France: "Europe will not achieve CO2 neutrality by 2050 without nuclear power"

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France is relying on nuclear energy in the long term on the path to climate neutrality.

"Europe will not achieve the goal of CO2 neutrality by 2050 without nuclear power," said the French Minister of Economics and Finance Bruno Le Maire to the newspapers of the Funke media group (Monday editions).

All European partners would have to understand "that nuclear power is one of the essential foundations of competitiveness and sovereignty of France, but also of European energy sovereignty".

With a view to assessing the sustainability of nuclear energy, Le Maire said France was pushing for EU support for nuclear power as a carbon-free energy. "We are well on the way to ensuring that nuclear energy is recognized as a carbon-free energy that is eligible for green financing in Europe." France and six Eastern EU countries are calling for nuclear power to be seen as a "sustainable investment". The dispute over this was "intense", stressed Le Maire.

Germany and Austria strictly reject the construction of new nuclear reactors.

They demand that such projects be excluded from EU funding in principle.

France, on the other hand, covers more than 70 percent of its energy needs with nuclear power.

Although this share is expected to drop to 50 percent by 2035, Paris does not rule out the construction of new nuclear power plants.

In Germany, under the umbrella of the energy transition, all reactors are to be shut down by the end of 2022.

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According to Le Maire, France will in future advocate the introduction of a CO2 border tax.

It will be at the center of the French EU Council Presidency from January 1, 2022, announced Le Maire.

The aim of the CO2 border tax is to prevent companies from non-EU countries that have no or only low climate targets from undercutting European producers.

The Federal Government has so far reacted cautiously and referred to compliance with the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The EU agreed on new goals on Wednesday.

The EU states and the European Parliament decided to reduce CO2 emissions by "at least 55 percent" by 2030.

The European climate law also sets the goal for the EU to become climate neutral by 2050.