Lawmakers Call for Clear Rules to Attract Investment
MEPs from the European People’s Party are urging the EU to take nuclear fusion seriously as a near-future energy source. In a declaration released Tuesday, lawmakers stressed the need for a predictable regulatory framework to draw private investment, noting the high costs associated with developing fusion technology.
“Fusion has reached a turning point. European industrial capability and private investments are converging toward deployment,” the declaration reads. MEPs including Tsvetelina Penkova (Bulgaria) and Hildegard Bentele (Germany) emphasized that Europe has a chance to transform its scientific achievements into industrial power, while Pascal Arimont (Belgium) highlighted fusion as a strategic opportunity for clean, safe, and reliable energy.
Defining Fusion Regulations
The lawmakers called on the European Commission to provide guidance while allowing EU countries flexibility over safety standards, licensing, and permits for fusion power plants. The declaration also asked for a clear distinction between fusion and traditional nuclear fission in regulations, covering radiation protection, waste management, decommissioning, and liability.
The Commission has confirmed a fusion strategy is in the works, though no timeline has been announced. Lawmakers argue that regulatory clarity is critical to secure investor confidence and accelerate the rollout of fusion technology across Europe.
Fusion vs. Fission and Europe’s Role
Fusion, the process that powers the sun, produces energy by merging small atomic nuclei, releasing massive amounts of power. Fission, used in today’s nuclear plants, splits large atoms and produces radioactive waste. Fusion is cleaner, safer, and has the potential to meet Europe’s long-term energy needs, but it is still in development.
Germany is leading the EU’s fusion efforts, striking a €7 billion deal with energy company RWE in 2023 to build a pilot plant by 2035. Chancellor Friedrich Merz has promised a regulatory framework for fusion technology, criticizing past decisions to close nuclear plants and emphasizing Europe’s chance to turn scientific leadership into energy independence and industrial strength.
