CELEX: 51997PC0646
Language: en
Date: 1998-01-27
Title: Amended proposal for a Council Decision concerning a multiannual programme for the promotion of renewable energy sources in the Community - Altener II

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                                 Brussels, 02.12.1997
                                                 COM(97) 646 final
                                                 97/0106 (SYN)
                              Amended proposal for a
                               COUNCIL DECISION
concerning a multiannual programme for the promotion of renewable energy sources in
                           the Community - ALTENERII
             (presented by the Commission pursuant to Article 189 a (2)
                                 of the EC-Treaty)
 ---pagebreak---  ---pagebreak---  EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
 On 12 March 1997 the Commission adopted a proposal for a Council Decision concerning a
 multiannual programme for the promotion of renewable energy sources in the Community
 (Altener H). The proposal is based on Article 130(s) of the Treaty which provides for the co-
 operation procedure with the European Parliament. On 6 November 1997 the Parliament gave
 its opinion on the first reading. 24 amendments were voted and accepted.
 The principal preoccupations of the Parliament matched those of the Commission. Of the 24
 amendments proposed, the Commission accepted seven in their entirety and ten with re-
wording.
 Seven amendments have not been accepted, and one only partially (amendment n°20), by the
 Commission for the following reasons:
- amendment n° 1
It is inappropriate to refer to a publication of conference proceedings in a legal text.
- amendment n° 3
idem
- amendment n° 4
The question of taking account of indirect costs in tariff calculation falls within the scope not
of this programme but rather of the proposals on a Community strategy for Renewables which
the Commission will be presenting separately to Parliament and Council.
- amendment n° 14
The amount of financing will be decided in accordance with the normal budgetary procedure,
during which the budgetary authorities take all relevant aspects into account, including
questions concerning Renewables as well as greenhouse gases.
- amendment n° 20
The concepts included in indents 3, 4, and 5 are implicit in the first and third as originally
drafted.
- amendment n° 24
Reporting procedure is already stipulated in art. 6.
- amendment n° 26
The Comitology rules are laid down formally and this text should not provide otherwise.
- amendment n° 27
idem
The Council is requested to adopt its common position on the basis of the attached amended
proposal.
 ---pagebreak---    PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL                      AMENDED PROPOSAL FOR A
                DECISION                               COUNCIL DECISION
concerning a multiannual programme for the concerning a multiannual programme for the
promotion of                                   promotion of
renewable energy sources in the Community renewable energy sources in the Community
  ALTENER II                                    ALTENER II
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN
UNION,                                         UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the Having regard to the Treaty establishing the
European Community, and in particular European Community, and in particular
Article 13Os ( 1 ) thereof,                     Article 13Os ( 1 ) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Having regard to the proposal from the
Commission,                                    Commission,
Having regard to the opinion of the Having regard to the opinion of the
Economic and Social Committee,                 Economic and Social Committee,
Having regard to the opinion of the Having regard to the opinion of the
Committee of the Regions,                      Committee of the Regions,
Acting in accordance with the procedure Acting in accordance with the procedure
provided for in Article 189c of the Treaty, in provided for in Article 189c of the Treaty, in
cooperation with the European Parliament,      cooperation with the European Parliament,
1.      Whereas Article 130r of the Treaty     1.      Whereas Article 13Or of the Treaty
        lays down that one of the objectives           lays down that one of the objectives
        of the Community action is to ensure           of the Community action is to ensure
        prudent and rational utilisation of            prudent and rational utilisation of
        natural resources;                             natural resources;
2.      Whereas Article 129 of the Treaty 2.           Whereas Article 129 of the Treaty
        lays down that health protection               lays down that health protection
        requirements shall form a constituent          requirements shall form a constituent
        part of Community's other policies;            part of Community's other policies;
        whereas the Altener programme                  whereas the Altener programme
        contributes to health protection;              contributes to health protection;
 ---pagebreak---     Whereas, at its meeting on 29 3.             Whereas, at its meeting on 29
    October       1990,    the      Council      October       1990,    the      Council
    announced its objective of stabilizing       announced its objective of stabilizing
    total C0 2 emissions by 2000 at the          total C0 2 emissions by 2000 at the
    1990 level in the Community as a             1990 level in the Community as a
    whole;                                       whole;
    Whereas        a    mechanism        for 4.  Whereas        a    mechanism        for
    monitoring       C0 2     and     other      monitoring       C0 2     and     other
    greenhouse gas emissions was                 greenhouse gas emissions was
