Decision No 646/2000/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 February 2000 adopting a multiannual programme for the promotion of renewable energy sources in the Community (Altener) (1998 to 2002)
Date: 2000-02-28
Institutions: Council of the European Union, European Parliament
Subjects: EU financing, EU programme, energy policy, pollution control measures, renewable energy

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(Acts whose publication is obligatory)

DECISION No 646/2000/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

of 28 February 2000

adopting a multiannual programme for the promotion of renewable energy sources in the
Community (Altener) (1998 to 2002)

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE
EUROPEAN UNION,

years 2008 to 2012 compared with 1990 levels would
be achieved.

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community, and in particular Article 175(1) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social
Committee (1),

Having regard to the opinion of
Regions (2),

the Committee of

the

Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article
251 of the Treaty (3), and in the light of the joint text approved
by the Conciliation Committee on 9 December 1999,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

Article 174 of the Treaty provides that one of the objec-
tives of Community action is to ensure prudent and
rational utilisation of natural resources.

Article 152 of the Treaty provides that health protection
requirements are to form a constituent part of
the
Community's other policies; the Altener programme set
out in this Decision contributes to health protection.

At its meeting on 29 October 1990 the Council set an
objective of stabilising total CO2 emissions by the year
2000 at the 1990 level in the Community as a whole.

The Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change
further
commitments for the Community and its Member States
including the
to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,
undertaking given by the Community to the effect that
an 8 % reduction in greenhouse gas emissions for the

contains

(1) OJ C 214, 10.7.1998, p. 44.
(2) OJ C 315, 13.10.1998, p. 1.
(3) Opinion of the European Parliament of 11 March 1999 (OJ C 175,
21.6.1999, p. 262), Council common position of 28 June 1999 (OJ
C 243, 27.8.1999, p.47) and decision of the European Parliament
of 6 October 1999 (not yet published in the Official
).
Decision of the Council of 24 January 2000 and decision of the
European Parliament of 3 February 2000.

Journal

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

(9)

A mechanism for monitoring CO2 and other greenhouse
gas emissions in the Community was established by
Council Decision 93/389/EEC (4).

emissions

from energy

consumption in the
C02
Community are likely to increase by about 3 % between
1995 and 2000, assuming normal economic growth. In
the light of the abovementioned Kyoto undertaking, it is
essential to adopt additional measures; measures which
would genuinely help to achieve the above objective
include a much more intensive use of renewable energy
sources as well as energy efficiency.

At its meeting on 25 and 26 June 1996 the Council
noted that in the framework of the negotiations on a
protocol concerning the Berlin Mandate,
the second
assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on
the
Climate Change (SAR IPCC) had concluded that
balance of evidence suggested that there was a discern-
ible human influence on global climate change and had
stressed the need for urgent action at the widest possible
level, noted that significant
‘no-regrets’ opportunities
were available and requested the Commission to identify
the measures that had to be taken at Community level.

By the Green Paper of 11 January 1995 and the White
Paper of 13 December 1995 the Commission communi-
cated to the European Parliament and the Council
its
views on the future of energy policy in the Community
and on the role that renewable energy sources should
play.

renewable energy sources (5)

In its Resolution of 4 July 1996 on a Community action
plan for
the European
Parliament called upon the Commission to implement a
Community action plan to promote renewable energy
sources.

(4) OJ L 167, 9.7.1993, p. 31.
(5) OJ C 211, 22.7.1996, p. 27.

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(10)

(11)

(12)

(13)

By the Green Paper of 20 November 1996 and the
White Paper of 26 November 1997 entitled ‘Energy for
the future: Renewable sources of energy’, the Commis-
sion started a process for the development and further
implementation of a Community strategy and an action
plan on renewable energy sources; these are set out,
together with a ‘Campaign for take-off’,
in its White
Paper;

In its resolution of 15 May 1997 (1) on the Green Paper
entitled ‘Energy for the future: Renewable sources of
energy’, the European Parliament urged the Commission
to adopt as soon as possible a strengthened Altener II
programme; in its resolution of 18 June 1998 (2) on the
the future:
Commission communication ‘Energy for
Renewable
for a
Community strategy and action plan’, it called for a clear
increase in funding for the Altener programme in the
energy framework programme;

energy White Paper

sources of

In its resolution of 14 November 1996 (3) on the
Commission White Paper on an energy policy for the
European Union, the European Parliament called on the
Commission to develop a financial programme to stimu-
late renewable energy.

