Published November 2021 | Version v1
Journal article

Nuclear energy and the European Union: the crucial importance of the Euratom Treaty

Description

On September 25, 2015, the unanimous delegates of the 193 countries represented in the United Nations General Assembly applauded humanity's adoption of the historic choice of sustainable development, defined as 'meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs'. It's a far-reaching program, and one which the European Union, as a good student, immediately embraced. The basic idea is to provide financial incentives for economic activities that are compatible with sustainable development, referred to here as 'sustainable activities', so that the others can gradually wither away. It was decided to create a classification, or taxonomy, that would include all sustainable activities [European Parliament and European Council, 2020]. These must meet precise conditions, which will be ensured by technical criteria. A first set of criteria relates to climate protection, while a second guarantees that a sustainable activity does not cause significant damage to the environment (DNSH, Do Not Significant Harm). The definition of these technical criteria was entrusted by the Council (which brings together government representatives) and Parliament to the European Commission. The Commission was to provide this definition by means of delegated acts. These have just been published. It is reasonable to assume that neither the Council nor the European Parliament will significantly question these acts

Abstract (French)

Le 25 septembre 2015, les delegues unanimes des 193 pays representes dans l'Assemblee generale des Nations unies ont applaudi debout l'adoption par l'humanite du choix historique du developpement durable defini comme repondant aux besoins de la generation presente sans compromettre la capacite des generations futures a repondre aux leurs. Vaste programme auquel l'Union europeenne, bonne eleve, s'est immediatement attelee. L'idee de base est de favoriser financierement les activites economiques compatibles avec un developpement durable, designees ici comme 'activites durables', afin de faire deperir progressivement les autres. Il fut decide de creer une classification, donc une taxonomie, ou figurerait l'ensemble des activites durables [Parlement europeen et Conseil europeen, 2020]. Celles-ci doivent remplir des conditions precises dont le respect sera assure par des criteres techniques. Une premiere serie de criteres est liee a la defense du climat, et une seconde garantit qu'une activite durable ne cause pas, par ailleurs, de degats significatifs a l'environnement (criteres relevant de la condition dite DNSH, Do Not Significant Harm). La definition de ces criteres techniques a ete confiee par le Conseil (qui reunit les representants des gouvernements) et le Parlement a la Commission europeenne. Celle-ci devait fournir cette definition par des actes delegues. Ceux-ci viennent d'etre publies. Il est raisonnable de penser que ni le Conseil ni le Parlement europeen ne remettront notablement en cause ces actes

Additional details

Additional titles

Original title (French)
Nucleaire et Union europeenne: l'importance cruciale du traite Euratom

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Revue de l'Energie
Journal Volume
659
Journal Page Range
p. 9-11
ISSN
0303-240X

INIS

Country of Publication
France
Country of Input or Organization
France
INIS RN
54092323
Subject category
S29: ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY AND ECONOMY;
Descriptors DEI
ENVIRONMENT; EURATOM; NUCLEAR POWER; SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT; TAXONOMY
Descriptors DEC
EUROPEAN UNION; INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS; POWER; RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

Optional Information

Notes
7 refs.