EU Commission Includes Fusion As A Priority In Its 2026 Work Programme
The European Commission released its 2026 Work Programme on October 20. The programme, titled “Europe’s independence moment,” includes an explicit commitment to fusion, and more broadly signals the strategic shift toward greater autonomy and resilience, placing innovation at the core of its agenda.
On fusion, the Commission notes it “will put forward a strategy for setting up the first fusion power plants in Europe, which will contribute to our energy independence.” The anticipated EU Fusion Strategy is expected to emerge under the Strengthening Energy Security Package (Q1 2026), or the Energy Union Package.
The programme’s push for energy autonomy is being coupled with a major effort to foster European competitiveness. Below is an overview of several relevant new and pending initiatives:
- EU Competitiveness Fund: Includes the specific programme for defence research and innovation activities.
- Euratom Research & Training Programme 2028–2032: Complements Horizon Europe, the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, and provides for the EU contribution to the ITER project.
- European Research Area Act – Q3 2026
- European Innovation Act – Q1 2026: Establishes a unified framework to strengthen Europe’s innovation capacity and simplify scaling across borders, with a focus on startups and scaleups.
- Horizon Europe: The Framework Programme for Research and Innovation for 2028-2034.
- 28th Regime for Innovative Companies – Q1 2026: Creates a simplified cross-border status for innovative firms operating in multiple EU Member States.
- Update of the European venture capital funds
- Regulation –Q3 2026
The FIA looks forward to supporting the fusion industry through the initiatives.
October 23, 2025
