The UK must be able to operate as an "independent and responsible nuclear state" as soon as it leaves the European Union in March 2019, the government has said in its response to a parliamentary report about the impact of Brexit on the country's nuclear industry.

A "substantial" increase in the level of European Union funding for future Euratom research programmes is required if the EU is to maintain its share of nuclear electricity, according to Foratom, the European nuclear trade body.

The revision of the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) for its next phase (2021-2030) was approved by the Council of the European Union yesterday. Foratom, the European nuclear trade body, welcomed the reform but said more must be done to decarbonise Europe's economy.

The UK's Office for Nuclear Regulation is looking for suppliers to deliver a solution to provide a Safeguards Information Management and Reporting System. The is being advertised via the government's Digital Marketplace.

Austria has launched a lawsuit against the European Commission for its approval of Hungarian state subsidies for the construction of two new reactors at the Paks nuclear power plant.

EDF expects its profit to bounce back this year thanks to higher power prices and increased availability of its French nuclear units following prolonged stoppages for safety inspections in 2017.

Richard Harrington, parliamentary under-secretary of state at the UK's Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, has given notice of the department's intention to seek an advance from the Contingencies Fund to provide financial cover to the Office for Nuclear Regulation.

The nuclear power industry presents "particular challenges" in the context of Brexit, the House of Lords EU Energy and Environment Sub-Committee says in a report published today.

Austria plans to sue the European Commission for allowing Hungary to expand its Paks nuclear power plant, Austrian Sustainability Minister Elisabeth Köstinger said yesterday. In a statement by the Federal Ministry of Sustainability and Tourism, Köstinger said: "It is a wrong signal if the European Commission classifies subsidies for the construction of nuclear power plants as harmless to energy policy."

The UK government has published initial pre-consultation draft versions of the Nuclear Safeguards Regulations to enable early engagement with Parliament, industry and other stakeholders. The draft regulations, which the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy published on 19 January, set out the nuclear safeguards regime for the UK and the powers of the BEIS secretary of state to make regulations under the Nuclear Safeguards Bill.

The UK government aims to maintain as many of the benefits the country has enjoyed from its membership of the European Atomic Energy Community since joining the EU and Euratom in 1973 through a "close and effective association" in the future, Greg Clark, secretary of state for business, energy and industrial strategy told Parliament yesterday. The UK will exit Euratom at the same time as withdrawing from the EU, on 29 March 2019.

The UK's Office for Nuclear Regulation has clarified two points in the impact assessment of the Nuclear Safeguards Bill published last month by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. The clarifications are "part of our ongoing constructive engagement" with BEIS to develop a domestic safeguards regime as part of the UK's exit from the European Atomic Energy Community, the ONR said.