Lawmakers Call for Clear Rules to Unlock Investment
European lawmakers are urging the EU to take nuclear fusion seriously as a future energy source and to create a clear regulatory framework that can attract private investors. Members of the European People’s Party (EPP) made the case during a public hearing at the European Parliament, arguing that fusion energy has moved beyond pure research and now needs political backing to reach deployment.
In a declaration signed by several EPP MEPs, lawmakers said fusion has reached a turning point, with European industry and private capital increasingly aligned. What’s missing, they argue, is regulatory certainty. Given the massive costs involved in developing fusion technology, investors need predictable rules before committing funds.
A Strategic Opportunity for Europe
MEPs stressed that fusion energy could strengthen Europe’s competitiveness while providing a clean, safe, and reliable electricity source. Bulgarian MEP Tsvetelina Penkova said it was time to stop viewing fusion as a distant experiment. German lawmaker Hildegard Bentele described it as Europe’s chance to turn scientific leadership into industrial strength.
Belgian MEP Pascal Arimont echoed that sentiment, saying fusion is no longer a futuristic dream but a strategic opportunity that should be developed, financed, and implemented within Europe. The declaration calls on the European Commission to clarify the legal status of fusion and to distinguish it clearly from nuclear fission, while allowing member states flexibility on licensing, safety rules, and permitting.
Why Fusion Matters — and Where Europe Stands
Unlike nuclear fission, which splits large atoms and produces radioactive waste, fusion generates energy by combining small atoms like hydrogen, releasing vast amounts of power with far fewer long-term risks. It’s the same process that fuels the sun. While fusion is cleaner and safer, it has yet to be used for commercial electricity production.
Momentum is building, however. A major breakthrough came in 2022 when US scientists achieved fusion ignition for the first time, producing more energy than was used to trigger the reaction. In Europe, Germany is leading the charge, securing a €7 billion agreement with energy firm RWE to build a fusion pilot plant by 2035.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has pledged to develop a regulatory framework for fusion at both national and European levels, positioning the technology as a cornerstone of future energy security. The European Commission is expected to present its own fusion strategy soon, potentially setting the stage for fusion to move from the lab into Europe’s long-term energy mix.
