The national fusion laboratories - the ''Associations'' - in the Europ
ean fusion programme have the task of providing the necessary programm
e scope to produce frontier scientific knowledge, and to attract and t
rain the next generation of scientists. This has to be balanced with t
he requirements of goal-oriented projects like JET or ITER. Until a ma
rket for fusion power stations becomes available, the ''demand'' side
for fusion must be provided by the Associations.