GA-21 EUROfusion, Sofia, Bolgaria, 10.04.-12.04., 2018

European fusion research under Horizon 2020 brings together the targeted 5-year (2014-2018) fusion program EUROfusion, under the auspices of the EURATOM Treaty. The main objectives of the EU's fusion research are related to support of the ITER fusion reactor and, in the long term, the realization of the demonstration fusion power plant. The EUROfusion program is implemented by a consortium of EU member states' fusion research units (29 in total), where the Jožef Stefan Institute acts as a Slovenian coordinator and partner in the consortium. The leading partner in the consortium is the Institute of Plasma Physics (IPP), Germany. The decision-making body of the consortium is the General Assembly.

On April 11 and 12, 2018, 21st meeting of the General Assembly of EUROfusion took place in Sofia, Bolaria. The meeting was organized by Institute INRNE, Sofia. At the meeting, we became acquainted with the status of the Italian proposal of the I-DTT device, designed to test alternative diverter configurations. The location for I-DTT is already selected, the experimental facility will be built in the area of ​​the Frascati Research Center, in the province of Lazio. The Italian representative presented the proposed parameters and research objectives of the device. If the planning and construction of I-DTT will progress according to the foreseen plan, this device could become part of the European fusion program in the next research framework programme FP9, and a certain amount of financial resources will be reserved for this purpose. The EUROfusion program will be extended until the end of Horizon 2020. The formal decision of the European Commission is expected to be adopted during the Bulgarian Presidency of the European Union. For the years 2019 and 2020, the EC already envisaged 159 Mio EUR and 169 Mio EUR, of which 60 Mio EUR for DT and TT experimental campaigns on the European JET Tokamak. We also confirmed the new head of the EUROfusion administrative unit, Emilio Genengeli, ENEA. Regarding Brexit, the British representative informed the Assembly that the British government had adopted a government document in January this year, which for the first time clearly shows the willingness to continue the activities under the Euratom Treaty. The general assembly of EUROfusion was attended by Dr. Boštjan Končar from the Reactor Engineering Division, JSI.