Brussels, 30/07/2010 (Agence Europe) - MEP Jean-Pierre Audy (EPP, France) wants the European Parliament to be more closely involved in the thermonuclear fusion project ITER. Regretting the EP's low level of involvement in the project, Audy has written to EU Research Commissioner Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, asking her to get the EP closely involved in the ITER project as has been done with GALILEO. In support of his request, Audy points out that the EP is an EU budgetary authority and is involved in co-decision about the development of new renewable technology. He says that budgetary aspects will be the cause of disputes among member states and he regrets that budgetary issues will override scientific, research and energy aspects. In his letter, Audy suggests getting the parliaments of the EU's six ITER partners involved (the United States, China, Russia, Japan, India and South Korea). Audy recommends that the joint ITER undertaking should run a huge communication and exchange campaign and that the Shanghai Universal Exhibition should host the first global conference on nuclear fusion. He also suggests that public information campaigns should be organised in universities, schools, chambers of commerce, national parliaments and other places. On 28 July, the seven international ITER partners reached agreement on the timing and details of funding for the ITER project in Cadarache (France) (see EUROPE 10191). Upon hearing the news, Audy said that great progress had been made but it was to be regretted that no political consensus exists on the total funding of the EU's contribution (€7.2 billion in 2008 money), 80% of which is provided by EURATOM and 20% by France, but all the same, the overall agreement on the pursuit of the project, which he described as a “long hard road”, should be hailed. (B.C./transl.fl)