WRITTEN QUESTION E-3502/01 by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Attribution of the Kyoto obligations of importing states to producing states in the field of electricity production.
Date: 2002-01-08
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Netherlands, available energy, electrical energy, energy demand, energy policy, energy production, reduction of gas emissions

C 172 E/74

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.7.2002

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(20 February 2002)

1. and 2.
services.

Yes. The Commission is aware of the terms and conditions applicable to international train

The Commission has recently launched a study on the ‘Competitiveness of

3.
International Rail
Passenger Services to other modes of Transport throughout the European Union’. One of the first results of
this study indeed shows the emergence of new ticketing systems applied on e.g. the Eurostar or the Thalys
link, which make use of yield management. This ticketing system does not mean that rail passengers have
less choice as they have the possibility to buy a ticket or to change their reservation shortly before the
scheduled departure of the train, depending on seat availability and the type of ticket they initially
purchased. According to Council Directive 91/440/EEC of 29 July 1991 on the development of the
Community’s railways (1), Railway Undertakings have to operate as much as possible as normal,
commercial, undertakings. The introduction of yield management techniques, similar to those used by
airlines, has therefore increased the possibilities of railway undertakings to increase revenues and thereby
improving the economic value and attractiveness of rail passenger transport.

In its White Paper on ‘European transport policy for 2010 (2): time to decide’, the Commission
4. and 5.
has announced that it will table proposals in 2002 to safeguard the quality of rail services and users’ rights.
It will notably contain proposals on passenger rights, such as compensation in the event of delays of
international trains. It will also contain a request to the railway undertakings to come forward with
voluntary service quality commitments for international passengers services.

Specific measures as suggested in the question of the Honourable Member can not be envisaged as the
Commission does not have the necessary competences. Within the framework of the Regulation (EEC) No
1191/69 of the Council of 26 June 1969 on action by Member States concerning the obligations inherent
in the concept of a public service in transport by rail, road and inland waterway (3) however, Member
States can conclude contracts with Railway Undertakings in which provisions can be included on e.g. the
accessibility, frequency and price of (international) rail services.

(1) OJ L 237, 24.8.1991.
(2) COM(2001) 370 final.
(3) OJ L 156, 28.6.1969.

(2002/C 172 E/077)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3502/01

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(8 January 2002)

Subject: Attribution of the Kyoto obligations of importing states to producing states in the field of

electricity production

1. What view does the Commission take of the fact that the Netherlands is seeking to comply with its
CO2 obligations under the Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change (emissions to be reduced by 6 % from the
1990 level by 2010, as against the current 7 % excess over that level) by importing increasing amounts of
electricity from neighbouring countries, so that the production of greenhouse gases arising from electricity
generation is no longer attributed to the Netherlands but to Germany, France, Belgium or other EU
Member States?

2.
How does the Commission aim to strike the intended balance between supply and demand to which
it refers in its reply to my question E-0959/01 (1) and to use the annual monitoring and a European
infrastructure plan for this purpose?

18.7.2002

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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