Source: European Parliament
Priority question for written answer P-000453/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Pierre-Romain Thionnet (PfE), Pascale Piera (PfE), Julie Rechagneux (PfE), Aleksandar Nikolic (PfE)
On 1 December 2024, the Commission published a second version of the mission letter for the European Commissioner for Energy and Housing, Mr Jørgensen. In deviation from the first version of the letter, published prior to the hearing and appointment of the Commissioner, a ‘2040 renewable energy target’ was added[1].
However, a target of 42.5 % has already been set 2030 and a higher percentage for 2040 would run counter to the principle of technological neutrality. Indeed, an overly renewables-based decarbonisation will inevitably lead to a reduction in the share of nuclear energy in the energy mix. This reduction will increase the volatility and intermittency of European energy, thus penalising consumers and the competitiveness of our industries.
While the advantages of deploying small modular reactors are recognised in this letter, can the Commission say whether it intends to:
- 1.reaffirm that investment in renewable energies must not be at the expense of the nuclear sector and existing power stations, something that an additional target of 2040 is liable to entail?
- 2.reiterate the commitment to the principle of technological neutrality and thus include all carbon-free energy, not just renewable energy, in the decarbonisation targets for 2040?
Submitted: 3.2.2025
- [1] https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/35154547-48c1-4671-8d34-13e098859a57_en?filename=mission-letter-jorgensen.pdf