24. 3. 80 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities No C 72/17 
Opinion  on the energy  objectives  of the Community  for 1990  and convergence  of policies  of 
Member  States 
The text referred  to the Committee  has not yet been  published  in the Official  Journal  of 
the European  Communities. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 28 June  1979  the Council  referred  the abovementioned  proposal  to the Economic 
and Social  Committee  in accordance  with  Article  198 of the Treaty  establishing  the Eu-
ropean  Economic  Community. 
B. OPINION  OF THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE 
The Economic  and  Social  Committee  prepared  its opinion  on the above  matter  at its 
173rd  plenary  session  held  in Brussels  on 21 November  1979. 
The full  text of the opinion  is as follows: 
THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE, 
Having  regard  to the Treaty  establishing  the Euro-
pean  Economic  Community,  and  in particular 
Article  198  thereof, 
Having  regard  to the request  made  by the Council  of 
the European  Communities  on 28 June  1979  for an 
opinion, 
Having  regard  to the decision  taken  by its Bureau  on 
16 July  1979,  instructing  the Section  for Energy  and 
Nuclear  Questions  to draw  up an opinion  on the 
matter, 
Having  regard  to the opinion  issued  by the Section 
for Energy  and  Nuclear  Questions  at its meeting  on 
7 November  1979, 
Having  regard  to the discussion  at the 173rd  Plenary 
Session  of 21 November  1979, 
Having  regard  to the oral  report  made  by the Rap-
porteur,  Mr Margot,  at that  meeting, 
HAS  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING  OPINION, 
with four  votes  against  and  one  abstention: 
1. General  comments 
1.1. The  Commission's  communication  follows  qn 
from  its communication  concerning  energy  objec-
tives  for 1990  and programmes  of the Member  States, 
on which  the Committee  issued  an own-initiative 
opinion  at its 168th  Plenary  Session  on 23 May 
1979(0-
(') OJ No C 227,  10.9.  1979,  p. 6. 1.2. At  the request  of the European  Council,  which 
has emphasized  the need  for Member  States'  energy 
policies  to be aligned,  the Commission  has undertak-
en a comparative  study  of national  policies  with  the 
intention  of using  this  as a basis  for new  guidelines 
and proposals. 
1.3. The  first  part  of the Commission's  new  commu-
nication  sets out the conclusions  it has drawn  from  its 
study  of the convergence  of Member  States'  energy 
policies.  The  second  part  sets  out  its proposals 
regarding  common  objectives  for 1990;  these  are the 
subject  of a draft  resolution. 
1.4. The  Commission's  study  shows  that  while  in 
principle  there  is broad  agreement  in principle 
among  the Member  States  on the objectives  to be pur-
sued,  in practice  there  are often  major  differences,  in 
particular  over: 
— the scale  and intensiveness  of energy-saving  pro-
grammes, 
— the frequently  insufficient  use of coal  and nuclear 
energy  for generating  electricity, 
— pricing  policies,  which  do not always  ensure  that 
consumer  prices  reflect  the long-term  trend  in 
supply  costs. 
1.5. When  the forecasts  for 1990  are added  up the 
result  would  not  seem  to be compatible  with  an 
imperative  need  to limit  oil imports. 
1.6. The  Section  is pleased  to note  that,  in view  of 
the need  for joint  efforts  to achieve  the proposed  ob-
jectives,  the Commission  is adopting  a critical  ap-
proach  to Member  States'  policies  and is putting  for-
ward  a draft  resolution  which  not only  affirms  these 
objectives  but also  proposes  'convergent  actions  by 
No C 72/18 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 24. 3. 80 
the Member  States  and actions  by the Community'  to 
attain  them. 
1.7. The  Committee  endorses  this draft  resolution, 
which  is in line  with  the opinion  issued  by the Com-
mittee  on 23 May  1979;  it would,  however,  make  the 
following  specific  comments  on the Commission's 
communication  for a more  explicit  statement  of its 
views. 
1.8. The  Committee  would  particularly  emphasize 
the threatening  instability  on the oil market.  It feels 
that the public  should  be better  informed  about  the 
possible  implications  of this  instability,  so that  it is 
better  prepared  for the rigorous  measures  that  may 
have  to be taken.  The Committee  also  feels  that mea-
sures  to reduce  the Community's  dependence  on out-
side supplies  should  be speeded  up as far as possible, 
and that  the scope  for strengthening  these  measures 
should  be examined  as a matter  of urgency. 
