WRITTEN QUESTION E-3504/01 by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Statements by the Commissioner responsible for the budget concerning the level of Union budgets after 2007 and the future of the Structural Funds for the current Objective 1 regions.
Date: 2002-01-08
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Community budget, Structural Funds, accession to the European Union, multiannual financial framework

18.7.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 172 E/75

3. Will the Commission seek the introduction of a ceiling on imports of electricity by Member States in
order to align the attribution of Kyoto obligations with those of the individual Member States?

(1) OJ C 318 E, 13.11.2001, p. 162.

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(21 February 2002)

The Commission realises that importing a substantial part of

1.
its electrictiy requirements from
neighbouring countries can help the Netherlands to achieve its Kyoto targets. In as far as the rules under
the Kyoto Protocol and the requirements of the EC Treaty are respected, Member States are free to decide
how they achieve the Kyoto targets. However, the Commission would like to stress that it is not sure that
these electricity imports can be maintained in the future, since, this will depend on market developments.
The Commission welcomes the fact that the Netherlands is taking structural measures to be able to comply
independently with its Kyoto commitments, for example through the substantial investments undertaken in
wind generation capacity and the promotion of
investments in renewable generation through the
exemption of the regulatory energy tax for renewable sourced electricity.

the demand/supply balance is not disrupted,

The Commission will report, on the basis of the reports by the national authorities, on the demand/
2.
supply balance in the Community and in the different Member States. It is up to the national authorities to
ensure that
the
Commission is convinced of the need for in this respect of demand-side management measures to help
maintain or achieve a balance between demand and supply. For this reason the Commission envisages to
In the infrastructure
propose a Directive on Demand Side Management
Communication (1) the Commisison points out some of the weaknesses in the European gas and electricity
grids, and identifies actions to be undertaken to relieve these bottlenecks, among others more rational and
transparent use of the interconnectors and, in some cases, additional capacity to grant Member States the
possibility to fully benefit from the internal market.

to avoid power shortages. However,

in the energy sector.

3.
The Commission is not seeking the introduction of a ceiling on ‘imports’ of electricity by Member
States. The Community and the Member States intend to ratify the Kyoto Protocol by 1 June 2002 and
will thus be bound to reaching the obligations it entails once the Protocol has entered into force. However,
they have to do so in accordance with the requirements of the internal market and therefore refusing
imports is a measure that is, in general, not acceptable.

(1) COM(2001) 775.

(2002/C 172 E/078)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3504/01

by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(8 January 2002)

Subject: Statements by the Commissioner responsible for the budget concerning the level of Union budgets

after 2007 and the future of the Structural Funds for the current Objective 1 regions

In statements made to a Spanish newspaper, the Commissioner responsible for the budget, Michaele
Schreyer, underlined her position regarding the point at which decisions should be taken on the
appropriations to be allocated to the current Objective 1 regions, including my own region, Galicia, by
saying that it is too early to make any forecasts on the future economic situation in Andalusia. However,
the Commissioner did not display the same reticence in defining the upper limits for the Community
budget in the coming years, even going so far as to claim,
looking ahead to the end of the current
programming period, which runs until 2006, that she could say very clearly that, even after enlargement,
the budget would remain below the maximum ceiling of 1,27 % of Union GDP. What is the significance of

C 172 E/76

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.7.2002

the Commissioner’s remarks? How can she venture to make such a budget forecast when her mandate will
end with the current parliamentary term in 2004? Why is she so cautious when it comes to defining the
Structural Funds for the end of this programming period but so determined on the subject of the level of a
Union budget which has yet to be debated by society and the European institutions and which will
definitely have to be increased in order to guarantee the very existence of a political and social Europe?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(28 February 2002)

The budget Commissioner’s interview with the Spanish daily El País on 30 November 2001 refers to
decisions taken by the Heads of State or Government at the Berlin European Council on 24 and 25 March
1999. The 2000-2006 financial perspective adopted at that Council allows scope for admitting six new
Member States in 2002 by creating a specific heading with annual appropriations rising from € 6,45 billion
in 2002 to € 16,78 billion in 2006.

The recent Laeken European Council on 14 and 15 December 2001 confirmed that ten applicant countries
will be able to join in 2004, provided that the current pace of negotiations and of reforms in those
countries is maintained. On 30 January 2002 the Commission adopted a financial
framework for
enlargement which will fall within the limits set in Berlin for the new Member States until 2006.

In accordance with the provisions adopted in Berlin, the current Community budget D which includes the
specific heading for the new Member States D does not use up the limit of 1,27 % of Community gross
domestic product.

The Commission proposal for the financial perspective after 2006 will be presented in time for the
necessary decisions to be taken sufficiently in advance of the end of the current financial perspective.

(2002/C 172 E/079)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3518/01

by Struan Stevenson (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(8 January 2002)

Subject: Export of live cattle to third countries

What amount was paid out in 2000 in the form of refunds on the export from the Community to third
countries of live cattle (a) for slaughter and (b) for breeding?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(11 February 2002)

The export refunds paid in 2000 for live bovine animals amounted to € 110 769 million. Unfortunately,
no detail is available in the accounts on the ventilation of these payments between slaughter or breeding
purposes.

However, based on the export certificates issued during the period concerned, it can be estimated that a
little more than 30 % was paid out for animals exported for breeding purposes and about 70 % of the
amount was paid out for animals to be slaughtered.