ITER: opportunities for industry, research and innovation

To fulfill Europe's commitments to the project, contracts with over 400 European companies and 60 scientific and research entities in more than 20 European countries are already in place. The project offers opportunities for European companies in the coming years in several different high-tech areas and high added value industry sectors.

The more than 30 speakers included Miguel Arias Cañete, European Commissioner for Energy and Climate Action, Frédérique Vidal, French minister for high education, research and innovation, Bernard Bigot, Director-General of the ITER Organisation, Dominique Ristori, Director-General of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Energy, Johannes Schwemmer, Executive Director of the Fusion for Energy agency, as well as members of the European Parliament, industry leaders, and representatives of several other ITER Members (Japan, Korea, and India).

Panel discussions covered:

• the direct benefits for the economy and society as a whole arising from the construction of the ITER project;
• the cross-cutting effects and indirect benefits from the advanced technologies associated with the ITER project;
• the international technology cooperation stimulated by the ITER project that is resulting in unique business opportunities for companies in Europe and in other countries participating in ITER.

The ITER project brings together engineers and scientists from the EU, the United States, the Russian Federation, Japan, China, India, and the Republic of Korea. The facility is being constructed at Cadarache in the south of France while Europe's contribution is provided via the Fusion for Energy (F4E) agency, the EU's Joint Undertaking for ITER, located in Barcelona. Last week the agency celebrated its 10th anniversary with an event also attended by Commissioner Arias Cañete.

Visit here for more information about the event, including selected speeches and presentations. A further report is available.