A4-0143/98

Decision on the common position adopted by the Council with a view to adopting a Council Decision concerning a multiannual programme for the promotion of renewable energy sources in the Community (Altener II) (C4-0032/98 - 97/0106(SYN))(Cooperation procedure: second reading)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the common position of the Council, C4-0032/98 - 97/0106(SYN),

- having regard to its opinion at first reading ((OJ C 358, 24.11.1997, p. 30.)) on the Commission proposal to the Council COM(97)0087 ((OJ C 192, 24.6.1997, p. 16.)),

- having been consulted by the Council pursuant to Article 189c and Article 130s(1) of the EC Treaty,

- having regard to Rule 67 of its Rules of Procedure,

- having regard to the recommendation for second reading of the Committee on Research, Technological Development and Energy (A4-0143/98),

1. Amends the common position as follows;

2. Instructs its President to forward this decision to the Council and Commission.

(Amendment 1)

Recital 11a (new)

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(11a) Whereas renewable energy sources should account for a reasonable percentage of the European internal energy market;

(Amendment 2)

Recital 18a (new)

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(18a) Whereas only the free and large-scale development of renewable energy sources will make it possible fully to exploit their potential and allow investors and states to reap genuine economic benefits while creating quality employment on a large scale;

(Amendment 3)

Recital 18b (new)

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(18b) Whereas, in order to stabilize total CO2 emissions, it would be better, rather than introducing a new tax, to devise a method of calculation that would make it possible to evaluate and include in the tariffs the various indirect costs not previously taken into account in the calculation (impact on health, environment, etc.), so as to make renewable energies more competitive;

(Amendment 5)

Recital 26

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(26) Whereas a financial reference amount within the meaning of point 2 of the Declaration by the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission of 6 March 1995(1) is included in this Decision for the entire duration of the programme, without thereby affecting the powers of the budgetary authority as they are defined by the Treaty;

(1) OJ C 293, 8.11.1995, p.4.

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Deleted

(Amendment 6)

Article 1(1), third subparagraph

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These two specific objectives shall contribute to achieving the following overall Community objectives - complementing those of the Member States - and priorities: the limitation of CO2 emissions, increasing the share of renewable energy sources in the energy balance, reduction in energy import dependence, security of energy supply, promotion of employment, economic development, economic and social cohesion and regional and local development, including the strengthening of the economic potential of remote and peripheral regions..

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These two specific objectives shall contribute to achieving the following overall Community objectives - complementing those of the Member States - and priorities: the limitation of CO2 emissions,

improving the energy balance with a view to achieving the objective of replacing at least the equivalent of 15% of primary energy demand by the year 2010 in the European Union, reduction in energy import dependence, security of energy supply, promotion of employment, economic development, economic and social cohesion and regional and local development, including the strengthening of the economic potential of remote and peripheral regions, combating the rapid depletion of energy raw materials, creating new jobs, promoting European industry and technology and preserving energy resources in general.

(Amendment 7)

Article 1(1), subparagraph 3a (new)

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With a view to achieving Community objectives, the measures are not confined to increasing the t.o.e. of renewable energies in absolute terms but are also aimed at using renewables actually to replace conventional energy sources.

(Amendment 8)

Article 1(3)

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3. The financial reference amount for the implementation of the programme shall be ECU 22 million. The annual appropriations for the implementation of the programme shall be authorized by the budgetary authority within the limits of the financial perspectives.

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3.

The appropriations available for each individual financial year for the implementation of the programme shall be authorized by the budgetary authority within the limits of the financial perspectives. The level of funding shall be based on the objective laid down in the Commission's White Paper for a Community Strategy and Action Plan, 'Energy for the future: Renewable sources of energy', and on the goal of making a significant contribution to the objective of reducing CO2 emissions by 15% by the year 2010 (as compared with 1990).

(Amendment 9)

Article 2(e), introduction and first 3 indents

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(e) monitoring and evaluation actions intended to:

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(e)

actions intended to:

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- monitor the implementation of the Community strategy and action plan for the development of renewable energy sources;

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- monitor the implementation of the Community strategy and action plan for the development of renewable energy sources;

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- support initiatives taken in implementing the Action Plan, particularly with a view to promoting better coordination and greater synergy between actions, including all Community funded activities and those funded by other bodies such as the European Investment Bank,

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- support initiatives taken in implementing the Action Plan, particularly with a view to promoting better coordination and greater synergy between actions, including all Community funded activities and those funded by other bodies such as the European Investment Bank,

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- monitor the progress achieved by the Community and comment on that achieved by the Member States with regard to the development of renewable energy sources,

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- monitor the progress achieved by the Community and its Member States with regard to the development of renewable energy sources, particularly as regards taxation, tariffs, facilitating the sale of these energy sources and access to distribution networks, streamlining of administrative procedures, and other incentives or obstacles to their development deriving from the rules or practices in force in the Member States,

(Amendment 10)

Article 5

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The Commission shall be assisted by a committee composed of representatives of the Member States and chaired by the representative of the Commission.

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The Commission shall be assisted by

an advisory committee composed of representatives of the Member States and chaired by the representative of the Commission.

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The representative of the Commission shall submit to the committee a draft of the measures to be taken. The committee shall deliver its opinion on the draft, within a time-limit which the chairman may lay down according to the urgency of the matter. The opinion shall be delivered by the majority laid down in Article 148(2) of the Treaty in the case of decisions which the Council is required to adopt on a proposal from the Commission. The votes of the representatives of the Member States within the committee shall be weighted in the manner set out in that Article. The chairman shall not vote.

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The representative of the Commission shall submit to the committee a draft of the measures to be taken. The committee shall deliver its opinion on the draft, within a

reasonable consultation period which the chairman may lay down according to the urgency of the matter, if necessary by taking a vote.

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The Commission shall adopt measures which shall apply immediately. However, if these measures are not in accordance with the opinion of the committee, they shall be communicated by the Commission to the Council forthwith. In that event:

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The opinion shall be recorded in the minutes: in addition each Member States shall have the right to ask to have its position recorded in the minutes.

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(a) the Commission may defer application of the measures which it has decided for a period of not more than one month from the date of such communication;

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The Commission shall take the utmost account of the opinion delivered by the committee. It shall inform the committee of the manner in which its opinion has been taken into account.

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(b) the Council, acting by a qualified majority, may take a different decision within the time-limit referred to in point (a).

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