DAILY NEWS
Brussels, 19 March 2026
EU to invest €330 million to accelerate fusion energy and support nuclear technologies and skills
Today, the European Commission has taken a decisive step in the development of nuclear technologies with the adoption of the Work Programme for the 2026 and 2027 Euratom Research and Training Programme. By covering nuclear research and innovation, the Programme offers complementary funding to Horizon Europe.
The 2026-2027 Work Programme aims to bolster the EU's energy independence, competitiveness and technological leadership, while progressing towards carbon-neutrality by 2050, in line with the priorities set in the Community Nuclear Illustrative Programme (PINC), the Net-Zero Industry Act, the Clean Industrial Deal and the Strategy on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), presented by President von der Leyen at the Nuclear Energy Summit on 10 March, in Paris. In addition, it will support the development of fusion-relevant technologies – a stepping stone towards the upcoming EU Fusion Strategy.
Accelerating fusion energy as a future source of energy
Fusion holds the potential to revolutionise Europe's energy landscape. The EU aims to connect the first commercial fusion power plant to the grid, providing clean, affordable, and safe energy to European citizens and businesses. Therefore, the 2026-2027 Work Programme will invest €222 million towards advancing fusion energy from laboratories to the power grid, by:
Investing for nuclear innovation, safety and talents
With the EU electricity demand expected to double by 2050, the 2026-2027 Work Programme is designed to strengthen the EU's ability to rely on research excellence, innovation, and talents to safely develop ‘made in Europe' clean and low-carbon technologies.
In nuclear fission (€108 million), the collaborative research sponsored by the Programme will, among others, focus on the safe management of radioactive waste, radiation protection, and innovation in nuclear materials. In addition, the Programme will address research encompassing the safety of long-term operation of current nuclear power plants, SMRs, advanced reactors, and nuclear fuels.
Furthermore, the Programme will concentrate on advancements in nuclear medicine, funding research to enhance the EU's autonomy in supplying isotopes for novel nuclear medicine therapies.
Finally, the Programme will aim to attract nuclear talents both from within and beyond the European Union, for example, through Marie Sklodowska-Curie grants. The Programme will also facilitate open access to over 230 nuclear research facilities across the EU, and further integration of Ukrainian nuclear researchers into the European Research Area.
Background
The Euratom Research and Training Programme is the EU's initiative dedicated to nuclear research and training, focusing on advancing fusion energy, improving nuclear safety and security, radiation protection and waste management. It ensures open access to infrastructures, education, and international cooperation. It operates alongside Horizon Europe, supporting its energy goals and EU policies on energy security and technology leadership.
In line with the Euratom Treaty, the Programme is established for 5 years. The current one ran from 2021 to 2025 and was extended by the Council in 2025 by 2 years, to be aligned with the EU's long-term budget 2021-2027.
The 2026-2027 Work Programme aligns with the EU strategies for competitiveness and carbon neutrality, supporting clean technology development and key policies such as the Competitiveness Compass, the Clean Industrial Deal, the Net Zero Industry Act, the Nuclear Illustrative Programme (PINC), the SMRs Strategy and the European Industrial Alliance on SMRs.
For more information
Euratom webpage
Quote(s)
The EU wants to lead the world in innovative nuclear technologies, which will be key to securing our energy independence, competitiveness and decarbonisation. That is why we are working closely together with researchers, industry, startups and regulators on SMRs safety and to accelerate fusion energy, with the ambition to be the first to take fusion from lab to grid. For that, we need to ensure that our excellent science transforms seamlessly into innovation and industrial deployment.
Ekaterina Zaharieva, Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation
(For more information: Maciej Berestecki — Tel: +32 2 296 64 83; Isabel Arriaga E Cunha – Tel: +32 2 295 21 17)
Main messages from the Tripartite Social Summit
EU leaders and social partners met in Brussels for the Tripartite Social Summit, a twice-yearly forum for dialogue that brings together the leaders of the EU institutions and the European social partners. Today's discussion focused on ‘Investment for a vibrant European economy and quality jobs'.
In particular, the following topics were addressed:
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said: “Our social market economy is what protects Europe's social fabric in these volatile times. And we must strengthen it even further. As the war in the Gulf drives energy prices up again, our immediate focus has to be on protecting our most vulnerable consumers and businesses. With short-term relief for those who urgently need it. And by strengthening our independence thanks to the phase-out of unstable fossil fuel imports. As we design solutions, it is vital to engage closely with the social partners and I'm thankful for our cooperation.”
The President of the European Council, António Costa, said: “A more integrated and harmonised EU single market is vital to building a competitive social market economy. By investing in areas such as education, skills and affordable housing, we can successfully tackle the EU's strategic dependencies, create high-quality jobs, ensure prosperity and protect our citizens in an increasingly challenging geopolitical environment.”
