A Call for Clear Rules and Political Backing
Lawmakers from the European People’s Party are urging the EU to take nuclear fusion seriously as a future energy source and to move quickly on setting clear rules that would encourage investment. In a declaration issued after a public hearing in the European Parliament, MEPs said fusion energy has reached a critical moment and now needs strong political support and a predictable regulatory framework to move from theory to reality.
With fusion projects expected to require enormous financial backing, lawmakers argue that investors need certainty before committing. The appeal comes as the European Commission prepares to unveil its own fusion strategy, although no firm timeline has yet been shared.
From Research Project to Strategic Asset
Several MEPs stressed that fusion should no longer be seen as a distant scientific experiment. Bulgarian MEP Tsvetelina Penkova said the EU must move beyond treating fusion as purely research, while Germany’s Hildegard Bentele described it as Europe’s opportunity to turn scientific leadership into industrial strength.
Belgian MEP Pascal Arimont echoed that sentiment, calling fusion a realistic chance to secure clean, safe and reliable energy while boosting Europe’s competitiveness. Lawmakers want fusion technology to be developed, funded and rolled out within Europe, rather than relying on progress elsewhere.
Fusion, Not Fission
Fusion energy works by merging small atoms, like hydrogen, to release vast amounts of energy—the same process that powers the sun. Unlike nuclear fission, which splits large atoms and produces long-lived radioactive waste, fusion is widely seen as cleaner and safer. However, it has yet to be used commercially for electricity generation.
Momentum has been building since a major breakthrough in the US in 2022, when scientists achieved a fusion reaction that produced more energy than it consumed. In Europe, Germany is leading the charge, striking a €7 billion deal with energy firm RWE to build a pilot fusion plant by 2035. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has pledged to create a supportive regulatory framework for fusion, both nationally and across Europe, as lawmakers push the EU to clearly distinguish fusion rules from those governing traditional nuclear power.
