On Thursday 19 March, the European Commission adopted the 2026 and 2027 work programme for the Euratom Research and Training Programme for the development of nuclear technologies (see EUROPE 13663/16). This programme offers complementary funding to Horizon Europe.
The work programme will invest €222 million to bring fusion energy from the laboratories to the power grid. This sum will enable: - the establishment of a new European Public-private Partnership for fusion energy; - support for the challenges linked to nuclear fusion within the framework of the instruments of the European Innovation Council; - prioritisation of fundamental fusion research and the development of specialist talent in this field.
€108 million will be dedicated to nuclear fission. The collaborative research sponsored by the programme will focus, among other things, on the safe management of radioactive waste, radiation protection and innovation in nuclear materials. In addition, the programme will focus on research into the safe long-term operation of existing nuclear power plants, small modular reactors, advanced reactors and nuclear fuels. (Original version in French by Anne Damiani)