Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the "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"
Date: 2000-09-21
Institutions: European Committee of the Regions
Subjects: electrical energy, energy policy, environmental protection, renewable energy, single market

24.1.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 22/27

1.13.
The Committee of the Regions suggests that there
should be a greater emphasis on medical checks for drivers,
such as elderly drivers and others, to ensure their ability to use
their vehicles safely.

1.14.
The Committee of the Regions calls on the Com-
mission to mobilise all means to achieve — within a reasonable
timeframe — the harmonisation of technical devices to be
fitted on vehicles by automobile manufacturers.

Brussels, 21 September 2000.

The President

of the Committee of the Regions

Jos CHABERT

Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the ‘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’

(2001/C 22/08)

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS,

having regard to the 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 — 2000/0116 (COD);

having regard to the decision taken by the Council on 26 June 2000, under the first paragraph of
Article 265 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, to consult the Committee on the matter;

having regard to the decision taken by the Committee of the Regions Bureau on 13 June 2000 to instruct
Commission 4 for Spatial Planning, Urban Issues, Energy and Environment to draw up the relevant
opinion;

having regard to the Council conclusions of 11 June 1999 (8013/99);

having regard to the European Parliament resolution of 26 May 1998 on electricity from renewable
energy sources (A4-0199/98);

having regard to the European Parliament resolution of 30 March 2000 on electricity from renewable
energy sources and the internal electricity market (A5-0078/2000);

having regard to the Commission communication entitled Energy for the Future: renewable sources of
energy — White Paper for a Community strategy and action plan (COM(97) 599 final) and the Committee
of the Regions opinion on this communication (COR 57/98 fin) (1);

having regard to the draft opinion adopted by Commission 4 on 7 July 2000 (COR 191/2000 rev. 1 —
rapporteur: Mr Maier, D/PSE),

adopted the following opinion at its 35th plenary session of 20 and 21 September 2000 (meeting of
21 September).

(1) OJ C 315, 13.10.1998, p. 5.

C 22/28

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

24.1.2000

The Committee of the Region’s position and recommen-
dations on the communication:

The Committee of the Regions

1.

questions the assertion in point 2.2 of the Proposal for a
Directive that increasingly Europeans would be prepared
to pay more for electricity from renewable energy sources.
This needs to be verified at European level on the basis of
an impartial assessment;

2. welcomes the Commission’s determination, in submitting
this 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, to create a framework which helps to significantly
increase the share of electricity from renewable sources
(RES-E) within the EU and which is also a key step
towards cutting greenhouse gas emissions to protect the
climate, as agreed in Kyoto;

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

stresses the need for joint efforts to meet the target of
doubling renewable energy’s share of EU gross inland
energy consumption from the present 6 % to 12 % by
2010, as set out in the White Paper on renewable energy
sources and endorsed by the Council;

underscores that, as part of the Community’s strategy,
RES-E makes a key contribution to the requirement of
climate protection and to meeting the Community’s
reduction obligations, and that it is therefore necessary to
take appropriate steps to ensure that the potential
is
better exploited within the framework of the internal
electricity market;

shares the Commission’s view that the obligation for
Member States to set targets for domestic RES-E con-
sumption which are consistent with the objectives of the
White Paper on renewable energy sources and the
commitments accepted by the Community in Kyoto is
likely to give an important impetus to the development
of the RES-E sector;

underscores the need — in accordance with the subsidiar-
ity principle — to leave it to Member States to select the
measures which, according to circumstances, make for
the best possible use of available potential
in each
individual case;

shares the Commission’s view that Member States’ various
renewable energy promotion schemes to date will con-
tinue to be necessary in the medium term as long as
the social and
electricity prices do not
environmental costs and benefits of the energy sources
used;

fully reflect

8.

