ITER Agreement on Fusion Energy Enters Into Force

November 6, 2007 // Published as a news service by IHS

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The agreement creating the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), an international project to demonstrate the feasibility of fusion as an energy source, became effective on Oct. 24.

ITER is the world's biggest scientific collaboration of its kind, representing over half of the world's population and involving the European Union (EU), U.S., India, China, South Korea, Russia and Japan.

The ITER agreement was signed on Nov. 26, 2006 and entered into force 30 days after the last ratification, which was by China.

The agreement sets up the international ITER Organization, which is responsible for the construction and operation of an experimental reactor that will reproduce the physical fusion reaction that occurs in the sun and stars.

ITER aims to do this on a scale and under conditions that will demonstrate the scientific and technological feasibility of fusion as an energy source for the future.

The International Atomic Energy Authority (IAEA) is the depositary of the ITER agreement. The EU, acting on the basis of the treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community, confirmed its adoption of the ITER agreement to the IAEA on Feb. 5, 2007. The first session of the ITER Council is scheduled for Nov. 27-28, 2007.

For more information on ITER, see:
- MEMO/06/216, ITER and fusion energy research – your questions answered
- IP/06/676, ITER parties come to an agreement on the world's largest international scientific partnership
- IP/06/1116, European Commission outlines proposed joint undertaking for European contribution to ITER fusion energy project
- the ITER web site
- the EU web site on Fusion for Energy

Source: European Commission.