FIA Engages With the European Parliament on Fusion
On November 26-28, a Fusion Industry Association (FIA) delegation of startups and suppliers met with Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) in Strasbourg. The FIA delegation to the European Parliament engaged with MEPs across political groups and countries, raising awareness on fusion and putting forward key messages and opportunities to advance European leadership in the sector.
Led by FIA EU Director Cyrille Mai Thanh, the delegation discussed the potential of fusion to boost Europe’s energy security, reinforce industrial competitiveness, and decarbonize the economy. The meetings highlighted areas of opportunity around funding and regulations that Europe can enact to position itself as a global leader in the fusion industry.
The FIA conveyed three key messages to European policymakers:
- Provide regulatory certainty for fusion developers by creating a dedicated and risk-appropriate EU regulatory framework that is clearly separate from nuclear fission.
- Ensure sufficient access to public funding and unlock private investment for startups to build their fusion machines and scale up.
- Foster effective public-private partnerships to stimulate innovation and create strong synergies between research centers and private developers to accelerate the development of commercial fusion.
Meetings provided clarity that EU elected officials are noting the importance of maintaining European leadership in fusion. They were supportive and ready to collaborate with the FIA to put forward concrete initiatives to support.
The plenary week coincided with the investiture vote of the new Commission, which was then formally approved by the European Parliament. The FIA calls on the Commission to put forward a European Fusion Strategy as recommended by the Draghi Report and create the conditions that would allow the fusion industry to thrive in the region.
December 3rd, 2024