In its above mentioned resolution of 15 May 1997 on
the Green Paper on renewable sources of energy, the
European Parliament called for attention to be paid to
the possibility of coordinating policies and initiatives in
the sphere of renewable energy and energy efficiency in
order to develop potential existing synergies and avoid
duplication of efforts wherever possible.

(14) Article 8 of Directive 96/92/EC of the European Parlia-
ment and of
the Council of 19 December 1996
concerning common rules for the internal market in
electricity (4) offers Member States the possibility of
furthering the penetration of the market in electricity
produced from renewable sources of energy by giving
them priority.

(15) Article 158 of the Treaty provides that the Community
is to develop and pursue its actions leading to the
strengthening of its economic and social cohesion and
that,
it is to aim at reducing disparities
between the levels of development of the various regions
the least-favoured regions;
and the backwardness of
those actions cover,

inter alia, the energy sector.

in particular,

(16)

In Decision 93/500/EEC (5) and Decision 98/352/EC (6),
the Council adopted a Community programme entitled
Altener for the promotion of renewable energy sources
aimed at reducing C02 emissions by increasing the market
share of renewable energy sources and its contribution to
overall primary energy production in the Community.

(1) OJ C 167, 2.6.1997, p. 160.
(2) OJ C 210, 6.7.1998, p. 215.
(3) OJ C 362, 2.12.1996, p. 279.
(4) OJ L 27, 30.1.1997, p. 20.
(5) OJ L 235, 18.9.1993, p. 41.
(6) OJ L 159, 3.6.1998, p. 53.

(17)

(18)

(19)

(20)

(21)

(22)

The Community has
programme represents an important element of
Community strategy for reducing CO2 emissions.

recognised that

the Altener
the

Provision should therefore be made within the multi-
annual framework programme for actions in the energy
sector (1998 to 2002) adopted by Council Decision
1999/21/EC, Euratom (7) for a specific programme for
the promotion of renewable energy sources; this specific
programme would replace the corresponding instrument
currently in force.

and

demonstration

In implementing Decision No 182/1999/EC of the Euro-
pean Parliament and of the Council of 22 December
1998 concerning the fifth framework programme of the
European Community for research, technological devel-
opment
to
2002) (8), Council Decision 1999/170/EC of 25 January
1999 adopting a specific programme for research, tech-
nological development and demonstration on energy,
environment and sustainable development
(1998 to
2002) (9) devotes particular attention to efficient and
renewable energy technologies; the Altener programme
is an instrument which complements that programme.

activities

(1998

The Altener programme does not alter national projects
or systems for the promotion of renewable resources; its
objective is to add a Community aspect that represents
added value.

Renewable energy sources are an important energy
source for
the European Union with considerable
commercial potential; their development should there-
fore be supported through a specific strategy and
targeted actions to make them both viable and competi-
tive and thus create a favourable environment for invest-
ment.

The increased use of renewable sources of energy will
have a positive effect both on the environment and on
the security of energy supplies; the free and large-scale
development of renewable energy sources will make it
possible fully to exploit their economic and employment
potential; a high degree of international cooperation is
desirable to achieve the best results.

(23) A strengthened Altener programme represents an essen-
tial instrument for developing the potential of renewable
energy
should
account for a reasonable share of the European internal
energy market.

renewable

sources;

sources

energy

(24)

to ensure proper

implementation of

In order
the
Community Strategy and Action Plan up to 2010 for
renewable energy sources, the Commission needs appro-
priate mechanisms for monitoring and assessing the
various initiatives.

(7) OJ L 7, 13.1.1999, p. 16.
(8) OJ L 26, 1.2.1999, p. 1.
(9) OJ L 64, 12.3.1999, p. 58.

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(25)

(26)

(27)

(28)

(29)

(30)

(31)

The aim of the targeted actions referred to in Article 2(d)
of this Decision is to facilitate and accelerate investment
in new operational capacity for the production of energy
from renewable sources by providing financial support,
in particular for small- and medium- sized enterprises
in order to reduce the peripheral and service
(SMEs),
costs of renewable energy projects, and thus overcome
actions
the non-technical obstacles present;
promote,
the
analysis of market prospects, the choice of location of
projects, application for construction and operation
permits,
in
renewable sources of energy,
the establishment of
financing plans, the preparation of calls for tenders, the
training of operators and plant commissioning.

initiatives taken by SMEs on investment

inter alia, access to specialised advice,

those

Those targeted actions concern the implementation of
projects carried out in the area of biomass,
including
energy crops, firewood, residues from forestry and agri-
culture, municipal waste which cannot be recycled,
liquid biofuels and biogas, and in the areas of thermal
and photovoltaic solar systems, passive and active solar
systems in buildings, small scale (less than 10 MW)
hydroelectric projects, wave energy, wind power and
geothermal energy.

