The discussions are going to be difficult. Franco-German disputes over the role of nuclear power in the fight against climate change and the ban on combustion engines in 2035 cast a shadow over the summit of EU heads of state and government, which is taking place in Brussels on Thursday 23 and Friday 24 March.

Ukraine, but also the means to strengthen the competitiveness of the European economy, are on the agenda of discussions. As soon as he arrived, Xavier Bettel, Prime Minister of Luxembourg, an ally of Berlin in the rejection of the atom, defended his position. "Nuclear energy? It is not safe, not fast, not cheap and it is not climate-friendly. With European flags on it, it would be a scam," he said.

The confrontation over nuclear rage

A bilateral meeting between France and Germany is scheduled for Friday morning, while relations between the two European powers have been tense for months.

The context is difficult for French President Emmanuel Macron, who arrived discreetly three hours late Thursday, after two months of massive protests against his pension reform. For his part, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is also struggling in the polls and entangled in the divisions of his coalition.

Paris and Berlin have been fighting over the nuclear issue since Germany decided to exit it after the Fukushima disaster in 2011. Just last week, the Franco-German couple clashed over the place of nuclear power in a proposal for a regulation of the European Commission on industrial policy.

The France and a dozen states that bet on this technology wanted to obtain the recognition of the atom in the means to support to decarbonize the economy, against the advice of Germany and a handful of anti-nuclear countries.

>> READ ALSO: Faced with the growing adherence to nuclear power in France, environmentalists counterattack

In the end, Paris got nuclear power mentioned, winning a symbolic victory. But, in practice, the sector will benefit from almost none of the advantages provided for by the text, such as the acceleration of project authorization procedures or financing facilities that will benefit renewable energies.

The quarrel of thermal engines

Another point of contention: the automobile. The German government shocked its partners in early March by blocking a key text of the EU's climate plan on CO2 emissions from cars, which it had already approved.

This text, which will de facto impose 100% electric engines for new vehicles from 2035, was the subject of an agreement in October between member states and negotiators of the European Parliament, and was formally approved in mid-February by MEPs meeting in plenary.

>> Read also: End of thermal cars in 2035: "good news" even if "the clean vehicle does not exist"

Highlighting synthetic fuels (or "e-fuels") as a solution after 2035, Germany has asked the European Commission to present a proposal paving the way for vehicles running on synthetic fuels, a provision already included in the agreement reached last year.

This technology, still under development, would consist of producing fuel oil from CO2 from industrial activities using low-carbon electricity. Defended in particular by German and Italian high-end vehicle manufacturers, it would extend the use of combustion engines after 2035.

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End of combustion cars in 2035: Germany refuses to vote on AFP text ©

"Germany is very dependent on the automotive sector, and therefore on combustion engines," Rémi Bourgeot, senior economist at the Board conference, associate researcher at the Institute of International and Strategic Relations (Iris), told France 24. According to the expert, the transition to 100% electric is a "very important challenge". "European manufacturers are starting from afar and are not well positioned in the electric vehicle offering." The question of batteries and dependence on Asia and China also arises. "There is reason to fear that Europe will not be able to build autonomy in this area."

The EU executive is holding complex talks with Berlin to find a way out. The idea is that it should specify, in a separate text, how the EU will be able to give the green light to synthetic fuels in the future, without calling into question its CO2 reduction targets.

But this technology is hotly contested by environmental NGOs. "Synthetic fuels are expensive because of their expensive and energy-intensive production process," the European Federation for Transport and the Environment said on its Twitter account. "The cost will be passed on to motorists and only the rich will be able to foot the bill."

E-fuels are expensive due to their costly & energy intensive production process.

The cost will get passed onto drivers & only the wealthy will be able to foot the bill.

Some drivers who buy new ICEs will be pushed into circumventing the rules & buying fossil petrol instead.
2/5

— Transport & Environment (@transenv) March 23, 2023

Several officials are concerned that a challenge to EU procedures could derail many texts, including the European climate plan, if other states were to follow suit.

"The whole European decision-making architecture would collapse if we all acted like this," Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins said.

"Most countries say: 'We have taken this course [of the electric vehicle], let's not change course," said the head of the Belgian government, Alexander De Croo.

"We do not want to go back on the date of 2035," said the Elysee.

With AFP

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