    established by Council Decision              established by Council Decision
    93/389/EEC;                                  93/389/EEC1;
5. Whereas C0 2 emissions from energy 5.        Whereas C0 2 emissions from energy
   consumption in the Community are             consumption in the Community are
   likely to increase by about 3%               likely to increase by about 3%
   between 1995 and 2000, assuming              between 1995 and 2000, assuming
   normal economic growth; whereas it           normal economic growth; whereas it
   is, therefore, essential to .adopt           is, therefore, essential to adopt
   additional measures;                         additional measures;
6. Whereas, at its meeting on 25-26 6.          Whereas, at its meeting on 25-26
   June 1996, the Council noted that in         June 1996, the Council noted that in
   the framework of negotiations                the framework of negotiations
   seeking a protocol according to the          seeking a protocol according to the
   Berlin     Mandate,      the     Second      Berlin     Mandate,      the     Second
   Assessment        Report      of     the     Assessment        Report      of     the
   Intergovernmental Panel on Climate           Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
   Change (IPCC) had concluded that             Change (IPCC) had concluded that
   the balance of evidence suggests that        the balance of evidence suggests that
   there is a discernible human influence       there is a discernible human influence
   on global climate change and had             on global climate change and had
   stressed the need for urgent action at       stressed the need for urgent action at
   the widest possible level, noted that        the widest possible level, noted that
   significant "no-regrets" opportunities       significant "no-regrets" opportunities
   were available and requested the             were available and requested the
   Commission to identify which                 Commission to identify which
   measures have to be taken at                 measures have to be taken at
   Community level;                             Community level;
   Whereas with the Green Paper of 11 7.        Whereas with the Green Paper of 11
   January 1995 and the White Paper of          January 1995 and the White Paper
   13 December 1995 the Commission              of     13 December          19953 the
   communicated to the European                 Commission communicated to the
   Parliament and the Council its views         European Parliament and the Council
   on the future of energy policy in the        its views on the future of energy
   Community and on the role that               policy in the Community and on the
   renewable energy sources should              role that renewable energy sources
 ---pagebreak---     play;                                     should play;
    Whereas in its resolution of 4 July 8.    Whereas in its resolution of 4 July
     1996 the European Parliament calls       1996 the European Parliament calls
    on the Commission to implement a          on the Commission to implement a
    Community action plan to promote          Community action plan to promote
    renewable energy sources;                 renewable energy sources;
    Whereas with the Green Paper of 20   9.  Whereas with the Green Paper of 20
    November 1996, Energy for the            November 1996 , Energy for the
    Future. Renewable sources of             Future: Renewable sources of
    energy, the Commission started a         energy, the Commission started a
    process to develop and further           process to develop and further
    implementation of a Community            implementation of a Community
                                          v
    strategy and an action plan on           strategy and an action plan on
    renewable energy sources (RES);          renewable energy sources (RES);
10. Whereas in its resolution of 14      10. Whereas in its resolution of 14
    November 1996 on the White Paper         November 1996 on the White Paper
    of the Commission "An energy             of the Commission "An energy
    policy for the European Union" the       policy for the European Union" the
    European Parliament calls on the         European Parliament calls on the
    Commission to establish a financial      Commission to establish a financial
    programme aimed at promoting             programme aimed at promoting
    sustainable energy;                      sustainable energy; whereas, in its
                                             resolution of 15 May 19977 on the
                                             communication           from       the
                                             Commission on Energy for the
                                             Future: Renewable Sources of
                                             Energy - Green Paper for a
                                             Community Strategy, the European
                                             Parliament considers that it is
                                             essential to adopt as soon as possible
                                             a      strengthened      Altener     II
                                             programme;
11. Whereas Article 130a of the Treaty   11.  Whereas Article 130a of the Treaty
    provides that the Community shall         provides that the Community shall
    develop and pursue its actions            develop and pursue its actions
    leading to the strengthening of its       leading to the strengthening of its
    economic and social cohesion and          economic and social cohesion and
    that, in particular, it shall aim at      that, in particular, it shall aim at
    reducing disparities between the          reducing disparities between the
