WRITTEN QUESTION E-3895/03 by Paul Rübig (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Conflicts between the objectives of the Water Framework Directive, the Renewable Energy Directive, the Emissions Trading Directive and the goal of ensuring security of supply: the case of Austria.
Date: 2003-12-17
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Austria, EU environmental policy, electrical energy, energy supply, national implementing measure, renewable energy, security of supply, tradeable emission permit, water

C 84 E/110

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

3.4.2004

As the Commission might well imagine, the questioner, along with present and potential victims of
2.
legionnaires’ disease, are less than happy about being fobbed off with an answer that leaves them none the
wiser.

(1) OJ C 78 E, 27.3.2004, p. 756.

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(2 February 2004)

The Commission would like to confirm that:

1. There are no compulsory guidelines concerning the matter raised. The European Working Group for
Legionella Infections (EWGLI) network and its operating guidelines are entirely voluntary and there are
no binding rules on the matter for the Member States or for any organisation in the Union.

2. Of course it is desirable for travel organisations to provide the fullest possible information on any

disease that might be of concern to those receiving services from them.

As regards the questions concerning the submission by the Commission of proposals on the matter, these
relate to the right of initiative of the Commission and have been fully addressed in the reply given
previously to the Honourable Member’s written question E-2797/03.

(2004/C 84 E/0147)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3895/03

by Paul Rübig (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(17 December 2003)

Subject: Conflicts between the objectives of

the Renewable Energy
Directive, the Emissions Trading Directive and the goal of ensuring security of supply: the case of
Austria

the Water Framework Directive,

Austria is supposed to increase its share of renewable energy from 70 % to 78,1 % by 2010, with the help
of charges introduced under the new Emissions Trading Directive for thermal power generation. However,
according to E-Control, the Austrian regulatory authority for the electricity and gas market, implemen-
tation of the Water Framework Directive will mean 5-15 % less hydroelectric power being generated than
at present, and thus a reduction of approximately 1,5-4,5 TWh per year in the share of Austria’s electricity
generated from renewable energy sources. This reduction can only be partially compensated by the
increased use of environmentally friendly energy, which is itself only made possible thanks to overly large
subsidies.

If it is assumed that there will be a moderate growth in electricity consumption of between 1,7 and 3 %
per year, the reduction in thermal power generation brought about by the introduction of quotas for CO2
emissions will mean an additional shortfall of 16-25 TWh per year, which will need to be met through
imports. Given that gaps still exist in the 380 kV high-voltage electricity grid in Styria and Salzburg, this
will make it extremely difficult to maintain a high level of security of supply, as became clear in August
when there was a near-blackout. The use of imported energy would also mean a considerable drop in the
share of Austria’s electricity generated from renewable energy sources.

Can the Commission state what priorities it believes should be set in the national implementation of the
above directives and in achieving the goals of the final report on the Green Paper ‘Towards a European
strategy for the security of energy supply’, and how it believes it is possible to achieve an overall vision
and approach given these conflicts of objectives?

3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 84 E/111

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(25 February 2004)

The Commission recognises that a sustainable approach to energy supply security involves reconciling
energy objectives with commitments in other policy areas, such as the environment and competition.
This was one of the central themes of the Commission’s Green Paper on the security of energy supply (1).
As stated in its final report on the Green Paper (2), the Commission is of the view that the most effective
way to address these challenges is greater coordination of measures affecting security of energy supply.

The Commission is aware that Austria’s renewable energy commitments are ambitious. High shares of
renewable energies and the resulting positive effect regarding the reduction of Carbon dioxide (CO2)
emissions are important environmental objectives. However, there are also other environmental aspects
which need to be taken into account at the same time. The Water Framework Directive (3) is currently
under implementation (environmental and economic analysis, establishment of the river basin management
plans) so it is premature to quantify the decline in hydropower production at this point in time. In their
recent report on the implementation of the Renewable Electricity Directive in Austria, the Austrian
authorities drew the attention of the Commission to the implications of the Water Framework Directive (4)
on renewable electricity production in Austria. The Commission is closely following this issue and will
further strengthen the dialogue with Member States to ensure the environmental objectives of both policies
without subordinating one of these two environmental aspects to the other.

infrastructure,

the Commission’s recent proposals on investment

in electricity
On the subject of
infrastructure (5) aims to address the need for greater interconnections in the emerging internal power
market. Such investments will increase both the potential for a real competitive market and contribute to
security of supply. The strengthening of the Austrian grid is identified as one of the key projects in this
regard. The proposals also call for a clear strategy relating to the ongoing supply demand balance to be
developed by Member States.

(1) COM(2000) 769 final.
(2) COM(2002) 321 final.
(3) Directive 2000/60/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for

Community action in the field of water policy, OJ L 327, 22.12.2000.

(4) Directive 2001/77/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 27 September 2001 on the promotion of electricity

produced from renewable energy sources in the internal electricity market, OJ L 283, 27.10.2001.

(5) COM(2003) 739 final and COM(2003) 740 final.

(2004/C 84 E/0148)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3898/03

by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission

(17 December 2003)

Subject: Otters in UK rivers

Otters are said to have returned for the first time in decades to a great many rivers in the UK, principally
as a result of improved water quality and the end of otter hunting.

Will the Commission list the items of EU legislation the implementation of which by the UK Government
is likely to have contributed to this positive development?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(29 January 2004)

The Otter Lutra lutra is subject to both the site and species protection provisions of Council Directive 92/
43/EEC of 21 May 1992, on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (1). As the