On behalf of the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU, the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, said: “In Cyprus there is a long tradition of social dialogue. By working side by side with social partners, our government ensures that employment policies are not simply imposed, but constructed together. The effective tripartite cooperation at national level – hand in hand with bold reforms - has contributed to the highest employment rate in Cyprus' history, reaching 81.3% in 2025, while unemployment has dropped to 4.4% (2025) - the lowest level since 2008. At the same time, Cyprus has sustained one of the fastest economic growth rates in the EU estimated at 4% for 2026, while the average wage increased by 13.2% – the largest rise since 1993 – and pensions in 2025 rose by nearly 6%.”
The President of BusinessEurope, Fredrik Persson, representing employers (BusinessEurope, SGI Europe, SMEunited), said: “The war in the Middle East, which comes on top of the Russian aggression war against Ukraine, makes it even more important to strengthen Europe's competitiveness. To create a vibrant economy with quality jobs in Europe, enterprises require a more integrated Single Market and less volatile and lower energy costs. They also call for less regulatory burden, putting the Think Small First principle into practice, as well as quality services of general interest and a skilled workforce. Employers count on the European Council to agree an ambitious roadmap with concrete measures and timelines. The need to act without delay is greater than ever.”
The General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), Esther Lynch, said: “Europe must increase investment to match its ambitions to deliver for workers. Meeting today's economic, social and geopolitical challenges requires a major leap in public investment at European level, including through common instruments such as eurobonds. This must go hand in hand with a robust European industrial policy and a Made in Europe approach that creates quality jobs based on fair wages, strong workers' rights, collective bargaining and high social and environmental standards. Europe's workers are already paying the price of successive shocks, with cost-of-living crises and job losses mounting across the economy. The EU must urgently bring in crisis management tools to protect jobs and production in strategic sectors, building on the success of SURE, and stronger internal demand through higher wages and bargaining coverage. A European Quality Jobs Act is essential to tackle precarious work and abuse and ensure fair working conditions instead.”
The European cross-industry social partners also conveyed the following joint message during the meeting of the Tripartite Social Summit and in view of the upcoming European Council discussions on 19-20 March: “The European social partners expressed deep concerns about the deterioration of the economic situation and its negative impact on employment in Europe. The urgency to act in order to deliver concrete measures that will attract the investment that is necessary for a vibrant economy with quality jobs is greater than ever. Enhancing investment and employment requires improving overall investment conditions as well as a Multiannual Financial Framework that is commensurate with the EU policy objectives including employment, skills and social cohesion. In this context, the EU social partners underlined the crucial role of the European Social Fund and the European Competitiveness Fund.”
The views cited in this text are those of the individual / organisation concerned and do not collectively constitute the point of view of the European Commission.
Visit the meeting page
(For more information: Eva Hrnčířová – Tel.: +32 2 298 84 33; Eirini Zarkadoula – Tel.: +32 460 76 57 13)
Commission invites 150 EU citizens to help shape future preparedness actions
Tomorrow, the first session of the European Citizens' Panel on Preparedness will start in Brussels and run until Sunday. 150 randomly selected citizens from across Europe will discuss recommendations on how to implement the Preparedness Union Strategy, which emphasises active citizen engagement for effective crisis preparedness. Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis management, Hadja Lahbib, will open the session on Friday.
One year after the adoption of its Preparedness Strategy, the Commission has already delivered on key commitments. The EU Stockpiling and Medical Countermeasures Strategies ensure the availability of essential goods and medical items when crises strike. A new EU Stockpiling Network brings together national stockpiling authorities for the first time, to ensure that Member States can coordinate assistance and deliver essential goods where they are needed in case of emergencies. The Commission also proposed a revision of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism to improve the coordinated response to emergencies and strengthen the EU's Emergency Response Coordination Centre. This includes the creation of the EU Crisis Coordination Hub and consolidating existing emergency rescEU reserves. And a new Water Resilience Strategy aims to enhance water security. The EU and Member States are also preparing people for emergencies by raising awareness, giving guidance for 72-hour household self-sufficiency, and integrating preparedness into school programmes for early childhood and primary education.
This will be the eighth Citizens' panel the Commission organises since their launch in 2022. The Commissioner and three panel participants will also join the EU Preparedness Conference on 23-24 March, bringing together public authorities, academia, private sector, and civil society to assess progress and set priorities for responding to future crises.
Journalists wishing to attend should contact COMM-CITIZENS-PANELS@ec.europa.eu. Plenary sessions on Friday and Sunday will be streamed on the Citizens' Engagement Platform, where a parallel online discussion open to all EU citizens is also feeding into the panel's work.
(For more information: Eva Hrnčířová – Tel.: +32 2 298 84 33; Quentin Cortès – Tel.: +32 2 296 47 35)
Commissioner Lahbib participates in Youth Policy Dialogue on disability rights
Today and tomorrow, Commissioner for Equality, Hajda Lahbib, will host a Youth Policy Dialogue in Brussels dedicated to the rights of persons with disabilities. In line with the principle ‘Nothing about us, without us', a key tenet of promoting disability rights worldwide, the discussion will focus on the lived experiences, priorities and concerns of young persons with disabilities.