    various regions and especially the        various regions and especially the
    backwardness of the least-favoured        backwardness of the least-favoured
    regions; whereas those actions cover      regions; whereas those actions cover
    inter alia the energy sector;             inter alia the energy sector;
 ---pagebreak--- 12. Whereas by Decision 93/500/EEC        12.   Whereas by Decision 93/500/EEC8
    the Council adopted a Community             the Council adopted a Community
    programme for the promotion of              programme for the promotion of
    renewable        energy       sources       renewable        energy       sources
     'ALTENER' aimed at reducing C0 2           'ALTENER' aimed at reducing C0 2
    emissions by increasing the market          emissions by increasing the market
    share of renewable energy sources           share of renewable energy sources
    and its contribution to overall             and its contribution to overall
    primary energy production in the            primary energy production in the
    Community;           whereas     that       Community;           whereas     that
    programme ends on 31 December               programme ends on 31 December
     1997;                                      1997;
13. Whereas the Community has             13.  Whereas the Community has
    recognised that the ALTENER                recognised that the ALTENER
    programme represents an important          programme represents an important
    element of the Community strategy          element of the Community strategy
    for reducing C0 2 emissions;               for reducing C0 2 emissions;
14. Whereas European Parliament and       14.  Whereas European Parliament and
    Council Decision 1110/94/EC, as            Council Decision 1110/94/EC9, as
    amended       by     Decision     No       amended        by     Decision     No
                                                           10
    616/96/EC, has established a fourth        616/96/EC , has established a
    framework programme for research,          fourth framework programme for
    technological    development     and       research, technological development
    demonstration projects;      whereas       and       demonstration      projects;
    policy in the field of renewable           whereas policy in the field , of
    energy sources is an important             renewable energy sources is an
    instrument for the use and                 important instrument for the use and
    promotion of the new energy                promotion of the new energy
    technologies that the framework            technologies that the framework
    programme will develop; whereas            programme will develop; whereas
    the ALTENER II programme is an             the ALTENER II programme is an
    instrument which complements that          instrument which complements that
    programme;                                 programme;
                                          14a Whereas, furthermore, the Fifth
                                              Framework Programme of Research,
                                              Technological      Development     and
                                              Demonstration should devote special
                                              attention to energy and whereas
                                              Altener II should again be an
                                              important complementary instrument
                                              to this programme;
                                          14b Whereas renewable energy sources
                                              are an important energy source for
                                              the Community with considerable
 ---pagebreak---                                              commercial potential and whereas
                                             their development should therefore be
                                             supported through a specific strategy
                                             and targeted actions to make them
                                             both viable and competitive and thus
                                             create a favourable environment for
                                             investment;
15. Whereas the increased use of         15.   Whereas the increased use of
    renewable energy sources will have         renewable energy sources will have
    a positive effect both on the              a positive effect both on the
    environment and on security of             environment and on security of
    energy supplies; whereas a high            energy supplies; whereas only the
    degree of international co-operation       free and large-scale development of
    is desirable to achieve the best           renewable energy sources will make
    results;                                   it possible fully to exploit their
                                               economic and employment potential;
                                              whereas a high            degree      of
                                               international     co-operation       is
                                               desirable to achieve the best results;
16. Whereas a strengthened ALTENER       16.   Whereas a strengthened ALTENER
    II programme represents an essential      II programme represents an essential
    instrument for developing the             instrument for developing the
    potential of renewable energy             potential of renewable energy
    sources;                                   sources; whereas renewable energy
                                               sources should account for a
                                              reasonable percentage of the