2. Specific  comments 
2.1. Convergence  of policies  of Member  States 
2.1.1.  The  Committee  proposes  to deal  in further 
opinions  with  the specific  problems  which  the Com-
mission  has or will  set out in separate  documents  on 
energy-saving  0) and  the production,  consumption 
and import  of coal. 
2.1.2.  As  far as limiting  dependence  on imported  oil 
is concerned,  the Commission  points  out that  all the 
Member  States,  with  the exception  of Denmark  and 
the United  Kingdom,  expect  their  oil imports  to in-
crease  between  now  and  1990,  despite  the proposed 
objectives.  The Commission  does,  however,  note  that 
the proportion  of oil imports  in gross  consumption  is 
diminishing  everywhere  except  in Belgium,  where  it 
is expected  to remain  at the 1977  level,  and  the 
Netherlands,  where  it is expected  to increase  from 
47% in 1977  to 58%  in 1990. 
2.1.2.1.  The  Committee  considers  that  any  assess-
ment  of these  forecasts  must  take  account  of the in-
crease  in domestic  oil production  by the United 
Kingdom  and  of the anticipated  decrease  in natural 
gas production  in the Netherlands.  It has also  be-
come  evident  recently  that the Community's  depend-
ence on oil could  be somewhat  less than  forecast  in 
the Commission's  communication  of June.  Neverthe-
less, the Committee  endorses  the view  that  all the 
Member  States  must  try to reduce  this dependence  on 
oil. 
2.1.3.  On  the subject  of energy-savingprogrammes, 
the Commission  states  that  Belgium,  Luxembourg, 
Italy and Ireland  have  not made  as much  progress  as 
the other  Member  States. 
(1) OJ No C 208,  18. 8. 1979,  p. 4. 2.1.3.1.  The  Committee  thinks  however,  that  the 
Commission  should  keep  a regular  check  on whether 
the programmes  announced  by the Member  States 
are actually  being  carried  out and what  effect  they  are 
having.  If the government  of a Member  State  were  to 
fail to act it could  be spurred  into  action  by the publi-
cation  of the Commission's  findings  in suitable  form 
and by other  measures;  the specific  problems  of the 
country  in question  would,  however,  have  to be taken 
into consideration. 
2.1.4.  The  Committee  has noted  the efforts  made  by 
Member  States  regarding  the use of solid  fuels  in 
power  stations.  It emphasizes  the need  for a sustained 
effort  to achieve  the proposed  objective  and  to re-
duce  substantially  the use of oil in generating  elec-
tricity  ; appropriate  measures  to protect  the environ-
ment  must  not of course  be lost sight  of here. 
2.1.5.  The  Commission  notes  a considerable  diver-
gence  in the policies  pursued  in respect  of nuclear  en-
ergy programmes.  The  Committee  would  draw  atten-
tion to the comments  made  in its opinion  of 23 May 
on the implementation  of nuclear  power  station  con-
struction  programmes,  problems  in the storage  and 
treatment  of radioactive  waste,  Community  mea-
sures  for the safe  use of nuclear  energy  and keeping 
public  opinion  objectively  informed. 
2.1.5.1.  The  Committee  considers  that  here  too 
there  should  be greater  convergence  of policies;  this 
means  that  countries  such  as Denmark  and  the Ne-
therlands,  which  have  not planned  any  investments 
for 1990,  may  have  to implement  their  medium-term 
programmes  more  quickly  — in so far as this is possi-
ble and  necessary  in their  specific  situation  — than 
countries  such  as Belgium  which  have  already  made 
considerable  efforts. 
2.1.6.  As  far as the development  of domestic  energy 
sources  is concerned,  the Committee  endorses  the 
view  that  the convergence  of national  actions  is in-
herently  limited  by the existence  and nature  of such 
sources.  The  Committee  considers  that  all the Mem-
ber States  must  make  a special  effort  to explore  for 
and exploit  their  own  energy  sources  and in particu-
lar must  take  legislative  and administrative  measures 
to remove  impediments  to finding  and exploiting  hy-
drocarbon  resources.  The Committee  regrets  that the 
Council  has not yet approved  the Commission's  pro-
posal  concerning  support  for hydrocarbon  explora-
tion^). 
2.1.7.  The  Committee  also  regrets  that the Commis-
sion's  proposals  for Community  measures  to pro-
mote  the production  and use of coal{3)  (4) (5) have  still 
(2) OJ No C 108,  15.5.  1975,  p. 55. 
