European Atomic Forum

Table of contents

1 Background 1.1 Membership 1.2 Lobbyists 2 1999 2.1 An April Fool? 2.2 Two Year's Hard Campaigning Has Paid Off 3 2001 3.1 Vocal Minority of Activists Real Obstacle to Revival 4 2003 4.1 In Bed With the Climate Sceptics 5 2004 5.1 But We will Still Push Climate As an Issue 5.2 Know Your Enemy 5.3 But Don't Worry about the Environmental Argument 6 2005 6.1 Pleased with the Commmission 6.2 Nukes Will Save the Climate 6.3 But Do Avoid the "Crass-Exploitation" of Climate to Promote Nuclear 6.4 An "Essential" Part on the EU High-Level Group 7 2006 7.1 Time to Seize the Initiative 7.2 Clean, Green And Committed to Social Welfare 7.3 Anti-Nuclear Activists Are Luddites 7.4 Chernobyl Had a "Positive" Effect 7.5 No Link Between Civil Nukes and Military 8 2007 8.1 The Commission's "Carbon-Free" Semantics Could Suggest Regulatory Capture 8.2 A New Forum 9 External Links

Background

The European Atomic Forum (FORATOM) is the Brussels-based trade association for the nuclear energy industry in Europe. It says that its "main purpose is to promote the use of nuclear energy in Europe by representing the interests of this important and multi-faceted industrial sector."

FORATOM shares a Secretariat with the European Nuclear Society, (ENS) a federation of 26 nuclear organisations.

FORATOM’s Director-General Santiago San Antonio is also the Secretary General of ENS. ^{[1] (http://www.nuclearspin.org/index.php/European_Atomic_Forum#endnote_ceo)}

Membership

The membership of Foratom is made up of 17 national nuclear associations that are active right across Europe as well as the companies that they represent. Foratom represents EDF and Areva of France, RWE Group, Eon and EnBW of Germany, BNFL and British Energy in the UK, Electrabel in Belgium, Urenco (UK, Germany and the Netherlands), Axpo and Nordostschweizerischen Kraftwerke AG (NOK) in Switzerland, Endesa and Enusa in Spain, Vattenfall and TVO in the Nordic region, CEZ in the Czech Republic, Nuclearelectrica in Romania, and Slovenske Elektrarne in Slovakia. Documents released under the Freedom of Information Act show that BNFL's Annual Subscription for 2005 was Euros 226,187.50, paid through the Nuclear Industry Association. ^{[2] (http://www.nuclearspin.org/index.php/European_Atomic_Forum#endnote_for1) [3] (http://www.nuclearspin.org/index.php/European_Atomic_Forum#endnote_nia)}

Lobbyists

There is a cross-over of FORATOM's accredited lobbtists at the EU with that of the ENS:

• Caroline Ciuciu - Responsible for legal affairs and paid by Areva
• Hans Korteweg - the FORATOM Head of Cabinet and Institutional Affairs Manager is also a registered lobbyist for ENS.
• Guy Parker - Institutional Affairs Manager is also a registered lobbytist for ENS.
• Sami Tulonen - Institutional Affairs for Nuclear Generation
• Santiago San Antonio - the Director General of FORATOM and Secretary General of ENS. ^{[4] (http://www.nuclearspin.org/index.php/European_Atomic_Forum#endnote_ceo1)}

1999

An April Fool?

FORATOM public relations campaign for the European nuclear industry, was launched on 1st April 1999, having been initiated by the European Nuclear Council. Its main aim was to "contribute to improving public perception of nuclear energy" and "to act as an information clearinghouse for FORATOM's clients and target audiences", who included Members of the European Parliament, MEPs, the European Commission, and Brussels based media.

Other PR events organised by FORATOM that year included organising a trip to a nuclear power plant for MEPs and their assistants and, in conjunction with the International Nuclear Forum, strong participation at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Berlin in October / November that year.^{[5] (http://www.nuclearspin.org/index.php/European_Atomic_Forum#endnote_Karen)}

Two Year's Hard Campaigning Has Paid Off

Peter Haug, the then Secretary General of FORATOM later argued that at the "climate change conference in Bonn, nuclear was discriminated against due to ideological pressures".

