Anna-Kaisa Itkonen, Spokesperson for Energy, European Commission, explains the upcoming plans to accelerate Europe’s leadership in fusion research and development.

With vast potential to offer a safe, cost-efficient, and sustainable energy option, fusion presents a promising opportunity for the future of Europe’s energy system. Recognising this, the European Commission (EC) is committed to accelerating research and innovation in fusion to advance the EU’s position in the global race towards commercialisation.

The EC drives and funds fusion research through the Euratom Research and Training Programme and partnerships like Fusion for Energy and the EUROfusion consortium, and plays a central role in the international ITER project aimed at demonstrating the scientific feasibility of fusion power.

The year ahead looks to be a pivotal moment for the Commission’s fusion direction, as it prepares the EU’s first dedicated Fusion Strategy. The strategy will set out a number of actions to help the EU maintain leadership and competitiveness in fusion.

To find out more about the EU’s recent progress in fusion research and the plans for its future, The Innovation Platform spoke to Anna-Kaisa Itkonen, European Commission Spokesperson for Energy.

Reflecting on fusion progress in the EU in 2025, what were the key achievements and what lessons were learnt? How has this shaped the direction of the EC’s fusion priorities moving forward?

The Clean Industrial Deal and the Affordable Energy Action Plan position advanced energy technologies as key for competitiveness, industrial modernisation, and long-term energy affordability.

President von der Leyen’s remarks at the World Economic Forum on 21 January 2025 underline the Commission’s priority to invest in next-generation clean energy technologies such as fusion.

A cornerstone of the progress on fusion is the ITER project – the world’s largest international fusion development cooperation. As the first ‘powerplant-sized’ fusion device – currently under construction – ITER aims at demonstrating the scientific and technological feasibility of fusion energy. The implementation of the ITER project has now accelerated and reached unprecedented execution rates in 2025. The Commission closely coordinates its efforts with Member States’ national programmes, notably with France and Germany, where a rapidly developing fusion research and startup ecosystem is emerging, providing the basis for subsequent project-level initiatives.

Other key achievements in 2025 include the decision to support the construction of the DONES facility in Spain, which is of strategic importance for qualifying materials in Europe for future fusion plants.

In the framework of the Euratom Research and Training Programme, the Commission reformed in 2025 the work programme of the European partnership EUROfusion to focus on research of technologies of low maturity and initiated actions for the establishment of a public-private partnership in fusion. Addressing the remaining technological gaps to build a first fusion power plant will require closer engagement with industry, including startups and SMEs. To that end, the Commission created a dedicated call on fusion under the European Innovation Council (EIC) work programme 2026 and funded the GO4FUSION initiative to build a new European Public-Private Partnership (PPP) under the 2026-2027 work programme of the Euratom Research and Training Programme.

The EU’s first ever fusion strategy is expected in early 2026. Can you share an update on this and what it will mean for fusion in the EU?

In its proposal for the next Horizon Europe programme, the Commission has already set a bold, transformative goal: the ambition to overcome the engineering and technological challenges necessary for the EU to be the first to put fusion energy on the grid (Moonshot on Fusion).

The Commission is developing an EU fusion strategy, to make this ambition a reality and secure EU leadership in fusion through an all-encompassing enabling framework. The strategy is planned for adoption in the coming months and will build on the extensive consultations with stakeholders, including a Call for Evidence launched last year.

What are the key priorities that the European Commission will be focusing on to drive fusion research and development in Europe and accelerate Europe’s position in the global race to fusion commercialisation?

The Commission aims to advance Europe’s leadership in fusion by leveraging its role in ITER and supporting fusion research by building up key technology test infrastructures. The Commission also seeks to foster engagement of the private sector, mobilise private investments, develop a strong EU industry-driven supply chain and a dynamic fusion start-up sector, and establish strategic international collaboration and regulatory frameworks needed to accelerate fusion research and innovation. Hence, the new fusion initiatives aim towards establishing a fusion public-private partnership (PPP) and providing support to fusion startups in the 2026-2027 work programme of the Euratom Research and Training Programme.

In September 2025, the EC put forward a budget proposal for the EU’s next Euratom programme, with the majority being allocated to fusion research. This is a significant increase compared to the budget for the current programme. Why has the budget, particularly for fusion activities, been increased so significantly?

The proposed budget – which is €8.7bn over the seven-year Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) period – includes the EU’s contribution to the ITER project (which is separate from the Euratom Research and Training Programme in the current MFF) of €5.15bn. The remaining amounts are well balanced between fusion and fission research.

For fusion specifically, the significant increase compared to previous periods reflects the need to address remaining scientific, technical, and industrial bottlenecks towards the commercialisation of fusion in Europe. It is also indicative of the ambition to preserve the EU leadership in fusion, aiming to help maintain a consistent research ecosystem in the EU, maximise synergies between the participation in ITER and other fusion activities seeking to address several technological gaps needed for fusion commercialisation, and engage the private sector and to promote bottom-up, breakthrough initiatives.

Please note, this article will also appear in the 25th edition of our quarterly publication.