                                              European internal energy market;
                                         16a  Whereas the development of
                                               renewable energy sources can help
                                               create a competitive energy system
                                              for the whole of Europe and
                                               develop a European renewable
                                               energy sources industry, with vast
                                               opportunities for the export of
                                               know-how and for investment in
                                               third countries involving Community
                                               participation;
17. Whereas in implementing the          17.   Whereas in implementing the
    programme, there should be close           programme, there should be close
    co-operation with other Community          co-operation with other Community
    actions and programmes also                actions and programmes also
    concerned       with      promoting        concerned        with      promoting
    renewable energy sources;                  renewable energy sources;
 ---pagebreak---       Whereas it is politically and          18.    Whereas it is politically and
      economically desirable to open the            economically desirable to open the
      ALTENER II programme to the                   ALTENER II programme to the
      associated Central and Eastern                associated Central and Eastern
      European countries in accordance              European countries in accordance
      with the conclusions of the                   with the conclusions of the
      European Council meeting in                   European Council meeting in
      Copenhagen on 21 and 22 June                  Copenhagen on 21 and 22 June
       1993, and as outlined in the                 1993, and as outlined in the
      communication on this subject                 communication on this subject
      presented to the Council by the               presented to the Council by the
      Commission in May 1994, and also              Commission in May 1994, and also
      to Cyprus;                                   to Cyprus;
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:                   HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
                  Article 1                                    Article 1
    A five-year programme of measures 1          A five-year • programme of measures
    and actions to promote renewable             and actions to promote renewable
    energy sources in the Community,             energy sources in the Community,
    called ALTENER II, hereinafter               called ALTENER II, hereinafter
   referred to as 'the programme' is             referred to as 'the programme' is
    hereby established                           hereby established
    The objectives of this programme shall       The objectives of this programme shall
   be to:                                        be to:
   (a)     help create the necessary             (a)    help create the necessary
         conditions for the implementation            conditions for the implementation
         of a Community action plan for               of a Community action plan for
         renewable energy sources, and in             renewable energy sources, and in
         particular the legal, socio-                 particular the legal, socio-
         economic      and    administrative          economic       and   administrative
         conditions, and to                           conditions, and to
   (b) encourage private and public              (b) encourage private and public
         investments in the production and            investments in the production and
         use of energy from renewable                 use of energy from renewable
         sources.                                     sources.
   The objectives contribute to achieving        The objectives contribute to achieving
   the overall Community objectives and          the overall Community objectives and
   concerns of limiting C0 2 emissions;          concerns of limiting C0 2 emissions,
   increasing the share of renewable             increasing the share of renewable
   energy sources in the energy balance;         energy sources in the energy balance
   reducing energy import dependence,            in accordance with the Community
 ---pagebreak---     ensuring the security of energy supply,    Strategy       for     renewable     energy
    and fostering economic development,        sources, reducing energy import
    economic and social cohesion and           dependence, ensuring the security of
    regional and local development.            energy supply, fostering economic
                                               development, economic and social
                                               cohesion and regional and local
                                               development, creating new jobs and
                                               promoting European industry.
    Community financial support shall be 2.    Community financial support shall be
    granted under the programme for            granted under the programme for
    actions meeting the objectives set out     actions meeting the objectives set out
    in paragraph 1.                            in paragraph 1.
    The annual appropriations for the 3.       The annual appropriations for the
    implementation of the programme            implementation of the programme
    shall be authorised by the budget          shall be authorised by the budget
    authority within the limits of the         authority within the limits of the
    financial perspectives.                    financial perspectives.
