Nuclear energy has become an increasingly important factor in the EU's efforts to reach its climate targets. As a net-zero technology, nuclear power has the capacity to provide large-scale, consistent energy production, which is crucial for the decarbonisation of the European economy through electrification. This is particularly important for industrial decarbonisation, which requires an electricity mix based on all decarbonised generation technologies.
To fully realise the potential of nuclear energy, it is essential to preserve a fair and supportive framework. The principles of technology diversity and neutrality should be embedded in all EU initiatives, ensuring that all net-zero technologies have fair access to financing and EU funds. This will enable the nuclear industry to develop its industrial capacities and value chains within Europe, strengthening the region's autonomy and resilience in the energy sector.
On 11 April, in connection with a high-level conference in Brussels, nuclear industry representatives including nucleareurope, Ansaldo Nucleare, EDF, Fortum, Gen-energija, Slovenské elektrárne and Vattenfall met with European Commission Executive VP Maroš Šefčovič to discuss challenges & opportunities in achieving EU objectives. The companies handed the Commissioner a joint paper asking the European Commission to support the sector by ensuring them fair access to financing, providing long-term signals for emission reduction and investments through a robust EU ETS market, and broadening access to EU funds beyond Euratom funds.
