A4-0046/95

Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Decision laying down a series of guidelines on trans-European energy networks (COM(93)0685 - C3-0084/94 - 94/0009(COD))

The proposal was approved with the following amendments:

(Amendment 1)

Recital -1 (new)

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas energy cannot be regarded as being merely another commodity and must, therefore, be produced, distributed and used as rationally as possible, in the interests of sustainable development, without in any way hindering or holding back capacity to enhance the use of renewable energy resources in the regions concerned;

(Amendment 2)

Recital 1

>Original text>

Whereas the establishment and development of trans-European networks contribute towards attaining major objectives of the Community, such as completion of the internal market and the strengthening of economic and social cohesion;

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas the establishment and development of trans-European networks may contribute towards attaining major objectives of the Community, such as completion of the internal market and the strengthening of economic and social cohesion;

(Amendment 3)

Recital 1a (new)

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas, in order to complete the single market in energy, measures must be incorporated in a common energy strategy which specifies not only the main criteria and objectives of the European Union in this field but also, and in particular, the conditions for liberalisation of the market in energy products;

(Amendment 4)

Recital 3a (new)

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas the interconnection of transmission networks for electricity and natural gas with third countries must be carried out in accordance with the Treaty on the European Energy Charter;

(Amendment 5)

Recital 3b (new)

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas efforts must be made, in the planning, development and construction of the links currently missing from the trans-European networks for the transport of energy products, to ensure that these links are as short as possible and optimally sited, taking economic factors into account;

(Amendment 6)

Recital 6

>Original text>

Whereas the projects of common interest meet the said objectives and priorities; whereas only those projects should be considered which display potential economic viability; whereas, in this context, the concept of viability includes not only the financial profitability of the projects but also other considerations such as the reliability and security of energy supplies, the strengthening of economic and social cohesion and protection of the environment in the Community;

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas the projects of common interest shall meet the said objectives and priorities; whereas only those projects should be considered which display potential viability, taking into account economic, social and technical factors; whereas, in this context, the concept of viability includes not only the financial profitability of the projects but also other considerations such as the reliability and security of energy supplies, the strengthening of economic and social cohesion and protection of the environment in the Community;

(Amendment 7)

Article 3, first indent

>Original text>

- allowing effective operation of the internal market in general and of the internal energy market in particular,

>Text following EP vote>

- encouraging the rational production, distribution and utilization of energy resources and the enhancement of renewable resources,

(Amendment 8)

Article 3, third indent

>Original text>

- strengthening the security of the Community's energy supplies, including closer relations with non-Community countries in the energy field.

>Text following EP vote>

- strengthening the security of the Community's energy supplies, including closer relations with non-Community countries in the energy field, while adhering to the Treaty on the European Energy Charter.

(Amendment 9)

Article 3, third indent a (new)

>Text following EP vote>

- reducing energy supply costs, thereby rendering the European economy more competitive.

(Amendment 10)

Article 6(4)

>Original text>

4. Member States shall take all relevant measures at national, regional and local level to facilitate completion of projects of common interest. In particular the national authorization procedures shall be completed as rapidly as possible.

>Text following EP vote>

4. Member States shall take all relevant measures at national, regional and local level to facilitate completion of projects of common interest and minimize delays in the strict enforcement of Community law and international conventions on the environment. In particular the national authorization procedures shall be completed as rapidly as possible.

(Amendment 11)

Article 6(5)

>Original text>

5. Where parts of projects of common interest are situated on the territory of third countries, the Commission is to put forward adequate proposals, where appropriate, within the framework of the management of the agreements between the Community and those third countries, for the projects also to be recognized as of common interest reciprocally by the third countries concerned.

>Text following EP vote>

5. Where parts of projects of common interest are situated on the territory of third countries, the Commission is to put forward adequate proposals, where appropriate within the framework of the management of the agreements between the Community and those third countries and in accordance with the Treaty on the European Energy Charter, for the projects also to be recognized as of common interest reciprocally by the third countries concerned.

(Amendment 12)

Article 7

>Original text>

1. A committee composed of the representatives of the Member States and chaired by the representative of the Commission is hereby instituted.

>Text following EP vote>

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

>Original text>

Any application for amendment of the list of projects of common interest made by the Commission or a Member State shall be submitted by the Commission to this committee in accordance with the procedure laid down in paragraph 2.

>Original text>

2. 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.

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, 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.

>Text following EP vote>

The Commission representative shall submit to the committee and to the European Parliament a draft of the measures to be taken. The committee shall give its opinion on this draft within a period which the chairman may lay down according to the urgency of the matter, if necessary by taking a vote.

The opinion shall be recorded in the minutes; in addition, each Member State shall have the right to ask to have its position recorded in the minutes. The minutes shall be forwarded to the European Parliament.

The Commission shall take the utmost account of the opinion delivered by the committee and any observations of the European Parliament. It shall inform the committee and the European Parliament of the manner in which their opinions have been taken into account.

>Original text>

The Council, acting by a qualified majority, may take a different decision within the time limit referred to in the previous paragraph.

(Amendment 13)

Article 8, second paragraph (new)

>Text following EP vote>

The European Parliament shall be consulted on any revision of the priority projects in the annex.

(Amendment 14)

Annex (d)(13a) (new)

>Text following EP vote>

13a. Baltic ring: Germany, Poland, Russia (Kaliningrad enclave), Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden and Finland.

(Amendment 15)

Annex (e)(3)

>Original text>

3. Corsica and Sardinia

>Text following EP vote>

3. Corsica, Sardinia and the Italian peninsula.

(Amendment 16)

Annex (h)(3)

>Original text>

3. Norway - Denmark - Sweden: Scanpipe project

>Text following EP vote>

3. Norway - Denmark - Sweden - Finland - Baltic States: Co-Nordic and Baltic Gas Grid

Legislative resolution embodying Parliament's opinion on the proposal for a European Parliament and Council Decision laying down a series of guidelines on trans-European energy networks (COM(93)0685 - C3-0084/94 - 94/0009(COD))

(Codecision procedure: first reading)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council, COM(93)0685 - 94/0009(COD) ((OJ C 72, 10.3.1994, p. 10.)),

- having regard to Articles 189b(2) and 129d(1) of the EC Treaty, pursuant to which the Commission submitted the proposal to Parliament (C3-0084/94),

- having regard to Rule 58 of its Rules of Procedure,

- having regard to the report of the Committee on Research, Technological Development and Energy and the opinions of the Committee on Budgets, the Committee on Transport and Tourism and the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy (A4-0046/95),

1. Approves the Commission proposal, subject to Parliament's amendments;

2. Calls on the Commission to alter its proposal accordingly, pursuant to Article 189a(2) of the EC Treaty;

3. Calls on the Council to incorporate Parliament's amendments in the common position that it adopts in accordance with Article 189b(2) of the EC Treaty;

4. Should the Council intend to depart from the text approved by Parliament, calls on the Council to notify Parliament and requests that the conciliation procedure be initiated;

5. Points out that the Commission is required to submit to Parliament any modification it may intend to make to its proposal as amended by Parliament;

6. Instructs its President to forward this opinion to the Council and Commission.