CELEX: 51983PC0031
Language: en
Date: 1983-01-19
Title: PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) establishing specific measures of Community interest relating to energy strategy (presented by the Commission to the Council)

ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES
DE LA COMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEE DES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM (83) 031
Vol. 1983/0013
 ---pagebreak--- Disclaimer
Conformément au règlement (CEE, Euratom) n° 354/83 du Conseil du 1er février 1983
concernant l'ouverture au public des archives historiques de la Communauté économique
européenne et de la Communauté européenne de l'énergie atomique (JO L 43 du 15.2.1983,
p. 1), tel que modifié par le règlement (CE, Euratom) n° 1700/2003 du 22 septembre 2003
(JO L 243 du 27.9.2003, p. 1), ce dossier est ouvert au public. Le cas échéant, les documents
classifiés présents dans ce dossier ont été déclassifiés conformément à l'article 5 dudit
règlement.
In accordance with Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 354/83 of 1 February 1983
concerning the opening to the public of the historical archives of the European Economic
Community and the European Atomic Energy Community (OJ L 43, 15.2.1983, p. 1), as
amended by Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1700/2003 of 22 September 2003 (OJ L 243,
27.9.2003, p. 1), this file is open to the public. Where necessary, classified documents in this
file have been declassified in conformity with Article 5 of the aforementioned regulation.
In Übereinstimmung mit der Verordnung (EWG, Euratom) Nr. 354/83 des Rates vom 1.
Februar 1983 über die Freigabe der historischen Archive der Europäischen
Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft und der Europäischen Atomgemeinschaft (ABI. L 43 vom 15.2.1983,
S. 1), geändert durch die Verordnung (EG, Euratom) Nr. 1700/2003 vom 22. September 2003
(ABI. L 243 vom 27.9.2003, S. 1), ist diese Datei der Öffentlichkeit zugänglich. Soweit
erforderlich, wurden die Verschlusssachen in dieser Datei in Übereinstimmung mit Artikel 5
der genannten Verordnung freigegeben.
 ---pagebreak---  COMMISSION OF THE E U R O P E A N COMMUNITIES
                                                           COM(83) 31     final
                                                           Brussels,    1 9 t h J a n u a r y 1983
                      PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC)
             establishing            s p e c i f i c measures of  Community        interest
              relating      to     energy         strategy
                  ( p r e s e n t e d by t h e       Commission to  the   Council)
COM(83) 31 final
 ---pagebreak---                                  Explanatory              Memorandum
  Energy s t r a t e g y         r e m a i n s an i m p o r t a n t p r i o r i t y         for      the   Community,, The             oil
  crisis        of    1 9 7 3 / 4 and t h e         oil     price     c r i s i s of      1979/80 u n d e r l i n e d         the
  penalties           of    the    C o m m u n i t y ' s r e l i a n c e on i m p o r t e d M i d d l e E a s t       oil.       The
  Commission's October                     1981 p a p e r on The D e v e l o p m e n t                of   an E n e r g y      strategy
  for     the      Community         (C0MC8D540 F i n a l )               was welcomed by b o t h t h e                  European
  Parliament            and t h e     Council.            The a n a l y s i s     in that          paper of      the     Community's
  energy        situation          demonstrated that                  the     Community must               increase i t s          use
  of    b o t h c o a l and n u c l e a r           energy      in order          to d i s p l a c e imported           oil.       The
 paper        a l s o showed t h a t           an e f f e c t i v e     energy p o l i c y          must    be b a s e d on        realistic
 energy p r i c i n g ,          on i n n o v a t i o n      in the       fields       of    new and r e n e w a b l e          energy
 t e c h n o l o g i e s , and on s a t i s f a c t o r y           l e v e l s of     investment           in the       rational
 use o f        energy e x t e n d i n g          to   both energy            c o n s e r v a t i o n and s w i t c h i n g      from
 oil     to    other       fue I s .
 Since 1979/80 the                  Community's energy                    situation          has i m p r o v e d . B o t h       energy
 and o i l        consumption           have d e c l i n e d , and t h e             level        of   oil    imports      is      lower.
