and the final or expected outcomes as well as the expected impacts they foresee. Therefore, the scope of the special edition is relatively determined by the list of the identified projects and their contributions.

Article submission and editorial system here.

All relevant papers will be carefully considered, vetted by a distinguished team of international experts, and published in accordance to the Journal’s standard policies. Full research papers and comprehensive review articles can be submitted online via the journal’s submission and peer review site: https://www.edpsciences.org/en/publication-charges#epjn

Instructions for Authors at: https://www.epj-n.org/author-information/instructions-for-authors

Article Processing Charges

EPJ N - Nuclear Sciences & Technologies is published in Open Access. An Article  Processing Charge (APC) is applied. It covers the costs involved in the open access publication, such as editorial handling, copyediting, data management, proofs, administrative overheads and technologies in order to make your article findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable.

For accepted articles submitted in 2024, the APC is 500€ (paid after acceptation). The journal does not have any submission fee.

Other Waivers and Discounts

• EDP Sciences provides a waiver to authors based in countries included in Group A of the Research4Life programme
• EDP Sciences has signed an APC agreement with the NSLC (National Science Library CAS) the research library service system for the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). Corresponding authors affiliated with one of the eligible CAS institutes, can publish in open access at a 20 percent discounted APC price.
• EDP Sciences has signed with the Technische Informationsbibliothek (TIB) a German National APC agreement. Corresponding authors affiliated with German academic institutions including universities and research institutions, can publish in open access at a 20 percent discounted APC price.
• Corresponding authors from French institutions having signed the National Open Access agreement in France, can publish in Open Access without any fee.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE - NOVEMBER 15, 2024

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• International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
• J-Gate (India)
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2023 Impact Factor*: 0.9

2023 5-Year Impact Factor*: 1.1

*Journal Citation Reports™ from Clarivate, 2024 - Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI)

Editors in Chief

Cyrille De Saint Jean
CEA, Nuclear Energy Division, France

Gilles Moutiers
CEA, Nuclear Energy Division, France

Associate Editors

General Issues related to Nuclear Power Utilization

E. Proust
CEA, Nuclear Energy Division, France

Nuclear Data

T. Fukahori
JAEA, Fukushima Research Institute, Japan

G. Noguere
CEA, Nuclear Energy Division, France

O. Serot
CEA, Nuclear Energy Division, France

Nuclear Reactor Physics and Criticality

G. Chiba
Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan

F. Damian
CEA, Nuclear Energy Division, France

J.L. Kloosterman
TU Delft, The Netherlands
Interview: Meet Prof. J.L. Kloosterman

E. Merle-Lucotte
CNRS, France

J. Miss
IRSN, France

J. Ragusa
Texas A&M University, United States

Reactor Instrumentation, Analytical Sciences and Control, Human-Machine System

M. Joyce
Lancaster University, United Kingdom

A. Lyoussi
CEA, Nuclear Energy Division, France

Thermal Hydraulics

G. Bois
CEA/DES, France

F. François
CEA, Nuclear Energy Division, France

J. Pacio
SCK CEN, Belgian Nuclear Research, Belgium

G. Ricciardi
CEA/DES, France

M.G. Rodio
CEA/DEN, France

L. Rossi
CEA/DES, France

Operational Management of Reactor, Nuclear Safety Engineering

Nuclear Materials

M.F. Barthe
CNRS-CEMHTI, Orléans, France

J.L. Béchade
CEA, Nuclear Energy Division, France

J. Kalivodova
Research Centre Rez Ltd., Czech Republic

P. Olsson
Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan, Sweden

Nuclear Fuels

M. Freyss
CEA, Nuclear Energy Division, France

R. Konings
JRC Institute for Transuranium Elements, Germany

B. Michel
CEA, Nuclear Energy Division, France

A.L. Smith
Delft University of Technology, Netherlands

Corrosion

F. Balbaud
CEA, Nuclear Energy Division, France

B. Kursten
SCK-CEN, Belgium

Reactor Chemistry, Radiochemistry, Fuel Reprocessing, Safeguards Technology

Ph. Guilbaud
CEA, DES/ISEC/DMRC/SPTC/LILA, France

R. Taylor
National Nuclear Laboratory Ltd., UK

Radioactive Waste Management

S. Savoye
CEA, Laboratoire de Mesures et Modélisation de la Migration des Radionucléides (L3MR), France

Dismantling and Decommissioning

M. Saluden
CEA/DES/DDDSD/DTPI/STRD, France

Health Physics and Environmental Science

Research Reactors

P. Blaise
FRAMATOME, France

J.L. Kloosterman
TU Delft, The Netherlands

I.C. Lim
KAERI, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, South Korea

J. Wagemans
SCK CEN, Belgian Nuclear Research, Belgium

Technico-economics for nuclear systems

M. Ricotti
Politecnico di Milano, Department of Energy, CeSNEF-Nuclear Engineering Division, Italy

External Advisor

B. Bonin
CEA, Deputy Scientific Director, Nuclear Energy Division, France

A. Nicolas
CEA, Nuclear Energy Division, France