1999/22/EC: Council Decision of 14 December 1998 adopting a multiannual programme of studies, analyses, forecasts and other related work in the energy sector (1998-2002)
Date: 1998-12-14
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: EU programme, economic analysis, economic forecasting, energy policy, market research

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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COUNCIL DECISION

of 14 December 1998

adopting a multiannual programme of studies, analyses, forecasts and other
related work in the energy sector (1998-2002)

(1999/22/EC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

fore necessary to develop appropriate indicators to
monitor progress in this area;

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community, and in particular Article 235 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1),

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parlia-
ment (2),

(1) Whereas the White Paper entitled ‘An energy
policy for the European Union' of 13 December
1995 proposed a new approach to the monitoring
of energy trends based on cooperation with the
Member States and which would give added bene-
fits by establishing and encouraging the most effec-
tive methods, promoting a shared approach to
studies and analyses and encouraging the exchange
of know-how in the field in question;

(2) Whereas in its resolution of 8 July 1996 on the
the Council
abovementioned White Paper (3),
believed
at
Community level needed to be placed in the
context of a shared analysis of the energy situation
and of future trends and invited the Commission to
organise cooperation between the Member States;

decision-making

energy

that

(3) Whereas in its conclusions of 11 May 1998 on the
Kyoto Protocol,
the Council welcomed the
Commission’s presentation on energy policy
options for responding to the climate change chal-
lenge and stressed the need to prepare a shared
analysis of the economic impact of the greenhouse
gas emission reductions;

(4) Whereas, in its conclusions, the Cardiff European
Council of 15-16 June 1998 invited the Energy
Council to give effect to environmental integration
and sustainable development within its policy area
and invited the Council and the Commission to
keep under review the organisational arrangements
necessary to carry this forward; whereas it is there-

(1) OJ C 261, 19. 8. 1998, p. 6.
(2) OJ C 328, 26. 10. 1998.
(3) OJ C 224, 1. 8. 1996, p. 1.

(5) Whereas forward analyses and market monitoring
at Community and Member State levels are essen-
tial for the development of an adequate strategy for
the medium and long term; whereas
shared
analyses with Member States and interested parties
should be encouraged in this field;

(6) Whereas security of energy supplies is one of the
key energy policy objectives; whereas in the context
of growing external energy dependency of
the
European Community, it is necessary to monitor
trends both
closely and analyse energy market
within the Community and at world level;

(7) Whereas, to ensure competitive energy prices, it is
essential to monitor regularly at Community level
the implementation process of the two key liberal-
isation Directives which have
recently been
adopted for the electricity and gas markets;

(8) Whereas this monitoring process should be based
on cooperation with Member State administrations
facilitating the exchange of best
and regulators,
practices and ensuring greater transparency along
the lines of the model initiated by the Commission
for the internal electricity and gas markets;

(9) Whereas provision should therefore be made
within the multiannual framework programme for
actions in the energy sector (1998-2002) adopted by
Decision 1999/21/EC, Euratom (4), for a specific
programme of studies, analyses, forecasts and other
related work in the energy sector;

(10) Whereas, in order to ensure that Community aid is
used efficiently and duplication of work avoided,
the Commission should ensure that projects are
subject
to thorough prior appraisal; whereas it
should systematically monitor and evaluate the
progress and results of supported projects;

(4) See page 16 of this Official Journal.

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(11) Whereas some of these activities should be open to
participation by international organisations respon-
sible for energy matters, such as the International
Energy Agency and the Energy Charter Secretariat,
interested
bodies
parties, for example environmental organisations
and consumers, and certain third countries,
in
accordance with the rules governing the Com-
munity’s relations with those organisations and
countries;

representing industry, other

(12) Whereas this set of actions should be coordinated
with the other activities of the Community, the
Member States, third countries and international
organisations;

(13) Whereas it is politically and economically desirable
to open up this programme to the associated
central and eastern European countries in accord-
ance with the conclusions of
the Copenhagen
European Council of 21-22 June 1993 and as
outlined in the Commission communication on
that subject in May 1994; whereas it should also be
open to Cyprus;