"The Bonn conference may have discriminated against nuclear" argued Haug, "but the event itself gave the nuclear industry another excellent opportunity to highlight nuclear’s present and future role in meeting our future electricity needs while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. To that extent, the effort made by the industry during two years of hard campaigning was a worthwhile exercise. For the future, the environmental arguments for nuclear remain strong". ^{[6] (http://www.nuclearspin.org/index.php/European_Atomic_Forum#endnote_haug)}

2001

Vocal Minority of Activists Real Obstacle to Revival

Karen Daifuku, FORATOM's Communications Director, outlined the key Public Relations messages that it was using:

• Nuclear energy is a sustainable form of energy, which is competitive, environmentally friendly and contributes to meeting the targets of the Kyoto Protocol.
• Nuclear power plants currently operating and meeting international safety standards and safely operated do not pose undue hazards to the public.
• Radioactive waste is properly managed.
• Transportation of nuclear material is a technical issue and not a safety one.

She also suggested ways forward for the industry:

• The real obstacle to further development of nuclear power is... POLITICAL OPPOSITION guided by a vocal minority of activists NOT by NEGATIVE PUBLIC ATTITUDES"

Finally Daifuku outlined "What do we need to do better?"

• It is key to communicate to politicians - -- in view of the gap between public opinion and policies being developed by governments and elected officials
• Go to them, for they will not come to you.." ^{[7] (http://www.nuclearspin.org/index.php/European_Atomic_Forum#endnote_karen2)}

2003

In Bed With the Climate Sceptics

The ex-Secretary General of Foratom, Peter Haug is on the Board of Advisors of the International Council for Capital Formation, whose Managing Director Margo Thorning is one of the world's leading climate scientists and leading critic of the Kyoto Protocal. Other leading climate sceptics on the Advisory Board includ Gerd Weber ^{[8] (http://www.nuclearspin.org/index.php/European_Atomic_Forum#endnote_iccf1)}

In November 2003, Foratom and the ICCF co-organised a "Climate Change Seminar", hosted by Alejo Vidal-Quadras Roca, then Vice President of the European Parliament. Both Peter Haug and Margo Thorning spoke. Thorning attacked Kyoto. Her list of alternative strategies included "Expanding the role of nuclear energy". ^{[9] (http://www.nuclearspin.org/index.php/European_Atomic_Forum#endnote_iccf2)}

Nuclear advocate, Rolf Linkohr was also at the conference.

2004

But We will Still Push Climate As an Issue

In April 2004, Peter haug talked about FORATOM's "branding" of nuclear which was: “A secure and clean air energy you can rely on”.

"One of the main trends" he said is the "fact that the fear of climate change is now becoming stronger than the doubts about nuclear ... Nuclear is now clearly listed as a technological option for fighting climate change, even if it is excluded from the first phase of the Kyoto protocol". ^{[10] (http://www.nuclearspin.org/index.php/European_Atomic_Forum#endnote_haug2)}

Know Your Enemy

Foratom's first biannual European Nuclear Assembly was held in November 2004. Its subtitle, 'Nuclear energy: An essential option for Europe', centered around four panel debates:

• Nuclear energy: dawn of a new era.
• Nuclear is part of the answer to environmental questions.
• Nuclear: a persuasive economic option.
• Nuclear safety: a pan-European approach”.

Early on in the meeting, delegates were warned of the strength and calibre of the opposition. Terry Wynn, member of the European Parliament (MEP), pointed out: "Your opponents are good at using the media. You are less so." We are in a situation where the media "will print any anti-nuclear story, any press release that they get from the anti-nuclear lobby and take it as fact. And that's an area that we really do have to work upon."

"Continuing on the revered status of the Greens - in particular, Greenpeace - Wynn said: 'It's hard to dislike words like 'green' and 'peace'. When young people see them put together they really can identify with green and peaceful causes. But here we are - this very rich organisation, accountable to no-one, masters of propaganda, at stunts, at media manipulation. In fact, we really should congratulate them.'

"The battle is, however, not lost. 'Even if we are up against the likes of Greenpeace we can still win this argument, and we all know it. It's just about having the guts to try and do it," Wynn said. But the industry won't win using technical arguments. Politicians, after all, have difficulty understanding these: 'That's the first thing you've got to realise - trying to use a technical argument will not convince politicians'".

But Don't Worry about the Environmental Argument

MEP Giles Chichester told the meeting, "We're now muddling up again the environmental argument with the economic argument. But solve the economic argument and then you won't have to worry about the environmental argument." ^{[11] (http://www.nuclearspin.org/index.php/European_Atomic_Forum#endnote_conf)}

2005

Pleased with the Commmission

In March 2005, Dr Peter Haug wrote to Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs to thank him for participating in the joint workshop on "Nuclear Waste: Facts and Choices".

