WRITTEN QUESTION E-4095/00 by Fodé Sylla (GUE/NGL), Jean-Louis Bourlanges (PPE-DE), Gérard Onesta (Verts/ALE) and Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission. Towards recognition of a right to energy.
Date: 2001-01-10
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: ACP countries, development plan, domestic market, energy policy, energy supply, sustainable development

C 235 E/66

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

21.8.2001

Depending on the Community region concerned, these measures may be included in rural development
plans, operational programmes or single programming documents. It is also possible to fund measures of
this kind in the programmes submitted under the Leader+ Community Initiative.

It is for the Member States to decide on the projects they wish to have part-financed, bearing in mind the
rules on eligibility applying to operations financed by the Structural Funds.

(1) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999.

(2001/C 235 E/071)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4095/00

by FodØ Sylla (GUE/NGL), Jean-Louis Bourlanges (PPE-DE),
GØrard Onesta (Verts/ALE) and Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission

(10 January 2001)

Subject: Towards recognition of a (cid:145)right to energy(cid:146)

Access to energy is seen as a legitimate aspiration by all human beings.

Access to energy often represents the gateway to education, health and long life, and energy has become as
vital as air or water.

The EU has essential responsibilities in this connection, as it lays down the legal rules governing the
internal market in goods and services, including energy, and promotes solidarity and development through
the structural funds. It plays a role at the international
level, as embodied in the major development
programmes MEDA, PHARE and TACIS and in negotiations with ACP countries and EU representation in
trade and environmental negotiations from Seattle to The Hague.

How does the Commission intend to take account in its legislative initiatives and its programming of
a (cid:145)right to energy(cid:146),
i.e. ensure equality of access for everyone to at least one source of energy whilst
contributing towards harmonious, equitable and environmentally-compatible development? And how can
it encourage international recognition of this (cid:145)right to energy(cid:146) as a human right?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(9 March 2001)

The Commission agrees with the view of the Honourable Members that one of the most basic objectives of
Community energy policy is the guarantee of secure supplies of energy to all Community citizens and
industry under reasonable conditions.

Indeed, in this light the Commission has recently adopted a Green Paper entitled (cid:145)Towards a European
strategy for the security of energy supply(cid:146) (1) in the context of which, the Commission has identified
13 questions that will focus the debate on the vital issue of secure energy supplies. The views of the
Parliament on the Green Paper will be of particular importance in permitting the Commission to draw
operational conclusions in due course.

Furthermore, as mentioned by the Honourable Members, there are particular issues regarding security of
supply and universal service in the context of the creation of the internal markets in electricity and gas.
The Commission will shortly publish a Communication on (cid:145)Completing the internal energy market(cid:146),
together with concrete proposals for the achievement of this objective.

As regards the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries, the Commission recognises the key role that
the provision of energy services has in supporting social and economic development in these countries, by
helping to reduce poverty and by supporting the integration of ACP States into the world economy.
It considers that environmental, financial and institutional sustainability should define the ways in which
these services are provided.

21.8.2001

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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A draft strategy for sustainable energy in ACP States is being finalised. This highlights two main themes:
energy sector institutional and policy support and encouraging partnerships between the various actors,
and integrating sustainable energy into other development activities, recognising the role that energy can
have in contributing to the achievement of Community development objectives in other sectors. The draft
strategy highlights decentralised renewable energy and energy efficiency as especially important areas for
future development co-operation. It also outlines the essential role of the private sector and the need to
establish partnerships between the public and private sectors.

(1) COM(2000) 769 final.

(2001/C 235 E/072)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4096/00

by Francesco Turchi (UEN) to the Commission

(10 January 2001)

Subject: Environmental impact assessment of Linate airport (Milan, Italy)

Aware that:

(cid:129) in recent years, the volume of air traffic at Linate airport has increased considerably (61 932 flights per

day in 1970, 82 620 in 1980, 126 566 in1990 and 184 742 in 1997),

(cid:129) the airport is five kilometres away from the cathedral and only a few hundred metres from the second

ring road, which is now considered part of the city itself,

(cid:129) despite the significant urban development of the Milan municipality and the communes to the east
and south of the city, there has been an uncontrolled increase in the annual number of passengers
(currently 650 000) at Linate airport,

(cid:129) given the way in which these communes have developed, the airport cannot be allowed to expand any

further,

(cid:129) in accordance with Ministerial Decree 463 (Burlando decree) of 25 October 1998, some of the air
traffic has been diverted from Linate to Malpensa and it is planned that eventually only the Rome
shuttle (approximately. 80 flights per day) will remain at Linate,

(cid:129) the Bersani decree of 3 March 2000 supplemented and altered the air traffic arrangements, increasing

the number of daily flights from 80 to the present 220,

(cid:129) the European Community had commissioned Cranfield College of Aeronautics to carry out a survey,
which follows a request by the 11 foreign companies operating at Malpensa that the Community call
for an expansion of air traffic at Linate, bringing the number of daily flights to 350-400,

(cid:129) contrary to what is required by law, no environmental impact assessment has been carried out for any

of the changes made so far,

(cid:129) under the terms of Prime Ministerial Decree No 377 of 10 August 1988, which entered into force on
1 September 1988, Linate airport has been operating illegally since the 1992-1994 expansion,

(cid:129) Article 8 of Law No 447, of 26 October 1995, stipulates that interventions resulting in operations
which are substantially different from the preceding arrangements include any plans to develop or
expand airport facilities and that such facilities must therefore undergo an environmental
impact
assessment.

Does the Commission not consider that this situation constitutes an infringement of the rights of people
living in the area and a threat to the local environment? Does it agree that, before any decision is taken on
the future of Linate airport, an environmental impact assessment should be carried out on the present
situation and the likely impact of further alterations?