Brussels, 06/05/2003 (Agence Europe) - French Research Minister Claudie Haigneré, was in Brussels on Monday to present the benefits of the Cadarache site, which hopes to house the future ITER international fusion reactor. Ms Haigneré met Commissioner Philippe Busquin, with whom she also discussed other subjects, such as Galileo, and the strategy to raise the European investment effort in research to 3% of GDP.
In a Press conference, Ms Haigneré pointed out that the Cadarache site, close to Aix-en-Provence (south-east France) already houses all research into fusion within France, employing some fifty foreign researchers. Apart from the scientific community's commitment, she emphasised that of the local authorities, who voted for credits enabling them to fund 10% of the start-up costs of the project, which is valued at around 4.7 billion Euros. Ms Haigneré feels that it is essential for Europe to get involved at all levels to "carry this magnificent project". From today, we need to "mobilise and organise as best we can the community of scientists working on fusion at European level", she explained, emphasising the importance of Europe putting forward one single bid for the future reactor, to fight off competition from Canada and Japan. She reminded those present that the Commission was in favour of the single bid strategy, and will produce a communication in which it will propose establishing criteria, and a panel of experts to assess the two rival sites: Cadarache, and the Spanish site of Vandellos, in Catalonia. Whilst Spain feels there is no reason that the Union could not present two candidates, given that the final decision will be taken at the end of year by all the international partners, Ms Haigneré hopes that the Competition Council on 13 May will endorse the single candidate approach, and that the Union will make its choice by September.