WRITTEN QUESTION E-2828/99 by Nicholas Clegg (ELDR) to the Commission. European coal industry.
Date: 2000-01-18
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU industrial policy, coal industry

24.10.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 303 E/117

(2000/C 303 E/115)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2828/99

by Nicholas Clegg (ELDR) to the Commission

(18 January 2000)

Subject: European coal industry

Has the Commission conducted an integrated analysis into the future prospects of the European coal
industry, not least in view of the projected EU dependence on energy supplies from politically insecure
external sources in the decades to come? If such an analysis exists could the Commission make it available
to the European Parliament? If not, will the Commission confirm that it will conduct such an analysis as a
matter of priority tackling the full range of issues of importance to Europe(cid:146)s coal industry (e.g. clean-coal
technologies, state subsidies, imports from the outside the EU etc.)?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(25 February 2000)

In November 1999, the Commission published its latest energy outlook for the Community to 2020 (1), a
copy of which is sent directly to the Honourable Member and to Parliament(cid:146)s Secretariat. This publication
analyses future energy trends both on the basis of a baseline scenario, where Community policies currently
in place remain unchanged, as well as in the context of three emission reduction scenarios. The baseline
scenario indicates that the dependency of the Community on imported energy will rise from 47,6 % of
total energy this year 2000 to over 63 % by the year 2020, with the import dependency for solid fuels
increasing from 46,7 % to 67,8 % over the same period.

Coal, unlike other fossil fuels, has the very significant advantage of a mature, highly competitive world
market with abundant supplies from a wide variety of geographical sources. Therefore even in the long
term and with an increased demand for coal, the risk of a persistent interruption of supply, although it
cannot be ruled out totally, is nevertheless minimal.

Coal is cheap, safe to transport and with world-wide reserves that would last for over 200 years at the
current rate of extraction, it will continue to be an important element of energy security, particularly as an
input fuel for electricity generation.

However, the Commission also recognises that, unfortunately, a significant part of hard coal production
within the Community is uncompetitive. Coal production in France has declined by over 50 % since 1990,
to an estimated 4,5 million tonnes in 1999, and will cease completely by 2005 as a result of an agreement
the main coal producer and the trade unions. While production is also
between the government,
decreasing significantly in both Spain and Germany, the level of state aid remains high. In 1998, the
Commission authorised Spain to grant € 727,4 million in aid to current production and authorised
Germany to grant € 4,225,8 million, which translates into € 43,04 per tonne for Spain and € 91,97 per
tonne for Germany.

The planned expansion of the Community will bring a new challenge in the shape of Poland, an important
player on the international coal market and one which currently produces more hard coal than the rest of
the Community put together. Poland is undergoing a period of intense restructuring, with production now
down to around 112 million tonnes compared to 193 million tonnes in 1988.

The importance of coal in enhancing energy security and energy diversity is fully acknowledged by the
Commission, which has funded some 101 solid fuel projects to the tune of € 350 million under the remit
of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), the JOULE and the Thermie programmes over the
period from 1978 to 1997. These projects have focused on developing and implementing more efficient
combustion technologies in order to reduce the negative environmental effects of coal use. Following the
conclusion of the Thermie programme at the end of 1998, coal projects are now continuing under the
Energie programme to 2002.

C 303 E/118

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

24.10.2000

The Commission shares the Honourable Member(cid:146)s concerns for the security of energy supplies and believes
that this can be most effectively achieved by encouraging Member States to ensure a diversified mix of
energy sources. The Commission plans therefore to launch a comprehensive consultation document on an
overall strategy for the future security of energy supplies. The intention is to analyse the developments
concerning import dependency for all energy sources, including coal, in the context of climate change and
an enlarged Community. The Commission plans to launch this process before the end of this year.

(1) European Union Energy Outlook to 2020 and Economic Foundations for Energy Policy. Special

issues of

DG Transport and Energy(cid:146)s Energy in Europe. OPOCE (cid:129) ISBN 92-828-7533-4.

(2000/C 303 E/116)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2835/99

by Eija-Riitta Korhola (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(18 January 2000)

Subject: Areas of the Fifth Framework Programme open for Calls for Proposals on Research

Does the Commission restrict the areas of the Fifth Framework Programme open for Calls for Proposals on
is this done for administrative
Research from year to year, and if so, on what basis (cid:129) for example,
convenience, or because the resources are too limited, or because it believes that EU-supported research
projects are sufficient to provide the comprehensive understanding needed for all relevant areas of climate
change?

Answer given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission

(11 February 2000)

The areas of the Fifth framework programme open for calls for proposals are discussed with the expert
advisory group and the programme management committee considering the available budget and policy
relevance of the themes. For instance, the sub-theme Mitigation and adaptation to global change has been
reopened in the current call for proposals, in order not to lose time in the post-Kyoto process.

(2000/C 303 E/117)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2838/99

by Eija-Riitta Korhola (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(18 January 2000)

Subject: Seasonable variability and regional fluctuations within analyses of climate change

What analysis has been undertaken by the Commission (cid:129) or research projects supported (cid:129) concerning
the seasonal variability and regional fluctuations occurring within analyses of natural climate variability
and of climate change?

Answer given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission

(11 February 2000)

Several current and newly funded projects (e.g. Provost and Demeter) deal with seasonal and regional
variability of climate. Fourth framework programme projects have developed an unique predictive
capability and have for the first time forecast El Nino occurrence and its impacts in Europe.