WRITTEN QUESTION E-1782/00 by Eryl McNally (PSE) to the Commission. Council of European Energy Regulators.
Date: 2000-06-08
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU industrial policy, energy policy

6.3.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 72 E/117

(2001/C 72 E/146)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1776/00

by Ioannis Souladakis (PSE) to the Council

(9 June 2000)

Subject: Substandard European Union publications

An article headlined (cid:145)Full funding for(cid:146)Quick Start Package(cid:145)in South East Europe(cid:146) published in European
Union Newsletter No. 9 (Sarajevo, April 2000 (cid:129) Delegation of the European Commission in Bosnia and
Herzegovina) makes no reference whatsoever to the Egnatia Highway, an EU-funded development project
which will be highly instrumental
in bringing the Balkan peninsula out of its isolation and under-
development. The map accompanying the article shows the ports of Thessaloniki and Alexandropoulos
together with their planned links to the rest of the European network but fails, bizarrely, to show the
Egnatia Highway.

Is the Council aware that by publishing such unsatisfactory and absurd reports, its departments responsible
for the promotion of EU projects, which further development inside and outside the Union, are essentially
undermining the significance of those very projects and the impression they make on European public
opinion?

What measures will the Council take to monitor the officials responsible for the above omission to ensure
that there is no repetition of such blunders in the future?

Reply

(28 September 2000)

As the Honourable Member has indicated, the publication to which he draws the Council(cid:146)s attention was
published by the European Commission.

While the Council regrets any errors that may slip into publications by European Union institutions and
bodies, it cannot adopt a position on a publication of which it is not the author.

In the case in point the question ought to have been put to the Commission.

(2001/C 72 E/147)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1782/00

by Eryl McNally (PSE) to the Commission

(8 June 2000)

Subject: Council of European Energy Regulators

The Council of European Energy Regulators was recently created. It is their role to meet for the sharing of
information and views, and they contribute to the proper development of the European electricity and gas
sectors.

It is important, however, that they also make a contribution to discussions on:

(cid:129) price discrimination

(cid:129) electronic red-lining

(cid:129) energy efficiency, energy savings

(cid:129) development of renewable energy sources

(cid:129) quality of services

C 72 E/118

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

6.3.2001

(cid:129) transnational corporations and concentration of market power

(cid:129) public service obligations.

All these issues have an impact on individuals, as residential consumers, and on employment.

Does the Commission agree that the Council of European Energy Regulators should begin discussions with
trade unions, environmental, consumer and other civil-society organisations in order to develop open and
democratic mechanisms that allow the Council to benefit
these
organisations?

from the views and experience of

Does it believe that a similar dialogue should be held in the regulatory bodies at national level?

Does it support the creation of an advisory board to the Council which would include representatives of
these organisations?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(11 July 2000)

1.
The Council of European energy regulators (CEER) has been created to provide an adequate
framework for the work of the national regulators which touch on subjects which are of interest to the
internal market and more in particular to promote the development of efficient electricity and gas markets
in Europe. Information exchange and assistance among its members is one of its main tasks. The CEER is
open to information from all parties, which would mainly mean European groupings of organisations to
which the Honourable Member refers, but also industry and others interested in the internal electricity and
gas markets.

Even though the work of the regulators centres mainly around tariff setting and licensing, the subject of
quality of service has already been taken up by the regulators and the Commission. The Commission,
based on information from the regulators and other relevant parties, will issue a communication on public
service levels in the electricity and gas, and also the transport sector.

The other subjects mentioned by the Honourable Member in the introduction to the questions are part of
the work of the regulators, insofar as the subjects fall under their competence.

The regulatory bodies at national

2.
regulate. All
consultation procedures and it is important that the views of all interested parties are heard.

level regularly organise consultation rounds on subjects they
interested organisations can bring their opinions forward in the framework of such

3. Whilst the Commission believes strongly that, in order to carry out its responsibilities effectively, it
must ensure a wide consultation of interested parties on issues within its competence, it is, however, for
the CEER to decide how to undertake this consultation in the most effective and appropriate manner.

(2001/C 72 E/148)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1783/00

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(8 June 2000)

Subject: Compulsory use of typewriters

Is the Commission aware that its departments are insisting that applications for the Exploratory Award and
CRAFT must be typewritten?

Is this a considered policy?