                 Article 2                                    Article 2
    The following actions and measures 1       The following actions and measures
     relating to renewable energy sources       relating to renewable energy sources
     shall be financed          under     the   shall be financed             under    the
     programme:                                 programme:
(a) studies and other actions, intended to (a) studies and other actions, intended to
    implement         and        complement    implement            and       complement
    Community measures taken to develop        Community measures taken to develop
    the potential of renewable energy          the potential of renewable energy
    sources.      These      include      the  sources.        These       include     the
    development of sectoral and market         development of sectoral and market
    strategies, the development of norms       strategies, the development of norms
    and standards, grouped procurement         and standards, grouped procurement,
    and the analysis of the legal, socio-      comparative          studies     of     the
    economic        and        administrative  environmental impact and long-term
    conditions which are more favourable       costs and benefits, and the analysis of
    to the market penetration of renewable     the     legal,      socio-economic      and
    energies and the preparation of            administrative conditions which are
    appropriate legislation;                   more favourable to the market
                                               penetration of renewable energies and
                                               the     preparation       of    appropriate
                                               legislation;
(b) pilot actions aimed at creating or (b)     pilot actions aimed at creating or
    extending       infrastructures      and   extending          infrastructures      and
    instruments for the development of         instruments for the development of
    renewable energy sources in:               renewable energy sources in:
 ---pagebreak---       - local and regional planning,                      - local and regional planning,
      - the tools for planning, design and                - the tools for planning, design and
      evaluation,                                         evaluation,
           new      financial      and      market             new       financial      and     market
      instruments,                                       instruments,
      - information,                                     - information,
     - education and training;                           - education and training;
 (c) measures proposed by the Commission (c)             measures to encourage the exchange
     to encourage the exchange of                        of experience and know-how aimed at
     experience and know-how aimed at                    improving co-ordination              between
     improving co-ordination              between        international, Community, national,
     international, Community, national,                 regional       and        local     activities;
     regional       and       local      activities;     establishment of a centralised system
     establishment of a centralised system               for     collecting,       prioritising     and
     for      collecting,      prioritising     and      circulating information and know-how
     circulating information and know-how                on renewable energy sources;
     on renewable energy sources;
(d)—measures to encourage the exchange (d)               Deleted
     ef—experience            and      know how,
     proposed by an entity other than the
     Commission;
(e)  targeted actions facilitating the market (e)        targeted actions facilitating the market
     penetration of renewable energy                     penetration of renewable energy
     sources and encouraging investment,                 sources and related know-how,
     by assisting the preparation and                    supporting the transition between
     presentation        of       implementation         demonstration and commercialisation.
     projects .                                          and encouraging investment, by
                                                         assisting      the       preparation      and
                                                         presentation         of      implementation
                                                         projects .
(f)  actions intended to:                            (f) actions intended to:
         monitor the implementation of the                   monitor the implementation of the
         Community strategy and action                       Community strategy and action
         plan for the development of                         plan for the development of
         renewable energy sources;                           renewable energy sources;
         support      initiatives      taken      in         support       initiatives     taken      in
         implementing the action plan,                       implementing the action plan,
         particularly with a view to                         particularly with a view to
         promoting better co-ordination and                  promoting better co-ordination and
        greater synergy between actions,                     greater synergy between actions,
         including—aH—Community—funded                       such as those funded by the
 ---pagebreak---      activities;                                Community,         including      the
                                                European Investment Bank.
     monitor the progress achieved by       - monitor the progress achieved by
     the Community and its Member               the Community and its Member
     States with regard to the                  States with regard to the
     development of renewable energy            development of renewable energy
     sources;                                   sources;
     evaluate the impact and cost           - evaluate the impact and cost
     effectiveness       of      measures       effectiveness       of      measures
     undertaken under this programme.           undertaken under this programme.
     This evaluation will also take into        This evaluation will also take into
     account the environmental and              account the environmental and
     social aspects.                            social aspects, including job
                                                creation.
