The European Union must take on a triple challenge: reduction of greenhouse gases, security of supply and competitive energy prices. The revival of the nuclear industry is on the agenda throughout the world. Where do we stand in Europe? Even though nuclear energy is a matter of national competence, shouldn’t we start to consider it as a community asset if we are to create a sustainable common European energy policy?

Within the European institutions, the Commission takes initiatives. The recent establishment of the so-called Bratislava/Prague Forum, an European discussion platform, is an example for that. Yet contradictions still remain. They have to be overcome in order for nuclear energy to keep its place within the European energy mix.

The next three presidencies of the European Union - Slovenian, French and Czech (2008 – 2009) - provide a favorable framework for the European Council to deal with this issue. It would be dangerous to miss this opportunity.

The objective of this conference is to stimulate a debate in the European Council in order to lay ground for a common understanding and a balanced debate. It is out of the question to oblige countries to produce nuclear energy when they are against it. But their national choices have major repercussions on their neighbours. Due to these “externalities”, cooperation among States becomes an obligation. The Council and the Parliament must define and clarify the conditions for fair competition between energy systems and for market regulation, promote solidarity, reinforce interconnections, stipulate research and develop technologies of all low carbon energies and meet the challenges of safety, security, and waste management at a European level. Refusing to participate in this political debate could lead to fragmentations that would threaten the single market, not to mention the risk of failing the objectives established during the March 2007 Summit.

Since 2003, four European conferences about these issues have been organised in France under the patronage of the European Commission. We also successfully tackled this taboo subject in Berlin, Germany in November 2006.