EU fails to agree on nuclear stress tests

European Union energy ministers have failed to agree on binding criteria for testing the bloc's 143 nuclear power plants.

European Union energy ministers have failed to agree on binding criteria for testing the bloc's 143 nuclear power plants.

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Germany's economy and energy minister Rainer Bruederle, who attended Monday's emergency meeting, said that none of the ministers directly opposed such security checks, but that it was impossible to decide on binding requirements based on common criteria, since there was such disparity between the different power plants.

Bruederle said at a news conference that there will be a renewed push for strict tests at a summit of European Union leaders on Thursday and Friday.

He says common criteria are necessary since he is "not sure that everyone will proceed with the high demands that we are planning to use in Germany."