2014 discharge: European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy - Fusion for Energy (F4E)

2015/2196(DEC)

The European Parliament adopted by 436 votes to 170, with 15 abstentions, a decision to grant discharge to the Director of the Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy in respect of the implementation of the budget of the ENIAC Joint Undertaking for the financial year 2014.

At the same time, Parliament approved the closure of ITER’s accounts.

Parliament also adopted by 441 votes to 166, with 19 abstentions, a resolution containing a number of recommendations that form an integral part of the discharge decision granted in plenary.

The principal observations made by Parliament may be summarised as follows:

  • Positive developments: Parliament welcomed the conclusions of the ITER Council meeting of 15 and 16 June 2016 which confirmed that the ITER Project is now going in the right direction, in a way that will allow for a realistic and detailed proposal for schedule and associated costs. The conclusions indicated the successful completion of all project milestones to date, on or ahead of schedule. Parliament noted that the milestones set up at the ITER Council meeting of 18 and 19 November 2015 are well advanced and that four out of the six milestones attributed to Fusion for Energy (“F4E”) for 2016 have already been fulfilled.
  • Lease agreements: Parliament noted that the issue of the lease of the premises of the Joint Undertaking has been solved, as the Spanish government offered a long-term lease agreement for the current premises and an extension of the current office space by one additional floor.
  • Intellectual property rights: Parliament welcomed the fact that, as of 1 January 2016, the new Financial Regulation and new Implementing Rules of the Joint Undertaking entered into force. It acknowledged that the Joint Undertaking has established a working definition of fusion/non-fusion application that facilitates establishing the scope of the exclusive use of Intellectual Property rights generated within the contracts.
  • Staff Regulations: lastly, Parliament noted the partial implementation of the Staff Regulations and encourages the Joint Undertaking to continue implementing the remaining regulations