European High-Level Roundtable on Fusion Calls For Public & Private Sector Collaboration

On March 14, the European Commission held the first “High-Level Roundtable on Fostering Innovation for Fusion energy in Europe’’, hosted by Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, Iliana Ivanova, with participation from FIA CEO Andrew Holland and other key leaders in the fusion industry and public sector.

There was a strong consensus over the need to enhance collaboration between public and private entities and establish a regulatory regime that ensures safety while encouraging innovation, thereby preserving European competitiveness in the development of viable commercial fusion energy.

The fusion sector has undergone substantial changes in recent years. Today, this is accelerated by increased political will and private investment. For private actors, greater certainty is required to support these industries in Europe.

All parties agreed that Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) are necessary to advance the fusion industry and unlock disruptive innovation potential. The extension of the Euratom Research and Training Program should consider existing Public-Private Partnership instruments and a Fusion Innovation Pillar to strengthen the fusion energy eco-system.

There is an opportunity for leadership if the existing expertise is combined with innovative private industry in an enhanced regulatory environment. It is imperative that a distinct regulatory regime for fusion be developed in the EU, one with the appropriate regulatory risk and separate from existing fission regulatory regimes. This should be legislated under the Basic Safety Standards Directive in the EU. If the EU fails to confirm this assurance, fusion companies will build in countries that have already provided this certainty, namely the US and the UK.

Better certainty can also be achieved through proper Intellectual Property (IP) protection. Without this guarantee, private companies and investors will have to take on a much higher risk.

Additionally, a communication of long-term support from the European Commission encouraging PPPs and ensuring fusion energy receives the same incentives as other clean technologies would unlock commercial potential. The call for proposals for a Coordination and Support Action will pave the way for future Public-Private Partnerships. The FIA looks forward to playing an active role in facilitating this collaboration, combining the experience of public projects with the pragmatism of the industrial actors.

You can read the European Commission’s report on the roundtable below.

This page was updated on June 21, 2024 to add the European Commission’s published report of the roundtable.