The Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, Stéphane Séjourné, sent a letter to the Czech Minister of Industry, Lukas Vlcek, on 2 May, urging him to put on hold the signing of a contract for two nuclear reactors with the South Korean company KHNP, in the spirit of good cooperation with the European Commission. This transaction is in the sights of the European Commission because of the financing received by the South Korean supplier, which falls within the scope of the regulation against the distortion of competition caused by foreign subsidies (FSR).
An investigation has not been formally opened at this stage, but the European Commission sent a request for information in February to the Czech energy company CEZ, which is installing the plant, and to the Korean company KHNP. This process could lead to an investigation in the coming weeks.
CEZ did not respond to the request for information, said the European Commission’s spokesperson, Thomas Régnier, on Monday 12 May.
While the contract was due to be signed on 7 May, Stéphane Séjourné asked the Czech minister not to sign until the European Commission had made its decision.
At the same time, a Czech court, seized by the French company EDF, blocked the signing of the contract between the Czech company CEZ and the South Korean company KHNP, while the courts gave their verdict.
In a statement issued on Monday 12 May, Elektrárna Dukovany, of which CEZ is a member, said that the lawsuit and the appeal to the European Commission were the result of “speculation by the unsuccessful bidder”. (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)