Nuclear energy, automobiles and climate. Berlin-Paris tensions cast shadow over EU summit

Relations between France and Germany have been tense for months, with differences casting a shadow over the summit of EU heads of state and government, which is being held on Thursday evening and continues on Friday.

These disputes center on the location of nuclear power in the fight against climate change and banning internal combustion engines in 2035.

The leaders of the 27 countries will discuss in Brussels the issue of Ukraine and ways to enhance the competitiveness of the European economy, according to the points officially on the agenda.

But recent disagreements — over cars and the nuclear sector — will impose themselves on the discussions, diplomats said.

Arriving at the meeting, Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel said: "Nuclear energy is not safe, fast, cheap and climate-friendly. With a European attribute added to it, it would be fraudulent to resort to it."

A bilateral meeting between France and Germany is expected on Friday morning, at a time when relations between the two European powers have been tense for months.

Protests and polls

It comes as French President Emmanuel Macron faces violent protests at home over pension reform, and as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz faces mixed opinion polls and divisions in his governing coalition.

Paris and Berlin fell out last week over the status of nuclear power in a European Commission's proposal on industrial policy.

France and about 10 other countries that rely on the technology want recognition for nuclear power as part of the means that will be subsidized to decarbonize the economy, contrary to the stance of Germany and other countries against nuclear power.

In the end, Paris got a reference to nuclear power in the plan, snatching a symbolic victory.

In practice, however, the sector will hardly benefit from any of the measures stipulated in the plan, such as accelerating project licensing procedures or financing facilities benefiting renewable energies.

There appears to be a looming battle to rewrite the text within the 27-member council and in the European Parliament.

Shock Partners

Cars also stand out among other points of contention. Germany shocked its partners in early March by blocking a key text of the EU's plan on carbon dioxide emissions from cars, which it had previously approved.

The text, which mandates 100% electric motors for new vehicles from 2035, was the subject of the October agreement between member states and European Parliament negotiators, and was formally approved in mid-February during a plenary session of the European Parliament.

To justify the change of position, Germany has asked the European Commission to submit a proposal that opens the way for vehicles running on synthetic fuels.

The technology, which is still under development, involves producing fuel from carbon dioxide from industrial activities through the use of low-carbon electricity. It could allow the use of internal combustion engines after 2035, while having the support of German and Italian manufacturers.

The European executive is leading complex discussions with Berlin to find a way out of the crisis. The idea is to refer in a separate text to how the EU can give a green light to industrial fuels, without calling carbon dioxide reduction targets into question.

"The question now is just finding the right way to implement this long-standing promise made by the Commission. If the discussions are understood correctly, they are on the right track."

Sharp criticism

The technology is facing sharp criticism from environmental organizations, who consider it expensive, energy-intensive and polluting.

A number of officials fear questioning the EU's measures, which could derail a number of other texts, notably the European climate plan, if other countries follow Germany's lead.

Latvian Prime Minister Kriganis Karinć said: "All European engineering for decision-making will collapse if we all behave like this."

A European diplomat said: "It is an internal matter of German policy that has reached Europe." "It is not good to intervene again in the debate, at a time when parliament and member states have reached an agreement. We can't run our business that way."

French Transport Minister Clément Bonne said: "We do not hope to reopen the subject. Nor do we hope to return to (discussing) the 2035 date."