Decision No 647/2000/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 February 2000 adopting a multiannual programme for the promotion of energy efficiency (SAVE) (1998 to 2002)
Date: 2000-02-28
Institutions: Council of the European Union, European Parliament
Subjects: EU aid, EU programme, action programme, energy policy, pollution control measures

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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DECISION No 647/2000/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

of 28 February 2000

adopting a multiannual programme for the promotion of energy efficiency (SAVE) (1998 to 2002)

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE
EUROPEAN UNION,

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

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

reduce the negative impact of energy on the environ-
ment. The communication of the Commission of 29
April 1998 on ‘Energy efficiency in the European
Community — Towards a strategy for the rational use of
energy’ underlined the economic potential for energy
efficiency with the aim of
refocusing attention on
promoting energy efficiency,

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

(7)

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:

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

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
to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

contains

To achieve significant reductions in Community CO2
emissions further efforts will have to be made, particu-
larly since CO2 emissions due to energy consumption
are expected to increase by about 3 % between 1995
and 2000, assuming normal economic growth; there-
fore, additional measures are indispensable.

Decision

a
Council
monitoring mechanism of Community CO2 and other
greenhouse gas emissions.

93/389/EEC (4)

established

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

Improvement in the management of energy, above all
enabling the extensive potential for reduction of energy
intensity to be exploited, is urgently needed in order to
contribute to the protection of the environment, to a
better security of energy supply and to sustainable devel-
opment.

The Commission has communicated to the European
Parliament and the Council, by means of the Green
Paper of 11 January 1995 and the White Paper of 13
December 1995, its views on the future of energy policy
in the Community, and the role of energy-saving and
energy efficiency measures.

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 should, in particular, reduce disparities between
the levels of development of the various regions and the
backwardness of
those
actions cover,

inter alia, the energy sector.

least-favoured regions;

the

(8)

(9)

(10)

By Decision 91/565/EEC (5) and Decision 96/737/EC (6),
the Council adopted a Community energy efficiency
programme (SAVE) aimed at strengthening energy effi-
ciency infrastructures within the Community.

(11)

The SAVE programme is an important and necessary
instrument for promoting increased energy efficiency.

The Commission, in its communication of 8 February
1990 on energy and the environment, highlighted
energy efficiency as the cornerstone of future efforts to

(12)

(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. 269); Council common position of 28 June 1999 (OJ
C 232,13.8.1999, p. 20) and decision of the European Parliament
of 6 October 1999 (not yet published in the Official Journal). Deci-
sion of the Council of 24 January 2000 and decision of the Euro-
pean Parliament of 3 February 2000.

(4) OJ L 167, 9.7.1993, p. 31.

(5) OJ L 307, 8.11.1991, p. 34.
(6) OJ L 335, 24.12.1996, p. 50.
(7) OJ L 7, 13.1.1999, p. 16.

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 encouragement of
rational and efficient use of
energy resources; this specific programme would replace
the corresponding instrument currently in force.

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(13)

(14)

The Community recognised the SAVE programme as an
important element of the Community's CO2 reduction
strategy. The communication of the Commission of 8
May 1991 on the European Community's energy
programming activities at regional level, the conclusion
of the Council on this communication, and the Resolu-
tion of the European Parliament of 16 July 1993 (1)
stated that those activities should be pursued, amplified
and utilised as a support for the energy strategy of the
Community; this initiative for regional actions should
now be totally incorporated.

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 and demonstration activities (1998 to 2002) (2),
Council Decision 1999/170/EC of 25 January 1999
adopting a specific programme for research, technolog-
ical development and demonstration on energy, environ-
ment and sustainable development (1998 to 2002) (3)
devotes particular attention to efficient and renewable
energy technologies; the SAVE programme represents a
policy instrument which complements that programme.

(15)

The SAVE programme aims at improving energy inten-
sity of final consumption by a further one percentage
point per annum over that which would have been
otherwise attained.

(16) At

its meeting on 15 and 16 December 1994 the
Council stated that the target of stabilising CO2 emis-
sions can only be achieved by a coordinated package of
measures to improve energy efficiency and the rational
use of energy which are based on supply and demand at
levels of energy production, conversion, transport
all
and consumption and to exploit renewable energies, and
that local energy management programmes are amongst
these measures;

(17)

In its Resolution of 10 October 1999 on the Commis-
sion's Green Paper on energy policy (4), the European
Parliament called for the formulation of objectives and a
common programme for energy efficiency and savings
compatible with the objectives concerning the emissions
of greenhouse gases as agreed in Rio de Janeiro (1992),
Berlin (1995) and subsequently in Kyoto (1997), called
for a SAVE II programme endowed with considerably
than the SAVE I programme and
more resources
requested that the Commission clarify the role which it
intends to play in energy savings and efficiency by
creating practical projects.

(18)

Improved energy efficiency will have a positive impact
on both the environment and the security of energy
supplies which are global
in nature; a high level of
international cooperation is needed to produce the most
positive results.

(1) OJ C 255, 20.9.1993, p. 252.
(2) OJ L 26, 1.2.1999, p. 1.
(3) OJ L 64, 12.3.1999, p. 58.
(4) OJ C 287, 30.10.1995, p. 34.

