WRITTEN QUESTION E-2123/03 by Isabelle Caullery (UEN) to the Commission. Promotion of renewable energy sources and waste processing in Mauritius.
Date: 2003-06-25
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Mauritius, aid policy, development aid, development policy, renewable energy, sustainable development, waste incineration, waste management, wind energy

C 78 E/396

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

27.3.2004

Through its micro-projects/decentralised co-operation, the Commission has been funding housing for

3.
homeless people.

The Commission finances an integrated tourist/rural development programme for the Bemahara Park,

4.
which includes promoting local capacity of tourist guides and tourist services.

Regarding employment,
supported by all the programmes foreseen by the 9th EDF development aid.

its generation is linked to the overall re-activation of the economy, which is

Concerning EDF programmes and projects, the Madagascar Government presents detailed proposals to the
Commission for approval and funding within the above-mentioned sectors agreed as part of the country
strategy for the EDF.

Concerning the European Investment Bank (EIB), Madagascar, as well as other African, Caribbean and
Pacific States (ACP), will benefit from the new EUR 2,4 billion Investment facility recently launched. EIB
intends to promote, through this instrument, the private sector and to fight poverty in the beneficiary
countries.

(2004/C 78 E/0419)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2123/03

by Isabelle Caullery (UEN) to the Commission

(25 June 2003)

Subject: Promotion of renewable energy sources and waste processing in Mauritius

Can the Commission inform us of the various types of aid, measures, programmes and/or budget lines that
can be used to promote the development of renewable energy sources, particularly wind energy,
in
Mauritius? Can the EDF (European Development Fund) be called upon to contribute, and in accordance
with which procedures?

Since landfill no longer seems to be a viable long-term solution for Mauritius, can the Commission answer
the same questions with regard to encouraging the installation of waste incinerators that produce clean
energy?

With regard to both renewable energy sources and waste incinerators, can the EIB’s traditional and new
instruments be brought into play to promote non-polluting and sustainable development in Mauritius?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(1 August 2003)

Since the 5th European Development Fund (EDF) several programmes have been implemented regarding
renewable energy sources for Mauritius and the island countries of the South Indian Ocean region. As part
of the Denroi (Développement des énergies renouvelables pour la zone Océan Indien) regional project.
A wind energy pilot programme was financed in Mauritius in the late eighties. This pilot project suffered
from a lack of ownership and maintenance; ultimately the units were damaged during the cyclone seasons.

The private sector has been hesitant about setting up wind energy farms. It is understood that this is due
to exposure of the island to cyclone-force winds during an almost half-year long season.

More successful has been the generation of electricity from thermal plants fuelled by bagasse, a natural
by-product of sugar cane. Currently this technology, operated fully by the private sector, is providing
around 30 % of energy delivered to the grid and there are plans to replace fossil-fuel powered plants by
this mode to account for up to 50 % of the national energy requirements. The European Investment Bank
(EIB) is the primary financing partner of these private-sector initiatives.

27.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 78 E/397

The Commission financed studies of solid waste management in Mauritius which led to a National Solid
Waste Management Plan (NSWMP) with clear strategies in the short, medium and long term. Whilst the
short term strategy maintained the usage of dump sites, for the long term strategy the Community-
financed study has indeed proposed the construction of a large incinerator (≈ 220 000 tonne/annum) in the
western part of the island and a medium one (≈ 74 000 tonne/annum) in the northern part. The study
finance and operate basis (DBFO)
recommended that
considering on potential revenues from sales of electricity generated by the incinerator plant (estimate of
106 Gigawatt hours (GWh)/year). The World Bank is currently supporting the solid waste sector in
Mauritius and additional funding,
(via a public expenditure reform loan), may be provided allowing
installation of a solid waste incinerator. Within the 9th EDF, the Commission is concentrating its support
to the implementation of the Mauritius National Sewerage Programme.

the incinerators be built on a design, build,

The European Investment Bank (EIB) assigns a high priority to the expansion of its lending for renewable
energy projects and other projects supporting an environmentally sustainable development, both inside the
Union and in Partner Countries. In the framework of the Cotonou Agreement under which the Bank
operates in Mauritius (cid:2) as under its predecessor the Lomé Convention (cid:2) the EIB is mandated to support
economically, financially, technically and environmentally viable projects in all key sectors of the economy,
including renewable energy and waste incineration.

the EIB has contributed significantly to the diversification of

In Mauritius,
the country’s electricity
production away from oil-fired generation and towards the use of bagasse (cid:2) a source of renewable energy
the country abounds in (cid:2) by part-financing the construction of a base-load coal/bagasse fired power
station situated in the north of the island. The project was completed on schedule and has started
commercial operations in 2000. The Bank would be prepared to look at other viable renewable energy
propositions in the future.

(2004/C 78 E/0420)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2143/03

by Gabriele Stauner (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(26 June 2003)

Subject: Commission contracts with the Planistat Group

According to the information provided on its own website (www.planistat.fr), Planistat Europe SA has
contracts with the Commission for a ‘value added statistical information service’ (service d’information
statistique à valeur ajoutée) dating back to 1996 and due to run until the end of 2003. Can the
Commission say how many contracts have been concluded in this connection and supply me with copies
of the texts?

Can the Commission specify for each individual contract what award procedure was used, whether there
were tenders from other tenderers, what procedures were used to assess the tenders, and why Planistat
won the contracts? Can it supply copies of the supporting documents that provided the justification for the
appropriate Eurostat authorising officers to sign the contracts?

Can the Commission produce a complete detailed list of the payments that it has made in connection with
these contracts? Can it supply me with copies of Planistat records indicating what income the firm has
earned by marketing and selling Eurostat data?

When and how has the Commission examined the truth of the firm’s statements on the above subject?
Have contracts also been concluded with other firms for the purpose of marketing Eurostat data, and, if
applicable, can the Commission send me copies of those contracts?