During a visit to Paris, Belgium’s Minister of Energy Mathieu Bihet and French Minister of Industry & Energy Marc Ferracci signed a declaration of intent to enhance nuclear energy co-operation. “This declaration is part of the revival of the nuclear sector in Belgium, which was endorsed by the amendment of the 2003 law and the announcement of the return of nuclear energy to our energy mix,” said Bihet.
In May, Belgium’s parliament voted by a large majority to repeal a 2003 law phasing out nuclear power and banning the construction of new nuclear capacity. Bihet said the declaration “testifies to our country’s commitment to work hand in hand with its European partners on long-term strategic issues: security of supply, energy sovereignty, decarbonisation, and innovation”. He added: “With this statement we are bringing to the table France, a friendly country, an important industrial partner and a pioneer in the field of civil nuclear energy in Europe.”
According to Belgium’s Energy Ministry: “This common commitment also represents an important political step, at the intersection of two realities: an energy paradigm shift in Belgium, and a European dynamic aimed at reaffirming strategic sovereignty in a context of geopolitical instability.”
The declaration of intent aims at strengthening exchanges between the two governments in key areas such as:
- the life extension of existing reactors;
- the development of new projects, including small modular reactors (SMR);
- research and innovation;
- strategic supply chains;
- education and skills.
Collaboration will be developed in separate projects and specific working groups.
“Nuclear energy is a forward-looking sector at the heart of the energy transition. Together with France, we share a common vision: a Europe that produces, innovates and protects”, Bihet concluded.
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