About EFDA

Magnetic confinement fusion research in Europe is aimed at demonstrating that nuclear fusion is a viable future energy option. Achieving this aim requires a sustained, long-term and large scale research effort, which any single European country would find difficult to achieve. That is why the member states of the European Union and the Swiss Federation collaborate in a single European research programme coordinated by the European Commission.

At the European level, the EURATOM Treaty is the international legal framework under which Member States cooperate in the fields of nuclear fission and fusion research. Fusion research organisations in the Member states have "Contracts of Association" with the European Commission (which represents EURATOM, the European Atomic Energy Community), in which the long-term commitments and work plans are laid down. Named after the Contracts of Association, the national fusion research organisations and institutions are known as Associations.

In 1999 the European Fusion Development Agreement (EFDA) was signed. It was established as a contract between EURATOM and the Associations to provide a framework for national fusion research parties to participate in collective activities and to strengthen their coordination and collaboration. The term "EFDA" is used as abbreviation of this agreement and also as the name of the organisation whose structure is defined in the agreement.

The goal of EFDA is to develop the necessary scientific and technical basis in European research and industry for the construction of ITER and a prototype fusion power plant. To attain this goal, EFDA concentrates on three activities :

• Coordination of the collective use of the JET facilities specified in the JET Implementation Agreement

• EU participation in ITER

• EFDA Technology programme: Coordination and support of fusion-related research & development activities carried out by the Associations and by European Industry.