The Netherlands is to sell its stake in Urenco, the uranium-enriching company owned by the Dutch and British governments and German energy companies.

However, the sale can only take place when nuclear safety, non-proliferation and assured delivery have been guaranteed, the finance ministry said in a statement.

The German firms and British government have already said they want to sell their shares. All three shareholders hold one third of the company.

‘An eventual sale by the two other shareholders would probably mean private companies taking the lead and the public sector losing its majority,’ the statement said. ‘The cabinet considers this position to be undesirable.’

The statement does not indicate how much the sale may generate but experts have said the company could be worth as much as €10bn. The proceeds of any eventual sale will be used to pay off the national debt.