WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2301/97 by Patricia McKENNA to the Commission. EU subsidies for nuclear energy and fossil fuels
Date: 1997-07-03
Institutions: European Parliament, MCKENNA
Subjects: EU aid, climate change, competitiveness, environmental protection, fossil fuel, nuclear energy, renewable energy, research and development, solar energy, wind energy

17. 3. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 82/53

(98/C 82/96)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2297/97

by John Iversen (PSE) to the Commission

(2 July 1997)

Subject: Pesticides

With  reference  to  the  debate  on  the  authorization  of  pesticides  pursuant  to  Directive  91/414/EEC (1)  of
15 July 1991, will the Commission provide, as soon as possible, the list of pesticides which the committee of
experts has thought to assess?

(1)  OJ L 230, 19.8.1991, p. 1.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(9 September 1997)

Annex I to Regulation (EEC) No 3600/92 laying down the detailed rules for the implementation of the first stage
of the programme of work referred to in Article 8(2) of Council Directive 91/414/EEC concerning the placing of
plant  protection  products  on  the  market (1),  which  lists  the  90  active  substances  already  on  the  market  at
25 July 1993, is currently under review by the Commission under that Regulation.

The Commission is sending the list of new active substances (not yet on the market at 25 July 1993) also being
examined under Articles 5 and 6 of Directive 91/414/EEC directly to the Honourable Member and the Parliament
Secretariat.

(1)  OJ L 366, 15.12.1992.

(98/C 82/97)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2301/97

by Patricia McKenna (V) to the Commission

(3 July 1997)

Subject: EU subsidies for nuclear energy and fossil fuels

A  recent  Greenpeace  report  showed  that  the  EU  and  Western  European  governments  have  spent  over
US$60 billion since 1992 in support subsidies for the fossil fuel and nuclear industries. In the same year EU
countries signed the Rio Declaration, pledging themselves to work to protect the world(cid:146)s climate.

By contrast, the EU has spent US$1.5 billion on subsidies for renewable energy sources, such as wind power and
solar energy.

According to the World Energy Council around US$15 billion could make the entire solar renewable energy
industry cost-competitive with the nuclear and fossil fuel industries.

Can the Commission outline what measures it will take to ensure that EU subsidies encourage the development
of  renewable  energies  and  are  used  to  phase  out  more  polluting  industries,  so  that  the  EU(cid:146)s  international
obligations, such as those made at Rio, can be honoured?

Answer given by Mr Papoutsis on behalf of the Commission

(16 September 1997)

The  Commission  would  draw  the  Honourable  Member(cid:146)s  attention  to  the  fact  that  the  aid  shown  in  the
Greenpeace report is of very different types. The aid given to the coal industry is national production aid. The aid
given to the nuclear industry is aid for research, principally on safeguards. The aid given in the field of renewable
energy  sources  is  for  research  and  the  development  and  marketing  of  these  forms  of  energy.  It  is  therefore
difficult to compare the different types of aid.