EU Invests 222 Million Euros in Fusion Energy: A Look Behind the Numbers

The European Commission has adopted a new work programme for the years 2026 and 2027 that allocates substantial funds to nuclear energy and, in particular, to fusion research. As much as 222 million euros will flow into the promotion of fusion energy alone. But where does the money come from, and what is it specifically intended to achieve?

The Euratom Programme as Funding Source

The funding comes from the Euratom Research and Training Programme, the EU’s central funding instrument for nuclear research. The programme is anchored in the Euratom Treaty and normally runs for five years. The current programme was originally designed for the period 2021 to 2025, but was extended by two years by the Council of the European Union in order to align it with the ongoing EU budget for 2021 to 2027.

The Euratom Programme is not a standalone budget in the classical sense, but rather complements the significantly larger EU research framework programme Horizon Europe. It provides additional funds specifically for the nuclear sector, thereby covering an area that receives only limited attention in the general research budget. The total funds of the 2026 to 2027 work programme are divided between two major areas: 222 million euros for fusion and 108 million euros for fission.

Where Exactly Do the 222 Million Euros Go?

The investments in fusion energy pursue three concrete strategic directions that build on one another:

• Public-private partnership (PPP): A new European partnership between public institutions and private companies is intended to develop commercially viable fusion technologies and build a strong European supply chain.
• Support for start-ups: Through the instruments of the European Innovation Council, emerging fusion start-ups are to be supported in growing their technologies while simultaneously attracting private investment.
• Basic research and talent development: In addition to the shared use of research facilities, fundamental fusion research is to be strengthened and the next generation of scientists specifically promoted.

The Political Framework: Why Now?

The decision comes at a time when the EU is fundamentally reorienting its energy policy. Electricity demand within the Union is expected to double by 2050. At the same time, political guidelines such as the Clean Industrial Deal, the Net-Zero Industry Act, and the new Strategy for Small Modular Reactors (SMR) are pushing for a rapid decarbonisation of the energy supply.

The SMR strategy was personally presented by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the Nuclear Energy Summit on 10 March 2025 in Paris, underscoring the political priority of the topic. Fusion energy is positioned in this context as a long-term complement to fission and renewable energies, not as a short-term replacement.

Fusion as a Strategic Goal of the EU

The EU articulates a clear objective: it wants to connect the first commercial fusion power plant to the grid, thereby providing clean, affordable, and safe energy for European citizens and businesses. No concrete timeline for this endeavour is mentioned in the work programme. However, the programme is intended to serve as preparation for a forthcoming, more comprehensive EU Fusion Strategy.

“Fusion holds the potential to revolutionise Europe’s energy landscape.”

This is how the European Commission phrases it in its programme document. Whether and when this potential can actually be translated into commercial reality remains one of the central open questions in energy research worldwide.

What Else the Programme Funds

In addition to fusion, 108 million euros will flow into fission research. Key priorities include the safe disposal of radioactive waste, radiation protection, and innovations in nuclear materials and fuels. Nuclear medicine also benefits: the EU aims to strengthen its independence in the supply of isotopes for novel cancer therapies.

A further component is international networking. Through Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellowships, talents from around the world are to be brought into European nuclear research. In addition, access to more than 230 nuclear research facilities in the EU is to be kept open, and the integration of Ukrainian nuclear researchers into the European Research Area is to be further advanced.

Assessment: A Lot of Money, but Also Many Open Questions

The 222 million euros for fusion energy represent a considerable, though not extraordinary, sum in the context of overall EU research expenditure. For comparison: the total budget of Horizon Europe for the period 2021 to 2027 amounts to around 95 billion euros. The Euratom Programme is therefore a targeted supplementary instrument, not a dominant player in the EU research budget.

What will be decisive is whether the planned public-private partnership can actually mobilise private capital on a significant scale. For the truly large investments that would be required for a commercial fusion power plant go far beyond what public funding programmes alone can deliver.