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Subject:
FW: Comment on nuclear letter from 7 countries
Date:
mercredi 24 mars 2021 16:04:24
Attachments:
f374daef-1375-49ab-8bfa-06b4616e4fb5-Prime Ministers" letter to the European Commission on the role of
nuclear power in the EU climate and energy policy.pdf
Dear
, colleagues,
Could you check if you have received and registered this letter ? Cabs have not received it yet. It
might be at your level.
We have been asked by media so it will be good to know in order to confirm receipt
Thank you
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Sent: Wednesday, March 24, 2021 2:38 PM
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Subject: Comment on nuclear letter from 7 countries
Dear
,
I hope you’re all well. We’re writing a story today on the letter, attached, from
seven countries to the European Commission, which calls on the Commission to
ensure that EU climate and energy policies accommodate technology neutrality
and do not put nuclear power at a disadvantage.
Does the Commission have a comment in response to the letter? Anything you
can add this afternoon would be much appreciated.
Kind regards,
Reuters
@thomsonreuters.com
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Ref. Ares(2021)2085773 - 24/03/2021
Ref. Ares(2021)2085773 - 24/03/2021
Joint letter from the Czech Republic, French Republic, Hungary, Republic of
Poland, Romania, Slovak Republic and Republic of Slovenia
on the role of nuclear power in the EU climate and energy policy
19.03.2021
Ms Ursula von der Leyen
President of the European Commission
Mr Frans Timmermans
Executive vice-President
Ms Mairead McGuinness
Commissioner for Financial services,
financial stability and Capital Markets
Union
Ms Kadri Simson
Commissioner for Energy
European Commission
Dear President, Executive vice-President and Commissioners,
Please allow us to express our appreciation for the consistent efforts the European Union is
undertaking towards climate-neutrality by 2050 with a new EU target of a net domestic
reduction of at least 55% in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 – our common goal to which
we remain fully committed.
Our concern is, however, that the path that is currently determined to achieve this goal leaves
little room for internal policy making according to country specific conditions.
We are convinced that all available zero and low-emission technologies that contribute to
climate neutrality while supporting other energy policy objectives should not only be
recognized but also actively supported by the European Union. This is especially valid for
nuclear power whose development is one of the primary objectives of the Treaty establishing
the Euratom Community, obliging EU institutions to promote it. Also, the European
Commission in its state aid decisions recognized the development of nuclear power as an
objective of common interest, even though it may not be pursued by all Member States, while
the Court of Justice of the EU, i.a. in a recent judgment on the Hinkley Point C project,
confirmed that nuclear energy may benefit from State aid pursuant to Article 107(3)(c) TFEU,
and that nuclear energy does not compromise the environmental objectives of the Treaty on the
Functioning of the EU.
Thus, every Member State is free to develop nuclear power or refrain from it in mutual respect
and regardless of policy choices of other Member States. However, the development of nuclear
sector in the EU is contested by a number of Member States despite its indispensable
contribution to fighting climate change, as well as the breadth of yet unexploited synergies
between the nuclear and renewable technologies. As low-emission baseload, it guarantees the
continued renewable deployment to much higher penetration levels. Nuclear power seems to
be also a very promising source of low-carbon hydrogen at an affordable price and can play an
important role in energy sector integration. It also generates a considerable number of stable,
quality jobs, which will be important in the post-COVID recession.
In the light of the above we are highly concerned that the Member State’s right to choose
between different energy sources and the right to determine the general structure of the energy
supply (Article 194 TFEU) is currently heavily limited by EU policy making, which excludes
nuclear power from more and more policies. We appreciate support for nuclear R&D, which
was enshrined in the recent political agreements about ITER and Euratom R&D Programme.
However, concentrating on technologies to be commercially applicable post 2050 as well as
decommissioning activities and safety enhancements without an appropriate framework for
nuclear new build could gradually phase out nuclear power and existing nuclear technologies,
which will result in a significant loss of high quality jobs in many European countries. This is
a great concern not only for nuclear new build but also to associated investments like adapting
existing plants to hydrogen generation.
Finally, all Member States are making the policy choices in the field of energy fully in line with
EU law, including the Euratom Treaty. This is yet another argument of our urgent call to ensure
a true level-playing field for nuclear power in the EU without excluding it from EU climate and
energy policies and incentives, and bearing in mind that half of EU countries utilize or develop
nuclear power providing close to half of EU low-emission generation, in line with the most
stringent safety standards as ensured by the Euratom framework. Therefore, we welcome the
recent statement by Vice-President Timmermans for IEA's Big Ideas underlining the
Commission’s technology neutrality.
We call on the European Commission to ensure that the EU energy and climate policy
accommodates all paths to climate neutrality according to the technology neutrality principle.
In this context, all available and future zero and low-emission technologies have to be treated
equally within all policies, including taxonomy of sustainable investments, aiming at achieving
climate neutrality by 2050.
Reiterating our strong commitment to the green transition, we remain open to further exchange
of views with you on this highly important topic.
Yours sincerely,
Mr Andrej Babiš
Mr Florin Cîțu
Prime Minister of the Czech Republic
Prime Minister of Romania
Mr Emmanuel Macron
Mr Igor Matovič
President of the French Republic
Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic
Mr Viktor Orban
Mr Janez Janša
Prime Minister of Hungary
Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia
Mr Mateusz Morawiecki
Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland