The decision to reduce the share of nuclear energy in the electricity production mix in the European Union was a strategic mistake given that the bloc is neither an oil or gas producer, EU Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen said on Tuesday (March 10).

"This reduction in the share of nuclear was a choice, I believe that it was a strategic mistake for Europe to turn its back on a reliable, affordable source of low-emissions power," she said in a speech at an event on nuclear energy held in Boulogne-Billancourt, near Paris.

The EU relied on nuclear for one third of its electricity in 1990 and now the share is only close to 15%, she said.

The European Union aims to stimulate the development of small nuclear reactors, to make Europe less dependent on imported fossil fuels, she added.

Von der Leyen announced a 200 million-euro ($233 million) guarantee by the EU to stimulate investments in the development of small modular reactors. The money would come from the EU's Emissions Trading System, she said.

"We want this new technology to be operational by the early 2030s," she said.

Von der Leyen said soaring energy prices caused by the war in the Middle East were a "stark reminder" of Europe's vulnerability as an importer of fossil fuels and underlined the importance of increasing power production from renewable sources and nuclear reactors.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

BOULOGNE-BILLANCOURT, FRANCE (MARCH 10, 2026) (FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTRY – Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT, URSULA VON DER LEYEN, WALKING ON TO STAGE FOR SPEECH AT NUCLEAR ENERGY SUMMIT

2. FRENCH PRESIDENT, EMMANUEL MACRON, IAEA DIRECTOR GENERAL, RAFAEL GROSSI, AND RWANDAN PRESIDENT, PAUL KAGAME, LISTENING

BOULOGNE-BILLANCOURT, FRANCE (MARCH 10, 2026) (AGENCY POOL – Access all)

3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT, URSULA VON DER LEYEN, SAYING:

“While in 1990, one-third of Europe's electricity came from nuclear, today it's only close to 15%. This reduction in the share of nuclear was a choice. And in hindsight, it was a strategic mistake for Europe to turn its back on a reliable, affordable source of low-emission power."

BOULOGNE-BILLANCOURT, FRANCE (MARCH 10, 2026) (FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTRY – Access all)

4. AUDIENCE LISTENING

BOULOGNE-BILLANCOURT, FRANCE (MARCH 10, 2026) (AGENCY POOL – Access all)

5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT, URSULA VON DER LEYEN, SAYING:

"But after years of declining investment, we need more to turn the tide. And this is why today we are presenting a new European strategy for small modular reactors as a commission. Our goal is very simple. We want this new technology to be operational in Europe by the early 2030s. So that it can play a key role alongside traditional nuclear reactors in a flexible, safe and efficient energy system."

BOULOGNE-BILLANCOURT, FRANCE (MARCH 10, 2026) (FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTRY – Access all)

6. VON DER LEYEN SPEAKING

BOULOGNE-BILLANCOURT, FRANCE (MARCH 10, 2026) (AGENCY POOL – Access all)

7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT, URSULA VON DER LEYEN, SAYING:

"We need to mobilise investment. And today, I can announce that we will create a 200 million-euro guarantee to support investment in innovative nuclear technologies. And the resources will come from our emission trading system. Not only will we de-risk investments in these low-carbon technologies, we also want to give a clear signal for other investors to join."

BOULOGNE-BILLANCOURT, FRANCE (MARCH 10, 2026) (FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTRY – Access all)

8. VON DER LEYEN SPEAKING

BOULOGNE-BILLANCOURT, FRANCE (MARCH 10, 2026) (AGENCY POOL – Access all)

9. (SOUNDBITE) (English) EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT, URSULA VON DER LEYEN, SAYING:

"Industrial competitiveness is increasingly determined by who can best produce, transport, store and use abundant and affordable electricity. Now, Europe is neither an oil nor a gas producer. For fossil fuels, we are completely dependent on expensive and volatile imports. They are putting us at a structural disadvantage to other regions. And the current Middle East crisis gives a stark reminder of the vulnerability it creates."

BOULOGNE-BILLANCOURT, FRANCE (MARCH 10, 2026) (FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTRY – Access all)

10. GROSSI, MACRON AND KAGAME LISTENING

BOULOGNE-BILLANCOURT, FRANCE (MARCH 10, 2026) (AGENCY POOL – Access all)

11. (SOUNDBITE) (English) EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT, URSULA VON DER LEYEN, SAYING:

"Obviously, the nuclear race is on. But we know that Europe has everything it needs to lead. We have half a million highly skilled workers in nuclear - far more than the United States and China, actually. We need global innovation in modular reactors. And now we have the ambition to move at speed and scale for Europe to be a global hub of next-generation nuclear energy."

BOULOGNE-BILLANCOURT, FRANCE (MARCH 10, 2026) (FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTRY – Access all)

12. VON DER LEYEN SPEAKING

BOULOGNE-BILLANCOURT, FRANCE (MARCH 10, 2026) (AGENCY POOL – Access all)

13. VON DER LEYEN LEAVING STAGE, WALKING BACK TO SEAT, APPLAUSE HEARD