The European nuclear energy industry has cautiously welcomed a European Commission plan to support the transition to climate neutrality, but has appealed for nuclear to be classified as a net zero technology.

The Brussels-based industry group nucleareurope said it had taken note of the commission’s Green Deal Industrial Plan, which aims to support EU technologies that will get the bloc to net zero by 2050 and is the EU’s response to, in particular, the US Inflation Reduction Act.

The plan will “enhance the competitiveness of Europe’s net-zero industry” by simplifying regulation, speeding up access to finance, enhancing skills and building “resilient” supply chains through new trade deals, the European Commission said in a statement.