WRITTEN QUESTION E-1697/01 by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Promotion of hydrogen-driven cars.
Date: 2001-06-14
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: applied research, hydrogen, motor vehicle industry, pollution control measures, research project

C 40 E/80

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

14.2.2002

(2002/C 40 E/080)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1696/01

by Caroline Jackson (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Possible South Pacific Whale Sanctuary

(14 June 2001)

Can the Commission state whether it will be supporting the creation of a South Pacific Whale Sanctuary at
the meeting of the International Whaling Commission this July, and does the Commission have any
evidence that one reason for the defeat of the proposal at the meeting of the IWC in 2000 was the
promise of aid by Japan to the representatives of eastern Caribbean States, who voted, with Japan, against
the creation of the sanctuary?

Answer given by Mrs Wallstr(cid:246)m on behalf of the Commission

(20 September 2001)

the only competent organisation regarding the
is
The International Whaling Commission (IWC)
conservation and management of whale stocks. It has 41 members, among which there are eleven
Community countries (all excepting Belgium, Greece, Luxembourg and Portugal).

The Community itself is not a member to the IWC. For this reason, the Commission has so far refrained
from interfering in the work of this organization.

The Commission is not in a position to judge the reasons leading sovereign states to adopt or reject
proposals in international fora in which the Community does not participate.

(2002/C 40 E/081)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1697/01

by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(14 June 2001)

Subject: Promotion of hydrogen-driven cars

Hydrogen has been used for generations as a raw material for industry and an energy source. In the
automobile industry hydrogen-driven engines have been tested since the nineteen seventies and have
proven to be a real alternative to the usual petrol-driven combustion engines. Greater use of this
technology could substantially reduce the greenhouse effect, 10 % of which is caused by road traffic
worldwide.

Can the Commission say how it
programmes?

is promoting this development via research activities or other

Can the Commission also say whether it is working on the legal, economic and organisational framework
conditions to ensure that hydrogen can be supplied as fuel at competitive prices and in sufficient quantities
in areas where traffic is a particular problem?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(3 September 2001)

The Commission has been aware for many years of the possibility and potential of a change from fossil
fuels to hydrogen. Transport especially is almost entirely dependent on petroleum (more than 98 %), and
this is why the Green Paper on the security of energy supply (1) triggered the debate on the choice of
alternative fuels for transport. In addition, the Commission is currently preparing a communication on
alternative fuels and vehicles. At present it seems very unlikely that hydrogen will have much to contribute
before 2010, but it will have to play a major role if the ambitious goals for 2020 are going to be attained.

Hydrogen could provide an answer to the problems of air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, security of
energy supply and dependence on petroleum products all at the same time.

14.2.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 40 E/81

Accordingly, the Framework Programme for research and technological development, and its Non-Nuclear
Energy programme in particular, has supported a significant number of projects on the production and
storage of hydrogen or the development of fuel cells. Up to now, support given by the Commission in the
Fifth Framework Programme amounts to more than € 95 million, basically allocated to fuel cells, the
production and storage of hydrogen from different sources, the development of norms and standards,
safety, the distribution infrastructure, and the development and demonstration of fuel cell vehicles.

The Commission is currently supporting several
projects:

large-scale research and technological development

(cid:129) the FUERO project (total cost € 38 million, Community contribution € 21,3 million), is developing
components and systems for fuel cells and hydrogen-powered vehicles. 67 European organisations
from 13 countries (Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece, France,
Italy, the Netherlands, Austria,
Sweden, Great Britain, Norway,
the Czech Republic and Israel) and several European motor
manufacturers are actively participating in FUERO;

(cid:129) the CUTE and ECTOS projects: 10 European cities (Amsterdam, Barcelona, Hamburg, London,
Luxembourg, Madrid, Oporto, Reykjavik, Stockholm, Stuttgart) are to introduce hydrogen as a fuel for
their public transport buses (using fuel cells). Each city will produce the hydrogen locally, build
hydrogen service stations and have three buses in commercial operation in their public transport
systems for two years;

(cid:129) the Commission is in the process of setting up several actions to study the feasibility of a Europe-wide
infrastructure for supplying hydrogen as fuel and the legal, economic, environmental, social and
organisational problems of setting up such a cross-border infrastructure.

(1) COM(2000) 769 final.

(2002/C 40 E/082)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1702/01

by Philip Bushill-Matthews (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(14 June 2001)

Subject: Funding for demonstration

Could the Commission confirm whether or not any funds from any EU budget line were used to finance
any activity associated with the demonstration in May in London protesting about proposed
Marks & Spencer closure?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(31 July 2001)

The Commission has not granted any subsidy under budget line B3-4000 (Industrial Relations and Social
Dialogue), B3-4002 (Information and training measures
for workers(cid:146) organisations) or B3-4003
(Information, consultation and participation of representatives of undertakings) for any activity which
had the aim to organize or support a demonstration in May 2001 in London protesting about proposed
Marks & Spencer closure.

(2002/C 40 E/083)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1705/01

by Fernando FernÆndez Mart(cid:237)n (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(14 June 2001)

Subject: Means of payment

The incidence of payment by credit card may be expected to increase considerably in the future: such
payment will be a key instrument in the transition to the euro, since it will be vital for consumers(cid:146)
payments and movements within the EU. However, in practice the banks oblige retailers to bear the costs