Germany, France agree to settle long-running dispute over nuclear energy

Germany and France seem to have reached a breakthrough in their long-standing dispute over nuclear energy, as senior ministers from both nations convened in the southern French port city of Toulon for joint consultations.

Under a newly established framework agreement, both sides agreed to pursue a unified stance at the European level to ensure equal treatment of low-emission energy sources, including nuclear power, as reported by Politico.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz and several top ministers travelled to France for talks with their French counterparts on August 29 as part of the 25th Franco-German Council of Ministers.

Despite following divergent energy strategies — with Paris actively expanding nuclear capacity while Berlin has phased out nuclear power plants — the two neighbours now plan to avoid obstructing each other’s policies and instead pledge mutual support.

According to a press release cited by the article, the new "economic agenda" — covering defence, industrial, and digital policy — "seeks to reconcile policy differences and promote joint initiatives that can serve as a model for broader EU collaboration."

As part of the deal, Germany will drop its objections to France’s reliance on nuclear energy within the framework of European legislation. Paris, in turn, is pushing for EU funding to support research into advanced, smaller nuclear reactors.

Meanwhile, the German government has obtained French backing for the development of hydrogen links to southwestern Europe and for greater integration of electricity grids between both nations.

By Nazrin Sadigova