Haug wrote: "We were pleased to hear that the European Union intends to keep the choice of the nuclear option open for those Member States that want to generate or consume nuclear electricity and that the issue of radioactive waste is one of the priorities of your mandate. We fully agree with the idea that with 20-30 years of research into the management of fin al disposal of highly radioactive waste now available, the time is ripe to start implementing its findings". ^{[12] (http://www.nuclearspin.org/index.php/European_Atomic_Forum#endnote_haug3)}

Nukes Will Save the Climate

On 19 October 2005, FORATOM arganised a seminar entitled "Nuclear Energy: Meeting the challenge of climate change", at the European Parliament and hosted by Finnish MEP, Eija-Riitta Korhola. During the seminar, a cross-party group of twenty-five MEPs today signed a joint Declaration on climate change and nuclear energy:

We the undersigned declare that it is our shared conviction that nuclear energy should play an increasingly central role in the global fight against climate change and remain a pillar of the EU's energy and environmental policy planning. In a carbon-constrained 21st century threatened by an increasingly acute energy supply deficit, nuclear energy offers a secure, reliable, affordable and environmentally-friendly power supply. By helping the EU to meet its energy sustainability targets and by mitigating the effects of climate change, nuclear energy contributes to the achieving of EU economic and environmental objectives...."

The petition called upon EU's leaders to:

• "recognise the vital contribution made by the nuclear industry to reducing CO2 emissions;"

• "encourage more investment in zero or low carbon-intensive power generation technologies, including nuclear energy;"

• "recognise that meeting the climate change challenge will need a long-term global strategy, which should include an effective international emissions trading scheme;"

• "ensure that the use of JI (Joint Implementation) and CDM (Clean Development Mechanisms) does not exclude nuclear projects after 2012;"

• "encourage all economic actors, including China, India and the United States, to participate in and provide solutions for meeting the global climate change challenge."

Other MEPs to sign the petition included:

• Daniel Caspary, EPP-ED, Germany
• Lorenzo Cesa, EPP-ED, Italy
• Thierrry Cornillet, ALDE, France
• Pilar del Castillo Vera, EPP-ED, Spain
• Den Dover, EPP-ED, UK
• Petr Duchon, EPP-ED, Czech Republic
• Szabolcs Fazakas, PSE, Hungary
• Francoise Grossetete, EPP-ED, France
• Roger Helmer, EPP-ED, UK
• Edit Herczog, PSE, Hungary
• Romana Jordan Cizejl, EPP-ED, Slovenia
• Piia-Noora Kauppi, EPP-ED, Finland
• Eija-Riitta Korhola, EPP-ED, Finland
• Lasse Lehtinen, PSE, Finland
• Justas Vincas Paleckis, PSE, Lithuania
• Herbert Reul, EPP-ED, Germany
• Libor Roucek, PSE, Czech Republic
• Peter Stastny, EPP-ED, Slovakia
• Geoffrey Van Orden, EPP-ED, UK
• Ari Vatanen, EPP-ED, France
• Alejo Vidal-Quadros Roca, EPP-ED, Spain
• Oldrich Vlasak, EPP-ED, Czech Republic
• Terry Wynn^{[13] (http://www.nuclearspin.org/index.php/European_Atomic_Forum#endnote_dec)}

According to FORATOM "this initiative adds political weight to the shared conviction among an increasing number of MEPs, as well as national politicians, scientists and NGOs that nuclear energy can help the EU to meet its Kyoto Protocol CO2-reduction commitments and mitigate the effects of climate change." ^{[14] (http://www.nuclearspin.org/index.php/European_Atomic_Forum#endnote_for2)}

But Do Avoid the "Crass-Exploitation" of Climate to Promote Nuclear

Speakers included known climate sceptic, Chris Horner, the Director of External Relations, European Enterprise Institute, as well as from the Competitive Enterprise Institute and counsel to the Cooler Heads Coalition.

Horner told his audience that "Your always-besieged industry has shown relative restraint in avoiding crass exploitation of “climate” to promote a technology that on its merits should (and will) thrive. Please continue this restraint.."^{[15] (http://www.nuclearspin.org/index.php/European_Atomic_Forum#endnote_horner)}

An "Essential" Part on the EU High-Level Group

In December 2005, Peter Haug wrote to Enterprise Commissioner Gunter Verheugen on the setting up of an advisory forum, called a High-Level group, on Competitiveness, energy and environmental policy.

