The European Union says no new funds will be provided for an over budget fusion reactor project, a decision that could threaten other research, observers say.
Member states announced Monday funds to construct the Iter reactor in France would have to come from within existing budgets, including the EU research budget, the BBC reported.
The EU's executive body, the European Commission, had asked member states to approve additional funds for the project to cover a $1.8 billion shortfall in building costs, a request rejected after months of negotiations, the BBC said.
The Iter fusion reactor is a collaboration among the EU, the United States, Russia, Japan, China, India and South Korea, given the green light in 2006.
The original plan was to build the experiment within 10 years for $6.4 billion but many now predict the total cost will amount to $20 billion.
The total cost of construction for the EU, a major partner in the Iter project, is estimated at around $9 billion, the BBC said.
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