WRITTEN QUESTION E-1472/00 by Alejandro Agag Longo (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Electronic commerce.
Date: 2000-05-10
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU policy, economic policy, electronic commerce

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The Commission sees no obstacle in the current timetable for each process to ensure the objectives of
efficiency, consistency and synergy. Better synergy between processes does not necessarily imply that they
should mirror each other in time but calls for a close and effective dialogue and mutual contributions from
the very early stages of preparation. The current set-up allows the Commission, the Council, the European
Council, the Parliament and others concerned to contribute to the strategy (cid:129) on the overall macroeco-
nomic and structural aspects in spring, with a closer look at employment and labour market policies in
autumn. Furthermore, the lead of the BEPGs in setting the overall frame allows policies for employment to
be better prepared and articulated.

(2001/C 53 E/192)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1472/00

by Alejandro Agag Longo (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(10 May 2000)

Subject: Electronic commerce

In its recommendation on the Major Economic Policy Guidelines the Commission refers on several
occasions to the productivity and economic growth potential latent in electronic commerce. Indeed, the
Commission explicitly urges the Member States to take steps to enable such potential to be fully harnessed.

Could the Commission be more specific and explain what general guidelines the Member States(cid:146)
governments should, in its opinion, be following in this area?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(30 June 2000)

Electronic commerce is expected to have far-reaching effects on the organisation and competitiveness of
enterprises, as well as providing great benefits to consumers. By electronic commerce, companies can
modernise their business processes, obtain cost savings, and provide better services to customer. The
diffusion of electronic commerce is the condition for making traditional industries more competitive and
allowing new business activities and enterprises to emerge. The experience from the United States
demonstrates that electronic commerce has made important contributions to economic growth and the
creation of new jobs.

The Commission therefore encourages European enterprises to exploit the potential of electronic com-
merce and recommends Member States to put in place effective measures, in order to favour the diffusion
of electronic commerce.

The Commission is establishing a legislative framework to encourage electronic commerce and to remove
possible barriers. This includes a number of legislative actions regarding privacy, security, copyright, and
telecom regulations. A framework Directive (1) has recently been adopted, establishing the principle that
single market Community rules apply to electronic commerce services. The Directive covers the right of
establishment, on-line contracts, liability for illegal transmission, as well as protection of the consumer.

The e-Europe initiative, launched by the Commission in December 1999, aims at accelerating the uptake
internet access,
of digital technologies across Europe, and addresses several areas,
research, risk capital and applications of public interest. The Lisbon European Council called for the
Council and the Parliament to adopt all pending legislation on electronic commerce by the end of 2000.
Member States should accelerate their implementation into national law, which should be finalised by
2001.

including education,

In its communication (cid:145)Challenges for enterprise policy in the knowledge-driven economy(cid:146) (2), the Com-
mission sets out its approach to fostering entrepreneurship and encouraging companies, in particular small
and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to take up electronic commerce. In line with this initiative, the
to measure, by appropriate indicators, the
Commission has also launched a benchmarking exercise,

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progress in the Community and in the Member States towards the new economy, and to provide results
each year to the European Council.

(1) Directive of the Parliament and the Council on certain legal aspects of Information Society services, in particular

electronic commerce, in the Internal Market (cid:129) 4/5/2000.

(2) COM(2000) 256 final.

(2001/C 53 E/193)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1474/00

by Alejandro Agag Longo (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(11 May 2000)

Subject: Renewable energy

Renewable energy is a major objective of the EU, in response to the undertakings entered into in the Kyoto
Protocol of late 1997 with regard to combating climate change. It was, accordingly,
included in the
Commission(cid:146)s 1998 white paper on renewable energy, and fully supported by the Council and Parliament
as one of the main priorities for the Community(cid:146)s energy and environment policies.

The Commission is currently finalising a proposal for a directive on the promotion of renewable energy
within the internal market in electricity, which is expected to be made available in the next few weeks.

Does the Commission not believe that the present draft guidelines on state aids for the environment could
jeopardise, marginalise or even render useless the efforts currently being made by all the parties involved
to establish a coherent Community market for the promotion of renewable energy within the internal
market in electricity? Does the Commission not believe that account should be taken of the fact that
electricity generation from renewable sources is today considerably more expensive than the conventional
equivalent, and that there is therefore a need for active promotion and support to enable it to compete?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(26 June 2000)

On 10 May 2000 the Commission adopted a proposal for a Directive on the promotion of electricity from
renewable energy sources in the internal electricity market (1). The strategic aim of the proposal is to
support a significant medium-term increase in the amount of electricity generated from renewable energy
sources and to ease its access to the internal electricity market.

(In its recital No 18) this proposal acknowledges that public assistance for electricity deriving from
renewable energy sources will be necessary in order to achieve the Community(cid:146)s aims as regards its
expansion, more particularly for just as long as electricity prices on the internal market do not reflect all of
the costs and environmental advantages of the energy sources used.

The national support systems for electricity deriving from renewable energy sources are, of course, subject
to the provisions of the EC Treaty and in particular Articles 87 and 88 thereof, concerning State aid.
Revising the Community supervision of State support for the protection of the environment therefore does
not conflict with, but is supplementary to, the adoption of the proposal for a Directive, given that it is
necessary for the Member States and businesses to be familiar with the criteria that the Commission will
apply in order to decide whether the assistance contemplated by the Member States is compatible, or not,
with the common market. Those criteria must, of course, be consistent with the content and ultimate
purpose of the proposal for a Directive of 10 May 2000. Applying them must therefore not remove any
useful effect from that proposal.

(1) COM(2000) 279 final.