The Generation IV International Forum enters a new phase

摘要

The Generation IV InternationalnForum (GIF) is anmajor international initiativenaimed at developing the nextngeneration of nuclear energynsystems. It was launched bynthe US Department of Energynin January 2000 and formallynchartered in 2001. The GIFnreached an important milestonenon 28 February 2005nwhen five of its membersn(Canada, France, Japan, thenUnited Kingdom and thenUnited States) signed thenFramework Agreement fornInternational Collaboration onnResearch and Development ofnGeneration IV Nuclear EnergynSystems, which sets out thensteps to be taken to encouragenthe participation of R&D institutesnand industry organisationsnin the GIF, while definingnthe necessary implementingnprovisions, such as the apportioningnof intellectual propertynrights of the developed systems.