The minister without portfolio responsible for the design, construction and installation of the two new nuclear power plant units of Paks welcomes the decision of the General Court of the European Union, which confirmed the approval of the British nuclear power plant project following a three years long thorough investigation. Supporting the European Commission’s decision, Hungary intervened as a member state, therefore the decision of the Court means the acceptance of the Hungarian standpoint as well – can be read in János Süli’s message sent to MTI.

By dismissing Austria’s case, the General Court proved that nuclear energy has an important role in the European Union, retaining the principle, that every member state has the sovereign right to construct nuclear power plants which secure the electricity supply and protect the climate. The Court determined that the United Kingdom has the right to set the development of nuclear energy as a goal, even though not every member state follows this objective. Moreover the decision highlights: the weather-dependent renewables (e.g. wind energy) are not alternatives to nuclear energy, because of their uncertain, periodic availability.

Similar to the British standpoint, our country’s goal with the Paks II. project is to maintain the long-term capacities of the nuclear energy and contribute to the secure supply of electricity with the CO2 emission-free, always available, cheap electricity generating power plant. Based on the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union every member state has the right to determine its own energy mix, which is based on the differences of available natural resources. The Hungarian Parliament confirmed in every parliamentary cycle since 2009 that it agrees with the long-term maintenance of the nuclear energy as the cheap and safe electricity supply can be only secured for the Hungarian population and industry. 

Press Release of the General Court of the European Union in Hungarian:
https://curia.europa.eu/jcms/upload/docs/application/pdf/2018-07/cp180104hu.pdf