Brussels, 07/09/2010 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 6 September, EU member states speaking at the preparatory bodies of the Council, criticised the European Commission's proposal regarding funding for the ITER project (International Experimental Thermonuclear Reactor). The Commission is proposing a combination of funding sources for ITER in the short term (2012 and 2013), such as the re-allocation of funding from the seventh research framework programme and utilisation of certain EU budget section margins, especially from agriculture.
The Commission is in danger of having to revise its proposal on funding modalities for ITER. Around 15 countries (including Germany, the United Kingdom, Luxembourg, the Czech Republic, Malta and Austria) have requested the re-allocation of more funding from section 1a (growth for competition and jobs) in an effort to locate the funds necessary for the ITER project.
Some member states, including France, Ireland, Spain and Poland have expressed reservations with regard to the use of funds from agriculture spending margins in 2010 for financing ITER. These countries stated that the amount retained in this section (€400 million) is too high and that it is too early to decide on the matter (the end of the budgetary year for agricultural spending is on 15 November and is still too far off).
Finally, several delegations (such as Germany and the United Kingdom) appealed for a definitive decision on the total amount of funding (€1.4 billion for 2012 and 2013). The Commission is initially proposing €860 million (€460 million through funding allocation and €400 million from the agricultural spending margin) and will look at the remainder of €540 million later on. It should be noted that adoption of funding modalities for ITER requires unanimity at the Council. (L.C./transl.fl)