WRITTEN QUESTION No. 4133/97 by Wilfried TELKÄMPER to the Commission. Aid for nuclear or solar energy
Date: 1998-01-21
Institutions: European Parliament, TELKAEMPER
Subjects: EU programme, France, Germany, nuclear energy, nuclear policy, research and development, solar energy

9. 10. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 310/13

(98/C 310/14)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4133/97

by Wilfried Telka¤mper (V) to the Commission

(21 January 1998)

Subject: Aid for nuclear or solar energy

How much aid has nuclear energy (including reprocessing, final storage, etc.) received to date, in total and over
the past ten years, within the EU?

How much aid has solar energy received to date, in total and over the past ten years, within the EU?

What proportion of both 1. and 2. has been accounted for by Baden-Wu¤rttemberg and the Federal Republic of
Germany, respectively?

What debts has EdF/France incurred as a result of its nuclear programme? What has been the overall level of aid
for nuclear energy in France?

Answer given by Mr Papoutsis on behalf of the Commission

(27 March 1998)

The  Community(cid:146)s  financial  contribution  to  nuclear  energy  over  the  last  ten  years  has  been  confined  to  the
framework programme of research and development (R&D) (nuclear fission and fusion). The annual average
works  out  at  around  ECU  310  million,  including  ECU  100  million  for  fission.  Between  1986  and  1995,  the
corresponding average annual R&D expenditure on nuclear energy in the Member States as a whole was around
ECU 1 470 million. As for Euratom borrowing, no grants have been made since 1988.

From  1990  to  1997,  around  160  solar  projects  were  supported  in  the  framework  of  the  Thermie  programme.
These  projects  related  to  solar  energy  technologies,  i.e.  solar  photovoltaic,  solar  thermal  and  solar  industrial
power  generation.  In  addition,  72  solar  energy  projects  were  granted  financial  support  under  the  Altener
programme during the period 1993-97. The financial contribution granted from these two programmes equals
ECU 70 million, or about ECU 9 million per year. Between 1986 and 1995, average annual R&D expenditure on
solar energy in the Member States as a whole was around ECU 125 million.

As far as Germany is concerned, 17 solar energy projects were implemented over that period, with a Community
financial contribution of ECU 8 million from the Thermie programme. The figures for Baden-Wu¤rttemberg are
4 projects and ECU 1.65 million. Under the Altener programme 8 solar projects were supported in Germany for a
total of ECU 1.3 million, of which one project was located in Baden-Wu¤rttemberg and granted approximately
ECU 170 000. Average annual R&D expenditure on nuclear and solar energy in Germany between 1986 and
1995 was ECU 336 million and ECU 70 million respectively.

Electricite· de France(cid:146)s 1996 annual report showed the company(cid:146)s debt to be standing at FF 133 billion at the end
of  that  year.  No  breakdown  is  given  of  the  different  sources  of  electricity  production.  Average  annual  R&D
expenditure  on  nuclear  and  solar  energy  between  1986  and  1995  was  ECU  467  million  and  ECU  3  million
respectively.

(98/C 310/15)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4140/97

by Angela Sierra Gonza·lez (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(21 January 1998)

Subject: Human rights of the Tuareg population in Niger

The Tuareg population in the central Sahara region, which currently numbers more than 3 million people and is
divided between Algeria, Libya, Niger, Mali and Burkina-Faso, is currently facing a humanitarian crisis in the
refugee camps where many of the population live.