WRITTEN QUESTION E-2542/01 by Ioannis Souladakis (PSE) to the Council. Restoration of links between Greek and EU electricity networks.
Date: 2001-09-20
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Greece, Yugoslavia, aid system, economic consequence, electrical energy, energy grid, financial aid, trans-European network, war

C 134 E/42

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

6.6.2002

(2002/C 134 E/044)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2540/01

by Ioannis Souladakis (PSE) to the Council

(20 September 2001)

Subject: Reconstruction of destroyed road and rail networks

The Nato bombings of Yugoslavia destroyed the road network which used to connect Greece to central
Europe; this begins in Thessaloniki and traverses FYROM, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Croatia,
Slovenia, Hungary and Austria, but is now only functioning along 53 % of its total length. The railway
network has also suffered the same damage, with only 52 % of its total track length in operation.

Has the Council examined the issue of the damage suffered by the Member States of the European Union
because of the destruction of the network, and the resulting transport difficulties?

Does the Council have any proposals for the reconstruction of the destroyed network which include
specific amounts and timetables for putting right the damage done to the road and rail networks and, if so,
where will these appropriations be taken from?

(2002/C 134 E/045)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2542/01

by Ioannis Souladakis (PSE) to the Council

(20 September 2001)

Subject: Restoration of links between Greek and EU electricity networks

It is well known that, because of the fighting in former Yugoslavia, the Adriatic supply line for the
electricity network was destroyed in Mostar, while the corresponding line passing through Croatia was
destroyed in Ernestinovo.

Since these lines are of vital importance in connecting Greece to the rest of the European electrical power
network:

7 has the Council taken any specific action to date to ensure restoration of the network?

7 Has it included restoration of the destroyed lines as a priority in the reconstruction programmes for

Bosnia-Herzegovina?

7 Are there any estimates of the cost of restoring the network?

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-2540/01 and E-2542/01

(12 February 2002)

On several occasions in recent years the Council has stressed the importance of the European Union taking
a ‘regional approach’ to the Balkan region. The need for efficient regional infrastructure, especially in terms
of transport and the supply of electricity, has been noted several times in the context of the Council and
the Stability Pact, in which the European Union plays a leading role.

As regards the restoration of road and rail networks, and more specifically the network linking Greece to
Central Europe (Corridor X), and the possibility of contributing to any priority projects put forward by the
States concerned, the Honourable Member is invited to address his questions direct to the Commission.

6.6.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 134 E/43

On the issue of electricity supply networks, the Council would remind the Honourable Member that the
strengthening of electricity links between Greece and, respectively, Albania, Bulgaria and the former
Yugoslavia, including the reconstruction of links with the northern part of the former Yugoslavia and the
UCPTE network, forms part of the projects of common interest as designated in Decision 1254/96/EC
(amended by Decision 1741/1999/EC)
laying down a series of guidelines for trans-European energy
networks.

Also, Regulation (EC) No 2236/95, as amended by Regulation (EC) No 1655/1999, lays down general rules
for the granting of Community financial aid in the field of
trans-European networks. Article 15(2)
stipulates that ‘the Commission and the Member States concerned shall systematically monitor progress
with projects, where appropriate with the cooperation of
the European Investment Bank or other
appropriate bodies’.

The Honourable Member is invited to contact the participants mentioned above in order to ascertain the
current situation.

The Council would stress that it has no competence to answer the point raised in the last part of the
Honourable Member’s question.

(2002/C 134 E/046)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2544/01

by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(19 September 2001)

Subject: Promotion of the use of wind energy

The EU often proclaims its intention to promote the use of environmentally friendly forms of energy, such
as wind power. As part of this policy, several wind parks have been created, particularly in countries with
high wind power potential such as Greece. However, many of the generators in the wind parks have been
taken out of operation, leaving them inactive and presenting a rather depressing sight in areas which do
not have other energy resources such as Skyros, Ikaria, Evvia, Crete etc.

Can the Commission say whether it knows how many of the generators which it has helped to fund,
constructed in wind parks in Greece, are currently operating? How many of them have been taken out of
operation? What are the exact amounts which the EU has allocated for the construction of wind generators
in Greece? Which bodies have these amounts been given to?

Has the Commission investigated the reasons for these generators’ high failure rate? What initiatives has
the Directorate-General for Research taken for the promotion of this environmentally friendly form of
energy, and what provisions have been made in the new programme which has replaced the Fifth
Framework Programme to ensure that there are sufficient resources permanently available and to prevent a
repetition of unwelcome developments such as the cutback of appropriations in the Preliminary Draft
Budget for 2002 for environmentally friendly nuclear fusion?

Supplementary answer
given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(5 December 2001)

The Commission has been supporting wind energy projects through three Directorate Generals

Directorate General for Research has funded more than 130 wind energy projects in Europe in the course
of
the 3rd, 4th and 5th Framework Programme for Research & Technological Development and
Demonstration Activities (RTD). These projects dealt with basic and applied research aiming to make
wind energy a reliable option for energy supply by improving the quality and service life time of wind
turbine components and reduce the costs of wind power generation.