Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the "Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council adopting a multiannual programme for action in the field of energy: Intelligent Energy for Europe Programme (2003-2006)"
Date: 2002-11-20
Institutions: European Committee of the Regions
Subjects: action programme, available energy, competitiveness, energy demand, energy policy, renewable energy, security of supply

26.3.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 73/41

Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the ‘Proposal for a Decision of the European
Parliament and of the Council adopting a multiannual programme for action in the field of
energy: “Intelligent Energy for Europe” Programme (2003-2006)’

(2003/C 73/11)

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS,

having regard to the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council adopting a
multiannual programme for action in the field of energy: ‘Intelligent Energy for Europe’ Programme
(2003-2006) (COM(2002) 162 final — 2002/0082 (COD);

having regard to the decision of the Council of 6 May 2002 under Article 175(1) of the Treaty establishing
the European Community, to consult it on this matter;

having regard to the decision taken by its Bureau on 12 March 2002 to instruct the Commission for
Sustainable Development to draw up an opinion on this subject;

having regard to its opinion of 15 November 2001 on the Commission Green Paper: Towards a European
strategy for energy supply security, CdR 38/2001 fin (1);

having regard to the draft opinion adopted on 3 October 2002 by the Commission for Sustainable
Development (CdR 187/2002 rev. — rapporteur: Mrs Agnès Durdu, Mayor of Wincrange, L/ELDR),

adopted this opinion at its 47th plenary session of 20 and 21 November 2002 (meeting of 20 November)
by a majority.

1. Views and recommendations of the Committee of the

Regions

1.1.
The CoR notes with satisfaction that the Commission
had the first framework programme analysed by independent
experts, and that on the basis of their conclusions and the
experience acquired, and on the basis of Community and
international
the second multiannual pro-
gramme has been redirected towards the desired objectives.

requirements,

The CoR congratulates the authors of the proposal on
1.2.
the way they have given better structure to the participants’
activities by limiting the Community intervention to four
specific fields of action:

— Save: rational use of energy and demand management;

— Altener: new and renewable energy sources;

— Steer: energy aspects of transport;

— Coopener: promotion at international level, particularly
with the developing countries, of cooperation in the fields
of renewable energy sources and energy efficiency.

( 1) OJ C 107, 3.5.2002, p. 13.

1.3.
The CoR takes the view that implementing the specified
actions in these four specific fields will help the Community
and Member States to achieve the desired objectives with
regard to security of energy supply, competition, protecting
the environment and slowing climate change.

1.4.
The CoR congratulates the European Union on the
financial support given to the second multiannual programme.
The increase from EUR 175 million to EUR 215 million
represents a significant increase in the funds available to the
various participants.

The CoR takes the view that, by combining this
1.5.
financial increase with a list of fields of action eligible for
subsidy, the actions undertaken will have a targeted and precise
effect of reducing energy needs and increase the use of
renewable energy sources.

The CoR is pleased to note that the European Union,
1.6.
through the Coopener programme, is continuing its efforts to
promote renewable energy sources and energy efficiency in
the developing countries. The European Community thus
demonstrates the seriousness of its international commitment.
The CoR hopes that the European Union will be able to guide
the developing countries effectively, and particularly help them
to avoid the errors which have been made in Europe.

C 73/42

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

26.3.2003

1.7.
In the context of the present programme, the Com-
mission reserves the right to call upon an implementing
agency. Certain management tasks of the programme would
be delegated to it. The Commission explains that if such an
agency were not used, human resources at the Commission
would need to be significantly increased. The CoR does not
intend to criticise this approach to management of this matter,
provided that the tasks involving an element of assessment
to interpret political choices will remain a matter for the
Commission and that the latter ensures rapid, effective and
smooth cooperation between itself, the agency and the regional
and local actors on the ground, all in the interests of the energy
objectives.

1.8.
Under Article 1 of the proposal the programme would
contribute to three general objectives: security of supply,
competitiveness and environmental protection. The same
article states that the programme seeks to promote ‘an effective
link between these measures and actions carried out under
other Community policies’. Efforts must continue to make
private consumers, and investors in general, more aware of
energy policy. It should be constantly explained to them that
economic utility goes hand in hand with the environmental
need for healthy and intelligent management of all energy
resources.

1.9.
The proposed programme must operate in harmony
with the other Community policies. The desired objective is
endorsed by the CoR. The harmful effects of energy consump-
tion include pollution of food-producing areas and the sur-
roundings in which we live. As a consequence, the health and
well-being of people are at risk. Solving environmental issues
leads to the emergence of new innovations and technologies

Brussels, 20 November 2002.

and boosts employment. This is of great
importance for
inhabitants, municipalities and regions. Many community
including the Intelligent Energy for Europe pro-
policies,
gramme contribute to the EU’s goal of sustainable develop-
ment. The CoR recommends that more overt linkages between
policies must be introduced. For instance, policies on the
promotion of biofuels should be linked to the Steer pro-
gramme.

The CoR is in favour of the ‘key actions’ expressly
1.10.
provided for in Article 3 of
the proposed programme,
combining several specific areas and/or relating to certain
Community priorities, for example in remote and peripheral
regions. The CoR calls on the Commission to consider whether
targets for the consumption of renewable energies should be
agreed for each programme. Targets could provide an effective
measure of the contribution the programmes are making to
meeting the EU’s goal of 15 % of total energy consumption to
be renewable by 2010. Targets are an important mechanism
to demonstrate the commitment of the EU to boosting the use
of renewable energy in the light of the failure of the World
Summit to agree such targets.

1.11.
The CoR takes the view that local and regional
authorities play a very important part in these key actions. As
they are closest to the citizens, they will be able to serve as an
example in the practical achievement of the objectives laid
down for the proposed programme.

The Commission proposes to make an annual assess-
1.12.
ment of progress with the multiannual programme. The CoR
endorses this initiative, as it will be the ideal way of recognising
the imperfections in the system and adapting the necessary
measures to achieve the desired results.

The President

of the Committee of the Regions

Albert BORE