FIA Provides Recommendations for Euratom Research and Training Programme
The Fusion Industry Association (FIA) welcomes the opportunity to provide comments to the Euratom Research and Training Programme, which aims to foster fusion energy development and contribute to the European Research Roadmap to the Realisation of Fusion Energy. The programme is calling for input regarding a substantial reorganisation that will support a shift from purely academic research to technical questions surrounding the design, building, and operation of future fusion facilities.
The FIA supports the overarching objective of the roadmap to align fusion R&D priorities with commercial efforts. It is critical that the Commission takes into account ongoing industry activities and re-aligns timelines to match commercialisation steps. The FIA recommends aligning public research with industry needs and timelines, improving the transfer of knowledge from research labs to industry, significantly increasing the EU budget for fusion, learning from other existing forms of public-private partnerships, and leveraging industry expertise to make better use of public funding.
The FIA stands ready to support the EU as it transitions its fusion programme in this important and timely shift.
You can read the full submission below.
About the Euratom Research and Training Program:
The Euratom Research and Training Programme (2021-2025) is a complementary funding programme to Horizon Europe which covers fusion energy and nuclear fission research and innovation. It uses the same instruments and rules for participation as Horizon Europe. The budget is €1.38 billion to implement the new programme for the period 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2025. The programme has direct and indirect actions. Direct actions are activities undertaken by the Commission’s Joint Research Centre. Indirect actions are research activities undertaken by multi-partner consortia.
The budget breakdown is as follows:
- €583 million for indirect actions in fusion research and development
- €266 million for indirect actions in nuclear fission, safety and radiation protection
- €532 million for direct actions undertaken by the Joint Research Centre
In line with the Euratom Treaty, the programme will run for 5 years, from 2021 to 2025, to be extended in 2025 by 2 years in order to be aligned with the EU’s long term budget 2021-2027.
