The Ambassadors of the Member States to the European Union (Coreper) concluded two political agreements on nuclear energy on the evening of Friday 18 December: one on the Euratom research and training programme and the other on the financing of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project.
Euratom
After a first failure at the end of 2019 (see EUROPE 12380/2), the Member States have this time unanimously agreed on the proposal for an EU Council Regulation establishing the Euratom research and training programme for 2021-2025 (extendable by two years to 2025) to complement the Horizon Europe framework programme.
Despite reservations from Austria and Luxembourg on the role of nuclear power in the energy transition, the text in the end states that the research results of the Euratom programme “could contribute to a climate-neutral energy system in a safe, efficient and secure manner (...) fully respecting the right of Member States to decide on their own energy mix”.
On the matter of funding, the ambassadors set the total envelope at €1.38 billion (in current prices), which will be mainly distributed between: - indirect research and development actions in the field of fusion (€583 million); - indirect actions in the field of nuclear fission, safety and radiation protection (€266 million); - direct actions undertaken by the Joint Research Centre (€532 million).
In addition to continuing the main research activities of the current programme (nuclear safety, security, radioactive waste and spent fuel management, radiation protection and fusion energy), the new programme will also aim to improve education, training and access to research infrastructures and will support the mobility of nuclear researchers.
ITER
In addition, Member States agreed to set the indicative Euratom contribution to the ITER project at €5.61 billion (in current prices) over the course of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2021-2027.
This funding will be aimed at enabling the EU to continue its participation in this international project to demonstrate the scientific viability of nuclear fusion as a future sustainable energy source.
The EU Council will formally adopt the two texts approved by the Ambassadors in early 2021. The European Parliament, for its part, does not have legislative power on these matters.
See approved text on Euratom: https://bit.ly/3awGAyH and ITER: https://bit.ly/34vhJHS (Original version in French by Damien Genicot)