WRITTEN QUESTION E-1675/01 by Per-Arne Arvidsson (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Nuclear power and climate change.
Date: 2001-06-14
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU environmental policy, climate change, energy supply, nuclear energy, reduction of gas emissions, security of supply

4.4.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 81 E/49

Last weekend witnessed the murder in Cape Town of yet another Portuguese small-business man, Noel
Bernardo Nunes, 65 years of age and resident in South Africa for 40 years. Since the start of the year,
about 10 Portuguese have already been murdered and, according to press reports, 388 Portuguese have
been killed over the last four years in this wave of criminal violence which particularly affects the
Johannesburg area.

The justified alarm which these incidents have been causing amongst the Portuguese community prompted
the latter to organise street demonstrations a few months ago,
in which they called for appropriate
protection. However, a series of misunderstandings and a failure of comprehension on the part of sectors
within the South African Government turned the initiative into a regrettable dispute. The matter is
obviously a sensitive one from the political point of view, although the most important thing is that
effective action should be taken to protect people(cid:146)s lives.

The Portuguese citizens in question are also citizens of the European Union, which is well-placed to
approach the South African authorities and to offer the necessary assistance.

Is the Council monitoring the escalation of violent crime in South Africa which has resulted in the deaths
of so many Portuguese and which is causing justified alarm? What action has it already taken and is it
intending to take in future over this matter vis-(cid:224)-vis the South African Government?

Reply

(21 November 2001)

In reply to the question by the Honourable Parliamentarian, the Council can confirm that it is monitoring
the situation and will continue to do so concerning the escalation of violent crime in South Africa. As the
Honourable Parliamentarian is not doubt also aware, the escalation of violent crime in South Africa is a
general problem that is affecting all races, nationalities and social strata present in the country and not
only the resident Portuguese community. South Africa is however an independent country with a
democratically elected government and the Council remains convinced that the South African authorities
are doing their outmost to control this unfortunate situation in the country and to respect the human
rights situation.

The Council is however also aware of the difficult economic situation that South Africa finds itself in and
it has therefore since several years financed the European Programme for Reconstruction and Development
(EPRD), which is among the largest development programmes that the EU is financing to an individual
country. Among the many programmes financed by the EU under the EPRD, several are aimed at
improving the social structure in South Africa such as improved health care, improved housing and the
fight against drugs-related problems. One of the programmes is also aimed at strengthening the capacities
and institutional development for the services of the South African police. Through these positive actions,
the EU aims at improving the quality of life in South Africa and thereby also reducing the level of violence.

(2002/C 81 E/060)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1675/01

by Per-Arne Arvidsson (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(14 June 2001)

Subject: Nuclear power and climate change

According to the Green Paper on Security of Energy Supply, initiated by the Commission Vice-President
Mrs de Palacio, (cid:145)nuclear energy has enabled Europe to avoid the emission of around 300 million tonnes of
CO2 per year(cid:146). The Green Paper forecasts that nuclear capacity in the EU will decrease by about 50 %
between 2020-2050 if not replacement capacity is built.

In the light of this information, what energy policy will the Commission promote in order to ensure that
the European Union will meet its climate change commitments, as outlined initially in the Kyoto Protocol?

C 81 E/50

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.4.2002

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(4 September 2001)

The Community and its Member States, in 1997, agreed in the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 8 %
below 1990 levels in the period 2008 to 2012. Nuclear energy has contributed so far significantly to
stabilise and reduce Community(cid:146)s greenhouse gas emissions.

Currently, nuclear energy accounts for around 15 % of the Community primary energy supply and 35 % of
electricity generated in the Community. According to current analysis, under business as usual conditions
and taking into consideration that some Member States with nuclear plants have decided to phase-out
nuclear, the contribution of Europe(cid:146)s nuclear power is seen as peaking in about 2010. Some nuclear power
plants are projected to reach their operating lifetime over the next two decades. Consequently, nuclear
output will decrease unless new nuclear power plants are put into operation or existing installations are
upgraded and their lifetime extended. In this context, the Member States deciding to phase out nuclear
energy should have assessed their ability for doing so while still attaining their Kyoto objectives and their
Community burden-sharing commitments.

The Commission believes that the greenhouse gas emissions reductions needed to achieve the Community(cid:146)s
Kyoto targets can be achieved through a variety of measures mainly in the tertiary and household sectors,
in industry, in transport and in power generation at low to medium cost. The European Climate Change
Programme has already indicated a number of options for policies and measures that,
if adopted at
Community level and fully implemented by all Member States, could meet the Kyoto objective.

In a longer perspective the issues facing us on energy, in particular the environmental dimension, requires
serious debate due to the fears about high increase of Carbondioxide (CO2) emissions and the probable
requirement for further strengthening of the policy to mitigate them. The Commission(cid:146)s Green Paper
(cid:145)Towards a European strategy for the security of energy supply (1)(cid:146) makes an important contribution to this
open debate about the future fuel mix of Europe(cid:146)s energy balance. The objective of Energy policy is to
provide the European industry and the European citizens in the 21st century with secure, competitive and
environmentally friendly energy services, facilitating the achievement of the Climate Change commitment.

(1) COM(2000) 769 final.

(2002/C 81 E/061)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1680/01

by Benedetto Della Vedova (TDI) to the Commission

(14 June 2001)

Subject: Acquisition by EDF of a stake in Montedison SpA

According to press reports, ElectricitØ de France (EDF) has recently acquired a 3,97 % stake of Montedison
SpA(cid:146)s capital.

EDF, which is the world leader in the production of electrical energy (the company has 18 % of the
European electricity market and aims to have secured 50 % of the market by 2005), is entirely controlled
by the French government and operates on French territory as a monopoly.