WRITTEN QUESTION E-2126/99 by Nelly Maes (Verts/ALE) and Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Financial aid to the European oil industry.
Date: 1999-11-24
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU programme, European Union, aid to industry, competitiveness, energy policy, energy supply, environmental protection, greenhouse gas, oil industry

20.6.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 170 E/145

(2000/C 170 E/176)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2088/99

by Maurizio Turco (TDI) to the Council

(8 November 1999)

Subject: Right of asylum for EU nationals in other Member States or in third countries

Following the entry into force of the Amsterdam Treaty, asylum policy was incorporated into the EC
Treaty under Title IV ((cid:145)Visas, asylum, immigration and other policies related to the free movement of
persons(cid:146)).

The Protocol on asylum for nationals of Member States of the European Union which has been attached to
the EC Treaty states that the Council shall be immediately informed if a Member State should decide to
grant asylum to a citizen of another EU Member State, thus confirming the central role played by the
Council in the exchange of information on asylum and immigration matters between the Member States.

As a result of the above developments, EU citizens may, as a general rule, be granted asylum by third
countries, but not by EU Member States, which means that the Geneva Convention of 28 July 1951 and
the New York Protocol of 31 January 1967 relating to the status of refugees no longer fully apply.

Have there been cases in which citizens from one EU Member State have been granted asylum by another
Member State or a non-Community country, either before or after the entry into force of the EU Treaty
and the Protocol on asylum? If so, on what grounds?

Would the Council not agree that a study should be conducted as a matter of urgency to identify and
remove the causes behind applications for asylum being made to third countries, with a view to offsetting
the restrictions placed on the right of European citizens to seek asylum in another Member State?

Reply

(17 December 1999)

Over the six months since the entry into force of the Treaty of Amsterdam the Council has received no
notification under the Protocol on asylum of any application for asylum having been made by a national
of a Member State in another Member State.

The Council does not dispose of information relating to applications for asylum made by nationals of the
Member States in third countries.

(2000/C 170 E/177)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2126/99

by Nelly Maes (Verts/ALE) and Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

Subject: Financial aid to the European oil industry

(24 November 1999)

There is considerable movement in the oil sector: large companies are merging, OPEC meetings can lead to
a rise in the price of crude oil and there are regular press reports of new oil fields. The crisis atmosphere of
1973 seems definitely to be a thing of the past.

In the last two decades the Commission(cid:146)s energy policy has been increasingly concentrated on three
aspects:

(a) adequate energy supplies;

(b) environmental friendliness, and

(c)

consolidating a competitive position.

C 170 E/146

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.6.2000

Following the 1973 oil crisis did the Commission draw up financial support measures for the

1.
European oil industry?

If not, has the Commission given the sector support in any other form? What initiatives were

2.
involved?

If the Commission did draw up support measures, what financial aid has been given to the European

3.
oil industry since 1973 (broken down by programmes and companies)?

4. What are the Commission(cid:146)s reasons for such financial aid to the European oil industry?

Does the Commission believe that financial aid to the oil industry is compatible with measures to

5.
prevent CO2 emissions?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(20 December 1999)

Financial assistance programmes for the hydrocarbons sector were initially established in response to the
(cid:145)oil price shock(cid:146) in 1973 when the disadvantages of the Community dependence on the Middle East for
90 % its oil supply became apparent. The initial aim was to provide a financial tool to assist in the rapid
development of new innovative technologies which would ensure that the North Sea could be economic-
ally developed as an oil province. The financial support provided was repayable in the event of subsequent
commercial exploitation and approximately 30 % of the assistance was eventually repaid.

Since commencement in 1975 some € 750 million of financial assistance, has been granted to the
hydrocarbons sector on almost 1 000 individual projects for the research, development, demonstration,
and dissemination of innovative technology. The most recent relevant publication (cid:145)Thermie (cid:129) Hydro-
carbons, sectoral report 1995-1997(cid:146) contains full details of both the Thermie programme and its
predecessors is forwarded directly to the Honourable Members as well as to Parliament(cid:146)s Secretariat. This
explains the background to the series of financial assistance programmes under which this aid has been
given and provides a comprehensive description of the aims and objectives of the programme and some
examples of individual projects.

These projects in the hydrocarbons sector represent a broad spread of activities, all of which aim to
achieve the same broad global goal; the safe, clean, efficient and affordable exploration, production,
transport and storage of hydrocarbons. Originally directed primarily towards cost reductions in order to
the goals have
promote indigenous production and hence security of supply for the Community,
broadened, particularly since the 1990s and the general fall in oil prices, to include the promotion of
greater competitivity, greater environmental protection and increased employment.

A significant part of the assistance goes directly to the oil related supply and services sector which includes
a large number of small and medium enterprises and employs in the Community between 350 000 and
500 000 people.

As Europe will continue to rely heavily upon hydrocarbon fuels for energy supply in the foreseeable future
the Commission does not believe that such a strategy is inconsistent with its approach to the problems of
Carbon dioxide (CO2) and climate change. Indeed the most recent call for expressions of interest in June
1999 emphasised the environmental protection aspects in particular,
including for example specific
reference to CO2 recovery and re-injection possibilities. The development of a strong Community based
industry augurs well for both the Community and further afield as technology transfer,
industrial co-
operation and international partnerships are actively encouraged and the use of Community best
environmental practices in the upstream sector becomes more widespread.