WRITTEN QUESTION E-0635/01 by Ioannis Souladakis (PSE) to the Council. Aid for Armenia.
Date: 2001-03-08
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Armenia, EU aid, EU programme, development aid, the EU's international role

4.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 340 E/55

These elements do not exist in the Community. In particular, in the Community sufficient reserve capacity
is available, which can be estimated to amount to around 30 % of peak electricity demand (including
reserve capacity necessary to maintain the security of the system and over-capacity).

Unlike in California, in the Community medium- and long-term supply contracts between suppliers
2.
and consumers are not prohibited but form the basic commercial arrangement in the electricity market.
Used in parallel to short-term transactions in the spot market, these contracts provide the necessary
stability in terms of price developments.

3.
The growing integration of the European electricity market will increase security of supply through
the opening up of markets and the extension of interconnection capacities, allowing more cross-border
trade, in particular in the event of electricity shortages in a Member State.

In addition, Directive 96/92/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 19 December 1996 concerning
common rules for the internal market in electricity (2) contains provisions, which allow Member States to
take specific measures to react to acute shortages and prevent future problems regarding primary energy
sources for generation. In the event of a sudden crisis in the energy market, Article 23 of this Directive
provides the possibility for Member States to take (cid:129) temporarily (cid:129) safeguard measures. Such measures
may include intervention in the market in order to ensure reasonable prices for end-consumers and cost-
recovery by producers, provided such measures are proportionate with the objectives pursued and non-
discriminatory in effect. Furthermore, if a Member State determines that installed capacity on the basis of
a given primary source is excessively high, or is increasing so rapidly as to constitute a threat to overall
security of electricity supply, it may, pursuant to Article 5 (1) (f), (cid:145)specify the nature of the primary sources
of energy(cid:146) for all new capacity.

In its proposal for a revision of the electricity directive (3), the Commission proposes a gradual
4.
approach towards full market opening. By 2003 all non-domestic customers shall be free to choose their
supplier and by 2005 all consumers shall have this right.

In order to ensure appropriate vigilance with regard to security of supply while market opening is
progressing, new measures aimed to ensure the availability of sufficient generation capacity are suggested.
Under these new measures Member States would be obliged to continuously monitor the balance between
demand and supply and to publish annually a report outlining their findings, indicating any measures
envisaged to ensure supply security. The Commission, on the basis of the national reports and its own
monitoring work, would publish a report covering the Community as a whole. When necessary, Member
States would launch tenders for the construction of new electricity generating capacity.

As regards security of supply in terms of primary energy sources for generation, the safeguard provisions
of the electricity directive described above in the reply to question 3 remain applicable.

(1) COM(2000) 769 final.
(2) OJ L 27, 30.1.1997.
(3) COM(2001) 125.

(2001/C 340 E/063)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0635/01

by Ioannis Souladakis (PSE) to the Council

(8 March 2001)

Subject: Aid for Armenia

According to figures concerning American aid for Armenia published in the Washington Post, per
capita aid to Armenia over the last year amounted to USD 42, which is one of the highest levels of
American aid to third countries. This aid takes a wide variety of
forms, notably housing repairs,
a contribution towards antiseismic protection for buildings, the renovation of schools, the construction of
water supply networks, etc.

C 340 E/56

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.12.2001

Given that the Transcaucasian countries are priority countries for the European Union, will the Council
say:

1. Does Armenia receive aid under the EU(cid:146)s external aid programme?

2. What levels of aid will it be proposing for Armenia?

3. What aid sectors does it intend to cover?

Reply

(13 July 2001)

Armenia receives considerable assistance from a number of international donor organisations. The United
States is the largest donor with a USAID assistance budget in 1999 of USD 90 Million with a main focus
of employment creation. TACIS (the EU programme) is among the largest providers of technical assistance
in addition to EU Member States and UN agencies. Armenia has also received considerable international
support in various forms from the Armenian Diaspora.

From 1996 to 2000, the Community aid programme amounted to € 129 million (€ 83 million of which
disbursed).

The current TACIS Action programme concentrates on the following priority areas:

(cid:129) Support for institutional, legal and administrative reform.

In this area the following projects have been identified:

(cid:129) To continue support to the Armenia-EU Policy, Legal and Advice Centre (AEPLAC) to ensure

smooth implementation of Armenia(cid:146)s international obligations.

(cid:129) To support the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia in view of strengthening its

capacity to manage effective legislative process.

(cid:129) Support to the Private Sector and Assistance for Economic Development.

In this area, a project will establish the principles of a Credit Guarantee Fund and will assist the small
enterprises in the identification and the purchasing of needed equipment.

(cid:129) Development of Infrastructure Networks.

In this area, the activity will concentrate in the energy sector. In view of developing local alternative
sources of energy to be able to close down the Medzamor Nuclear Power plant, a project will
strengthen the hydropower sector, through the rehabilitation of selected hydropower plants and
feasibility studies for a new hydropower plant.

In addition, Armenia will benefit from participation in the Small Project Programmes, (Tempus (cid:129) Policy
and Legal advice (cid:129) Statistics (cid:129) Institution Building Partnership Programme).

Other Community funded actions of interest to Armenia are financed separately through the Inter-State
Programmes (such as Traceca and Inogate).

Finally, the EU provided in 1998 an exceptional financial assistance to Armenia which amounted MECU
28 in the form of a single tranch loan facility and up to MECU 30 in the form of a grant to be disbursed
in successive annual tranches from 1998 to 2002.

(2001/C 340 E/064)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0636/01

by Theresa Villiers (PPE-DE) to the Council

(8 March 2001)

Subject: EU funding to Yasser Arafat

Could the Council please confirm whether any EU funding has been passed directly to Yasser Arafat

1.
in cash?