WRITTEN QUESTION E-3502/01

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(8 January 2002)

Subject: Attribution of the Kyoto obligations of importing states to producing states in the field of electricity production

1. What view does the Commission take of the fact that the Netherlands is seeking to comply with its CO2 obligations under the Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change (emissions to be reduced by 6 % from the 1990 level by 2010, as against the current 7 % excess over that level) by importing increasing amounts of electricity from neighbouring countries, so that the production of greenhouse gases arising from electricity generation is no longer attributed to the Netherlands but to Germany, France, Belgium or other EU Member States?

2. How does the Commission aim to strike the intended balance between supply and demand to which it refers in its reply to my question E-0959/01(1) and to use the annual monitoring and a European infrastructure plan for this purpose?

3. Will the Commission seek the introduction of a ceiling on imports of electricity by Member States in order to align the attribution of Kyoto obligations with those of the individual Member States?

(1) OJ C 318 E, 13.11.2001, p. 162.

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(21 February 2002)

1. The Commission realises that importing a substantial part of its electrictiy requirements from neighbouring countries can help the Netherlands to achieve its Kyoto targets. In as far as the rules under the Kyoto Protocol and the requirements of the EC Treaty are respected, Member States are free to decide how they achieve the Kyoto targets. However, the Commission would like to stress that it is not sure that these electricity imports can be maintained in the future, since, this will depend on market developments. The Commission welcomes the fact that the Netherlands is taking structural measures to be able to comply independently with its Kyoto commitments, for example through the substantial investments undertaken in wind generation capacity and the promotion of investments in renewable generation through the exemption of the regulatory energy tax for renewable sourced electricity.

2. The Commission will report, on the basis of the reports by the national authorities, on the demand/supply balance in the Community and in the different Member States. It is up to the national authorities to ensure that the demand/supply balance is not disrupted, to avoid power shortages. However, the Commission is convinced of the need for in this respect of demand-side management measures to help maintain or achieve a balance between demand and supply. For this reason the Commission envisages to propose a Directive on Demand Side Management in the energy sector. In the infrastructure Communication(1) the Commisison points out some of the weaknesses in the European gas and electricity grids, and identifies actions to be undertaken to relieve these bottlenecks, among others more rational and transparent use of the interconnectors and, in some cases, additional capacity to grant Member States the possibility to fully benefit from the internal market.

3. The Commission is not seeking the introduction of a ceiling on imports of electricity by Member States. The Community and the Member States intend to ratify the Kyoto Protocol by 1 June 2002 and will thus be bound to reaching the obligations it entails once the Protocol has entered into force. However, they have to do so in accordance with the requirements of the internal market and therefore refusing imports is a measure that is, in general, not acceptable.

(1) COM(2001) 775.