(14) Whereas a financial reference amount, within the
meaning of point 2 of the Declaration by the Euro-
pean Parliament, the Council and the Commission
of 6 March 1995 (1), is included in this Decision for
this programme, without
the entire duration of
thereby affecting the powers of
the budgetary
authority as they are defined by the Treaty; whereas
account should be taken of the fact that a new
financial perspective will be negotiated during the
course of this programme;

(15) Whereas the Treaty does not provide powers for
the adoption of this Decision, other than those in
Article 235 thereof,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

analyses,

framework programme for
Within the multiannual
actions in the energy sector, a specific programme of
studies,
related work
concerning the future development of energy policy
within the Community, hereinafter referred to as ‘the
the
ETAP programme',
Community for the period 1998-2002.

implemented by

and other

shall be

forecasts

In addition to the priority objectives referred to in Article
1(2) of Decision 1999/21/EC, Euratom, the objectives of
the ETAP programme shall be:

(1) OJ C 102, 4. 4. 1996, p. 4.

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

to establish a shared approach in the Community to
studies, analyses, forecasts and other related work in
the energy sector;

to promote coordinated analyses of energy markets
and policies at the level of the Community and the
Member States;

to analyse and evaluate energy market
Europe and the world,
security of supply and competitiveness;

trends in
inter alia in relation to

to analyse and evaluate the impact of energy produc-
tion and use on the environment, including in rela-
tion to climate change;

(e)

to help identify and transfer the best analysis methods
and practices;

(f)

to facilitate information networks in the energy field;

(g)

to develop an active policy for the dissemination of
the results obtained;

(h) to develop methodologies for monitoring the imple-
mentation of the energy framework programme, as set
out in Article 5 of Decision 1999/21/EC, Euratom.

Article 2

The financial reference amount for the implementation of
the ETAP programme shall be ECU 5 million. Of this
amount, ECU 2 million is for the period 1998 to 1999.

The financial reference amount for the period 2000 to
2002 shall be reviewed if the amount of ECU 3 million is
not consistent with the financial perspective for that
period.

The annual appropriations shall be authorised by the
the financial
budgetary authority within the limits of
perspective.

Article 3

In order to achieve the objectives referred to in Article
1(2),
the Community may undertake and/or promote,
directly or in cooperation with other interested parties,
and/or contribute financially to the following measures:

(1) observation, monitoring and the exchange of compar-
able information in the energy field as well as the
execution of studies, analyses and forecasts on all
energy aspects, including trends, markets and prices;

(2) the provision of technical and methodological assis-
tance to projects in order to identify and transfer the
best practices in areas such as methods of analysis and
forecasting, means of collecting energy data, access to
and exchanges via electronic networks and any other
measure which helps to achieve the general objective;

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(3) the development of links, for example between energy
producers and users and academic and administrative
circles,
to promote research into the
economic aspects of energy policy instruments;

in order

(4) the implementation of any initiative contributing to
the dissemination of the results obtained, including
the preparation and publication of reports and the
organisation of workshops, seminars and conferences.

Article 4

The Commission shall be responsible for the finan-
the ETAP
execution and implementation of

1.
cial
programme.

the purposes of

implementing the ETAP
2.
For
programme,
assisted by
the Commission shall be
the Committee referred to in Article 4 of Decision
1999/21/EC, Euratom.

The Commission shall draw up each year a draft
3.
programme of actions
to be undertaken during the
following year, which will be submitted to the Committee
referred to in paragraph 2.

Article 5

Examination and internal and external assessment of the
implementation of the ETAP programme shall be carried

out in accordance with the provisions in Article 5 of
Decision 1999/21/EC, Euratom.

Article 6

The ETAP programme shall be open to participation by
associated central and eastern European countries in
accordance with the conditions, including financial provi-
sions, laid down in the additional protocols to the Asso-
ciation Agreements or in the Association Agreements
themselves
relating to participation in Community
programmes. The ETAP programme shall also be open to
participation by Cyprus, on the basis of additional appro-
priations, under the same rules as those applied to the
EFTA/EEA countries, in accordance with procedures to
be agreed with that country.

Article 7

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 14 December 1998.

For the Council

The President

W. MOLTERER