WRITTEN QUESTION E-0924/01 by Jorge Moreira Da Silva (PPE-DE) to the Council. Directive on renewable energy sources.
Date: 2001-03-29
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU environmental policy, Portugal, reduction of gas emissions, renewable energy, tradeable emission permit

4.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 340 E/127

The Commission has proposed, in its Communication of 3 April 2001 (1), several lines of action
5.
discussed and pursued with euro area Member States and European trade federations. These include:
encouraging the adoption of dual pricing, increasing the frequency of price surveys and checks in late
2001 and early 2002, creating a commitment to overall stability (pursued among others through the
agreement of 2 April 2001), building on the example set by the public administrations and organising
specific price surveys to monitor trends in prices.

(1) COM(2001) 190 final.

(2001/C 340 E/144)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0924/01

by Jorge Moreira Da Silva (PPE-DE) to the Council

(29 March 2001)

Subject: Directive on renewable energy sources

At the Kyoto Conference the European Union undertook to ensure that, between 2008 and 2012,
greenhouse-gas emissions would be reduced by 8 % by comparison with 1990 levels. However, such
emissions have in fact increased in most of the Member States and the situation is so serious that the EEA
(European Environment Agency) has recently forecast that by 2010 there will have been a 6 % increase in
EU greenhouse-gas emissions.

In February of this year the IPCC (International Panel on Climate Change) put forward positively alarming
forecasts regarding the impact which greenhouse-gas emissions could have on climate change, namely that
by 2100 the Earth(cid:146)s temperature could increase by over 5 (cid:176)C.

In 2000 the Commission submitted a Green Paper which lays the foundations of a European scheme for
trading in emission rights. The undeniable advantage of this scheme (which is to come into effect in 2005)
is that it will use the rules of the market in order to bring about a reduction in greenhouse-gas emissions
at a very low cost (cid:129) although the European Union has always rightly maintained that flexible instruments
(in particular trading in emission rights) are intended as an adjunct to policies and measures which are to
be given absolute priority (cid:129) the most important of these being the promotion of renewable energy
sources.

The Commission recently submitted a directive which sets quantified targets for the promotion of
renewable energy sources. Despite the soundness of this initiative, some of the Member States are currently
questioning the need for those targets to be made mandatory.

Meeting the targets laid down in the Directive on renewable energy sources would take the European
Union halfway to meeting the Kyoto commitments.

In the view of the above, would the Council answer the following questions:

1. What is the position of Portugal vis-(cid:224)-vis the targets laid down in the Directive on renewable energy
is one of the countries which have recorded the largest increases in

sources (given that Portugal
greenhouse-gas emissions)?

2. On the eve of what will be very difficult negotiations at the COP6a meeting, what would be the
political impact of any decision to make the targets laid down in the Directive on renewable energy
sources mandatory?

Reply

(16 July 2001)

With regard to the first question put forward by the Honourable Member, it must be stated that the
Council does not, as a matter of principle, comment on the positions of individual Member States.

C 340 E/128

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.12.2001

With regard to the second question, it is sufficient to state that the Council remains firm about the EU-
reduction targets set in Kyoto. As has been repeatedly stated by the Council, the reduction will be brought
about by policies and measures both at the Community- and the national levels, and in accordance with
the EU(cid:146)s burdensharing agreement, matters which are currently discussed within the Council, with
particular regard to the ongoing discussions within the framework of the IPCCC.

(2001/C 340 E/145)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0929/01

by Jonas Sj(cid:246)stedt (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(28 March 2001)

Subject: Transfer of Brix Knudsen

Brix Knudsen, a Commission official, was Director of UCLAF. He was personally attacked by certain
commissioners during the debate on fraud in the ECHO projects in Bosnia. Brix Knudsen is no longer
director of UCLAF but is now a director with non-active status. Was he moved because of the criticisms of
him by certain commissioners during the discussion of the ECHO scandal?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(27 June 2001)

Mr Brix Knudsen was appointed a Director in the Anti-Fraud Coordination Unit (UCLAF) in October 1993.
OLAF (the European Anti Fraud Office) was established by Regulation in 1999 and became operational on
1 June. Mr Knudsen continued to serve as a Director in the new body until the end of May 2000, thus
ensuring a smooth hand over of responsibilities to the Director General of OLAF, who had been appointed
on 1 March of the same year.

In June 2000, at his own request, Mr Knudsen was appointed as a Principal Advisor (cid:145)Ad Personam(cid:146) to the
Director General of Administration (DG ADMIN). He subsequently applied for, and was appointed to, the
post of Director in the Directorate General for EuropeAid Co-operation Office (AIDCO) in January 2001.

The Commission(cid:146)s appointment of Mr Knudsen as Director in DG AIDCO was solely based on the
requirements of the vacant post and the qualifications of the successful applicant. The term (cid:145)non-active
status(cid:146) used by the Honourable Member is clearly not relevant or accurate.

(2001/C 340 E/146)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0932/01

by Jonas Sj(cid:246)stedt (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: Commission sponsoring of Generation Europe

(28 March 2001)

How much was spent, and under what budget headings, in sponsoring Generation Europe in 1998, 1999
and 2000, and what will be the size of the sponsorship contribution for 2001?

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(16 May 2001)

(cid:145)Generation Europe(cid:146) is an organisation which has received subsidies from the Commission for producing
a school diary.