The European Nuclear Alliance calls for support from the next European Commission
The European Nuclear Alliance (12+2 observers of EU Member States, including Bulgaria) met on 15 October in Luxembourg, within the framework of the Energy Council, with ministers and high-level representatives from 14 EU Member States (including the incoming Polish Presidency), as well as from the European Commission.
Alliance have called upon the next European Commission to recognise the contributions of both nuclear and renewables in Europe’s decarbonisation in its upcoming programme, covering the period 2024-2029.
In a joint statement, the Alliance said: “In a changing global geopolitical context, the upcoming 2024-29 Commission’s mandate must ensure the competitiveness and resilience of our economies towards reaching climate-neutrality by 2050 and to address the “existential challenge” that Europe is facing.”
The statement also provides guidance on what the 12 (+2) EU Member States think is important for the European Commission to do in its next mandate to support nuclear development:
- Recognising the role of nuclear for the future of an EU integrated energy system;
- Integrating nuclear within any upcoming legislative proposals including those of the first 100 days of the new EC mandate;
- Adopting a technology neutral approach in the Clean Industrial Deal and the 2040 climate objective, and any other piece of legislation or policy initiative that will be put forward to incentivize and finance nuclear energy;
- Calling for a dedicated action plan which would include an update of the Nuclear Illustrative Program (the PINC (Programme Indicatif Nucleaire Communautaire) which last edition dates April 2016);
- Calling for “A new strategy on nuclear for the European Union”.
This declaration reflects what was also highlighted in the Manifesto published in June by leaders from European nuclear industry, including Nucleareurope and BulAtom. This shows that our views and actions are fully aligned with the member states of the European Nuclear Alliance.
Nucleareurope and BulAtom as its member will continue to engage with the European Nuclear Alliance Member States and support them in their efforts to push for a nuclear agenda to be dully pursued by the European institutions, namely the new European Commission.
The European Nuclear Alliance comprises Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Sweden, plus Belgium and Italy as observers.
The text of the statement of the European Nuclear Alliance can be read here