OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoC71/9 20.3.92
ANNEX
EligibilityconditionsreferredtoinArticle3
1.TheprojectpresentedmustgeneratedirecteconomiceffectsintheCommunity .Ajointproject
involvingoneormoreMemberStatesoftheCommunityandoneormorethirdcountriesmayalsobe
submittedforconsiderationforadeclarationofEuropeaninterest.
2.Theprojectmustbeclearlydescribedanddefinedinallitsaspects(natureandcontentoftheproject,
objectivesandexpectedbenefits,participants,futureusers,populationsandlocalcommunities
concerned,location,timetableforimplementation ,technicalspecificationsandotherrelevantinfor­
mation).
3.Theprojectmusthavebeenthesubjectoftechnicalandeconomicfeasibilitystudies,showingthatitis
economicallysoundandviable,indicatingtheforeseeableobstaclestoitscompletion .Theresultsofsuch
studiesmustbeattachedtotheapplication .
4.Thestudiespresentedmustdemonstratetheviabilityoftheprojectandtheprofitabilityforprivate
investmentsparticipatingsignificantlyinitsrealization.Thedescriptionofthemechanismswhichshould
beputinplacetoensurethefinancingoftheprojectwillbecommunicated totheCommissionin
confidence .
5.Whererelevant,theprojectmusthavebeenthesubjectofanenvironmentalimpactstudy.
6.Theprocedureforimplementation envisagedmustbeconsistentwithCommunitypoliciesandlegis­
lation,andparticularlywiththepoliciesoncompetition ,liberalizationofpublicprocurement ,and
environment .
ProposalforaCouncilRegulation(EEC)introducingadeclarationofEuropeaninterestto
facilitatetheestablishmentoftrans-European networksintheelectricityandnaturalgasdomain
(92/C71/06)
COM(92)15final
(SubmittedbytheCommissionon24February1992)
Whereastherealizationofthefreemovementof
persons,goods,andservices,andthereinforcement of
theeconomicandsocialcohesionoftheCommunity
requirestrans-European networksforelectricityand
naturalgas;THECOUNCILOFTHEEUROPEAN COMMUNITIES ,
HavingregardtotheTreatyestablishingtheEuropean
EconomicCommunity ,andinparticularArticle235
thereof,
HavingregardtotheproposalfromtheCommission,
HavingregardtotheopinionoftheEuropean
Parliament ,
HavingregardtotheopinionoftheEconomicand
SocialCommittee,Whereasthefinancingrequirementsforsuchtrans­
Europeannetworksmeanthatallavailableresources,
andinparticularprivatecapital,mustbemobilized;
Whereas,ifsuchtrans-European networkprojectsareto
attractthenecessaryfinancialresources,thetechnical,

NoC71/10 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 20.3.92
Article2
AdeclarationofEuropeaninterestisanacknowl­
edgementthatimplementation oftheprojectcomes
withintheseriesofguidelinesestablishedbytheCouncil
coveringtheobjectives,prioritiesandthebroadlinesof
measuresinthesphereoftrans-European electricityand
naturalgastransmissionnetworks.
Thegrantofthisdeclarationshallnot,however,create
anyrighttofinancingatwhateverstageoftheproject
andinanyformwhatsoever,fromtheCommunityorthe
MemberStates.
Article3
InordertobeeligibleforadeclarationofEuropean
interest,projectsshallsatisfytheconditionssetoutinthe
Annexhereto.
