WRITTEN QUESTION E-0756/03 by Joan Vallvé (ELDR) to the Commission. Liberalising the electricity sector in the Illes Balears.
Date: 2003-03-12
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Balearic Islands, Spain, derogation from EU law, electrical industry, energy supply, liberalisation of the market, peripheral region, single market

C 65 E/44

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

13.3.2004

The Commission can confirm that it is now examining the Spanish request and in order to carry out a
proper assessment, it has requested supplementary information from the Spanish authorities, in accordance
with the requirements of the EUSF-Regulation.

It is only after this assessment that the Commission may decide to propose the mobilisation of the
Solidarity Fund to the Budgetary Authority.

(1) OJ L 311, 14.11.2002.

(2004/C 65 E/043)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0756/03

by Joan Vallvé (ELDR) to the Commission

(12 March 2003)

Subject: Liberalising the electricity sector in the Illes Balears

In Question E-2260/00 (1) raised a problem facing liberalising electricity prices in the Illes Balears, namely
that such liberalisation might not have the desired effects in terms of cutting prices, since isolated regions
(cid:1) due to their geographical situation (cid:1) mean that a fully liberalised market is unfeasible. Full liberalisation
of isolated systems may even produce negative effects, such as price increases stemming from monopolistic
or oligopolistic behaviour on the part of the naturally limited number of market players operating in such
supply systems.

The Commission’s solution was that, should the Spanish Government consider inappropriate to liberalise
such small isolated systems, ‘it has the possibility to refer to Article 24(3) of the Directive 96/92 EC of the
Parliament and of the Council of 19 December 1996 concerning common rules for the internal market in
electricity’ (2) and apply for a derogation from the main provisions of the Directive whilst at the same time
ensuring appropriate price levels for final consumers through effective regulation of the market.

The Commission further stated that it was fully aware of the specific situation of islands in connection
with energy supply, and was currently analysing the situation and considering possible solutions and
measures, in particular with regard to the promotion of renewable sources of energy, which usually have a
particularly large potential for expansion on islands which are not connected to national networks.

Has the Commission concluded its examination of the case in question? Has it decided to take any steps to
deal with these specific situations?

Does the Commission know whether the Spanish Government or the government of any other Member
State has made use of Article 24(3) of Directive 96/92 EC to apply for a derogation from the main
provisions of the directive?

Now that this directive is being amended under the co-decision procedure, and Parliament is calling for
Article 24 to be deleted in its entirety, does the Commission have plans for any measure which will
encourage full liberalisation of small, isolated supply networks, as in the Balearic Islands, which would
continue to be subject to derogation, although without the possibility of referring to the Directive?

(1) OJ C 89 E, 20.3.2001, p. 170.
(2) OJ L 27, 30.1.1997, p. 20.

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(12 May 2003)

The Commission is active in promoting the use of renewable energies in islands, including the Balearic
Islands, by way of
(RTD) Framework
the Community’s Research and Technological Development
Programmes and the Altener programme. The latter programme is specifically devoted to the promotion
of renewable energies and will continue as part of the Intelligent Energy for Europe Programme once
adopted.

13.3.2004

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 65 E/45

In addition, a Renewable Energy Partnership has been concluded in Mallorca to promote the use of wind
power as part of the Commission’s Campaign for Take Off to promote the effective take up of renewable
energies in the Community.

The Commission is not aware of any request by Member States for derogations under Article 24.3 of
Directive 96/92/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 19 December 1996 concerning common rules
for the internal market in electricity.

The new draft Directive on common rules for the internal market in electricity (1) maintains (Article 26.1)
the possibility for Member States to ask for a derogation such as that foreseen in Article 24.3 of Directive
96/92/EC. This possibility is present in the text of the Common Position (EC) No 5/2003 adopted by the
Council on 3 February 2003 (2). Article 24 of the Common Position in fact concerns safeguards measures
to be adopted in emergency situations.

Clearly however a definitive response to this point must await final adoption of the draft Directive
expected shortly.

(1) OJ C 240 E, 28.8.2001.
(2) OJ C 50 E, 4.3.2003.

(2004/C 65 E/044)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0797/03

by Paulo Casaca (PSE) to the Commission

(14 March 2003)

Subject: Objective information from the Commission on the environmental damage of industrial farming

of carnivorous fish

In his reply to my Written Question E-0009/2003 (1) the Commission repeated its asseveration (see the
reply to question E-2675/02 (2)) that I had expressed the view that ‘fish farming is a principal threat to the
sustainable development of fisheries’, which is simply untrue, as I explained in question E-0009/2003 and
reiterate here.

In Portugal, the production of clams, for example, has traditionally been far more important than the
farming of carnivorous fish, employing a very large number of (cid:1) generally low-paid (cid:1) workers, and
making a major contribution to their incomes; it is now threatened by tourism-related pollution (e.g. at Ria
Formosa), but this is an issue on which the Commission and its ‘fish farming strategy’ are completely
silent.

Reports from the academic community, the major environmental organisations and the press flatly
contradict the Commission’s defence of the farming of carnivorous fish both in its Parliamentary replies
and in its ‘strategy’.

This being so, when does the Commission intend to provide objective, independent data on the damage to
sustainable fisheries caused by the farming of carnivorous fish?

(1) OJ C 161 E, 10.7.2003, p. 167.
(2) OJ C 155 E, 3.7.2003, p. 40.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(22 April 2003)

As already pointed out in reply to the two previous written questions on the same subject from the
Honourable Member (E-2675/02 and E-0009/03) the Commission’s opinion on aquaculture, be it intensive
fish farming, or extensive bivalve cultivation,
is expressed by its Community strategy for sustainable
development of European aquaculture (1). The strategy has been welcomed by both the Parliament and the
Council, respectively on 16 and 28 January 2003.