The development of renewable energy sources can help
create a competitive energy system for the whole of
Europe and develop a European renewable energy
sources industry with vast opportunities for the export
of technology and know-how and for investments in
third countries involving Community participation in
the framework of cooperation programmes.

It is politically and economically desirable to open the
Altener programme to the associated central and eastern
European countries, in accordance with the conclusions
of the Copenhagen European Council of 21 and 22 June
1993 as confirmed by subsequent European Councils
and as outlined in the Commission communication on
that subject in May 1994, and also to Cyprus.

In order to ensure that Community aid is used efficiently
and duplication of work is avoided the Commission will
ensure that projects are subject
to thorough prior
appraisal; it will systematically monitor and evaluate the
progress and results of supported projects.

The measures necessary for the implementation of this
Decision should be adopted in accordance with Council
Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down
the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers
conferred on the Commission (1).

This Decision lays down for the entire duration of the
programme a financial framework constituting the prin-
cipal point of reference, within the meaning of point 33
of the Interinstitutional Agreement between the Euro-

pean Parliament, the Council and the Commission of 6
May 1999 (2), on budgetary discipline and improvement
of the budgetary procedure, for the budgetary authority
during the annual budgetary procedure.

(32)

This Decision replaces Council Decision 98/352/EC
which should accordingly be repealed,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

framework programme

1. Within the multiannual
for
actions in the energy sector, a specific programme for promo-
tion of renewable energy sources and support for the imple-
mentation of a Community strategy and action plan for renew-
able energy sources to the year 2010 (hereinafter referred to as
‘the Altener programme’)
implemented by the
Community for the period 1998 to 2002.

shall be

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

(a) to help create the necessary conditions for implementing
the Community action plan for renewable sources of
energy, and in particular the legal, socioeconomic and
administrative conditions,
instru-
ments and mechanisms, in particular those mentioned in
the Commission's White Paper of 26 November 1997, and
including the campaign for take-off;

including new market

(b) to encourage private and public investment in the produc-

tion and use of energy from renewable sources.

These two specific objectives shall contribute to achieving the
following overall Community objectives — complementing
those of the Member States — and priorities: limitation of C02
emissions, increasing the share of renewable energy sources in
order to reach the indicative objective of 12 % in the gross
internal energy consumption in the Community in 2010,
reduction in energy import dependence, security of energy
supply, promotion of employment, economic development,
economic and social cohesion, and local and regional develop-
ment, including the strengthening of the economic potential of
remote and peripheral regions.

2.
Community financial support shall be granted under the
Altener programme for actions and measures meeting the
objectives set out in paragraph 1 (a) and (b).

The financial

3.
the
Altener programme for the period specified in paragraph 1 is
hereby set at EUR 77 million.

implementation of

framework for

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

(1) OJ L 184, 17.7.1999, p. 23.

(2) OJ C 172, 18.6.1999, p. 1.

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Article 2

The following actions and measures relating to renewable
energy sources shall be financed under the Altener programme:

(a) studies and other actions,

intended to implement and
complement other measures by the Community and
Member States taken to develop the potential of renewable
energy sources. These involve in particular the development
of sectoral and market strategies;
the development of
norms and certification; facilitating grouped procurement,
analyses, based on projects, comparing the environmental
impact and the long-term cost/benefit trends resulting from
the use of traditional
forms of energy and the use of
renewable energy sources; the analysis of the legal, socio-
economic and administrative conditions, including analysis
of the possible use of economic measures and/or tax incen-
tives which are more favourable to the market penetration
of renewable energies; the preparation of appropriate legis-
lation to promote an environment favourable to invest-
ment and better methods which make it possible to eval-
uate the costs and benefits that are not reflected in the
market price;
(b) pilot actions of

to the Community aimed at
creating or extending structures and instruments for the
development of renewable energy sources in:
— local and regional planning,
— the tools for planning, design and evaluation,
— new financial products and market instruments;
(c) measures intended to develop information, education and
training structures; measures to encourage the exchange of
experience and know-how aimed at improving coordina-
tion between international, Community, national, regional
and local activities; establishment of a centralised system
for collecting, prioritising and circulating information and
know-how on renewable energy sources;

interest

(d) targeted actions

facilitating the market penetration of
renewable energy sources and relevant know-how, in order
to facilitate
transition from demonstration to
marketing, and encouraging investment, by advising on the
preparation and presentation of projects and their imple-
mentation;

the

(e) monitoring and evaluation actions intended to:

