Lawmakers Call for Clear Rules to Unlock Investment
European lawmakers are pressing the EU to take nuclear fusion seriously and move quickly to create a clear legal framework that can attract private investment. In a declaration released this week, members of the European People’s Party said fusion energy has reached a decisive moment and could play a major role in strengthening Europe’s long-term competitiveness.
Speaking during a public hearing at the European Parliament, MEPs stressed that the massive costs involved in developing fusion power mean investors need certainty. Without predictable rules, they warned, Europe risks falling behind just as the technology begins to move out of the lab and toward real-world deployment.
From Scientific Breakthrough to Industrial Opportunity
Several lawmakers argued that fusion should no longer be viewed as a purely experimental technology. Bulgarian MEP Tsvetelina Penkova said it was time to shift perceptions and treat fusion as a genuine energy option rather than a distant research project.
German MEP Hildegard Bentele described fusion as Europe’s chance to turn decades of scientific leadership into industrial strength, while Belgian MEP Pascal Arimont called it a strategic opportunity to deliver clean, safe and reliable electricity. He said Europe’s goal should be to develop, finance and roll out fusion power within the bloc, rather than relying on progress elsewhere.
The declaration also urges the European Commission to give member states flexibility in shaping their own safety rules, licensing systems and approval processes for future fusion plants, while clearly separating fusion regulations from those governing traditional nuclear power.
Why Fusion Is Different From Nuclear Power Today
Fusion energy works by fusing small atomic nuclei, such as hydrogen, releasing huge amounts of energy—the same process that powers the sun. This is fundamentally different from nuclear fission, which generates energy by splitting large atoms and produces radioactive waste. While fission is already used in power plants, fusion promises cleaner and safer energy but is still under development.
Momentum picked up in 2022 when US scientists achieved a major milestone by producing more energy from a fusion reaction than was used to trigger it. In Europe, Germany has taken the lead, securing a €7 billion deal with energy company RWE to build a pilot fusion plant by 2035.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has pledged to support a clear regulatory framework for fusion at both national and European level, arguing that the technology could play a vital role in Europe’s future energy security.
