Il PE vota per il finanziamento del nucleare

["F A B I O C C H I::" <eco_fabiocchi at tin.it>]

Strasbourg, 13 January 2004,

Euratom loans

Rapporteur slams pro-nuclear hijacking of report

The Green/EFA Group in the European Parliament reacted strongly today to a vote in Plenary Session by MEPs on the financing of nuclear power stations. If Member States adopt the legislation at Council both new projects to construct nuclear reactors and projects already under way in the enlarged Union would be eligible for Community loans.

German MEP Hiltrud Breyer, Rapporteur on the Euratom Loans report branded the vote 'scandalous' and threatened to withdraw her name from the report:

"We had two objectives when we drafted this opinion: firstly to make the highest possible safety measures the top priority for already operating nuclear installations. And secondly, to forbid further distortions to the energy market through back-handed EU subsidies. This is why we stipulated that loans should only be authorised for the improvement of safety in reactors that were already in operation in non Member States. As we were defeated on every aspect of this stipulation we had no option but to vote against the report."

"This is yet another example of the European Commission's keenness to promote nuclear energy. It is absolutely scandalous that MEPs support the funding of new nuclear projects within the Union. I intend to withdraw my name from this Report and fully expect non-nuclear states to reject this now ridiculous piece of legislation in Council."