Under the document, passed by both houses of Russia's parliament and first signed in Paris on November 21, 2006, Russia, South Korea, China, Japan, India, the European Union and the United States agree to fund the construction of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor.
The agreement provides immunity and privileges for the organization overseeing the international project's joint implementation.
The $10 billion project to build the reactor in Cadarache near Marseilles in South France is designed to demonstrate the scientific and technological potential of nuclear fusion amid concerns over growing energy consumption and the impact of conventional fossil fuels on the global climate.
ITER's first plasma operation is expected in 2016. The European Union will cover 40% of the construction cost, and the other participants will contribute 10% each.
