On February 28, 2023, eleven European Union countries announced their intention to strengthen their cooperation in the field of nuclear energy. Led by France, these countries signed a joint declaration on the sidelines of a meeting of European energy ministers in Stockholm. They emphasize the role of the atom in decarbonizing the economy, despite the fierce opposition of Germany.
Nuclear energy, a tool to achieve climate goals
According to the eleven countries that signed the joint declaration (France, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Finland, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia), nuclear energy is a tool for achieving climate objectives, producing basic electricity and guaranteeing security of supply.
Joint projects and increased cooperation
The eleven countries agree to “support new nuclear projects”, based in particular “on innovative technologies” as well as “the operation of existing plants”. The text also provides for joint training projects, opportunities for increased scientific cooperation and the coordinated deployment of best practices in security.
“Nuclear energy accounts for 25% of our European electricity production and emits less carbon than wind and photovoltaic energy,” said Agnès Pannier-Runacher, the French Minister for Energy Transition. According to her, nuclear power is a complementary tool to renewables to achieve the EU’s 2050 carbon neutrality target.
Poland, which relies on nuclear power to disengage from coal, and the Czech Republic had already welcomed this “alliance” project on Monday, even if this term was not retained in the final declaration. “Renewables can be unstable. We need a stable and sustainable low-carbon energy: we only know one, nuclear,” observed the Czech minister.
Countries opposed to this initiative
Several countries, including Germany and Spain, are opposed to this initiative. As part of a reform of the European electricity market, France is advocating long-term contracts with guaranteed prices, including for nuclear production, which Berlin refuses.