(3) OJ No C 114,  11.5.  1977,  p. 24. 
(4) OJ No C 180,  28.7.  1977,  p. 31. 
(5) OJ No C 133,  28.5.  1979,  p. 19. 
24. 3. 80 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities No C 72/19 
not been  approved  by the Council.  The  Committee 
feels  that urgent  action  should  be taken  here. 
2.1.8.  Nor  must  the further  development  of domes-
tic or imported  natural  gas be forgotten  in the effort 
to achieve  greater  convergence  of Member  States' 
energy  policies. 
2.1.9.  The  Committe  shares  the  Commission's 
guarded  optimism  over  the discovery  of new  reserves 
of hydrocarbons  and uranium.  In this connection  the 
Committee  would  draw  attention  to the wish  ex-
pressed  in its opinion  (0 on energy  objectives  for 
1990,  namely  that for cooperation  between  the Com-
munity  and the developing  countries  be encouraged, 
and to its new opinion  on first actions  on cooperation 
with certain  developing  countries  in the field  of 
energy. 
2.1.10.  The  Committee  regrets  that  new  energy 
sources  offer  no prospects  of tangible  results.  The 
Section  approves  the proposal  to intensify  Commu-
nity action  in this field  considerably. 
2.1.11.  Regarding  the di versification  and security  of 
supplies  from  outside  the Community,  the Commit-
tee notes  with  satisfaction  that the Commission  has 
changed  its views  since  its previous  communication 
and now  stresses  the desirability  of a coordinated  ap-
proach  at Community  level  and an overall  view  of re-
lations  with  the energy-producing  countries. 
2.1.12.  The  Committee  recognizes  the desirability 
of aligning  pricing  policies  more  closely,  although  it 
must  be remembered  that energy  pricing  policy  forms 
part of the overall  social,  economic  and fiscal  policy 
which  each  Member  State  feels  obliged  to pursue  in 
its own  context. 
2.1.13.  The  Committee  agrees  with  the Commission 
that it is difficult  to work  towards  convergence  of in-
vestments,  as these  are largely  dependent  on avail-
able resources  and requirements.  It would  neverthe-
less endorse  the need  for greater  convergence  of 
investments  to promote  a more  rational  use  of 
energy. 
(1) OJ No C 227,  10. 9. 1979,  p. 6. 2.2. Objectives  for 1990 
2.2.1.  The  Commission  assumes  that from  now  on it 
will be possible  to exert  only  limited  influence  on 
progress  towards  the objectives  for 1985.  Since  it 
takes  at least  ten years  for the effect  of major  invest-
ment  decisions  to become  apparent,  this  may 
jeopardize  the targets  for 1990. 
2.2.2.  The  Committee  thinks  that this fear,  although 
it is not unjustified,  must  be seen  in the proper  per-
spective.  Numerous  measures,  including  energy-sav-
ing, can yield  results  in the short  term,  which  means 
of course  that  the relevant  government  decisions 
must  not be delayed. 
2.2.3.  The  Committee  considers  that  the reduction 
of the energy/GNP  ratio  to 0 7 raises  various  ques-
tions  and it proposes  to examine  these  in greater  de-
tail in its opinion  on the new Community  energy-sav-
ing measures. 
2.2.4.  The  Committee  shares  the Commission's  fear 
about  the uncertainty  of world  energy  supplies  and 
agrees  that it is necessary  to try to restrict  energy  con-
sumption,  without  however  slowing  down  economic 
recovery  and  growth,  and  taking  into  account  the 
unavoidable  increase  in energy  consumption  in the 
developing  countries. 
2.2.5.  The  Committee  endorses  the need  to encour-
age and  speed  up scientific  and  technological  re-
search  and demonstration  projects  (e. g. on the gasifi-
cation  and liquefaction  of coal),  both  in the Member 
States  and at Community  level. 
2.2.6.  The  Committee  particularly  emphasizes  the 
need  for better  public  education  about  all aspects  of 
the energy  problem  and its implications  for the level 
of prosperity  and living  conditions. 
2.2.7.  Finally,  the Committee  trusts  that,  if the 
Council  confirms  its determination  to work  for long-
term stability  on the world  energy  market,  inter  alia 
through  constructive  consultation  with  the producing 
countries,  this will not remain  a dead  letter  but will 
be reflected  more  strongly  in the policies  of the indi-
vidual  governments  than  has  hitherto  been  the 
case. 
Done  at Brussels,  21 November  1979. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Raffaele  VANNI