The ITER Organization

The ITER Organization is an intergovernmental organization that was created by an international agreement signed in 2006, and formally established on 24 October 2007 after its ratification by all Parties. The Parties to the ITER Agreement (the ITER Members) are the People's Republic of China; the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom); the Republic of India; Japan; the Republic of Korea; the Russian Federation; and the United States of America.

The purpose of the ITER Organization is to provide for and promote cooperation among its Members for the benefit of the ITER Project, an international collaboration to demonstrate the scientific and technological feasibility of fusion energy for peaceful purposes. It acts as the overall integrator of the project and nuclear operator of the ITER facility.

The ITER Organization is staffed by men and women from the seven ITER Members. Approximately 1,000 directly employed staff, 250 ITER Project Associates and 500 external contractors work for the ITER Organization in Saint Paul-lez-Durance, France.

Pietro Barabaschi, who started his five-year term on 17 October 2022, is the fourth Director-General of ITER Organization history. (Access or download a brief biography in English or French.)

More information on the legal status of the ITER Organization can be found in Legal Resources.

Download the organigramme of the ITER Organization here.

Former ITER Organization Director-Generals
Kaname Ikeda, appointed 28 November 2007
Osamu Motojima, appointed 28 July 2010
Bernard Bigot, appointed 5 March 2015 (See a statement here. See a memorial page here.)

Click here to retrieve contact information for ITER Organization units.