 These f a v o u r a b l e        trends          have however            largely        been t h e       result      of   ecor.omic
 recession.            Structural           change i n the             C o m m u n i t y ' s e n e r g y economy          -j s   still     insuf­
 ficient.           For    instance, there                 has s t i l l     been no m a j o r           increase      in      the
 consumption             of    coal, despite               its   apparent          price       advantage over o i l .               In
 recent        months, world             oil       prices      have d e c l i n e d . T h i s          heightens       the       risk
that       the     Community's            r e l i a n c e on i m p o r t e d o i l ,        and t h e r e f o r e     vulnerability
to    further         oil     price      and s u p p l y s h o c k s , w i l l          o n c e a g a i n i n c r e a s e when
e c o n o m i c g r o w t h r e s u m e s . The c o m b i n a t i o n            of   economic r e c e s s i o n ,         reduced
cash f l o w         in   industry,           and w e a k e n i n g o i l        prices        is    tending      to   depress         the
 level       of    investments           in      rational        use o f       energy p r o j e c t s .        But   these        invest­
ments a r e e s s e n t i a l          if     the      Community         is to      achieve a basis for                  economic
g r o w t h and p r o s p e r i t y         which       i s not      vulnerable           to events          in the       international
oil      market.
At    an i n f o r m a l      meeting         in     Copenhagen on 16 December                         1982, the       Energy        Ministers
of    t h e Member S t a t e s a g r e e d t h a t               it    was o f      joint        interest       to   see p r o g r e s s
towards          a more b a l a n c e d and c o m p r e h e n s i v e Community s t r a t e g y                      for     solid      fuels.
 ---pagebreak---                                                      -   2 -
  The C o m m i s s i o n i s   now p r e p a r i n g       s p e c i f i c proposals to             meet     that   need.
  The d i s c u s s i o n i n    Copenhagen i n e f f e c t               reaffirmed         the     importance        of
  c o a l and o t h e r      solid fuels         i n the       Community's energy                   strategy.
 Energy investment              is    therefore         a central           problem which m e r i t s             the   support
 of     the    Community's f i n a n c i a l         instruments.              In  December 1 9 8 2 , t h e          European
 Council         agreed that        energy p o l i c y         should continue              to    be a p r i o r i t y    objective,
 and c h a r g e d t h e      Council to         a c c e l e r a t e the      adoption         of   new e n e r g y m e a s u r e s .
 The p r o p o s e d r e g u l a t i o n   follows         from the         conclusions           r e a c h e d by   the
 Ministers          of     Foreign A f f a i r s     on 26 O c t o b e r , 1982 a n d , h e n c e ,              concerns
 energy p r o j e c t s       and m e a s u r e s i n t h e        F e d e r a l R e p u b l i c of     Germany and        the
 U n i t e d K i n g d o m . The a c h i e v e m e n t     of    such p r o j e c t s    and m e a s u r e s      of
 Community i n t e r e s t        in    two    Community           countries,         which are a l s o           major
 energy producers              and c o n s u m e r s , s h o u l d a l l o w p r o g r e s s t o      be made      towards
 a Community e n e r g y          strategy.          The f o l l o w i n g      energy f i e l d s        are    concerned:
energy p r o d u c t i o n , energy          conservation               and t h e    more r a t i o n a l       use of    energy,
energy       r e s e a r c h and t e c h n o l o g y   and s u p p l y s e c u r i t y       measures.
 ---pagebreak---                                                    Proposal,      for     a
                               COUNCIL REGULATION ( E C C ) No                          /83
                                                   of
             establishing            s p e c i f i c measures of            Community        interest
                                     relating         to   energy        strategy
 THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
 Having regard to                the  Treaty         establishing           the     European Economic            Community,
 and i n p a r t i c u l a r       Article      235     thereof,
 Having      regard to           the p r o p o s a l   from the         Commission          (1),
 Having      regard to           the o p i n i o n of     the    European P a r l i a m e n t      (2),
Having       regard to          the o p i n i o n of      the    Court       of     Auditors     (3),
Whereas the         Ministers          for      Foreign A f f a i r s reached certain                 c o n c l u s i o n s on
26 O c t o b e r 1982         ;
Whereas t h e       Community          has e s t a b l i s h e d an e n e r g y s t r a t e g y    designed            notably
to  r e d u c e d e p e n d e n c e on i m p o r t s     of   energy p r o d u c t s ,       particularly          oil     ;
Wheareas       it   is     necessary to             establish        s p e c i f i c measures of       Community             interest
relating       to   energy         strategy         and i n v o l v i n g    financial       contributions            from     the
Community t o         m e a s u r e s and p r o j e c t s     in the         fields      of  energy     research          and
technology,         energy p r o d u c t i o n ,        energy       conservation,           energy     supply
security       m e a s u r e s a n d t h e more r a t i o n a l          use of        energy   in the     Federal
Republic       of   Germany a n d i n t h e U n i t e d K i n g d o m                ;
(1)     OJ No C . . .           of                         ,  p.
