ITER agreement enters into force

25 October 2007

The ITER Agreement, creating an international project to demonstrate the feasibility of fusion as an energy source, enters into force today. Involving the EU, US, India, China, South Korea, Russia, and Japan, ITER is the world's biggest scientific collaboration of its kind, representing over half of the world's population. The agreement was signed on 26 November 2006, and enters into force 30 days after the last ratification, which was by China.
The ITER Agreement set up the international ITER Organization which is responsible for the construction and operation of an experimental reactor which will reproduce the physical reaction - fusion - that occurs in the sun and stars. ITER aims to do this at a scale and in 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 depositary of the ITER Agreement and has confirmed that ITER enters into force today – 30 days after having received the confirmation of adoption of the Agreement from all Parties according to their national laws and practice. 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 5 February 2007.

The first session of the ITER Council is scheduled for 27 and 28 November 2007.

For more information on ITER: MEMO/06/216 IP/06/676 IP/06/1116 www.iter.org http://fusionforenergy.europa.eu