Haug wrote: "We believe to have developed good working relationships with all EU institutions. With regards to the Commission's new high-level group, we feel our industry has a great deal to contribute in he policy areas of energy and environment and, indirectly to competitiveness as well. FORATOM considers its interaction with the high-level group to be essential, especially at a political level." ^{[16] (http://www.nuclearspin.org/index.php/European_Atomic_Forum#endnote_high-level)}

2006

Time to Seize the Initiative

In March 2006, FORATOM hosted the second biannual pro-nuclear conference. It was being sold under the banner "Nuclear Energy: Riding the Winds of Change".

The conference literature argued that "Rising oil and gas prices are unsustainable. Climate change continues to threaten the environment. Energy demand continues to spiral. The current energy mix cannot adequately meet that demand, so the specter of power cuts and black-outs could return to haunt us. The scenario is a familiar one. The economic and environmental challenges remain the same. But the energy debate has a new sense of direction and impetus. Economists, scientists, politicians and environmentalists are increasingly recognizing that nuclear energy is the only major energy source that can provide a secure supply of affordable and environmentally-friendly electricity. The time is ripe for the nuclear community to seize the initiative".

The conference chairman was Mike Parker from BNFL. Other speakers included Giles Chichester MEP; Pierre Gadonneix, the chairman of EDF and Andris Piebalgs EU Commissioner for Energy.^{[17] (http://www.nuclearspin.org/index.php/European_Atomic_Forum#endnote_for3)} FORATOM wrote to Piebalgs to express its "delight", since "your participation is of the utmost importance". ^{[18] (http://www.nuclearspin.org/index.php/European_Atomic_Forum#endnote_import)}

Clean, Green And Committed to Social Welfare

In response to the Commission's Green Paper, FORATOM argued in its policy paper that nuclear could help curb CO2 emissions and it was "clean form of energy generation" committed to "promoting social welfare" ^{[19] (http://www.nuclearspin.org/index.php/European_Atomic_Forum#endnote_security)}

Anti-Nuclear Activists Are Luddites

In his speech, Giles Chicester dismissed those opposed to nuclear as "luddites". "There are people out there working very hard in the opposite direction to persuade the population at large that nuclear energy has nothing good about it, has much that is bad or dangerous and should, in an ideal world, be disinvented. I would characterise such people as luddites" said Chichester.

Chernobyl Had a "Positive" Effect

Chichester went on to argue that: ""Even that disaster the opponents love to mention, Chernobyl, has actually had a positive effect in providing a stimulus for ever greater attention to safety in Western reactors."

No Link Between Civil Nukes and Military

Chichester dismissed as "simplistic" the "argument of opponents" who linked "the peaceful use of nuclear energy with the military applications of fission and fusion technology". He said that "this played easily on peoples' understandable fears about the mushroom cloud of the bomb and the horrors of its effect on Hiroshima and Nagasaki". However, people had "come to accept that the physics and engineering of using nuclear fission to generate electricity is fundamentally different and safe". ^{[20] (http://www.nuclearspin.org/index.php/European_Atomic_Forum#endnote_chic)}

2007

The Commission's "Carbon-Free" Semantics Could Suggest Regulatory Capture

In January 2007, the European Commission's "Energy Policy for Europe" argued that “…nuclear energy is one of the largest sources of carbon dioxide (CO2) free energy in Europe".

Foratom "welcomed" the publication of the document, arguing it was "pleased with the recognition that it gives to the key contribution that nuclear energy makes to the achievement of the EU’s security of supply, climate change and competitiveness goals". It also stated that the document "clearly recognises the central role that nuclear energy will play in promoting low-carbon energy and competitiveness". ^{[21] (http://www.nuclearspin.org/index.php/European_Atomic_Forum#endnote_ec)}

However, for such an unambigously incorrect statement to be published by the Commission could reflect the level of nuclear lobbyting that preceeeded the publication of the document.

