Lawmakers Call for Clear Rules to Boost Investment
MEPs from the European People’s Party are urging the EU to take nuclear fusion seriously as a viable energy source. In a declaration released Tuesday, lawmakers stressed that a clear and predictable regulatory framework is essential to attract the private investment needed to develop fusion technology, given its high costs.
“Fusion has reached a turning point. European industrial capability and private investments are converging toward deployment,” the declaration read. MEPs argued that political backing and effective incentives are now needed to bring fusion from the lab into practical use.
Turning Science into Industry
During a public hearing, several lawmakers highlighted the strategic importance of fusion energy for Europe. Tsvetelina Penkova of Bulgaria emphasized that fusion should no longer be seen as just research, while Hildegard Bentele from Germany called it “Europe’s chance to turn scientific leadership into industrial power.” Belgian MEP Pascal Arimont described fusion as a critical opportunity to provide clean, reliable energy and boost the EU’s competitiveness.
The declaration asks the European Commission to guide EU countries while allowing them flexibility on safety rules, licensing, and permitting for fusion plants. Lawmakers also want the regulatory status of fusion clarified, separate from fission, while still complying with EU standards for radiation protection, waste, decommissioning, and liability.
Fusion vs. Fission: A Cleaner Future
Nuclear fusion, the same process that powers the sun, generates energy by fusing small atoms like hydrogen, releasing vast amounts of power. Unlike nuclear fission, which splits atoms and produces radioactive waste, fusion is cleaner and safer, though it is still in development and not yet used to generate electricity.
The US made a breakthrough in 2022 at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, achieving controlled fusion where the reaction produced more energy than the lasers used to start it—an achievement known as ignition. Within Europe, Germany is leading the way, securing a €7 billion deal with energy giant RWE to build a pilot fusion plant by 2035. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has promised to create a supportive regulatory framework for fusion, criticizing past decisions to shut down nuclear power plants.
With growing industrial and private investment, European lawmakers see fusion as a key step toward energy independence, a low-carbon future, and a competitive edge in global energy technology.
