WRITTEN QUESTION E-3139/00 by Jacques Poos (PSE) to the Commission. Oil crisis.
Date: 2000-10-06
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: fuel tax, petroleum, price of energy, price stability

6.6.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 163 E/41

The Council notes the Honourable Member(cid:146)s comment on the financial compensation. The Council wishes
to emphasise that the Community(cid:146)s view that, for the sake of enhanced transparency, the financial
compensation should be split into a fisheries component and a cooperation and development component
was expressed in the Agreed Record of Conclusions. Negotiations will continue in 2003 under the review
process aiming at achieving this financial transparency and better addressing the development needs of
Greenland.

The Council has not specifically evaluated the utilisation of the Third Fisheries Protocol. However, within
the scope of the negotiation directives with Greenland, the Council and the Commission invited the
Member States concerned to envisage the possibility of transfer of non- or under-utilised quotas to other
Member States, with due regard to the requirements of sustainable fisheries and without prejudice to the
principle of relative stability. The Council would like to recall that the principle of relative stability applies
in the waters of Greenland and that the European Court of Justice held this view in cases C-63/90 and
67/90.

In its Conclusions of 30 October 1997 on Fisheries Agreements with Third Countries, the Council invited
the Commission to consider the implementation of sharing of the financial cost of agreements between
Community funds and payment by shipowners. In the case of Greenland, it was a matter for negotiation
and the view that licence fees should be introduced was not acceptable to the other party. For its part, the
Council will carefully study the Commission(cid:146)s proposals for the implementation of the Fourth Protocol
when they are forwarded, before ascertaining whether there is in fact any discrimination of Community
fishermen operating in the North Atlantic.

The new draft Protocol provides for the fishing of new species (snow crab) in the framework of joint
ventures and joint enterprises and for the promotion of experimental fisheries.

(2001/C 163 E/040)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3139/00

by Jacques Poos (PSE) to the Commission

(6 October 2000)

Subject: Oil crisis

The spiralling price of oil is not essentially the result of a deliberate policy on the part of OPEC; rather, it
may be attributed to a severe shortage caused by extremely strong world economic growth.

This shortage may destabilise prices and disrupt growth.

Bearing the above considerations in mind, would the Commission answer the following questions:

1. Why has the Commission not proposed to the Ecofin Council that there should be a concerted,

temporary and reversible reduction in the taxes levied on liquid fuels?

2. Why has it not taken the step of negotiating an agreement with the producer countries on stabilising

oil prices on a long-term basis?

3. Why does (cid:145)the biggest economic area in the world(cid:146) not succeed in ensuring that it is able to pay for at

least some of its imports in its own currency?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(23 November 2000)

The Commission(cid:146)s powers remain limited where energy is concerned, as the treaties do not give the
Commission a specific legal basis for developing a Community energy policy.

However, the considerable rise in the price of crude oil since 1999 has prompted the Commission to put
a clear and ambitious strategy to the Member States, which was presented to the Biarritz European Council
in a document entitled (cid:145)The European Union(cid:146)s oil supply(cid:146) (1).

C 163 E/42

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

6.6.2001

The strategy includes improving the operation of the internal energy market and strengthening competi-
tion in the downstream oil sector (refining and distribution), developing measures to curtail the demand
for oil products (e.g. energy saving programmes and enhancing the role of alternative energies) and
redressing the balance between modes of transport.

The Commission wishes to discourage the temptation to offset the rise in oil prices by tax reductions. Such
an approach would run counter to the aims of Community environment policy (under the Kyoto Protocol
in particular) and its energy and transport policies, and would be tantamount to transferring tax resources
of Member States to the oil producing countries. It is precisely the opposite approach that is needed, with
genuine harmonisation upwards of excise duties.

Several measures relating to general supply conditions are also proposed. The Community should
strengthen cooperation in the upgrading of production and transport facilities in Russia. The prospects
opened up by oil and gas from the countries of the Caspian Sea basin will be studied. The Commission
will also look at ways of increasing strategic oil stocks. To combat speculation, ways of curbing price
volatility similar to the techniques used on the money markets will be sought.

Use of the euro for transactions would naturally have many advantages for European economic operators.
While market mechanisms will determine the pace at which the euro becomes the reference currency in
this field, a special effort should perhaps be made to negotiate transactions between the energy exporting
countries and the Community in euros.

(1) COM(2000) 631 final.

(2001/C 163 E/041)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3140/00

by Mario Mauro (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(6 October 2000)

Subject: Organic plant protection products

There is still no body of EU legislation specifically regulating the registration of plant protection products
of organic origin.

Whilst rapid progress is being made in research and the development of organic plant protection products,
with the prospect of products comparable in cost and effect with synthetic products being available in the
future, the lack of regulation may restrict the use of these products and hence their potential benefits in
areas where they compare favourably with conventional plant protection products (lower toxicity for
human beings and other non-targeted organisms, lower costs, less environmental impact, etc).

Furthermore, the lack of regulation allows products onto the market which are of poor quality and little or
no effect, without the necessary experiments and checks being carried out to provide guarantees for the
health of workers and consumers.

1. What steps does the European Commission intend to take to respect the principle of transparency in
the marketing and use of organic plant protection products?

2. What steps does it intend to take to safeguard the health of workers and consumers and to support
developments in this field?