This paper presents the ARAMIS project accepted for funding in the 5th Framework Programme of the European Commission, which started on January 2002. The ARAMIS project aims at developing a new risk assessment methodology which allows to evaluate the risk level of an industrial plant by taking into account prevention measures against major accidents and the vulnerability of its environment. The methodology will support the harmonised implementation of the SEVESO II Directive. The project is built to result in the composition of an integrated risk index based on the definition of Reference Scenarios and combining the evaluation of : 1. Scenario consequence severity 2. Safety management effectiveness affecting the probability of occurrence of major accidents 3. Environment vulnerability. The methodology will be validated with case studies. Efforts are given to disseminate the methodology to decision-makers in charge of the control of major accident hazards. Thus the project development will be continuously monitored by a review team gathering risk experts from industry and EU competent authorities in order to ensure the widest acceptance of the approach.
