B4-0611/95

Resolution on the Thermie II programme

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the proposal of 13 April 1994 for a Council Regulation concerning a Community programme providing financial support for the promotion of European energy technology 1995-1998 ('Thermie II') ((OJ C 158, 9.6.1994, p. 6.)),

- having regard to its opinion of 15 November 1994 on this proposal ((OJ C 341, 5.12.1994, p. 48.)),

- having regard to its resolution of 15 December 1994 on the draft general budget of the European Communities for the financial year 1995 ((Minutes of that Sitting, Part II, Item 1.)), in particular paragraph 24 thereof,

- having regard to the amended Commission proposal (COM(94)0654), which takes Parliament's amendments into account in broad measure,

A. whereas the appropriations for 'demonstration' under the 'non-nuclear energies¨ specific research programme in the Fourth Framework Programme have been reduced considerably in real terms (by some 25%) compared with the previous corresponding period,

B. whereas it will not be possible to fund a substantial part of the old Thermie programme - projects closest to the market - within the Fourth Framework Programme as the latter is confined to research and technological development and technical demonstration,

C. whereas, although research into non-nuclear energy technologies is essential, one of the acknowledged weaknesses of the Member States of the Community, pointed out in the Commission's White Paper on growth, competitiveness and employment, is the failure to translate adequately the results of research into industrial successes,

D. whereas, in their mid-term review of the Thermie programme (1990-1994), the experts took the view that, although it was an undeniable success in technical terms, more should be done to ensure market penetration of the technologies demonstrated,

E. whereas it is only by promoting practical projects, based on research, that pollution can be effectively reduced,

F. whereas this type of project is of particular interest to less-developed regions and to small and medium-sized businesses,

G. whereas research, technological development, technical demonstration, economic viability and exploitation of the industrial potential of research findings form a whole and must be considered in policy terms, within a coherent and overall framework,

H. whereas it has always regarded it as essential for the Community to have a balanced energy policy; whereas, in this context, the effort to promote non- nuclear energies and renewable energies is of particular importance,

I. pointing out in particular that if Thermie II is not adopted, the 15 EC-energy centres which are responsible for promoting innovative energy technologies within the framework of industrial cooperation with the countries of Central and Eastern Europe in the energy field are at risk of being closed down,

J. recalling in this context that, in its resolution of 16 March 1995 on the Mochovce nuclear power plant ((Minutes of that sitting, part II, item 16.)) it called on the Commission to submit to it an energy development plan for Central Europe, aimed at diversifying electricity production sources, efficient energy use and reducing dependence on nuclear energy,

K. whereas, rather than closing down the energy centres, the Commission should, on the contrary, consider establishing further energy centres in Latin America, the Maghreb countries, China and, more generally, in the developing countries, which could be done through Thermie II,

L. whereas, in the conciliation procedure leading up to codecision on the Fourth Framework Programme, it explicitly made its approval of the framework programme conditional upon submission by the Commission of a Thermie II programme, devoted to economic demonstration and the dissemination of results,

M. whereas the Commission immediately acted upon Parliament's request,

N. whereas the funding allocated to heading 3 of the financial perspective is subject to excessive constraints; whereas these constraints impact severely on the promotion of energy saving and alternative energies,

O. whereas the Council, at its second reading of the 1995 budget, entered an amount of ECU 30 m for Thermie II, an amount corresponding to that entered by the Commission in its preliminary draft and which now appears in the 1995 budget,

P. whereas the Council has so far failed to make any significant progress in its consideration of the Thermie II programme,

1. Points out that the Thermie II programme will help to shape and balance Community energy policy, reduce pollution, and promote the industrial development of less prosperous regions, the activities of SMEs, and the development of innovative energy technologies in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean area and the developing countries;

2. Calls in particular for Thermie II to develop an energy partnership:

- between the European Union and Central and Eastern Europe by ensuring that the 15 EC-energy centres established there continue on a permanent basis;

- between the European Union and China, Latin America, the Mediterranean area and other developing countries, by envisaging the funding of new energy centres there;

3. Confirms the position it adopted at the time of codecision on the Fourth Framework Programme, i.e. establishing a direct link between research programmes and Thermie II, in order to stress the need for the Community to promote market penetration of new technologies in the fields of energy saving, renewable energies and clean combustion;

4. Takes the view that research, demonstration of technical feasibility, demonstration of economic viability and dissemination of results are all essential elements of a global approach to non-nuclear energies and that to remove one of these links would be damaging to the policy as a whole;

5. Looks therefore to the Council to recognize the need for a Thermie II programme to continue and step up the overall Community effort in favour of technical and economic demonstration and the dissemination of new technologies in the field of non-nuclear energies, in accordance with the position it has consistently upheld and in line with the Community's international commitments;

6. Calls on the Commission, pending the adoption of Thermie II, to take forthwith the necessary steps to implement the appropriations provided for this programme under heading B4-1000 of the 1995 budget;

7. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission and the Council.