WRITTEN QUESTION E-2467/00 by Paulo Casaca (PSE), Isidoro Sánchez García (ELDR), Margie Sudre (PPE-DE), Roy Perry (PPE-DE), Mariotto Segni (UEN) and Jean-Claude Fruteau (PSE) to the Commission. Islands.
Date: 2000-07-24
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: economic and social cohesion, electrical industry, electricity supply, energy grid, energy policy, investment cost, renewable energy

C 136 E/38

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

8.5.2001

(2001/C 136 E/041)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2467/00

by Paulo Casaca (PSE), Isidoro SÆnchez Garc(cid:237)a (ELDR),
Margie Sudre (PPE-DE), Roy Perry (PPE-DE), Mariotto Segni (UEN)
and Jean-Claude Fruteau (PSE) to the Commission

(24 July 2000)

Subject: Islands

Proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the promotion of electricity
from renewable energy sources in the internal electricity market, (COM(2000) 279 final) recently published
by the Commission, raises certain questions.

Point 2.4, which deals with grid connection and reinforcement issues, contains the following paragraph:

It has been suggested, as a general rule, that connection costs of renewable generators should be borne
by the grid operator, to facilitate deployment of RES installations. It is doubtful whether this approach
can be considered appropriate. In fact, it would lead to a situation where the distance to the grid
would be irrelevant to potential investors. Such an approach would thus encourage non-economic
installations. On the contrary, to ensure the correct development of the RES sector in the EU, it is
important that all relevant investments are fully taken into account, including grid connection costs.

Does this mean that an entrepreneur who wants to install an RES production unit in an outlying region,
especially an island region, will in future be liable for grid connection costs, which in the Community(cid:146)s
most outlying and isolated regions are likely to be prohibitive?

By way of example, would construction of a submarine cable between a region such as the Shetland
Islands and the Scottish mainland entail payment of connection costs by any undertaking that wished to
set up business in Shetland, taking advantage of its wind and wave energy resources?

Does it not seem that such a policy, which would most certainly discourage development of this kind of
enterprise, would be in total contradiction with Article 154 of the Treaty and with Article 158 on
economic and social cohesion, which also makes specific reference to the islands(cid:146) situation?

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-2447/00 and E-2467/00
given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(10 October 2000)

The promotion of electricity from renewable energy sources (RES electricity) is a high priority for the
Community. The 1997 White Paper on renewable energy sources (1) stressed the fundamental role of such
sources in terms of security of supply and environmental protection and suggested an indicative objective
of doubling the share of Community energy consumption accounted for by renewable energy sources by
2010.

Point 2.4 of the explanatory memorandum of the proposal referred to by the Honourable Members
explains why the Commission did not feel it appropriate to propose that the connection costs of RES-E
generators should be borne by the grid operator. According to the Commission, such an approach would
lead to a situation where the distance to the grid would be irrelevant
investors and,
consequently, would encourage non-economic installations.

to potential

However, it does not follow that an operator wishing to set up a new RES installation in a remote or
isolated area should in future be forced to bear all the costs of connection to the grid. The Commission
considers that while it does not seem appropriate to set mandatory rules on cost sharing with regard to

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 136 E/39

connection and other grid system costs at the European level,
Member State level comply with certain general principles.

it should be ensured that the rules at

Article 7 of the proposal therefore lays down that all the costs and benefits associated with the connection
of a new RES installation must be defined on the basis of standard rules and in accordance with objective,
transparent and non-discriminatory criteria; the costs of the system installations, such as grid reinforce-
ments, are shared between all generators benefiting from them (the arrangements for sharing must be
made on the basis of standard rules and in accordance with objective, transparent and non-discriminatory
criteria); Member States adopt rules providing for compensation where generators connected subsequently
to the grid derive benefits (connection or reinforcement) associated with a party connected earlier which
bore the cost of the operation.

The question of establishing the connection costs for RES-E generators associated with the laying of an
underwater cable between an isolated region such as the Shetland Islands and the Scottish mainland, as
mentioned by way of example by the Honourable Members, must be considered in the light of the
provisions on security of supply. Moreover, without prejudice to the rules of the Treaty, and in particular
Articles 87 and 88 (formerly Articles 92 and 93), the public authorities concerned could subsidise such a
project.

The Commission is therefore of the opinion that its proposal for a Directive establishes a regulatory
framework for RES-E generators which is consistent with Community policy in favour of remote and
isolated areas.

(1) COM(97) 599 final.

(2001/C 136 E/042)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2453/00

by John McCartin (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(24 July 2000)

Subject: Northern Ireland peace programme

Is the Commission aware that the Northern Ireland Peace Initiative which expired at the end of 1999 has
still not been renewed and can the Commission inform Parliament when the next programme will be
available for new applications?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(12 October 2000)

The Community special support programme for peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland and the
border counties of Ireland (PEACE I) ran from 1995 to 1999 in the form of a Community Initiative.

In March 1999, the European Council in Berlin decided that (cid:145)in recognition of the special efforts for the
peace process in Northern Ireland, the PEACE programme will be continued for five years with an amount
of € 500 million, of which € 100 million will be allocated to Ireland. This programme will be implemented
in full respect of additionality of structural fund interventions(cid:146) (1).

For the period running from 2000 to 2004, the PEACE programme has been renewed in the form of an
operational programme under objective 1 of the structural funds (2).

In application of the structural funds regulations, the British and Irish authorities jointly presented to the
Commission a draft PEACE II programme in April 2000. This text is now being discussed in the light of
the Community support frameworks for Ireland and Northern Ireland.