Brussels, 26/04/2011 (Agence Europe) - On 20 April, the European Commission adopted a proposal for revising the current multiannual financial framework (2007-2013) in order to ensure funding in 2012 and 2013 for the ITER nuclear fusion research project.
In an effort to help finance ITER, the European Commission is proposing to raise the subsection 1 (a) commitment appropriation ceilings (competitiveness) by €650 million for the 2012 tax year and by €190 million for the 2013 tax year at current rates (a total of €840 million). This increase in subsection 1 (a) commitment appropriation ceilings for the 2012 and 2013 tax periods will be compensated by a cut in commitment appropriation ceilings in section 2 (agricultural spending) and section 5 (administrative spending) for the 2011 tax year. In other words, the Commission will use some of the margin created in the agriculture and administrative spending fields.
Transfers. In addition to transfers between the sections, the Commission has examined the possibility of transferring spending between programmes included in section 1 (a), in order to release a significant amount from this section for ITER. It is proposing to transfer €100 million in 2012 and €360 million in 2013, which will be taken from the seventh Framework Research Programme. (L.C.trans/fl).