Belgium joins European alliance for nuclear energy
Belgium has become a full member of the European 'nuclear alliance', Energy minister Mathieu Bihet said on Monday. Until this month, the country only had observer status at the alliance, which promotes nuclear energy initiatives at EU level.
A pro-nuclear alliance of European countries was founded in February 2023, at the initiative of France. The 11 countries initially involved - Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Finland, Hungary, the Netherlands, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Sweden - wanted to strengthen their energy cooperation.
While Belgium was not involved at first, former Energy minister Tinne Van der Straeten travelled to Paris in May 2023 to attend a meeting of the alliance. Belgium also signed a declaration there, as an observer instead of a full member.
"Today, Belgium is choosing to leave decades of doubts behind and play a leading role in European nuclear energy"
According to Bihet, Belgium became a full member of the alliance on 18 February, as it wants to "fully commit" to the project. "Today, Belgium is choosing to leave decades of doubts behind and play a leading role in European nuclear energy," he said, to be a "driving force for the development of nuclear energy in Europe".
He says Belgium wants to work within the alliance for a European framework favourable to the development of nuclear energy, to develop new nuclear infrastructure and to work on access to financing, including private financing.
Nuclear energy is one of the pillars of the federal government's energy policy. It plans to extend the life of Belgium's current nuclear reactors and facilitate the construction of new ones.
The nuclear site in Tihange © BELGA PHOTO ERIC LALMAND
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