(2)
(3)
 ---pagebreak---                                                             - 2 -
   Whereas the gLobal                  amount of t h e             Community c o n t r i b u t i o n s n e c e s s a r y         for
   the     said      specific       measures i s estimated                    a t 610      million         ECU,     of   which
   210     million         ECU   i s the       amount e s t i m a t e d       f o r t h e m e a s u r e s and         projects
   in the         Federal      Republic          o f Germany and            the      balance       f o r measures          and
   p r o j e c t s executed          i n the       United Kingdom; whereas these                           amounts       will
   be    adjusted          to take      account           of the       above-mentioned             conclusions          of     the
  M i n i s t e r s of Foreign            Affairs           o f 26     October,         1982.
  Whereas t h e m e a s u r e s and                p r o j e c t s m u s t be     specified          and    supported         with
  the      information          required           in order         to retain         only those           which have         a
  Community i n t e r e s t           i n the        field       to which they            relate.
  Whereas the T r e a t y             does not           provide        specific       powers f o r a c t i o n i n           this
  regard
  HAS     ADOPTED T H I S R E G U L A T I O N :
                                                       Article       1
 The      specific         measures of Community i n t e r e s t                      relating        to the energy             strategy,
 to     which the          Community w i l l            make c o n t r i b u t i o n s u n d e r t h i s        Regulation,          are
 hereby e s t a b l i s h e d i n the               Federal        Republic        o f Germany and              i n the     United
 Kingdom.
                                                      Article        2
 1. T h e      specific        measures of              Community i n t e r e s t         shall      be    implemented           by
       means of f i n a n c i a l          a s s i s t a n c e f o r the      implementation               of p r o j e c t s    and
       measures which f a l l ,                i n compliance            with the energy policy                     defined       by
       the     Community, w i t h i n the                 framework of energy                s t r a t e g y and     relate       to
       one     or more o f t h e          following             fields:
                 - energy research                 and        technology,
                 - energy        production,
                -    conservation            and     the      more r a t i o n a l    use   of     energy,
                - energy supply                s e c u r i t y measures.
2. The        p r o j e c t s and     m e a s u r e s s h a l l be       submitted         to the        Commission         together
      with a l l the           information necessary                     in order        to    assess:
                - their        conformity            w i t h the o b j e c t i v e s of Community energy                      policy,
                - their        conformity            with the e l i g i b i l i t y        criteria         l a i d down      in
                    Article        3,
 ---pagebreak---                                                  - 3 -
              - their        Community i n t e r e s t t a k i n g account              of energy        strategy
                 and    the field         under c o n s i d e r a t i o n ,
              - the p o s s i b i l i t i e s of v e r i f y i n g the execution                  o f each    measure
                 and    project and o f a u d i t i n g the                expenditures*
3. T h e C o m m i s s i o n may r e q u e s t        any a d d i t i o n a l i n f o r m a t i o n necessary f o r
   the      examination          of t h e s a i d p r o j e c t s and measures*
                                              Article       3
1* The p r o j e c t s o r m e a s u r e s s h a l l        be e l i g i b l e  for a financial             contribution
   by    t h e Community p r o v i d e d            they    are financed wholly or i n part                     by p u b l i c
   a u t h o r i t i e s and f u l f i l      the following criteria                  :
   a)    they      must s e r v e t o b r i n g about t h e o b j e c t i v e s o f t h e Community's
         energy p o l i c y ;
   b)    they      must demonstrate a Community i n t e r e s t r e l a t i n g                       to energy
         strategy         ;
   c) t h e y      must n o t be i n c o m p a t i b l e       with other         Community p o l i c i e s      ;
   d)    they      must n o t g i v e r i s e t o d i s t o r t i o n s o f          competition*
2* A d d i t i o n a l l y , only     those       demonstration          projects or energy                research
   projects will              b e r e t a i n e d f o r w h i c h Member S t a t e s make t h e              necessary
   provisions with               regard       to ensuring          the productive             use, the commferciali-
   s a t i o n a n d d i s s e m i n a t i o n o f t h e r e s u l t s i n a n u n d i s c r i m i n a t i n g way
   throughout           t h e Community*
                                              Article       4
1* The Commission s h a l l               examine t h e measures and p r o j e c t s submitted                     to
   it,     by each o f t h e Member S t a t e s                concerned,        under t h i s R e g u l a t i o n  and s h a l l
   r e f e r them f o r           Information            t o t h e Committee r e f e r r e d t o i n A r t i c l e         7.
