Serbia’s Ministry of Mines & Energy said in a press release that Serbia has asked the French Development Agency (AFD – Agence Française de Développement) to provide technical support for the first phase of the development of its nuclear energy programme. This will include staff training and assessment of the impact of nuclear power plants on the transmission network.
The announcement came following a meeting in Belgrade between Energy Minister Dubravka Đedović Handanović and AFD Deputy Director for Europe Anne Ross-Weil. During the meeting, the next steps in preparing a study on AFD’s support for the development of nuclear energy in Serbia were agreed.
During the talks, Đedović Handanović recalled that Serbia and France in 2024 had signed an agreement to cooperate in nuclear energy and the exploitation of strategic raw materials, and that Electricité de France (EDF) in 2025 completed a preliminary technical study of the potential use of nuclear power in Serbia.
“Given that France is recognised as a country with extensive experience in nuclear energy, its experience is very useful to Serbia, she said. “We are discussing the continuation of cooperation with EDF in the implementation of the first phase of the development of the nuclear programme, which includes training personnel and informing the public about the use of nuclear energy in Serbia.”
In December 2024, Serbia lifted a moratorium on the construction of NPPs after 35 years. Serbia’s Parliament adopted amendments to the Energy Law ending the ban, introduced in the former Yugoslavia in 1989.
Serbia is actively pursuing international partnerships to develop its nuclear energy sector. Other partners include, Russia, South Korea, China, Hungary, Slovenia, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. Long-term cooperation continues with Rosatom, specifically regarding the construction of a Centre for Nuclear Science, Technology and Innovation for non-energy applications. Serbia is also in ongoing talks with Rosatom about building a potential nuclear power plant.
In September 2025, Serbia signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) to cooperate on nuclear energy and hydrogen technology, including training and information exchange. Serbia has also explored acquiring a 5-10% minority stake in Hungary’s Paks II NPP expansion to secure electricity supply without building its own plant immediately. A MOU was signed with the China Institute of Atomic Energy (CIAE) in March 2025 to strengthen technical cooperation and connect Serbian nuclear facilities with global partners.
