Emmanuel Brutin welcomes openness, but says nuclear remains explicitly excluded from key financial instruments
Europe’s nuclear lobby sees promising signs from the new European Commission, but is urging it to “walk the talk” on supporting nuclear energy and policy neutrality, citing past exclusion from key funding mechanisms and slow approvals for new projects.
“There is openness from the commission side to have a good discussion about nuclear,” Emmanuel Brutin, the recently appointed director-general of Brussels-based industry group Nucleareurope, told NucNet in an interview.
“But the commission will need to walk the talk on technological neutrality. We are not just asking the European Union not to act against nuclear – we want proactive support.”
In recent years, nuclear energy has made some policy gains at the EU level, including recognition in the taxonomy for sustainable investments and in the Net-Zero Industry Act.
Brutin also pointed to a roundtable in early April organised by energy commissioner Dan Jorgensen, which brought together players from across the industry as a sign of willingness to engage.
“We had representatives from utilities, equipment suppliers, waste operators – the full value chain,” Brutin said. That kind of engagement would not have been possible five years ago.”
The comments come as Brussels begins the implementation phase of its Clean Industrial Deal and prepares for a new multiannual financial framework (MFF), where energy policy and industrial competitiveness are expected to clash with growing defence spending priorities.
“There are plenty of measures featured in the Clean Industrial Deal and the Affordable Energy Action Plan that need to be implemented,” Brutin said. “From our perspective, it is extremely important that these are really technologically neutral and that they support all clean sources of energy – including nuclear.”
Launched in February 2025, the European Union’s Clean Industrial Deal is a major initiative aimed at boosting industrial competitiveness while furthering decarbonisation goals. It outlines a broad policy framework focused on supporting clean technologies, lowering industrial energy costs, and making Europe a leader in sustainable manufacturing.
The plan includes €100bn ($112.4bn) in funding, streamlined regulations, and incentives for circular economy practices and low-carbon products. Currently in its early stages, the deal is being rolled out with legislative proposals expected throughout 2025 and beyond.
The MFF is the EU’s long-term budget plan that sets spending priorities and limits for a seven-year period, spanning longer than a single Commission’s term, to ensure financing of the bloc’s policies and programmes.
Financing: Nuclear Needs ‘Sustained Support’
Brutin said improving access to financing is a priority for the nuclear sector, which traditionally faces high initial capital costs and prepares for what could be a new wave of nuclear development across the bloc.
He said Nuclearurope’s analysis has identified a pipeline of some 40 GW of reactor new-builds in Europe by 2050, bringing expected capacity mid-century to 140 GW from about 100 GW today.
Yet nuclear remains explicitly excluded from instruments such as InvestEU and the Just Transition Fund, and faces uncertainty over its place in the next MFF.
“We really hope that most of the existing EU funds, as well as the new EU funds that will be created, will be fully accessible for nuclear,” Brutin said. “There has been much discussion on a future EU Competitiveness Fund. It will be important for us to ensure that for all these new funds, nuclear is in.”
Brutin welcomed a recent loan from the European Investment Bank to French nuclear firm Orano on expanding its enrichment capacities, but said more is needed to reduce financing costs for nuclear.
“It is important that we find a way to fast-track approval for nuclear projects,” Brutin added, arguing EU state aid rules should be eased to speed up reactor build-outs.
The EU carries out state aid investigations to ensure that government support for businesses does not distort competition or unfairly disadvantage others in the bloc’s single market.
Brutin warned that the upcoming MFF negotiations, where EU governments will debate spending priorities for the next budget cycle, could prove difficult. Defence spending is expected to take centre stage, he said, potentially crowding out other areas.
“Defence is important, but we will need sustained support for energy projects as well,” he said. “There is no defence without energy.”
He noted that Europe maintains a full nuclear value chain from engineering and construction to fuel cycle management and waste disposal located in the EU. That strategic autonomy, Brutin said, should be a selling point in today’s geopolitical environment.
Nucleareurope is also watching closely the finalisation of the so-called Pinc (Illustrative Nuclear Programme) document, due this summer.
The document, while descriptive in nature, must include actionable steps to support nuclear investment, Brutin said.
The last Pinc was published in 2016. In April, Brussels opened a four-week long consultation period on a new Pinc.
According to the commission, the updated Pinc aims to give a “clear, fact-based picture” of nuclear energy investments across the EU. It is expected to outline investment needs, challenges, and opportunities across the full nuclear lifecycle. including new-build, waste management, innovative technologies like small reactors and fusion, and key issues like regulation, skills, financing, and supply chain.
Industry Needs ‘Reliable, Affordable, Decarbonised’ Electricity
While Brutin refrained from speculating further on internal commission politics, he said broader shifts in sentiment especially among large energy-consuming industries could improve nuclear’s standing.
“I think we are seeing now a more pragmatic approach in Brussels, with discussions being less polarised,” he said.
“Energy intensive industries like steel and cement do not care if power is nuclear or renewable. What they want is 24/7 electricity supply which is reliable, affordable, and decarbonised.”
He said the nuclear industry group will seek more engagement with these industries to find common ground on influencing the EU’s energy policies.
Asked about the actual track record for Europe’s nuclear projects, which have suffered from delays and cost overruns, Brutin said the industry recognises these issues.
“I think there is a lot of work which is going on in the industry to learn from these mistakes and address some of the issues,” he said. “It’s a very big focus area for us at the moment.”
Nucleareurope is holding its annual conference in Brussels on 4 and 5 June. It will cover issues including energy sovereignty and security of supply, reaching net-zero and innovation technology leadership.
