14. 5. 96 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 117/9 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COUNCIL COUNCIL DECISION of 7 May 1996 approving amendments to the Statutes of the Joint European Torus (JET), Joint Undertaking (96/305/Euratom) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community, and in particular Article 50 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Having regard to the opinion of the European Parlia- ment (), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (9, Whereas, for the purpose of implementing the JET Project, the Council, by Decision 78/471/Euratom (°), established the Joint European Torus (JET), Joint Under- taking, and adopted the Statutes thereof, as last amended by Decision 91/677/Euratom (); Whereas, by Decision 94/268/Euratom (%), the Council ’ adopted a framework programme of Community activities in the field of research and training for the European Atomic Energy Community (1994 to 1998); whereas, by Decision 94/799/Euratom (%), the Council adopted a specific programme of research and training in the field of controlled thermonuclear fusion; whereas this programme takes into account new substantial scientific and technical arguments — such as testing a divertor for technological or basic research purposes, in particular () OJ No C 78, 18. 3. 1996, p. 33. (» OJ No C 18, 22. 1. 1996, p. 36. () O] No L 151, 7. 6. 1978, p. 10. (9 OJ No L 375, 31. 12. 1991, p. 9. () OJ No L 115, 6. 5. 1994, p. 31. (¢ O] No L 331, 21. 12. 1994, p. 22. with a view to a Next Step — which speak for the conti- nuation of JET’s operation beyond 1996; Whereas, to make a major contribution to serving the objectives of the said specific programme, it is necessary to extend the Joint European Torus (JET), Joint Under- taking for a period until 31 December 1999, in order to provide further data of relevance to ITER, especially for the ITER-EDA, before entering into a final phase of Deuterium-Tritium operation; Whereas, the JET Council, for that purpose, approved on 23 March 1995 an extension of the Joint Undertaking to 31 December 1999 and the corresponding amendments to the JET Statutes; Whereas the extension of JET, and the financing of the Community contribution to the JET expenditure for the period 1995-1998, are fully compatible with the terms of Decision 94/799/Euratom; Whereas, following the accession of the Republic of Finland to the European Union, the Technology Deve- lopment Centre of Finland (Tekes) has requested acces- sion to the JET Joint Undertaking; whereas the JET Council has approved this accession to the Joint Under- taking and the amendments to the Statutes required by that accession; Whereas, by virtue of Article 101 of the Treaty, the Community has concluded a cooperation agreement in the field of controlled thermonuclear fusion and plasma physics with the Kingdom of Sweden; whereas the JET Council has approved amendments to the Statutes required by the accession of that State to the European Union;