European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen Pushes for Fusion Acceleration in Europe

On April 11, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder made a visit to the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics in Garching, Germany. The two commended the work done at the Institute and emphasized the need for a European fusion alliance, public-private partnership programs, and a clear regulatory framework for fusion.

President von der Leyen affirmed that fusion can provide a clean and safe source of energy. She acknowledged Europe’s role as a global leader in fusion research, recognizing that more investment and regulatory certainty need to be made in order to maintain that position.

“We need to promote more public-private research partnerships… We need to put in place a specific regulatory framework for nuclear fusion. We need to send a clear political signal that this is also a secure investment for private capital.”

President Ursula von der Leyen, European Commission

President von der Leyen said she was “happy to take on the ball of a fusion alliance.” The FIA supports the growing activity in the region and along with our Europe-based members and affiliate members, look forward to continuing our engagement.

April 19th, 2024