BulAtom supported the Manifesto of the Nuclear Industry
On June 13, 2024 in Prague leaders from across the European nuclear industry, including BulAtom, have published a manifesto outlining their priorities for the new European Commission.
The Manifesto says that, building on what has been achieved in recent months:
– The Net Zero Industry Act, which recognises the potential of nuclear energy to drive the EU towards a carbon-neutral future and establishes a comprehensive legislative framework designed to promote the development and deployment of net-zero technologies;
– The Nuclear Alliance of EU Member States that have committed to expanding the use of nuclear energy has recognised that nuclear power could provide up to 150 GW of electricity capacity by 2050 in the EU, compared to approximately 100 GW today. This commitment is in line with the Net Zero nuclear initiative launched in November 2023 during COP28, which aims to triple the world’s nuclear power capacity by 2050;
– Support to the sector by the European Commission during the Nuclear Energy Summit in March 2024 and the launch of the European Small Modular Reactor Industrial Alliance (of which BulAtom is also a member), as well as the adoption by the European Parliament of an own-initiative report on SMRs.
We “Must build on this acknowledgement”, so we “Encourage the European institutions to develop an ambitious strategy to accelerate the decarbonisation and electrification of Europe’s industry. This strategy should acknowledge the significant role that nuclear energy plays in enhancing the EU’s strategic autonomy”.
Nuclear industry leaders call on policymakers to: treat all net-zero technologies equally; implement consistent and coherent policies which facilitate the deployment of nuclear; allow nuclear to access EU funds and finance; include the nuclear fuel cycle as an enabling activity under the Sustainable Finance Taxonomy; ensure that low-carbon technologies are not discriminated against in taxation policies; enable innovative nuclear technologies to access EU funds beyond the Euratom programme and provide greater support for nuclear research; and support and invest in the development of a skilled nuclear workforce.
In the concluding part of the Manifesto, it is said that “The challenges are significant but not impossible to overcome if the European institutions, EU Member States’ governments and the whole nuclear community collaborate closely to meet them. The European nuclear industry is fully committed to fulfil its role”.
And that ”It is time to turn words into actions. Together we can make a difference”
The full text of the Manifesto of the Nuclear Industry can be read here