WRITTEN QUESTION No. 716/98 by Amedeo AMADEO , Salvatore TATARELLA to the Commission. An overall view of energy policy and actions
Date: 1998-03-18
Institutions: AMADEO, European Parliament, TATARELLA
Subjects: EU policy, action programme, competitiveness, energy policy, environmental protection, international cooperation, security of supply

C 386/36

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

11.12.98

The Commission intends to review the Directive on nutritional labelling with a view to adapt it to scientific
progress. This review will also aim at ensuring better and more easily understandable information for the
consumer. Whether the information on nutritional properties should be mandatory is at present being considered.
It has to be seen in the context of the general question of the best means, including new information technologies,
to provide information which is of interest to the consumer.

(1) OJ L 109, 26.4.1983.

(98/C 386/048)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0716/98

by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) and Salvatore Tatarella (NI) to the Commission

(18 March 1998)

Subject: An overall view of energy policy and actions

In connection with the Commission Communication (cid:145)An overall view of energy policy and actions(cid:146)
(COM(97) 167 final) will the Commission draw up a common energy policy which is consistent and coordinated
at EU level and is based on cooperation between national energy policies, without prejudice to individual
countries(cid:146) independence in the choice of primary energy sources?

It should be stressed that until the European Union has a title on energy in the Treaty, there is a risk that the
common energy policy may be structured on the basis of many other Community policies.

Answer given by Mr Papoutsis on behalf of the Commission

(16 April 1998)

In its Communication of April 1997 (cid:145)An overall view of energy policy and actions(cid:146), (1) the Commission
undertook to give a complete picture of all Community actions in the field of energy, including actions developed
in cooperation with Member States as well as actions taken at Community level, either in the framework of the
energy policy or under other Community policies. The Communication is the first stage of an integrated approach
permitting a better response to strategic challenges facing the Community in the energy sector. It emphasises that
the effectiveness of Community action would be increased were a specific legal basis taking account of all the
energy policy priorities to be included in the EC Treaty.

As no clause of this kind was adopted at the 1997 Intergovernmental Conference, the Commission has proposed
an integrated approach based on the implementation of a multiannual framework programme in the energy
sector. (2) This would bring together different Community actions in the field of energy and guarantee their
efficacy and coherence with regard to three priority objectives: security of supply, competitiveness and
environmental protection. The coherence of different aspects of energy policy implemented in the framework
of different Community policies, such as research, external relations or structural policies, will also be facilitated
by the creation of a network, within the Commission, linking the Directorates General concerned.

(1) COM(97) 167 final.
(2) COM(97) 550 final.