The world is transitioning to renewable energy sources, and Europe is no exception. Despite the safety risks and rising costs of new generation reactors, nuclear energy is still a major player in the European energy market. Cooperation within Europe and between Europe and third countries operates at several different levels, from the European Nuclear Education Network to the Western European Nuclear Regulators Association (WENRA). Germany, Spain, and Switzerland have all announced plans to phase out nuclear energy by 2030.
France, however, has resumed its aggressive fission policy. Poland and Romania are expanding their nuclear power plants, while the EU frameworks will treat some nuclear weapons as sustainable. The European Nuclear Education Network (ENEN) is a program that promotes educational and research collaboration across Europe. It covers all civil nuclear activities in the EU and aims to provide a common market for nuclear materials, ensure the supply of nuclear fuel, and ensure that nuclear materials do not deviate from their intended purpose.
WENRA is a network of core regulators from EU countries with nuclear power plants and Switzerland, with members from 17 countries. The Chernobyl accident led the EU to demand the closure of two types of Russian nuclear reactors in Eastern Europe as part of EU accession negotiations with host countries. The deficit in nuclear generation in the United Kingdom was covered by electricity from gas power plants and imports from Europe. The EU also supports nuclear safety through several agencies and programs, such as the TACIS (CIS States) and PHARE (Eastern Europe, including the Baltic States) programs and various funds.
Critics of Germany's nuclear plan have pointed to the contradiction of abandoning nuclear power while the country's coal-fired power plants continue to pump enormous quantities of carbon dioxide and deadly particles into the atmosphere. The IEA plan recommends keeping existing nuclear power plants in operation, while the EU plan makes no explicit reference to nuclear energy. It is important to take into account market failures and the need to protect against investment risks in order to create the necessary market conditions for investment in new nuclear construction projects in Europe. The Czech Republic has plans to build at least two new nuclear reactors, while Poland wants to build its first reactor in a bid to move away from its heavy dependence on coal.
The ENEN program allows students to earn credits in a nuclear discipline outside their host country to obtain the additional qualification of the European Master of Science in Nuclear Engineering.
