WRITTEN QUESTION E-1762/02 by Patricia McKenna (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Promotion of hydrogen fuel derived from renewable energy sources and regional programmes.
Date: 2002-06-19
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, common transport policy, energy policy, hydrogen, means of public conveyance, renewable energy, substitute fuel

C 52 E/100

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

6.3.2003

(2003/C 52 E/111)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1741/02

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

(19 June 2002)

Subject: The views of the UK Foreign Minister, Jack Straw, concerning the decisions to be taken about the

enlargement of the Union to include new countries

The British Foreign Minister not only hopes that the Council under the Danish presidency next December
will decide on the accession of ten new States but considers that it will be possible to give a new impetus
to the negotiations with Bulgaria and Romania, examine Turkey’s application and consider to the same end
the reforms needed in Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus, claiming that all these matters are priorities for the
Danish presidency. Do these views accurately reflect the stage reached on this issue in the European
Council?

Reply

(5 November 2002)

The Council never comments on declarations released by national authorities. The European Council in
Seville on 21 and 22 June 2002 reaffirmed that, if progress in negotiations and reforms is maintained, the
European Union is determined to conclude the negotiations with Cyprus, Malta, Hungary, Poland, the
Slovak Republic, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, the Czech Republic and Slovenia by the end of 2002, if those
countries are ready, the objective remaining that these countries should participate in the elections of the
European Parliament in 2004 as full members.

The European Council reiterated its commitment to give Bulgaria and Romania full support in their
preparation for accession. To this end, an updated road map and a revised and enhanced pre/accession
strategy should be adopted in Copenhagen for the candidate countries still engaged in negotiations.
An increase in pre-accession financial aid could also be contemplated. Furthermore, if the current pace is
maintained, a more precise timetable could be set for these countries’ accession process by the end of the
year.

Furthermore, the European Council concluded that new decisions could be taken in Copenhagen on the
next stage of Turkey’s candidature in the light of developments in the situation between the Seville and
Copenhagen European Councils, on the basis of the regular report to be submitted by the Commission in
October 2002 and in accordance with the Helsinki and Laeken conclusions.

(2003/C 52 E/112)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1762/02

by Patricia McKenna (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(19 June 2002)

Subject: Promotion of hydrogen fuel derived from renewable energy sources and regional programmes

To progress a sustainable transport policy, which not only reduces city pollution and CO2 emissions, it is
clearly necessary to support the use of alternative fuels, derived from renewable energy sources, through
the regional / structural programmes of the EU. One promising fuel type is hydrogen, which also has the
benefit of noise reduction when used in fuel cells. It can be derived from any form of electricity, as well as
biomass, natural gas, and various chemical processes.

Is the Commission encouraging the use of hydrogen fuel as part of the EU’s regional programmes, for
example in funding public transport programmes? Given that the programmes emphasise renewable
sources of energy for various reasons, does the Commission favour the use of hydrogen derived from
renewable sources in the regional /structural programmes?

6.3.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 52 E/101

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(31 July 2002)

The Structural Funds’ regional programmes may include measures to expand use of renewable energy
sources. In the energy section of the guidelines for programmes in the period 2000 to 2006 (1) the
Commission discusses these sources and calls on Member States to use Community funding to develop
them. The priorities centre on investment to promote use of renewable energy sources, investment aid to
reduce emissions of sulphur dioxide (SO2) and carbon dioxide (CO2), using energy audits and promoting
efficient energy management in small and medium-sized entreprises as well as in towns and cities.
In accordance with the subsidiarity principle,
the national and regional managing authorities are
responsible both for the selection of projects to be part-financed and for their implementation.

Use of hydrogen as a fuel represents a future alternative to hydrocarbons, particularly if the hydrogen
comes from renewable energy sources. Currently the technologies for producing this fuel and the
techniques for using it safely are still at the development stage, however. Considerable effort will be
devoted to this under the Sixth Framework Programme for Research, and use of hydrogen could be
promoted through pilot projects.

(1) Commission communication concerning the Structural Funds and their coordination with the Cohesion Fund (cid:1)

guidelines for programmes in the period 2000 to 2006 (OJ C 267, 22.9.1999).

(2003/C 52 E/113)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1784/02

by Nelly Maes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(24 June 2002)

Subject: Cervical cancer screening in the EU

The new ‘Health Action Plan’ no longer makes any mention of SANCO (Directorate-General for Health and
Consumer Protection) and no longer lists cancer screening among the objectives. Old objectives have
simply been scrapped.

How is cancer screening to be incorporated into this new and more horizontal approach? How will the
Commission ensure that existing programmes can be continued in the future?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(20 August 2002)

Although the new public health action plan does not explicitly mention as a separate objective cervical
cancer screening, or, in other words, secondary prevention of cervical cancer mortality by screening, it is
clear that cancer including cervical cancer is one of the major diseases, which is addressed by the heading
of section 3. of the action plan’s annex: ‘To promote Health and Prevent Disease through Action on Health
Determinants across all Community Policies and Activities’ (1) in conjunction with objectives 1.2 and 1.7 of
section 1. of the action plan’s annex.

Nevertheless, cervical cancer screening is only one example of early detection of disease. Thus the aim
under the new public health action plan will be to exploit best practice developed under the existing public
health programmes for several diseases, e.g. breast cancer, to improve and extend screening at European
level for diseases wherever possible.

(1) PE-CONS 3627/02.