, ▁an ▁associate ▁member ▁of ▁Eur atom ▁since ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁also ▁rat ified ▁the ▁country ' s ▁acc ession ▁to ▁the ▁European ▁Dom estic ▁Agency ▁F usion ▁for ▁Energy ▁as ▁a ▁third ▁country ▁member . ▁ ▁The ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁formally ▁with d rew ▁from ▁Eur atom ▁on ▁ 3 1 ▁January ▁ 2 0 2 0 . ▁Nevertheless , ▁the ▁UK ▁communic ated ▁to ▁I TER ▁a ▁desire ▁to ▁continue ▁particip ating ▁in ▁the ▁project , ▁with ▁the ▁terms ▁of ▁a ▁new ▁relationship ▁to ▁be ▁negoti ated ▁during ▁the ▁trans itional ▁period ▁of ▁the ▁UK ' s ▁withdraw al ▁from ▁the ▁European ▁Union . ▁The ▁future ▁of ▁the ▁J oint ▁European ▁Tor us ▁project , ▁which ▁is ▁located ▁in ▁the ▁UK , ▁is ▁also ▁not ▁certain . ▁Some ▁type ▁of ▁associate ▁membership ▁in ▁Eur atom ▁is ▁considered ▁a ▁likely ▁scenario , ▁possibly ▁similar ▁to ▁Switzerland . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁I TER ▁announced ▁a ▁partners hip ▁with ▁Australia ▁for ▁" techn ical ▁co operation ▁in ▁areas ▁of ▁mut ual ▁benefit ▁and ▁interest ", ▁but ▁without ▁Australia ▁becoming ▁a ▁full ▁member . ▁ ▁I TER ' s ▁work ▁is ▁super vised ▁by ▁the ▁I TER ▁Council , ▁which ▁has ▁the ▁authority ▁to ▁appoint ▁senior ▁staff , ▁am end ▁reg ulations , ▁decide ▁on ▁budget ing ▁issues , ▁and ▁allow ▁additional ▁states ▁or ▁organizations ▁to ▁particip ate ▁in ▁I TER . ▁The ▁current ▁Chair man ▁of ▁the ▁I TER ▁Council ▁is ▁W on ▁Nam k ung ,