Brussels, 27/02/2003 (Agence Europe) - As we have already pointed out (see yesterday's EUROPE, p.8), Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin presented an information note to the College on Wednesday regarding the state of progress of negotiations with a view to building and using the ITER reaction (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor), an international research and development project in the field of nuclear fusion. We recall in this connection that the Euratom 2003-2006 framework programme devotes a large part of its budget to research on nuclear fusion (EUR 750 million out of EUR 1 billion 250 million).
Stressing that the United States has been back at the negotiating table since February (it had withdrawn from the project in 1999 in order to make a reassessment: see EUROPE of 6 February, p.18), the note states that Washington could provide a "substantial contribution" to the funding of the project, for which the cost is estimated at EUR 10 billion over 30 years. As far as the site for location of the reactor is concerned, the Commission would like France and Spain, the two European candidates - with Vandellos and Cadarache- , to reach an agreement so that a single European site may be proposed (Canada and Japan have also put their candidatures forward). In the hope that the project will enter its operational phase by the end of 2003, the Commission will present the Council with a communication on 12 May giving more specific indications as to the timetable, the choice of site, the breakdown of costs and the management of the project, in which Russia and China will also participate.