The dialogue will take place in Brussels' Comic Art Museum and will bring together 20 young people with diverse disabilities from 13 Member States. The Commissioner will hear the views of participants on how to ensure that young persons with disabilities can develop their full potential, live independently and participate in society, including through better access to inclusive education, employment, and democratic life.
Across the European Union, young persons with disabilities continue to face barriers that limit their opportunities, independence and full participation in society. The Youth Policy Dialogue discussion will inform the upcoming Communication to enhance the EU's Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities up to 2030, planned for adoption later this year. The exchange will also complement the broader consultation process already launched by the Commission, with a call for evidence and an open public consultation which closed in February 2026.
Youth Policy Dialogues are part of the European Commission's commitment to mainstream the voice of young people in EU policymaking, as set out in President von der Leyen's Political Guidelines for 2024-2029. These dialogues are important to ensure that young people's voice is heard and engages them in EU policymaking.
(For more information: Eva Hrnčířová – Tel.: +32 2 298 84 33; Anna Gray – Tel.: +32 2 298 08 73)
Commissioner Zaharieva participates in Science is Wonderful! science fair
Today, Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva will participate in the ‘Science is Wonderful!' science fair, taking place from 18 to 20 March at the Maison de la Poste in Brussels. This annual science fair is organised by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA), the EU's flagship programme for researcher training, mobility and career development, with the aim of bringing EU-funded research closer to the public.
During her visit, Commissioner Zaharieva will meet researchers presenting projects funded by the MSCA and the European Research Council (ERC). More than 150 researchers from over 30 nationalities will showcase their work through hands-on experiments, demonstrations, games and science activities designed to spark curiosity and inspire young people to explore scientific careers.
The Commissioner will also have a detailed exchange with researchers on how Europe can strengthen its position as a global hub for science and innovation, including how to attract and retain top research talent and support mobility and career opportunities for researchers across Europe.
Since its launch in 2015, Science is Wonderful! has welcomed over 4,500 pupils from schools across Belgium every year, free of charge and open to everyone. As part of its efforts to connect researchers with schools and society, the MSCA also fund initiatives such as the European Researchers Night and Researchers at Schools.
More information on the event can be found online.
Tentative agendas for forthcoming Commission meetings
Note that these items can be subject to changes.
Upcoming events of the European Commission
Eurostat press releases
Calendar items of the President and Commissioners
Individual calendars of the President and Commissioners
Commissioners Kadis and Micallef exchange views with young people on ocean policies
Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, Costas Kadis and Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, Glenn Micallef will participate in a Youth Policy Dialogue on ocean policies on 19 March, in Cyprus.
At the same time, around 300 youth delegates, policymakers and institutional representatives from across the EU and candidate countries will participate in the online EU Youth Conference from 18 to 20 March.
During the Youth Policy Dialogue, the Commissioners will engage with 30 young people from all EU Member States, selected through an open call. The discussion will focus on three objectives: encouraging more young people to join the blue economy and collecting their views to help fine tune the Blue Generational Renewal Strategy; gathering their perspectives on the future of fisheries and aquaculture sector to help shape the upcoming Vision 2040 initiative; and identifying ways to protect underwater cultural heritage while balancing cultural, environmental and educational priorities. The outcome of the discussion will be presented during the closing session of the EU Youth Conference on 20 March.
The event will help include youth perspectives into EU policy initiatives like the Vision 2040 for fisheries and aquaculture and the Blue Generational Renewal Strategy, both announced in the European Ocean Pact.
More information on EU policies and initiatives in the field of youth is available on the European Youth Portal.
Full schedule for media coverage for Commissioners Kadis and Micallef:
19 March: (all times local)
First Location Ayia Napa Harbor
09:00-10:00 both Commissioners Visit to Ayia Napa Harbor and meeting with local fishermen
Next Location: Ammos tou Kampouri Beach (Ayia Napa)
10:15-12:00 Both Commissioners participate in activities at the beach:
• Studying beach litter and microplastics
• Exploring coastal biodiversity
• Discussing environmental impacts of oil spills
• Exploring environmental effects of shipping
• Practicing responsible fishing
12:00 PRESS STATEMENTS –for both Commissioners, doorstep statement at the beach-
Next Location: Cape Greco Environmental Information and Education Centre
17:00 FAMILY PHOTO
17:00-19:30 Youth Policy Dialogue – “Young Voices for the Ocean”
20 March (all times local)
[Online participation for both Commissioners: 10:00 – 10:45 Speech – as part of reflections on the Youth Policy Dialogue and the YGI: Connecting EU with Youth]
Location: Limassol Municipality
12:30 – 12:40 Commissioner Kadis delivers the Keynote speech at Net Zero Cities event of the Limassol Municipality