The commission decided not to include nuclear energy in the sustainable finance taxonomy, which entered into force last summer, but said it would include it under a complementary delegated act in 2021. The act would include the technical screening criteria for determining the conditions under which nuclear could qualify as contributing to sustainability and climate change mitigation.
The taxonomy is a package of regulations that governs investment in activities that the EU says are environmentally friendly.
Trade unions from Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Hungary, Romania, Sweden, Slovakia and Slovenia said in a joint letter to commission president Ursula Von der Leyen that nuclear should be included in the taxonomy “on the basis of neutral technology and science-based evidence”. The letter – the second sent by unions in Europe – said nuclear has a key role in enabling Europe to achieve its carbon neutrality goals. The unions called for “fair treatment” of the energy sector and its employees.
Since the first letter, the commission’s Joint Research Centre has concluded that nuclear should be included in the taxonomy.
Two other expert groups have agreed that the existing European legal framework provides adequate protection in terms of public health and environment.
Seven European heads of states pointed out in a letter to the commission that discrimination against nuclear power would lead to a significant loss of high-quality jobs in many European countries and would be an obstacle to low-carbon energy production.
Earlier this month, a group of 87 members of European Parliament signed a letter to European commissioners calling on Brussels policymakers to include nuclear energy in the taxonomy.
“There are serious concerns about the reliability of the supply of electrical power,” the letter said. “Extension of existing nuclear and new nuclear development are planned in several EU countries and would be seriously affected in their financing if nuclear energy is not included in the taxonomy.”
The unions said the EU cannot afford to deprive itself of proven and available low-carbon solutions if it wants to achieve its climate neutrality objective and not lose the leadership battle to the US and other states.