2* In accordance with t h e procedure                          l a i d down i n A r t i c l e 8 ,       t h e Commission
   shall       decide       on :
   a)    t h e p r o j e c t s and measures m e r i t i n g Community a s s i s t a n c e , i n t h e
         light       of the criteria              l a i d down i n A r t i c l e 3 ;
 ---pagebreak---                                                           - 4 -
     b)     t h e amount o f t h e Community's f i n a n c i a l                        contribution, within the
            limits of the.appropriations available*
3*   The Community's f i n a n c i a l                  c o n t r i b u t i o n may n o t e x c e e d , f o r e a c h     project
     o r measure, 70 % o f t h e annual                          public expenditure               provided       for i t s
     execution*
 4* T h e C o m m i s s i o n     }'3cisions          r e f e r r e d t o i n paragraph            2 shall      be     published
      in the Official              Journal o f t h e European                      Communities*
                                                     Article          5
 1*  The a p p r o p r i a t i o n s     relating           t o t h e p r o j e c t s and measures r e f e r r e d t o
     by    this Regulation               s h a l l be entered               i n t h e budget o f t h e European
     Communities,
 2*  As soon as a d e c i s i o n has been taken                             pursuant         to Article 4(2), the
     Commission s h a l l            make a payment o f 9 0 % o f t h e amount o f t h e C o m m u n i t y
     contribution provided                      for*
3.  The payment o f t h e 10% balance                            s h a l l be e f f e c t e d immediately             after
    exhaustion            o f t h e sum r e f e r r e d t o i n p a r a g r a p h              2, as c e r t i f i e d   by t h e
    g o v e r n m e n t o f t h e Member State c o n c e r n e d ,                 and a t the l a t e s t       before the
    end     of the financial                year       f o l l o w i n g that o f t h e commitments,                   provided
    that      implementation              o f t h e p r o j e c t o r measure proceeds as                        planned*
                                                    Art icle 6
1*  The Commission s h a l l                ensure t h a t each p r o j e c t o r measure i s implemented
    in accordance with                  this Regulation,                   with the provisions adopted f o r i t s
    a p p l i c a t i o n and with t h e Regulations                         adopted pursuant          to Article          209
    of t h e Treaty*
    To    this      e n d , e a c h o f t h e Member S t a t e s                concerned        shall   supply the
    Commission with               a l l information                requested         by i t a n d s h a l l    take a l l
    steps       with     regard       t o Community-assisted                     p r o j e c t s and measures to
    facilitate           such     s u p e r v i s i o n a s t h e C o m m i s s i o n may c o n s i d e r         appropriate,
    including on-the-spot                     c h e c k s made a t i t s r e q u e s t           with  the approval          of the
    Member S t a t e s        concerned           by i t s competent a u t h o r i t i e s , i n w h i c h               Commission
    officials           may p a r t i c i p a t e *
                                                                                                                            */*
 ---pagebreak---                                                              - 5 -
    Each Member S t a t e c o n c e r n e d                  shall      make a v a i l a b l e t o t h e C o m m i s s i o n ,
      for     a period of three years                         after transfer of the balance                      referred to
      in A r t i c l e      5(3), a l l supporting                    documents o r c e r t i f i e d copies             thereof
      relating          to      expenditure,
2,    Where a p r o j e c t o r measure i s n o t implemented                                  i n conformity        with     this
      Regulation            or departs             s u b s t a n t i a l l y from d e c i s i o n s taken      for i t s
     application,               t h e C o m m i s s i o n may s u s p e n d p a y m e n t s s t i l l       due. In this
      case,       i t may d e c i d e          that      sums a l r e a d y p a i d o r s t i l l        due a r e t o be