(19)

(20)

(21)

(22)

(23)

emissions
Between 180 and 200 million tonnes of CO
2
could be avoided by the year 2000 by an improvement
of 5 % in the energy intensity of final demand additional
to the conventional expectations; such figures could be
increased by a more efficient and rational use of energy
sources.

It is politically and economically desirable to open the
programme to the associated central and eastern Euro-
pean countries, in accordance with the conclusions of
the Copenhagen European Council of 21 and 22 June
1993 and 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 avoided, the Commission will
ensure that projects are subject
to thorough prior
appraisal; it will systematically monitor and evaluate the
supported projects and of
progress and results of
complementary activities
renewable
in the field of
energy sources.

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 (5);

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 (6), on budgetary discipline and improvement
of the budgetary procedure, for the budgetary authority
during the budgetary procedure.

(24)

This Decision replaces Council Decision 96/737/EC
which should accordingly be repealed,

HAVE ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

1. Within the framework programme for actions in the
energy sector, a specific programme in support of legislative
and non-legislative measures to encourage the rational use of
energy resources,
‘the SAVE
programme’) shall be implemented by the Community for the
period 1998 to 2002.

referred to as

(hereinafter

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

(a) stimulate energy efficiency measures in all sectors;

(5) OJ L 184, 17.7.1999, p. 23.
(6) OJ C 172, 18.6.1999, p. 1.

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(b) encourage investments in energy conservation by private

and public consumers and by industry;

(c) create the conditions for improving the energy intensity of

final consumption.

2.
Community financing shall be provided under the SAVE
programme for actions and measures which fall within the
objectives of this Decision.

The level of funding for the actions and measures referred
2.
to in Article 2(b), (d) and (f) shall be set at a maximum of 50 %
of their total cost.

3.
The balance of the funding of the actions and measures
referred to in Article 2(b), (d) and (f) may be made up from
either public or private sources or from a combination of the
two.

Article 2

The following categories of energy efficiency actions and meas-
ures shall be financed under the SAVE programme:

the

and

assess

effects

supplement

(a) studies and other related actions designed to introduce,
of
implement,
Community measures
(such as voluntary agreements,
including associated objectives and their monitoring,
mandates to standardisation bodies, cooperative procure-
for improving energy efficiency,
ments and legislation)
studies concerning the effects of energy pricing on energy
efficiency, studies with a view to establishing energy effi-
ciency as a criterion within Community programmes, and
level;
studies involving coordination at the international

(b) targeted sectoral pilot actions aimed at accelerating invest-
ment in energy efficiency and/or improving energy use
patterns, to be carried out by public and private enterprises
or organisations, including where appropriate, local inde-
existing
or
pendent
Community networks or temporary groupings of organ-
isations and/or enterprises formed to carry out the projects;

agencies,

centres

energy

and

(c) measures proposed by the Commission for

fostering
exchanges of experience aimed at improving coordination
between international, Community, national, regional and
local activities, using appropriate means for information
dissemination;

(d) measures such as those described in (c) but proposed by

entities other than the Commission;

(e) monitoring of energy efficiency progress in the Community
and in individual Member States and ongoing evaluation
and monitoring of the actions and measures undertaken
under the SAVE programme,
inter alia, actual
measurements (for example, energy auditing) before and
after the implementation of measures, interventions, incen-
tives, etc;

including,

(f) specific actions to improve energy management at regional
and urban level with a view to achieving greater cohesion
between Member States and regions in the field of energy
efficiency.

Article 3

1.
All the costs relating to the actions and measures referred
to in Article 2(a), (c) and (e) shall be borne by the general
budget of the European Union.

Article 4

1.
The financial framework for implementation of the SAVE
programme for the period specified in Article 1 is hereby set at
EUR 66 million.

2.
The annual appropriations shall be authorised by the
budgetary authority within the limits of the financial perspec-
tive.

Article 5

The Commission shall be responsible for the financial

1.
execution and implementation of the SAVE programme.

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

include assessment of

impact,

The selected beneficiaries shall submit reports to the

2.
Commission on a six-monthly basis and on completion.

3.
The conditions and guidelines to be applied for the
support of all actions and measures referred to in Article 2
shall be defined each year taking into account:

— the cost-effectiveness criteria,

the savings potential and
environmental impact, in particular the reduction of CO
2
emissions,

— the list of priorities referred to in Article 7,

— the cohesion of Member States in the field of energy effi-

ciency.

The committee referred to in Article 6 shall assist the Commis-
sion in defining these conditions and guidelines.

Article 6

The Commission shall be assisted, for the purposes of imple-
menting the SAVE 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.

The committee shall draw up its own rules of procedure.

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Article 7

The Commission shall formulate, on an annual basis, a list of
priorities for funding under the SAVE programme. This list
shall take into account complementarity between the SAVE
programme and the national programmes on the basis of
annual
information in a summary form supplied by each
Member State. Priority shall be given to those areas where such
complementarity is greatest.

The committee referred to in Article 6 shall assist the Commis-
sion in defining the list of priorities.

Article 8

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

Article 9

The SAVE programme shall be open to participation by asso-
ciated central and eastern European countries in accordance
with the conditions, including financial provisions, laid down
in the additional protocols to the Association Agreements, or
in the Association Agreements themselves, relating to partici-
pation in Community programmes.

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

Article 10

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

Article 11

Council Decision 96/737/EC shall be repealed.

Article 12

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