European Nuclear Energy Forum Debates Opportunities, Risks, Transparency
May 29, 2009 // Published as a news service by IHS
At the meeting, the ENEF focused on nuclear safety, nuclear waste policies, and possible initiatives on training and education, as well as in the area of transparency.
Referring to the European Commission (EC) strategy for a comprehensive energy and climate change policy, Vladimir Špidla, EC commissioner for employment, social affairs and equal opportunities, said, "If we decide rapidly on strategic investment, there is the potential that around two-thirds of the European Union's electricity could be low carbon by the early 2020s. Moreover, the EU aims to decarbonise the entire EU electricity supply by 2050."
While the use of nuclear energy is an issue for each EU member state to decide, it could contribute significantly to reaching the EC's ambitions, since it accounts for around one-third of the electricity generation in Europe, and represents a secure and competitive, low-carbon energy source.
In this framework, Špidla stressed, "The EU needs to further develop the most advanced framework for nuclear safety, security and non-proliferation," confirming that the EC is taking concrete steps on all these issues."
ENEF serves as a platform to promote a broad discussion among all relevant stakeholders on the opportunities and risks of nuclear energy. It replies to the challenges of an European energy policy. EC President José Manuel Barroso has recently underlined that continuing to stimulate a real debate on the future of nuclear energy is necessary.
The ENEF meeting on May 29 attracted some 250 participants from EU member state governments, European institutions and major energy companies, as well as a large number of key actors in the field of public administration, industry, finance and civil society. The meeting was opened by Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Jan Fischer, his Slovak counterpart Robert Fico, and Špidla.
The creation of the ENEF was proposed by the EC and endorsed by the European Council in March 2007. The ENEF is hosted successively in Bratislava, Slovakia and Prague.
Source: European Commission (EC).