OpenLobby.EU
Explore

European Nuclear Society

ENS

ENS is the recognised platform that brings nuclear societies and professionals in Europe together, allowing them to exchange knowledge and experience about nuclear science and technology.

Lobbying Activity

Response to Future development and deployment of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) in Europe

4 Dec 2025

The European Nuclear Society (ENS), representing the broad scientific, technical and professional community of the European nuclear sector, welcomes the European Commissions work toward a comprehensive Strategy for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). ENS considers this initiative both timely and necessary to ensure the EU can meet its climate, energy security, and industrial competitiveness objectives. Our feedback is included in the attached document.
Read full response

Response to Nuclear Illustrative Programme

12 May 2025

The European Nuclear Society (ENS), together with its Young Generation Network (ENS-YGN), welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the update of the Nuclear Illustrative Programme (PINC). Representing over 12 000 nuclear professionals and young experts across Europe, we believe that the EUs long-term energy, climate, and industrial resilience goals cannot be achieved without a forward-looking strategy including nuclear energy in the EU energy transition policymaking. A core challenge for the future of the sector is the need to attract, train, and retain the next generation of professionals. The current workforce is aging, and the pipeline of young talent needs strong reinforcement to meet the demand for skills across operations, new builds, decommissioning, and innovation. This includes engaging pupils and students through STEM education and outreach, building stronger links between universities and the sector to provide hands-on experience, and ensuring sustainable support for career development. Student and young professionals mobility should be encouraged through international academic and professional opportunities, to support creation and maintenance of European talent. Knowledge transfer, mentorship, and cross-generational collaboration should be prioritised to retain vital expertise. Critically, young professionals must be empowered not just as future workers but as active shapers of the sector. Initiatives such as the Young Generation Networks demonstrate youth-led engagement in technical exchange, communication, and public education. We encourage the Commission to support youth involvement in nuclear policymaking, innovation, and education initiatives, including through mobility schemes, professional networks, and direct representation in strategic forums. Beyond workforce development, we recognize that Europe risks losing its leadership position in nuclear sector without reinforced coordination and investment. The updated PINC should therefore address the revival of collaboration aiming at nuclear innovation across the continent, enabling the deployment of advanced technologies such as small modular reactors (SMRs), advanced modular reactors (AMRs), and hybrid systems for hydrogen production, district heating, and other non-electric applications. The lifetime extension of the current fleet must also be a priority, alongside modernization of the nuclear fuel cycle, construction methods, and safety systems. To support this transition, ENS calls for a significant scale-up in EU-level funding frameworks for support of nuclear newbuild and lifetime extension, as well as research, innovation, and demonstration. Beyond that, we urge the EC to reinvest in infrastructure such research reactors, material test reactors for advanced materials and fuels, experimental facilities to support safety cases and validation of M&S tools, hot cells to perform experiments on irradiated fuel and fuel processing not only to support the development of advanced technologies but also to attract and train the next generation of nuclear professionals. Finally, investments in maintenance and development of EU-based supply chain, both in energy and healthcare, will enable independence of provision. Public engagement and education are also important factors for a successful and sustainable nuclear strategy. Transparent, science-based communication and education of general public is vital to build public trust. Structured support of informed and open dialogue can create a supportive environment where citizens can take informed decisions and participate in the energy transition, including support to newbuild, research and waste management projects. In conclusion, Europes nuclear future depends on infrastructure, workforce and public engagement. The updated PINC should reflect the central role of revitalizing nuclear capacity through education, innovation, collaboration, and the need for informed citizens and support to infrastructure.
Read full response

Response to Climate change mitigation and adaptation taxonomy

14 Dec 2020

European Nuclear Society voice on a classification system for sustainable economic activities As a scientific society of 12.000 nuclear experts, representing academia, research institutes and industry, we strongly support the EU climate neutrality 2050 goal. We are ready to put our efforts and contribute as well to the 2030 CO2 reduction emission objective of at least 55%, approved recently on 11 December at the EU Summit. In this regard we are convinced that these EU short- and long-term targets are only achievable with all low-carbon technologies, nuclear included. We welcome the initiatives and instruments that are proposed for the Financial Sector to enable the Green Transition. It will be a crucial tool for investors to guide finance in the right direction. However, the Taxonomy Regulation, should provide investors with reliable and evidence-based information on which activities and technologies contribute to the sustainability goals. The EU Technical Expert Group (TEG) on Taxonomy concluded that there is a clear evidence that nuclear substantially contributes to climate mitigation. The Do-No-Significant-Harm (DNSH) criteria in the TEG assessment needs to remain for all energy technologies strictly technical and conducted by qualified experts, free from political and ideological agendas. We, as a scientific community in nuclear, feel a strong need to underline the following facts to the EU TEG on Taxonomy: •Nuclear currently provides more than 47 % of the low-carbon electricity generation in the EU. Without nuclear, there will be half a billion tonnes of extra CO2 emissions every year in Europe, which is more than the emissions of the UK or France alone; • According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) figures, with 12g of CO2/KWh, nuclear life-cycle emissions are equal to those of wind power and are four times lower than solar power. The IPCC analysis for nuclear includes the whole life cycle, including uranium mining, enrichment and fuel fabrication, plant construction, use, decommissioning and long-term waste management; • based on the IPCC figures, the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) clearly show that nuclear energy cost is on average half of solar or offshore wind and comparable to onshore wind; • both IAEA and EU regulatory framework ensure that nuclear power plants comply with the highest safety standards. The framework applies to the full nuclear life-cycle including the management of nuclear waste and ensures that nuclear waste is safely managed in the long-term. Interim storage solutions that are fully operational worldwide are licensed by competent authorities, comply with the highest safety regimes, are developed in a transparent manner and undergo strict environmental impact assessments; • at the same time, the nuclear industry under strict safety regulations, already commence of deliver facilities to safely dispose nuclear waste in the long term. The European Commission has recently acknowledged that Finland, France and Sweden are advancing their solutions for long term storage of high-level waste Nuclear power is an important and established power source for European citizens and industries and is crucial for the stability of energy systems. The existing strict regulatory regime define the “Do No Significant Harm” principle for nuclear sector and guarantees that nuclear power plants are operated in a safe and sustainable manner, including their decommissioning and spent fuel management. Therefore, we call on the Commission to follow-up on the TEG Report and to adapt the Delegated Acts so nuclear is included for potential financial support under the Green Deal objectives. The TEG assessment must be based on scientific evidence and should not be influenced by any political or ideological agenda. Fighting climate change is a matter of the highest urgency, all low-carbon energy sources must be allowed to contribute, and the final Taxonomy on Sustainable Finance must respect these points.
Read full response