Euractiv.com with Reuters Est. 3min 26-06-2020 (updated: 06-07-2020 ) A combination of photos shows (L-R) the controlled demolition of a cooling tower at a decommissioned nuclear power plant in Philippsburg, Germany, 14 May 2020. [EPA-EFE/RONALD WITTEK] Euractiv is part of the Trust Project >>> Print Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram European Union countries agreed on Wednesday (24 June) that the bloc’s flagship fund to wean regions off fossil fuels should not finance nuclear or natural gas projects, despite calls from some Eastern countries for gas to be eligible for EU funding. The European Commission, the EU’s executive, wants to set up a €40 billion Just Transition Fund, comprised of €30 billion from an EU coronavirus recovery fund and €10 billion from its budget for 2021-27. The fund aims to encourage a shift from high-carbon industries that would help coal miners to retrain and find new low-carbon jobs, and support regions whose economies depend on polluting sectors to build new industries. Ambassadors from the EU’s 27 member states agreed on Wednesday that the Just Transition “shall not support the decommissioning or the construction of nuclear power stations” nor “investment related to the production, processing, distribution, storage or combustion of fossil fuels,” according to a document, published on Thursday (25 June). Here's full text of the decision on the Just Transition Fund, out yesterday. It excludes JTF funding for:– Decommissioning or construction of nuclear plants– Investments in production, processing, distribution, storage or combustion of fossil fuels 👉https://t.co/tfsxOeSGgP https://t.co/MCCmLHgAaz pic.twitter.com/95QOUY84wg — Frédéric Simon (@FredSimonEU) June 26, 2020 The position is in line with the Commission’s, making it likely that the final Just Transition Fund will exclude nuclear and gas. The proposal will be finalised following negotiations between member states, the Commission and EU Parliament, with the latter typically favouring ambitious climate change policies. With EU leaders still wrangling over the size and shape of the EU’s recovery fund and budget, member states held off agreeing a number for the size of the pot. While transition money is off the table, fossil gas projects could still seek support from other parts of the EU budget and coronavirus recovery funds – so long as those projects “do no harm” to the bloc’s emissions-cutting goals. Eight eastern countries last month urged the EU to include natural gas projects in future funding, which they say they need to shift away from coal power. Natural gas produces about half as much CO2 as coal when burned in power plants, but gas production is associated with leaks of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Climate campaigners say new gas plants could stand for decades, threatening the EU’s aim to cut its net emissions to zero by 2050. EXCLUSIVE: Eight EU states back 'natural gas' in net-zero transition A group of eight EU countries from the Balkans and the east have joined forces to defend the “role of natural gas in a climate-neutral Europe”. Read more with Euractiv EU's Borrell says Turkish gas drills off Cyprus 'must stop'European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Thursday (25 June) that "illegal" Turkish drilling for gas off the divided island of Cyprus "must stop", as he met Cypriot officials in Nicosia. Subscribe now to our newsletter EU Elections Decoded Email Address * Politics Newsletters