WRITTEN QUESTION P-3212/00 by Hans Kronberger (NI) to the Commission. Take-off campaign on renewable energy.
Date: 2000-10-10
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, renewable energy

C 151 E/102

Official Journal of the European Communities

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22.5.2001

in which the quantity of bacteria is measured) associated with a certain risk level. In the light of this, the
Commission considers that it should remain the responsibility of the competent authority to discuss this
problem with the plant operator, and to specify in more detail how the above-mentioned measures should
be implemented, taking into account local factors such as site location and climate conditions.

(1) Progress Report on the Network for the Epidemiological Surveillance and Control of Communicable Diseases in the

Community. COM(2000) 471 final. http://europa.eu.int/comm/health/ph/others/network/net03_en.pdf.

(2) OJ L 21, 26.1.2000.
(3) OJ L 268, 3.10.1998.
(4) OJ L 28, 3.2.2000.
(5) OJ L 229, 30.8.1980.
(6) OJ L 330, 5.12.1998.
(7) http://eippcb.jrc.es/.
(8) OJ L 257, 10.10.1996.

(2001/C 151 E/114)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3212/00

by Hans Kronberger (NI) to the Commission

(10 October 2000)

Subject: Take-off campaign on renewable energy

The Commission has issued a (cid:145)Take-off Campaign(cid:146) to accompany its White Paper entitled (cid:145)Energy for the
Future: Renewable Sources of Energy(cid:146).

What measures have been taken to implement this take-off campaign?

What progress has been made in putting the take-off campaign into practice?

Is there any ongoing supervision of its implementation?

Has a system been devised and applied for monitoring implementation of the campaign?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(20 November 2000)

The Commission(cid:146)s white paper on Energy for the future: renewable sources of energy (1) included an
outline for a campaign for take-off, aiming to promote and accelerate the implementation of large projects
in the different renewable energy sources (RES) sectors, as well as to send clear signals for the greater use
of RES.

The campaign will run from 2000 to 2003 and is focussed on quantitative objectives in different key
sectors of RES. It also seeks to identify (cid:145)100 communities(cid:146) aiming at 100 % of RES supply. The key sector
objectives of the campaign to be reached by 2003 were set at between 15 % and 25 % of the overall white
paper objectives for 2010. The intermediate objectives for 2003 will provide a good short or medium term
picture of the progress made.

As for the objectives of the campaign, the Commision can confirm that the wind objective has already
been achieved; that solar applications (both photovoltaic and thermal) are peaking in some areas with
appropriate regulatory and promotional measures, mainly at regional and local level; while the biomass
objectives, which need a specific survey in order to complete statistical data, have to be closely monitored.
Biogas is clearly increasing. In space heating, biomass has to compete with natural gas, while in transport,
biofuels have to compete with conventional
the
production of raw materials to produce energy is very well possible, also by allowing such production
on land set-aside. The success of biofuels will depend on specific legislation as regards their use and fiscal
treatment. Finally the specific objective of 100 communities aimed at 100 % of RES supply will definitely

In the context of agricultural policy,

fuels.

fossil

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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be reached in 2003. Renewable energy partnerships, signed with such communities, are progressing
rapidly and more than 100 potential candidates have been identified.

For monitoring progress in the development of renewable energy the Commission has established a system
based on Eurostat official statistics, data from the industry, manufacturers and their associations, the TERES
model (The European renewable energy study) used for calculating the objectives of the white paper and
the campaign, and a regular survey on Member States programmes and policy.

Actions under the campaign for take-off,
including the renewable energy partnership applications
submitted according to Community programmes, are evaluated under general rules for financial Commu-
nity support. The Commission is preparing a report on the implementation of the white paper and the
campaign for take-off that will be communicated to the Parliament by the end of the year.

(1) COM(97) 599 final.

(2001/C 151 E/115)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3215/00

by Jan Wiersma (PSE) to the Commission

(10 October 2000)

Subject: EU-UN co-operation on crisis management and conflict prevention

On 15 September a meeting of the UN and the EU took place to discuss co-operation in the area of crisis
management and conflict prevention.

(cid:129) What was the agenda of this meeting and what were the conclusions?

(cid:129) Were these issues discussed again when Mr Kofi Annan visited Europe?

(cid:129) What is the EU position on co-operation with the UN in this area, and what role should the UN be

given in the elaboration of the Helsinki agreements concerning CFSP?

(cid:129) What could be the EU(cid:146)s concrete contribution towards strengthening the capacities of the UN in crisis

management and conflict prevention?

(cid:129) Will these issues be discussed during the upcoming European Council meeting?

(cid:129) What will be the future format of dialogue between the UN and the EU on crisis management and

conflict prevention?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(30 October 2000)

Conflict prevention and crisis management were among the key themes in the very fruitful high-level
discussions between the Union and the United Nations at recent meetings in New York (13 September
2000) and Europe (3-5 October 2000), where the United Nations Secretary General met the President of
the Commission, the Members responsible for External relations, Enlargement and Commerce and the High
representative Mr Solana as well as the Union Presidency.

Other items on the agenda were the developments in the Middle East and in the Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia (FRY), co-operation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Sierra
Leone, Cyprus, support to the less developed countries (LDCs) and debt relief as well as how to enhance
global coordination between the Community and the United Nations. There was agreement that more
effective and mutually beneficial co-operation between the Community and the United Nations must be
steered in particular by more frequent meetings both at political and working level. Work continues on a
more precise co-ordination framework.