Nuclear power has been added to Europe’s list of “strategic” technologies as part of draft legislation that means it will benefit from improved investment conditions and streamlined licensing procedures.

The European Council adopted a so-called “general approach” on a draft regulation establishing a framework of measures for strengthening Europe’s net-zero technology products manufacturing ecosystem, better known as the ‘Net-Zero Industry Act’.

The council said it supported the main objectives of the Net-Zero Industry Act, but introduced several improvements to an original European Commission proposal, including an increase in the list of net-zero technologies from 8 to 10, by including nuclear and sustainable alternative fuels.