EU seeks compromise over nuclear’s role in renewable energy goals

Two rival alliances of EU countries held final-hour talks in Brussels on Tuesday (28 March), ahead of negotiations on whether to recognise nuclear power under the EU’s renewable energy goals.

The stand-off came a day before EU countries and lawmakers are supposed to agree on tougher EU targets to expand renewable energy by 2030 – a key part of the bloc’s plans to reduce CO2 emissions and wean itself off Russian gas.

The negotiations are bogged down in a debate over nuclear energy, with the issue threatening to thwart a deal on one of Europe’s main climate policies.

Sweden, which holds the EU’s rotating presidency and will represent EU countries in the negotiations, said it had drafted a compromise on the issue for countries’ ambassadors to consider at a meeting on Wednesday morning, before the renewable energy negotiations kick off.

“There will be a paper discussed […] tomorrow” at a meeting of EU ambassadors, said Ebba Busch, the Swedish minister for energy who spoke at a press conference on Tuesday.

French news site Contexte reported about the possible compromise proposal, which is being discussed by ambassadors.