European Commission - Joint Research Centre (JRC)

As the European Commission's science and knowledge service, the Joint Research Centre's mission is to support EU policies with independent evidence throughout the whole policy cycle. Its work has a direct impact on the lives of citizens by contributing with its research outcomes to a healthy and safe environment, secure energy supplies, sustainable mobility and consumer health and safety.

The JRC draws on over 50 years of scientific experience and continually builds its expertise.  Located across five different countries, the JRC hosts specialist laboratories and unique research facilities and is home to thousands of scientists working to support EU policy.

While most of our scientific work serves the policy Directorates-General of the European Commission, we address key societal challenges while stimulating innovation and developing new methods, tools and standards. We share know-how with the Member States, the scientific community and international partners. The JRC collaborates with over a thousand organisations worldwide whose scientists have access to many JRC facilities through various collaboration agreements. The JRC is a key player in supporting successful investment in knowledge and innovation foreseen by the Horizon 2020 Work Programme, the EU’s programme for research and innovation.

Horizon 2020 sets out the overall objective for the JRC non-nuclear work as follows: to provide customer-driven scientific and technical support to Union policies, while flexibly responding to new policy demands. The JRC contributes to the overall objective of Horizon 2020 with its long-standing scientific expertise, modelling capacity, foresight studies; work on standards, infrastructure and e-infrastructures.

The JRC's nuclear work, funded by the EURATOM Research and Training Programme, has as its objective the pursuit of research, knowledge management and training activities with an emphasis on nuclear safety and security; thus we contribute to the transition to a carbon-free economy in a safe, efficient and secure way.