Theaimistodoublethepercentageofrenewableenergyingrossenergyconsumption,increasingthe
currentlevelfrom6%to15%bytheyear2010.
WilltheCommissionsayhowCommunityaidcanbesecuredforthesettingupoftheabovementioned
energyagencyinconnectionwiththemultiannualprogramme(2003-2006)topromoterenewablesourcesofenergyandwhatstandardrequirementstheMalagaprojectmustmeetinordertobeeligibleforsuchaid?
AnswergivenbyMsdePalacioonbehalfoftheCommission
(25June2003)
The Intelligent Energy for Europe programme provides for aid for creating new energy agencies
(HorizontalKeyAction2:‘Thinkglobally,actlocally’).
TheIntelligentEnergyforEuropeworkprogrammemustbediscussedwiththeprogrammecommittee.
ProvidedthattheCommissionproposalisnotamended,themaximumlevelofaidwillbe40-50%oftheeligiblecosts.Themainstandardrequirementswillbethecommitmentofthelocalorregionalauthoritiestomanagingandfinancingtheagency,aswellastheassurancethattheagency’sactivitieswillcontinueforatleastfiveyearsaftertheCommunityaidhasended(whichisgivenforthreeyears).
Whenaproposalisaccepted, technical assistanceactivities forthe new agencies are providedfor,in
particular compulsory training for the agency’s staff, participation in European activities, access toinformationontheactivitiesofotheragencies,exchangesofexperience,participationinmeetingswithcontractors,etc.TheCommissionwillevaluatetheactivitiesofthenewagenciesperiodicallyandmakerecommendationsforimprovingtheirperformance.Thefirstcallforproposalsforthecreationofagenciesisplannedfortheendofthesummer,whichmeansthatthecontractscouldbesignedin2004.
(2004/C58E/107) WRITTENQUESTIONE-1741/03
bySalvadorGarrigaPolledo(PPE-DE)totheCommission
(26May2003)
Subject:WhitePaperonagriculturalresearchintheEuropeanUnion
ThedevelopmentofagriculturalresearchisofparticularimportancetoallMemberStates,sincethequality
oftheiragriculturalproduceisdirectlylinkedtotheresultsofresearchinthissectorofvitalimportancetotheCommunityeconomy.
However,thereiswidespreadignoranceastowhatresearchisbeingconductedinthevariouscountries,
andresearchcentresinsomeMemberStatesmayevenbeinvestigatingthesameareas.
Inthelightoftheabove,willtheCommissionpromotethedrawingupofaWhitePaperonagricultural
research,soastoshedlightontheexactstateofresearchatnationallevelacrosstheCommunityasawholewithaviewtostreamliningthesectortopreventunnecessaryduplication?
AnswergivenbyMrBusquinonbehalfoftheCommission
(15July2003)
Europeanagriculturalresearchisbasedonabroaddiversityofresearchcentresanduniversitiesonnational
andregionallevel.Theyfacethesamechallenges(foodsafety,CommonAgriculturalPolicy(CAP)reformetc.).Butcultural,economic,ecologicalandsocialconditionsdiffer.Therefore,aresearchstructureclosetotheclients(farmersandconsumers)hasadvantages.6.3.2004EN C58E/91 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
European co-ordination of this diverse agricultural research landscape is essential to strengthen the
researchcapacityandtoavoidduplication.ThisisastartingpointoftheCommunication‘TowardsaEuropean Research Area’(
1) and a guiding principle of FP 6(2). Specifically the new instruments in
Thematic Priority 5 ‘Foodquality and safety’, will have a structuring effect onEuropean research. Inaddition,theERA-NETschemeistargetingco-ordinationofnationalorregionalresearchprogrammeswhilepolicyorientedresearchonCAPreformispartofthe‘ScientificSupporttoPolicies’activity.
TheCommissionisalsosupportingco-ordinationactivities(
3)inthe‘StandingCommitteeofAgricultural
Research’, in collaboration with Euragri(4) or targeting developing country needs in the EFARD(5).
NumerousCommunityfundedconcertedactionsco-ordinatesubjectspecificresearch.
Timeismorethanripe,attheeveoftheadhesionofnewMemberStateswhichcanonlyreinforcethe
overallstrengthandpotentialsofagricultural research inEurope,tocarry outamapping exercise ofrelevantresearchinvestmentsandprospects,andtolaydownthebasisforareinforcedco-ordination.TheCommissionisalreadyco-operatingcloselywiththemainnationalactors.InthefavourablecontextresultingfromtheconjunctionoftheEuropeanResearchAreaandthenewCommonAgriculturalPolicy,bothinprogress,aEurope-widestocktakingactivitywouldgainpoliticaldesirability.Inlightoftheserecent developments,theCommissionwillinvestigate theopportunityofanewpoliticalinitiative forEuropeanagriculturalresearchinthefuture.
(1) COM(2000)6final.
(2) FP6/dash6thResearchFrameworkProgramme(2002-2006).
(3) Fulloverviewat:http://europa.eu.int/comm/research/agriculture/index_en.html.
(4) Euragri/dashEuropeanagriculturalresearchinitiative.
(5) EFARD/dashEuropeanForumforAgriculturalResearchforDevelopment.
(2004/C58E/108) WRITTENQUESTIONE-1745/03
byToineManders(ELDR)
andHermanVermeer(ELDR)totheCommission
(26May2003)
Subject:EuropeanCyclingDay
To promote recreation and physical exercise, a National Cycling Day is organised annually in the
Netherlands by Dutch tourist offices (VVVs) and the Netherlands Tourist Board (Toerisme RecreatieNederland)onthesecondSaturdayinMay.On10Mayofthisyear,some22000peopletookpartintheevent.
Lackofphysicalexerciseisoneofthecausesofobesity,whichcanbeafactorincardiovasculardisease.
Thisisaworrying situation,bearing inmindthatthe consequencesofso-calledWesterndiseasesgobeyondtheimplicationsforthehealthofEuropeancitizens.Thehighhealthcarecostsassociatedwithsuchdiseases stifle economic growth and prevent the higher labour market participation rates considerednecessarytoachievefurthergrowth.ThesetrendsconsequentlyhavethepotentialtofrustratetheLisbonProcess.
Aswellasencouragingpeopletotakeexercise,eventsofthiskindalsopromotecyclingasamodeof
transport,helpingtoreducecaruse,andthereforetrafficcongestion,includingcommutertraffic.
Finally,theeventpromotestourismandrecreation,whichcanalsoleadtothesettingupofatransnational
networkofcyclepathsandcyclingroutes.
GiventhatCommissionpolicyviewsthefightagainstobesity,aswellastransportandtourism/recreation,
asbeingofparamountimportance,itmakessensetoinvestigatetheprospectsofcreatingaEuropeanequivalentoftheDutchNationalCyclingDay,and/ortoinitiate,encourage,andprovidefinancialsupportforsuchanevent.C58E/92 EN6.3.2004 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion