Parliament agrees on €1.3 billion for nuclear fusion research (ITER) in 2012-2013

The international nuclear fusion research project ITER is to get €1.3 billion in for 2012 and 2013 in a deal endorsed by Parliament on Tuesday.

The deal was struck on 1 December by negotiators representing EU Member States and Parliament, then backed by the Budgets Committee as a whole on 6 December.

Revising the MFF

To fund ITER, the EU's multiannual financial framework (MFF) had to be revised. This is what Tuesday's vote was about.

The €1.3 billion breaks down as follows:

• €100 million is already foreseen in the budget 2012,

• €840 million, will be deducted from the headings for administration and agriculture and added to that for research and development (a practice is also known as "offsetting"), and

• €360 million is needed in 2013, but will need further discussion in the 2013 budget procedure.

The result of the vote to revise the MFF was 581 in favour, 102 against and 16 abstentions.

ITER must not jeopardise funding for other projects

Parliament deeply regrets a statement issued on Monday by a blocking minority of six Member States (DE, FR, AT, UK, NL, SE), which contradicts the agreement on the source of the €360 million in 2013.

"If the Council sticks to this statement, then Parliament cannot guarantee the €360 million needed in 2013",warned  Reimer Böge (EPP, DE), the MEP who steered the MFF revision through Parliament, adding that "funding for ITER must not jeopardise funding  for other projects in 2013".

Construction started

ITER, a joint research project with the EU, the US, China, the Russian Federation, India, Japan and South Korea, aims to show that fusion energy is scientifically and technologically feasible. Building has commenced on the ITER platform in Cadarache, France and should be ready in 2018.

In the project's start-up phase, the EU is responsible for about 45.5% of construction costs, whereas China, India, Japan, Korea, the Russian Federation and the United States each contribute about 9.1%. Total costs during the construction phase are estimated at €13 billion, of which the EU contribution is an estimated €6.6 billion.

The resolution was passed with 581 votes in favour, 102 against and 16 abstentions.