9.

stresses that the planned directive should not only require
that Member States set targets, but should also be an
effective supplement and back-up for national schemes;

notes that Member States’ efforts to boost renewable
energy use are hampered if uncertainty remains about
which measures are consistent with Community law and
the decision-making processes lack sufficient
trans-
parency;

10.

stresses the need to take account of the special importance
of environmental and climate protection for citizens’
health and quality of life when weighing up whether
Member States’ schemes are consistent with EU single
market requirements;

11. considers that it is vital to clarify the Commission’s future
handling of
the interplay between the directive, the
environmental aid framework and notification arrange-
ments, and that the directive should set out transparent
and practical criteria for assessing which renewable
energy promotion schemes can be implemented in
accordance with Community law;

12. considers it essential that the Community guidelines on
state aid for environmental protection should contain
appropriate assessment criteria which reflect the need for
public support for the use of renewable energy sources;

13.

thinks that, under the EC Treaty, the term support is
restricted to mean aid originating directly or indirectly
from state resources, thus establishing the basis whereby
price-fixing rules involving legally warranted purchase
and payment obligations are not subject to the ban on
aid;

14. points out that, amongst other things, tax relief as decided
by each Member State may be granted for RES-E to
increase the proportion generated in this way. Tax relief
on the transmission and distribution of electricity should
also be used to favour the market penetration of RES-E;

15. notes that an obligation — imposed on environmental
grounds — to purchase a proportion of electricity from
renewable sources does not constitute either direct or
indirect price support;

16. backs the Commission’s plan to require that Member
States introduce a certification of origin scheme in order
to permit effective trade in RES-E and also secure
complete transparency in consumer choice;

24.1.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 22/29

17. asks the Commission to lay down specific provisions in
the proposed directive to ensure a uniform approach in
the Member States to certification of origin and the
definition of renewable energy sources;

18.

takes the view that water power, as an important stimulus
for renewable energy sources in a Community strategy,
should clearly be classified as a renewable energy source
regardless of the output of the plant;

19. would point out that, for reasons of transparency and
consumer information, the obligation to provide certifi-
cation of origin should be extended to all types of
electricity; providing that the subsidiarity principle is
respected and that
this positive
measure is more consumer friendly;

the introduction of

20.

recognises that conditions are not yet in place for a
decision on Community rules for support instruments;

21.

feels that it is appropriate and advisable for the Com-
mission — building on experience gained — to examine
and consider in detail all the available options (such
pricing or quotas) in its current and future deliberations
on a harmonised support system as a basis for trade in
renewable energy;

22.

stresses the need to ensure that,
in the absence of
harmonisation, national support schemes are not put
under undue strain by trade between the Member States;

23. considers it vital that national schemes should not be
opened up to trade between Member States until machin-
ery is introduced to prevent the unfair exploitation of
price advantages as a result of differing national support
schemes;

24. points out the need to incorporate appropriate tran-
sitional arrangements when introducing new rules across
the Community in order to respect and protect investor
confidence and avoid ‘stranded costs’;

Brussels, 21 September 2000.

25.

reaffirms the point that Member States must ensure that
technical rules and operational requirements concerning
connection to both the transmission and distribution
grids are developed in an objective and non-discriminat-
ory manner and are published;

26. asks the Commission to explore every option in order to
legal and regulatory input to an
keep administrative,
absolute minimum in the application of the directive and
the requisite follow-up assessment;

27. points out that it will be impossible to meet the expansion
target for renewables if environmentally sound energies
are placed at a competitive disadvantage by the failure to
take account of the external costs of traditional energy
production;

28.

stresses the need to press ahead with the adoption of the
proposal for a Council Directive on restructuring the
Community framework for the taxation of energy prod-
ucts, submitted by the Commission in 1997 (1) , in order
to facilitate compliance with national environment and
energy targets;

29. urges the Commission to shape a true global vision of the
in pursuit of meeting their energy
future of energy,
requirements and the sustainable development of the
planet, in a clean environment;

30.

stresses the need, after the directive is adopted, to closely
monitor developments and progress on the emission
reduction front and, if the results are lacking, to take the
necessary action;

31. points out that an immediate entry into force of the
directive would create a dynamic for increasing levels of
RES-E in the EU that would not only benefit citizens and
the economy but would also provide a major boost to
Member States’ RES-E plant and equipment sector, with a
correspondingly favourable impact on jobs.

(1) COM(97) 30 final of 12.3.1997.

The President

of the Committee of the Regions

Jos CHABERT