WRITTEN QUESTION E-2636/99 by Hans-Peter Mayer (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Renewable energy sources ‐ the Commission's intentions.
Date: 2000-01-12
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU environmental policy, EU law, credit, domestic market, electrical energy, electrical industry, energy production, import (EU), renewable energy

C 330 E/30

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

21.11.2000

It does not, however, apply to
concerns vehicle type approval giving access to the single market.
environmental noise arising from traffic operations. The Commission(cid:146)s work programme for the year
2000 foresees the development of a proposal for a framework directive on noise.

(1) OJ L 296, 21.11.1996.
(2) OJ L 163, 29.6.1999.
(3) OJ L 350, 28.12.1998.
(4) OJ L 350, 28.12.1998.
(5) OJ L 42, 23.2.1970.

(2000/C 330 E/032)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2636/99

by Hans-Peter Mayer (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(12 January 2000)

Subject: Renewable energy sources (cid:129) the Commission(cid:146)s intentions

In many Member States generating electricity from renewable energy sources attracts national support
measures, e.g. under the German Law on feeding electricity from renewable energies into the public grid.
At the request of the Council and Parliament the Commission has drafted a proposal for a directive on
generating electricity from renewable sources. The draft says that if the share of electricity from renewable
sources in a particular Member State amounts to 5 % of total electricity consumption, with effect from
2010 the internal electricity market should also be opened up to imported electricity generated from
renewable energies from other Member States.

There are two points to be made:

1.

In Germany banks usually make loans for renewable energies for periods of 12 to 15 years. The cut-
off point of 2010 would put a stop to these loans and would mean that small and medium-sized
businesses specialising in renewable sources of energy would face financial difficulties. This would run
entirely counter to the idea of support for renewable energy.

2. At the same time, the EU would be going against its intended reduction in CO2 emissions.

What are the Commission(cid:146)s views on this?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(29 February 2000)

Any Community action with respect to a proposal for a draft directive on electricity from renewable
energy sources must have two aims firstly a significant increase in the level of electricity produced from
renewable energy sources in all Member States, which constitutes a fundamental contribution to the
achievement of commitments undertaken at Kyoto and the indicative objective of doubling the share of
renewable energy from at present 6 % to 12 % of the gross inland energy consumption by 2010 as set out
in the white paper on renewable energy sources, and secondly the progressive inclusion of electricity from
renewable energy sources in the internal electricity market.

Numerous organisations representing the different renewable energy technologies have stressed the need
for regulatory stability as this would reassure the potential investors and the financial institutions on the
viability of the long term investments in plants generating electricity from renewable energy sources. A
directive on the promotion of electricity from renewable energy sources would have to take account of the
need to reinforce the regulatory stability concerning the Community legality of the support schemes
applied in the Member States.

The Commission will decide shortly on the future steps with respect to a possible proposal for a draft
directive.