Brussels opens door to EU funding for long-taboo nuclear power

Long a taboo, Brussels opened the door to EU funding for nuclear power in July, in a sign of the growing support atomic energy is enjoying within the bloc.

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BRUSSELS - Long a taboo, Brussels opened the door to EU funding for nuclear power in July, in a sign of the growing support atomic energy is enjoying within the bloc.

The European Commission listed "nuclear fission energy" among the sectors eligible to receive EU money in its 2028-2034 budget proposal unveiled last week - reversing a previous ban.

The commission declined to say if that meant Brussels was prepared to fund the building of new nuclear reactors, with a spokeswoman stressing that the proposal was "still to be discussed" with member states.

Nuclear's eligibility remained only potential, she said, and fission was listed alongside other related fields such as decommissioning nuclear facilities, management of radioactive waste and nuclear research.

But the change in tack - given atomic energy was explicitly excluded from funding under the current European Union budget - marked a victory for the pro-nuclear camp, which has been steadily gathering steam.

Europe has long been divided on nuclear.