6/7/2002
Brief
Philippe Busquin, the European commissioner for research, announced his preference for an "intelligent tax" on oil and tax incentives for the use of renewable energies. He also believes that the EU cannot meet its Kyoto treaty commitments without nuclear power. Of the 17.5 billion euros earmarked for the EU's sixth framework agreement on research, 1.7 will be devoted to nuclear power, particularly research on new-generation reactors, thermonuclear fusion, and waste management.