WRITTEN QUESTION E-2329/03 by Piia-Noora Kauppi (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Incorporation of carbon sequestration techniques into the emissions trading directive.
Date: 2003-07-16
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU environmental policy, applied research, greenhouse gas, pollution control measures, reduction of gas emissions, underground storage of waste, waste management

20.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 70 E/85

(2004/C 70 E/087)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2329/03

by Piia-Noora Kauppi (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(16 July 2003)

Subject: Incorporation of carbon sequestration techniques into the emissions trading directive

The United States, the European Union and 13 other countries have recently established an international
forum to tackle greenhouse gas emissions, mainly by promoting a technology to slow rising levels of CO2
in the atmosphere. This initiative, called the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum, is an attempt to
increase international cooperation to reduce global emissions of greenhouse gases.

The European Parliament and the Council of Ministers have recently found a compromise in the second
parliamentary reading on the greenhouse gas emissions trading directive. The compromise asks the
European Commission to review the directive after 2006 and come back with revision proposals.

What role does the European Commission give to carbon sequestration techniques? Could this technology
be merged into the EU emissions trading regime? Does the European Commission see any role for carbon
sequestration techniques as part of the EU policy to reach the Kyoto targets?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(16 September 2003)

The inaugural meeting of the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum (CSLF) took place on 23 to 25 June
2003 in Washington, D.C. The main aim of the Forum is to stimulate international co-operation on
research into carbon sequestration technologies by capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) at source from fossil
fuels and storing it in an environmental safe manner deep underground.

The Union committed itself in Kyoto to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 8 % in the 2008-2012
period compared to 1990 levels, mainly through measures focused on energy efficiency and renewables.
Since carbon sequestration is at the research phase the Union does not envisage it playing a significant role
in the achievement of the 2008-2012 Kyoto target. However, emissions world-wide need to be reduced in
the post 2012 period by more than 50 % if climate change is to be stabilised and reversed. Carbon
sequestration technology may have the potential to contribute to this process by capturing CO2 and
storing it underground.

For CO2 storage underground to be an effective way of limiting CO2 emissions, the CO2 must be stored
safely for several hundreds or thousands of years. CO2 storage also needs to have low environmental
impact, acceptable cost, conform to national and international
legal requirements, and in addition be
socially and politically acceptable. The public needs to be convinced as with other disposals of waste that
CO2 storage does not pose any significant risk. There is also the need to resolve a number of legal and
regulatory issues.

The newly agreed Directive (1) establishing a scheme for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading within
the Community and amending Council Directive 96/61/EC (2), defines emissions as ‘the release of
greenhouse gases into the atmosphere from sources in an installation’. Therefore, the Directive has a legal
framework which is open to the possibility of using carbon sequestration since greenhouse gases would
not be released if they were sequestered. This approach is in line with the Directive’s aim to encourage
innovation to reduce emissions, rather than specify particular technologies to be used.

C 70 E/86

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

20.3.2004

However, as stated above, carbon sequestration technologies are still at the research phase and so the
guidelines for monitoring and reporting emissions to be adopted in autumn 2003 under Article 14 of the
Directive will not provide for operators to use such technologies to count as a reduction in emissions.
If on-going research can demonstrate that CO2 can be stored in a safe and environmentally acceptable
manner underground without CO2 being released into the atmosphere at any point
in time, and
appropriate standards such as methodology agreed by the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control
(IPCC) were established for storage, then the guidelines for monitoring and reporting could be amended
accordingly.

(1) http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/climat/030723provisionaltext.pdf
(2) Council Directive 96/61/EC of 24 September 1996 concerning integrated pollution prevention and control,

OJ L 257, 10.10.1996.

(2004/C 70 E/088)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2336/03

by Brian Simpson (PSE) to the Commission

(16 July 2003)

Subject: Project ACCESS: Advance Communication for Cumbria and Enabling Sustainable Services

Can the Commission give an indication of when it will be in a position to respond to the UK
Government’s submission in regard to the above project (under Article 86(3)) so that this excellent scheme
can go ahead and enable the area of Cumbria to have access to broadband communications?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(14 August 2003)

By letter dated 26 June 2003 the United Kingdom authorities notified to the Commission in accordance
with Article 88(3) of the EC Treaty the measures referred to by the Honourable Member. However, the
notification was considered incomplete and the Commission requested additional information by letter
dated 17 July 2003.

According to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 659/1999/EC (1), the Commission shall take a
decision on notified aid within two months, beginning on the day following the receipt of a complete
notification. Additional information submitted by the United Kingdom authorities was received on 22 July
2003 and is currently examined by the Commission services. Thus, a decision shall be taken by
23 September 2003, unless further information is considered necessary to enable the Commission to
define its position on the proposed measures.

(1) Council Regulation (EC) No 659/1999 of 22 March 1999 laying down detailed rules for the application of

Article 93 of the EC Treaty, OJ L 83, 27.3.1999.

(2004/C 70 E/089)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2337/03

by Christopher Heaton-Harris (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Alcoholic consumption in European cities

(16 July 2003)

A number of constituents have raised concerns over how the English are portrayed in Europe. Their
concerns arise mainly from experiences of young people using cheap flights to go abroad for stag and hen
weekends.