     allocated,             i n accordance with                   the procedure            l a i d down i n A r t i c l e    8,
     to     other       p r o j e c t s o r measures submitted                      under t h i s       Regulation, I f ,
      i n t h e o p i n i o n o f t h e C o m m i s s i o n , no o t h e r               p r o j e c t or measure i s
     available,             i t shall          recover        t h e payments made,
                                                        Arti cle 7
1, A M a n a g e m e n t C o m m i t t e e ( h e r e i n a f t e r c a l l e d           t h e Committee) i s hereby
     e s t a b l i s h e d , composed o f r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s o f t h e Member S t a t e s a n d
     c h a i r e d by a r e p r e s e n t a t i v e o f t h e C o m m i s s i o n ,
2,   Within        t h e C o m m i t t e e / t h e v o t e s o f t h e Member S t a t e s s h a l l             be      weighted
      in accordance with A r t i c l e                      148(2) o f t h e Treaty,                 The Chairman s h a l l n o t
     vote.
                                                        Article         8
1, W h e r e t h e p r o c e d u r e           l a i d down i n t h i s A r t i c l e          i s t o be f o l l o w e d , t h e
     Chairman s h a l l             refer the matter                 t o t h e C o m m i t t e e e i t h e r o n h i s own
     i n i t i a t i v e or a t the request                     o f t h e r e p r e s e n t a t i v e o f a Member         State,
2,   The r e p r e s e n t a t i v e o f t h e Commission s h a l l                     submit d r a f t s of d e c i s i o n s
     to    be t a k e n .       The Committee s h a l l                d e l i v e r i t s o p i n i o n on t h e d r a f t s
     w i t h i n a time           l i m i t w h i c h t h e C h a i r m a n may f i x a c c o r d i n g        to the urgency
   • of the questions                    u n d e r c o n s i d e r a t i o n . An o p i n i o n      shall  be a d o p t e d by
     qualified           majority            i n accordance with A r t i c l e                 148(2) o f t h e Treaty,
 ---pagebreak---                                                         - 6     -
 3»    The     Commission s h a l l         adopt d e c i s i o n s which s h a l l             apply      immediately*
       However, i f these               decisions are            not      in accordance with             the   opinion
      of the        Committee, they            shall       be    communicated to the                 Council    as  soon
      as p o s s i b l e and         at the     latest       w i t h i n one       month* In that         event,    the
       Commission s h a l l            defer   a p p l i c a t i o n of the          decisions       i t has  adopted
      for     not     more than         two  months from the date of                        such    communication*
      The     C o u n c i l , a c t i n g by a q u a l i f i e d       m a j o r i t y , may    take    a different decision
      w i t h i n two       months*
                                                   Article         9
Each o f t h e Member S t a t e s              concerned s h a l l , i n agreement with                      the
Commission, take                 the    necessary        steps       to ensure that             suitable     publicity
 is given         to the a s s i s t a n c e granted             under t h i s          Regulation*
                                                  Article           10
The     Commission s h a l l            report     to the        Council         and    to the     European      Parliament
on    the a p p l i c a t i o n of t h i s       Regulation            every       s i x months from the         entry   into
f o r c e of t h i s         Regulation*
                                                  Article          11
This      Regulation          shall      enter     i n t o f o r c e on        the day       of  i t s publication in
the O f f i c i a l      Journal        of the    European           Communities*
This     Regulation           s h a l l be   binding        i n i t s e n t i r e t y and        directly     applicable
i n a l l Member            States*
Done a t        Brussels,
                                                                                        For   the    Council
                                                                                          The     President