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The European Union (EU) Energy Council, meeting in Luxembourg, have reached agreement on reforming the EU electricity market, resolving the long-running dispute between France and Germany over the role of nuclear power. France has welcomed a decision that nuclear power should be included in future state-supported models, while Germany insisted that this must not lead to unfair competition through publicly funding ageing reactors abroad. The proposal now moves on to the European Parliament, where concessions on nuclear and coal power could still meet opposition.

Date: Friday, 20 October 2023
Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newsfrance-and-germany-move-towards-resolving-nuclear-differences-11232812

The debate over sustainable investment rules has highlighted the differences within the European Union on the ideal and/or possible energy mix in a carbon-constrained world where the EU wants to be a role model. It is time to reform the electricity system in Europe, writes Marc Deffrennes, from the weCare alliance of NGOs which favour using renewables and nuclear to limit carbon emissions.

Date: Tuesday, 15 February 2022
Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Viewpoint-Taxonomy-and-the-need-to-reform-the-EU

Group ‘disappointed’ that reactors being treated as transitional technology Yves Desbazeille: ‘We remain disappointed that nuclear continues to be treated as a transitional technology’. The European nuclear energy industry has welcomed a decision to include nuclear in the bloc’s sustainable finance taxonomy under certain conditions, but warned that some of the criteria put forward will prove very challenging to attain.

“We remain disappointed that nuclear continues to be treated as a transitional technology,” said Foratom director-general Yves Desbazeille. “We firmly believe that it contributes to climate mitigation objectives and does not cause more harm than any other power-producing technology already considered as taxonomy compliant.”

According to the proposed regulations announced on 2 February, nuclear can be considered as taxonomy compliant as long as it meets several stringent conditions, including:

Date: Saturday, 05 February 2022
Original article: nucnet.org/news/foratom-welcomes-decision-on-nuclear-but-warns-criteria-could-be-difficult-to-meet-2-4-2022

‘Today we are setting out strict conditions to help mobilise finance to support the energy transition’ The European commission has officially put forward regulations to label nuclear energy as sustainable under its financial taxonomy regulations, ending months of uncertainty and wrangling over whether the industry would have a significant place in the bloc’s transition to zero carbon.

The legislation means nuclear will now be labelled as a “green” energy source that could contribute to Europe’s transition to climate neutrality.

The commission said in a statement that the college of commissioners – a body made up of 27 policy commissioners – reached a political agreement on the text of the new regulations, known as a complementary delegated act, which could now become law on 1 January 2023.

It said a great deal of private investment is needed for the EU to become climate neutral by 2050. The taxonomy aims to guide private investment to activities that are needed to achieve climate neutrality.

The taxonomy does not determine whether a certain technology will or will not be part of a member state’s energy mix. “The objective is to step up the transition, by drawing on all possible solutions to help us reach our climate goals,” the commission said.

Date: Thursday, 03 February 2022
Original article: nucnet.org/news/commission-officially-puts-forward-legislation-to-include-nuclear-2-3-2022

The European Commission (EC) has drawn up a draft plan to label some natural gas and nuclear energy projects as "green" investments provided they satisfy certain conditions. This follows a year of discussion, debate a lobbying from countries in favour of and against the move. The draft was made public by Euractiv.

Date: Wednesday, 05 January 2022
Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newseu-draft-taxonomy-includes-nuclear-and-gas-9360630

Four nations say reactors will help EU reach climate goals Strengthening energy independence and security while decarbonising energy production and keeping energy prices affordable will only be possible through the combined use of nuclear and renewable energy, representatives of the four Visegrad countries said in a joint statement.

János Süli, minister without portfolio responsible for the Paks 2 nuclear project in Hungary, and representatives of the Czech, Polish and Slovak governments signed the joint statement during a visit to the Paks nuclear station.

The statement said the Visegrad Group is committed to the use of nuclear energy because nuclear plants can help the EU reach its climate neutrality goals while strengthening security of supply and providing clean electricity at affordable prices.

The four governments called on Brussels to treat nuclear energy as a sustainable energy source in the EU’s sustainable finance taxonomy.

Date: Friday, 19 November 2021
Original article: nucnet.org/news/visegrad-countries-call-on-bloc-to-support-nuclear-energy-11-4-2021

The assignment of the status of a "green" energy source to nuclear power generation in the Russian Federation should be a signal for other countries considering the inclusion of nuclear energy in their "green" lists, Rosatom Director General Alexei Likhachev said on 27 September. The previous week, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin had approved the criteria for the selection of "green" projects and initiatives in the field of sustainable development for concessional financing. 

Date: Friday, 01 October 2021
Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newsrussia-confirms-nuclear-as-green-while-eu-remains-undecided-9120845

European unions on 27 July reiterated calls for the European Commission (EC) to include nuclear power in its green goals. In a joint letter to EC President Ursula von der Leyen, 18 trade unions in the energy sector from 10 countries said nuclear energy must be included in a delegated act of the European taxonomy. The unions - from Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Hungary, Romania, Sweden, Slovak Republic and Slovenia - called for "a dialogue with the purpose of nuclear energy to play its full potential and build an economically efficient and socially just carbon-free Europe by 2050".

Date: Friday, 30 July 2021
Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newseuropean-unions-call-again-for-nuclear-to-be-part-of-the-eu-taxonomy-8946044