Article4
ProjectsshallbesubmittedtotheCommission .legal,administrativeandpoliticalconditionsconducive
totheirimplementation mustexist;
Whereasadetermination bytheCommunityinstitutions
topromoteandfacilitatetheimplementationofprojects,
recognizedasbeingofEuropeaninterestandasbeing
economicallysound,islikelytofacilitatetheirfinancing
privately;
Whereassuchacommitmentcouldbeexpressedinthe
formofadeclarationofEuropeaninterest;
WhereasthisdeclarationshouldallowtheMember
Statestotaketheappropriatemeasuresforthereal­
izationoftheguidelinesestablishedbytheCouncil;
Whereasbeforesuchadeclarationisissuedallinterested
partiesshouldhavetheopportunitytomakeknowntheir
views;
Whereassuchadeclarationshouldnotcreatearightto
anyfinancingatanystageoftheprojectorinanyform
whatsoever,onthepartoftheCommunityorthe
MemberStates;
Whereasadeclarationshouldpermittheopeningupto
competitionoftherealizationoftheprojectswhile
ensuringtransparencyintheimplementation ofthe
guidelinesfortrans-European networksfortransmission
ofelectricityandnaturalgas;
Whereasadeclarationshouldbeattributedtoaproject
onthebasisofitsprofileandthereforeshouldnotsetits
sightsonaparticularpromoter;
WhereastheCommissionshouldreportondeclarations
ofEuropeaninterestissuedandtheirpracticalconse­
quences,sothattheeffectivenessoftheprocedure
introducedmaybeassessed;
WhereastheTreaty,foradoptionofthisRegulation,
doesnotprovidepowersotherthanthosecontainedin
Article235,
HASADOPTEDTHISREGULATION :
Article1
Inordertofacilitatetheemergenceandestablishmentof
thetrans-European networksnecessarytotheproper
functioningoftheareawithoutinternalfrontiersandto
thereinforcement oftheeconomicandsocialcohesion
oftheCommunity ,adeclarationofEuropeaninterest
maybegrantedtoparticularprojectsinvolvingelectricity
ornaturalgas.TheCommissionshallcarryoutapreliminaryassessment
ofconformitywiththeconditionslaiddown.
If,followingthisevaluation,theCommissionconsiders
thattheconditionshavebeensatisfied,itshallinvitethe
MemberStatestomakeknowntheirobservationswithin
-aspecifiedperiod.
TheCommissionshallalsopublishadescriptionofthe
project,itsmainfeaturesandastatementastoitseligi­
bilityforadeclarationofEuropeaninterestinthe
OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities,withaview
toallowingotherinterestedpartiestoexpresstheirviews.
Interestedpartiesshallhavethreemonthsfromthedate
ofpublicationwithinwhichtomakeknowntheir
opinionstotheCommission .
Article5
TheCommissionshallcarryoutadetailedassessmentof
theconformitytotheobjectivessetouttoensurethatthe
projectcorrespondswiththeobjectivesandprioritiesof
theMemberStateorMemberStatesconcerned,within
theframeworkoftheguidelinesreferredtoinArticle2.

NoC71/11 20.3.92 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities
TheCommissionshallgrantthedeclarationofEuropean
interestwithinsixmonthsofthedateofinvitationtothe
MemberStatestomakeknowntheirviews.Induly
justifiedcircumstancestheCommissionmayextendthis
period.Article7
TheCommissionshall,by31December1996,transmit
totheEuropeanParliamentandtheCouncilareport
assessingtheeffectivenessoftheprocedureintroduced
andaccompanied ,wherenecessary,byappropriate
proposals.
Article8
ThisRegulationshallenterintoforceon1January1993.
Itshallexpireon31December1997.
ThisRegulationshallbebindinginitsentiretyand
directlyapplicableinallMemberStates.Article6
TheCommission shallseetoitthattheinformation
obtainedintheframeworkofthisRegulationisused
withdueregardtotheprotectionoftheinterestsofall
thepartiesconcerned .
ANNEX
EligibilityconditionsreferredtoinArticle3
1.TheprojectmustgeneratedirecteconomiceffectsintheCommunity .Ajointprojectinvolvingoneor
moreMemberStatesoftheCommunityandoneormorethirdcountriesmayalsobesubmittedfor
considerationforadeclarationofEuropeaninterest.
2.Theprojectmustbeclearlydescribedanddefinedinallitsaspects(natureandcontentoftheproject,
objectivesandexpectedbenefits,participants,futureusers,populationsandlocalcommunities
concerned,location,timetableforimplementation ,technicalspecificationsandotherrelevantinfor­
mation).
3.Theprojectmusthavebeenthesubjectoftechnicalandeconomicfeasibilitystudies,showingthatitis
economicallysoundandviable,indicatingtheforeseeableobstaclestoitscompletion .Theresultsofsuch
studiesmustbeattachedtotheapplication .
4.Thestudiespresentedmustdemonstratetheviabilityoftheprojectandtheprofitabilityforprivate
investmentsparticipatingsignificantlyinitsrealization.Thedescriptionofthemechanismswhichshould
beputinplacetoensurethefinancingoftheprojectwillbecommunicated totheCommissionin
confidence .
5.Whererelevant,theprojectmusthavebeenthesubjectofanenvironmentalimpactstudy.
6.Theprocedureforimplementation mustbeconsistentwithCommunitypoliciesandlegislation,and,
particularly,thepoliciesoncompetition,liberalizationofpublicprocurement,andenvironment .