Automobile, nuclear: Paris-Berlin tensions invite themselves to the EU summit

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz arrives for an EU summit in Brussels on March 23, 2023

The Franco-German disputes over the place of nuclear power in the fight against climate change and the ban on heat engines in 2035 were invited to the summit of EU heads of state and government on Thursday.

The leaders of the Twenty-Seven began to arrive mid-morning in Brussels and must discuss Ukraine and the means of strengthening the competitiveness of the European economy until Friday, according to the points officially on the agenda.

Upon his arrival, Xavier Bettel, Prime Minister of Luxembourg, an ally of Berlin in the rejection of the atom, defended his position. ” Nuclear energy? It is not safe, not fast, not cheap and it is not climate friendly. With European flags on it, it would be a scam,” he said.

A Franco-German bilateral meeting is scheduled for Friday morning as relations between the two European powers have been strained for months.

The context is difficult for French President Emmanuel Macron, faced with demonstrations in France against his pension reform. But also for German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, struggling in the polls and entangled in the divisions of his coalition.

Paris and Berlin clashed last week on the place of nuclear power in a proposal for a European Commission regulation on industrial policy.

France and a dozen states that rely on this technology wanted to obtain recognition of the atom in the means to be supported to decarbonize the economy, against the advice of Germany and a handful of anti-nuclear countries.

Eventually, Paris got nuclear mentioned, snatching a symbolic victory. But, in practice, the sector will benefit from almost none of the advantages provided for by the text, such as the acceleration of project authorization procedures or the financing facilities that will benefit renewable energies.

Emmanuel Macron, who is due to arrive in Brussels at the start of the afternoon, will try to convince his counterparts of the need for broader support. A battle is already looming to redraft the text within the Council which brings together the 27 Member States and in the European Parliament.

Another bone of contention: the automobile. Germany shocked its partners at the beginning of March by blocking a key text of the EU climate plan on CO2 emissions from cars which it had already approved.

– German flip-flop –

This text, which will de facto impose 100% electric engines for new vehicles from 2035, was the subject of an agreement in October between Member States and European Parliament negotiators, and was formally approved in mid-February by MEPs meeting in plenary.

To justify its volte-face, extremely rare at this stage of the procedure, Germany demanded that the European Commission present a proposal opening the way to vehicles running on synthetic fuels, a provision already provided for in the agreement. completed last year.

This technology, still under development, would consist of producing fuel from CO2 from industrial activities using low-carbon electricity. Defended in particular by high-end German and Italian manufacturers, it would make it possible to extend the use of heat engines after 2035.

The EU executive is conducting complex discussions with Berlin to find a way out. The idea is that it specifies, in a separate text, how the EU will be able to give a green light to synthetic fuels in the future, without calling into question its CO2 reduction objectives.

“It’s just a question of finding the right way to implement this long-standing promise made by the Commission. And if I understand the discussions correctly, it’s on the right track,” said Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Brussels, assuring that the Commission would indeed submit a proposal.

This technology is strongly contested by environmental NGOs who consider it costly, energy-intensive and polluting.

The German blockage comes from FDP liberals looking to ride the unpopularity of the end of petrol and diesel cars.

Several officials are worried about a questioning of EU procedures which could derail many texts, in particular the European climate plan, if other States follow this example.

“The whole European decision-making architecture would crumble if we all acted like this,” criticized Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins.

“Most countries say + we have taken this course (of the electric vehicle), let’s not change course +”, underlined the head of the Belgian government Alexander De Croo.

“We do not want to go back to the date of 2035”, underlined the Elysée.

LNT with Afp

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