REPORT on the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy

on the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy

(2018/2222(INI))

The European Parliament,

–  having regard to the Commission proposal for a Council Decision amending Decision 2007/198/Euratom establishing the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy and conferring advantages upon it (COM(2018)0445),

–  having regard to Council Decision 2007/198/Euratom establishing the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy and conferring advantages upon it[1],

–  having regard to the Report of the European Court of Auditors of 13 November 2017 on the annual accounts of the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy for the financial year 2016, together with the Joint Undertaking’s reply,

–  having regard to the Commission communication of 14 June 2017 on the EU contribution to a reformed ITER project (COM(2017)0319),

–  having regard to Rule 52 of its Rules of Procedure,

–  having regard to the report of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (A8-0393/2018),

A.  whereas fusion could play a key role in the future European and global energy landscape as a potentially inexhaustible, safe, climate-friendly, environmentally responsible and economically competitive source of energy;

B.  whereas fusion is already delivering concrete opportunities for industry and is having a positive effect on jobs, economic growth and innovation, with a positive impact beyond the fields of fusion and energy;

C.  whereas the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy coordinates scientific and technological research and development activities in the field of fusion;

D.   whereas Europe has from the start played a leading role in the ITER project, developed in close collaboration with the non-European signatories to the ITER Agreement (the US, Russia, Japan, China, South Korea and India), and whereas the European contribution, channelled through the Joint Undertaking, represents 45 % of the construction costs of the project;

E.  whereas the Commission proposal to amend Council Decision 2007/198/Euratom aims to secure funding for continued European participation in the ITER project for the whole duration of the next multiannual financial framework in order to guarantee continuity for the project aiming at key scientific breakthroughs in the development of fusion for civil use, which should ultimately facilitate the production of safe, viable energy that meets the objectives of the Paris Agreement;

1.  Welcomes the Commission proposal for a Council Decision amending Decision 2007/198/Euratom establishing the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy and conferring advantages upon it (COM(2018)0445), which will provide the basis for the financing of the activities of the Joint Undertaking for the period 2021-2027 under the Euratom Treaty;

2.  Regrets the fact that the Council has not consulted Parliament on that proposal and welcomes the Commission’s stated intention, as part of the State of the Union 2018, to consider ‘options for enhanced qualified majority voting and for a possible reform of the Euratom Treaty’; expects that such a reform would necessarily lead to co-legislative powers for Parliament;

3.  Recalls the delay in the construction of the experimental reactor, as it was originally planned that ITER should be constructed by 2020, but in 2016 the ITER Council approved a new timetable for reaching First Plasma in December 2025, the earliest technically possible date for the construction of ITER;

4.  Stresses that the Euratom contribution to the Joint Undertaking for the period 2021-2027 should not be exceeded;

5.  Stresses that in order to avoid successive upward revisions of the projected cost of the project, to avoid delays in the expected dates of operational milestones and to ensure the highest possible degree of schedule reliability, the ITER Organisation should include reasonable contingency provisions in any revised schedule; supports, in this regard, the contingency provisions of up to 24 months in terms of schedule and 10-20 % in terms of budget proposed by the Commission;

6.  Welcomes the new approach to risk management taken by the ITER Organisation and encourages the ITER Council to further reduce the number of subcommittees, streamline their functions and eliminate overlaps;

7.  Calls on the Council to approve the Commission proposal while introducing the following modifications:

–  indicate the Euratom contribution to the Joint Undertaking in both constant and current prices,

–  use, for clarity purposes, the word ‘Euratom’ instead of ‘Community’ throughout the text,

–  include clear provisions regarding the committees assisting the Governing Board of the Joint Undertaking, in particular the Administration and Management Committee, the Procurement and Contracts Committee, and the Technical Advisory Panel, as regards their composition, permanent or temporary status, number of meetings and method of remuneration of their members,

–  evaluate and eliminate overlapping responsibilities between the Administration and Management Committee and the Technical Advisory Panel with regard to project plans and work programmes,

–  introduce provisions regarding the contributions of the ITER host state,

–  include in Annex III (‘Financial Regulation: General Principles’) a requirement to lay down, in the Financial Regulation of the Joint Undertaking, rules and procedures for the evaluation of in-kind contributions,

–  include provisions in Article 5 and Annex III enabling the Joint Undertaking to receive funding in the form of financial instruments in connection with blending operations implemented in accordance with the future InvestEU Programme,

–  clarify the role and contribution of the United Kingdom in the light of its Euratom status, particularly with regard to potential participation in ITER,

–  include provisions regarding synergies and cooperation between ITER and the Euratom Research and Training Programme for the period 2021-2025,

–  consider cooperation with small and medium-sized private disruptive players, such as start-ups experimenting with new approaches and technologies, in the research programme and the network of organisations designated in the field of scientific and technological fusion research,

–  clarify the provisions concerning the annual reports and assessments drawn up by the Joint Undertaking,

–  include in the proposal a recommendation to investigate the possible further use of the materials currently being used in the ITER project;

8.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States.

• [1]  OJ L 90, 30.3.2007, p. 58.

1. The European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy (‘F4E’)

The European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy (‘F4E’) has been established for a period of 35 years starting on 19 April 2007. It was created under the Euratom Treaty by a decision of the Council of the European Union in order to meet three objectives:

(a) to provide the contribution of the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) to the ITER International Fusion Energy Organisation;

(b) to provide the contribution of Euratom to Broader Approach Activities with Japan for the rapid realisation of fusion energy;

(c) to prepare and coordinate a programme of activities in preparation for the construction of a demonstration fusion reactor and related facilities including the International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility (IFMIF).

The Joint Undertaking (F4E) is responsible for providing Europe’s contribution to ITER, the world’s largest scientific partnership that aims to demonstrate fusion as a viable and sustainable source of energy. ITER brings together seven parties that represent half of the world’s population – the EU, Russia, Japan, China, India, South Korea and the United States.

As the Host Party of the project according to the ITER Agreement, Europe has a stronger legal commitment and has taken the lead in this project with a 45% share of the construction costs (the other ITER Members’ shares are around 9% each) to ensure timely completion of the construction.

2. Context of the Commission proposal

The current proposal seeks to amend the Council Decision 2007/198/Euratom establishing the European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy and conferring advantages upon it, in order to provide the basis for the financing of the activities of the Joint Undertaking for the period 2021-2027 under the Euratom Treaty.

This Decision shall constitute the basic act for the period covered by the next Multiannual Financial Framework and will be the basis for the adoption of the yearly financing decisions. These decisions will allow the Commission to transfer the funds to F4E during the period 2021-2027.

The indicative Euratom contribution to the Joint Undertaking for the period 2021-2027 and the related supporting expenditure for the same period are set at EUR 6.070.000.000 (in current values).

3. Rapporteur’s position

The Rapporteur welcomes the Commission’s proposal amending the Council Decision 2007/198/Euratom. The proposal will provide continuity for the project, in particular vis-à-vis the international partners, and secure the ITER funding for the whole duration of the next Multiannual Financial Framework.

As the legal basis of the Commission proposal is Articles 47 and 48 of the Euratom Treaty, there is no obligation for the Council to consult the European Parliament. Therefore, the European Parliament has decided to express its position by means of an own-initiative report.

The Rapporteur calls on the Council to approve the Commission proposal while introducing a number of modifications. Given the limited scope of the Commission proposal, the Rapporteur is also proposing some modifications of a more general nature that are not merely linked with the financing of the activities of the Joint Undertaking during the next Multiannual Financial Framework.

Key to symbols:

+  :  in favour

-  :  against

0  :  abstention