Luxembourg has reiterated its opposition to the promotion of nuclear energy through a joint statement issued by the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Infrastructure, the Environment Department, the Ministry of the Economy and the Ministry of Higher Education and Research.
In the statement, the government criticised the allocation of European funds for nuclear research and emphasised that future EU funding for research should be directed more towards renewable energy.
"Nuclear energy is not a solution to climate change," the announcement read. "It is neither sustainable, nor safe, nor economically viable and it involves the future of our societies. Opposition to nuclear power is also reflected in the government programme which provides that "at the European level, the government will work to guide preferred research towards renewable energy at the expense of nuclear energy'. Indeed, renewables have become more profitable and together with the promotion of energy efficiency, they are the fundamental pillar of any climate policy."
The reflection paper, which recommends the construction of flexible nuclear mini-reactors, is to be discussed Wednesday by EU Commissioners responsible for Energy before being submitted to Parliament and Member States.
The government pledge to continue its refutation of these proposals and to counter any initiative from the European Commission aiming to further promote nuclear research.
During a meeting with his French counterpart, Jean-Marc Ayrault in April 2016, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Luxembourg, Jean Asselborn called on the Grand Duchy's neighbour to close the Cattenom nuclear power plant - a sentiment that was echoed by the Luxembourg public through the success of a petition created to this effect.
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