Lawmakers Urge Action on Fusion
Members of the European Parliament from the European People’s Party are pushing the EU to take nuclear fusion seriously as a future energy source. On Tuesday, they released a declaration calling for a “clear, predictable regulatory framework” that could attract private investment, given the high costs of developing fusion technology.
MEPs stressed that Europe is at a turning point, with industrial capability and private funding converging to make fusion a real possibility. Bulgarian MEP Tsvetelina Penkova said it’s time to move beyond seeing fusion as just a research project, while German MEP Hildegard Bentele described it as a chance to turn scientific leadership into industrial power. Belgian MEP Pascal Arimont added that fusion is no longer a distant dream, but a strategic opportunity to provide clean, safe, and reliable energy while boosting Europe’s competitiveness.
Fission vs. Fusion: Understanding the Difference
Fusion energy, the process that powers the sun, generates energy by fusing small atomic nuclei, such as hydrogen, into larger ones, releasing huge amounts of energy. This is different from nuclear fission, currently used in power plants, which splits large atoms and produces radioactive waste.
Fusion is cleaner and safer than fission but still experimental. In 2022, the U.S. achieved a major milestone at the National Ignition Facility, producing more energy from a fusion reaction than the laser energy used to initiate it—a breakthrough known as ignition.
Germany Leading the Charge
Within the EU, Germany is taking the lead. In 2023, it struck a €7 billion deal with energy company RWE to build a pilot fusion plant by 2035. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has promised a regulatory framework for fusion both in Germany and across Europe, criticizing previous decisions to shut down nuclear plants.
MEPs are asking the European Commission to clarify fusion’s regulatory status, separate from fission, and to allow member states flexibility in licensing, safety, and permitting requirements. With the right framework, Europe could turn fusion energy from a scientific experiment into a cornerstone of its energy future.