Pro-nuclear MEPs were aslo extremely happy. Giles Chicester, EPP member and Conservative industry spokesman said he supported "almost every element" of the document. ^{[22] (http://www.nuclearspin.org/index.php/European_Atomic_Forum#endnote_press)}

A New Forum

In response to the document, the nuclear industry proposed the establishment of a European Nuclear Forum. Foratom looked "forward to continued participation with the relevant European institutions in the debate over EU energy policy".^{[23] (http://www.nuclearspin.org/index.php/European_Atomic_Forum#endnote_ec2)}

External Links

European Atomic Forum website: http://www.foratom.org/

1. ^ Corporate Europe Observatory, Nuclear Power Grab? Corporate Lobbyists and MEPs Working in Tandem to Spin Nuclear Energy as Sustainable (http://www.corporateeurope.org/docs/NuclearPowerGrab.pdf), December, 2006
2. ^ Foratom Website (http://www.foratom.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13&Itemid=50)
3. ^ NIA, Invoice to BNFL, March 17, 2005,
4. ^ Corporate Europe Observatory, Nuclear Power Grab? Corporate Lobbyists and MEPs Working in Tandem to Spin Nuclear Energy as Sustainable (http://www.corporateeurope.org/docs/NuclearPowerGrab.pdf), December, 2006
5. ^ Karen Daifuku, Public Acceptance: Is it a Real Cause for Concern? (http://www.foratom.org/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_download&gid=134&Itemid=123) International Symposium on Nuclear Energy, SIEN ’99, Bucharest, October 15-16, 1999.
6. ^ Peter Haug, Nuclear Power: A Rational Energy Option for Europe (http://www.foratom.org/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_download&gid=120&Itemid=123), Power Europe 2002 Conference Workshop, ‘Examining the European Revival of Nuclear Power’, December 12, 2001
7. ^ Karen Daifuku, Nuclear Energy and Public Relations (http://www.foratom.org/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_download&gid=119&Itemid=123), Bulgaria, November 18-19, 2001
8. ^ International Council for Capital Formation, ICCF Website, Board of Advisors (http://www.iccfglobal.org/about/advisors.html)
9. ^ Margo Thorning, The Impact of Economic Models on Climate Change Policy: Contrasts Between the US and the EU (http://www.iccfglobal.org/ppt/Thorning.PPT), Climate Change Forum - Are we Ready For COP9?, European Parliament, November 26, 2003
10. ^ Peter Haug, European Nuclear Council Meeting (http://www.foratom.org/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_download&gid=1576&Itemid=123), Lingen, April 21, 2004
11. ^ Nuclear Engineering International, "Conference Report; The Debate Is Won", January 26, 2005
12. ^ Peter Haug, Letter to Andris Piebalgs (http://www.nuclearspin.org/images/6/67/Haug3.PDF), March 2, 2005.
13. ^ Declaration on Climate Change and Nuclear Energy, October 19, 2005.
14. ^ Foratom Website (http://www.foratom.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=111&Itemid=1)
15. ^ Christopher Horner, Climate Policy - Truth and Consequences - Kyoto, the EU, and “Post-2012” (http://www.foratom.be/ClimateChangeSem/Climate%20Change%20Seminar_Chris_Horner.ppt)
16. ^ Foratom Website (http://www.foratom.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=95&Itemid=1)
17. ^ Peter Haug, Letter to Gunter Verheugen (http://www.nuclearspin.org/images/8/8f/High-level2.PDF), December 2, 2005
18. ^ Santiago San Antonio, Letter to Commissioner Piebalgs (http://www.nuclearspin.org/images/f/f5/Import.PDF), September 8, 2006
19. FORATOM, Response to Energy Green Paper Consultation (http://www.nuclearspin.org/images/1/18/Energy_security.PDF), September
20. ^ Giles Chicester, Speech to European Nuclear Assembly (http://www.foratom.org/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_download&gid=1189&Itemid=123), March 28, 2005
21. ^ Foratom, FORATOM Welcomes Recognition that EU Energy Initiative Gives to Role of Nuclear Energy (http://www.foratom.org/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_download&gid=1902&Itemid=636), January 10, 2007.
22. ^ Martin Banks, "EU Energy Package Fails to Impress MEPs" (http://www.eupolitix.com/EN/News/200701/6c38a0c8-3f15-417a-80b4-c63edff376a8.htm), The Parliament.com, January 10, 2007.
23. ^ Foratom, FORATOM Welcomes Recognition that EU Energy Initiative Gives to Role of Nuclear Energy (http://www.foratom.org/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_download&gid=1902&Itemid=636), January 10, 2007.