— monitor the implementation of the Community strategy
and action plan for the development of renewable
energy sources,

— support initiatives taken in implementing the action
plan, particularly with a view to promoting better coor-
dination and greater synergy between actions, including
all Community-funded activities and those funded by
other bodies such as the European Investment Bank,
— monitor the progress achieved by the Community and
comment on that achieved by the Member States with
regard to the development of renewable energy sources,
— evaluate the impact and cost-effectiveness of actions
the Altener
and measures
programme. This evaluation shall also take into account
the environmental and social aspects,
including the
effects on employment.

undertaken

under

Article 3

1.
All costs relating to the actions and measures referred to
in Article 2(a), (c) and (e) shall be borne by the Community.
Where a body other than the Commission proposes a measure
covered by Article 2(c), the Community's financial contribution

shall not exceed 50 % of the total cost of the measure; the
balance may be made up from public or private sources or a
combination of the two.

2.
The level of funding under the Altener programme for
the actions and measures referred to in Article 2(b) shall not
exceed 50 % of their total cost; the balance may be made up
from public or private sources or a combination of the two.

3.
The level of funding under the Altener programme for
the actions and measures referred to in Article 2(d) shall be
established annually for each of the targeted actions in accord-
ance with Article 4(2).

Article 4

The Commission shall be responsible for the financial

1.
execution and implementation of the Altener programme.

The Commission shall also ensure that actions under the
Altener programme are subject to prior appraisal, monitoring
and subsequent evaluation which, on completion of
the
project, shall
implementation
include assessment of impact,
and whether the original objectives have been achieved.

The Commission shall ensure that the selected beneficiaries
submit reports to the Commission on at least a six-monthly
basis or, in the case of projects lasting less than one year, at the
halfway point and in all cases on completion.

The Commission shall keep the committee referred to in
Article 5 informed of the development of projects.

2.
The conditions and guidelines to be applied for the
support of the actions and measures referred to in Article 2
shall be defined each year taking into account:

(a) the priorities set out by the Community and the Member
States in their programmes for the promotion of renewable
energy sources;

(b) criteria relating to the cost effectiveness and development
potential of renewable energy sources and their impact on
employment and the environment, in particular the reduc-
tion of CO

2 emissions;

(c) for the actions referred to in Article 2(d), the relative cost
of the assistance, the long-term commercial viability, the
new production capacity expected to arise and the extent of
transregional and/or transnational benefits;

(d) the principles established in Article 87 of the Treaty and
the relevant Community guidelines on State aid for envir-
onmental protection.

The committee provided for in Article 5 shall assist
Commission in defining these conditions and guidelines.

the

Article 5

The Commission shall be assisted, for the purposes of imple-
menting the Altener programme, by the committee referred to
in Article 4 of Council Decision 1999/21/EC, Euratom.

Where reference is made to this Article, Articles 4 and 7 of
Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply, having regard to the provi-
sions of Article 8 thereof.

The period referred to in Article 4(3) of Decision 1999/468/EC
shall be set at three months.

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The Committee shall draw up its own rules of procedure.

Article 8

Article 6

Examination and internal and external assessment of the imple-
mentation of the Altener programme shall be carried out in
accordance with the provisions of Article 5 of Council Decision
1999/21/EC, Euratom.

Article 7

The Altener programme shall be open to participation by
associated central and eastern European countries in accord-
ance with the conditions, including financial provisions, laid
down in the additional protocols to the Association Agree-
ments, or in the Association Agreements themselves, relating
to participation in Community programmes.

The Altener programme shall also be open to participation by
Cyprus on the basis of additional appropriations, under the
in
same rules as those applied to the EFTA/EEA countries,
accordance with procedures to be agreed with that country.

This Decision shall enter into force on the 20th day following
that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European
Communities.

Article 9

Council Decision 98/352/EC shall be repealed.

Article 10

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 28 February 2000.

For the European Parliament

For the Council

The President

N. FONTAINE

The President

J. PINA MOURA

Joint declaration

‘The European Parliament, the Council and the Commission declare that the opening of the Altener
programme to the associated Mediterranean countries envisaged in the MEDA programme should be
examined in the context of the next revision of this programme’.