 The aim of the targeted actions 2.         The aim of the targeted, actions
  referred to in point (e) of paragraph 1    referred to in point (e) of paragraph 1
  is to facilitate and accelerate            is to facilitate and accelerate
  investment     in new        operational   investment     in new        operational
  capacity for the production of energy      capacity for the production of energy
  from renewable sources by providing       from renewable sources by providing
  financial support in order to reduce      financial support in order to reduce
 the peripheral and service costs of        the peripheral and service costs of
  renewable energy projects, and thus        renewable energy projects, and thus
  overcome the non technical obstacles       overcome the non technical obstacles
  present.                                   present.
  This action shall promote, inter alia,     This action shall promote, with
 access to specialised advice, analysis     particular reference to SMEs, inter
 of market prospects, choice of             alia\ access to specialised advice,
 location of projects, application for      analysis of market prospects, choice of
 construction and operation permits,        location of projects, application for
 establishment of financing plan,           construction and operation permits,
 preparation of calls for tender, training  establishment of financing plan,
 of operators, and plant commissioning.     preparation of calls for tender, training
                                            of operators, and plant commissioning
 The targeted actions will concern          The targeted actions will concern
projects carried out in the following      projects carried out in the following
areas :                                    areas :
 - biomass, including energy crops, fire   - biomass, including energy crops, fire
 wood, residues from forestry and          wood, residues from forestry and
  agriculture, municipal waste, liquid     agriculture, non-recyclable municipal
  biofuels and biogas,                     waste, liquid biofuels and biogas,
 - thermal and photovoltaic solar          - thermal and photovoltaic solar
  systems,                                 systems,
 - passive and active solar systems in     - passive and active solar systems in
 ---pagebreak---  buildings,                                buildings,
- small scale (< 10 MW) hydroelectric      - small scale (< 10 MW) hydroelectric
 projects,                                 projects,
- wind power,                               - wind power,
- geothermal energy;                        - geothermal energy;
             Article 3                                   Article 3
All costs relating to the actions and 1.    All costs relating to the actions and
measures referred to in points (a), (c)     measures referred to in points (a), (c)
and (f) of Article 2(1) shall be borne      and (f) of Article 2(1) shall be borne
by the Community.                           by the Community.
The level of funding under this 2.          The level of funding under this
programme for the actions and               programme for the actions and
measures referred to in points (b) and      measures referred to in point (b) of
(ë) of Article 2(1) may not exceed          Article 2(1) may not exceed 50% of
50% of their total cost, the balance        their total cost, the balance being
being made up from either public or         made up from either public or private
private sources or a combination of         sources or a combination of the two.
the two.
The level of funding under this 3           The level of funding under this
programme for the actions and               programme for the actions and
measures referred to in Article 2(e)        measures referred to in Article 2(e)
shall be established annually for each      shall be established annually for each
of the targeted actions in accordance       of the targeted actions in accordance
with Article 4.(2).                         with Article 4.(2).
             Article 4                                   Article 4
The Commission shall be responsible 1      The Commission shall be responsible
 for the implementation of the             for the implementation of the
 programme.                                programme.
The     conditions     and   guidelines 2   The     conditions     and   guidelines
applicable to funding for the actions       applicable to funding for the actions
and measures referred to in Article 2       and measures referred to in Article 2
(1) shall be defined annually, regard       (1) shall be defined annually, regard
being had to:                               being had to:
(a) the priorities set out by the           (a) the priorities set out by the
  Community and the Member States             Community and the Member States
  in their programmes for the                 in their programmes for the
  promotion of renewable energy               promotion of renewable energy
  sources;                                    sources;
                                        10
 ---pagebreak---        (b) criteria relating to the profitability        (b) criteria relating to the profitability
          and development potential of                      and development          potential of
          renewable energy sources and their                renewable energy sources and their
          effects on employment and the                     effects on employment and the
          environment, in particular the                    environment, in particular the
          reduction of C0 2 emissions;                      reduction of C0 2 emissions;
       (c) for the actions referred to in point          (c) for the actions referred to in point
        (e) of Article 2 (1), the relative cost           (e) of Article 2 (1), the relative cost
        of the assistance, the new production             of the assistance, the long-term
        capacity expected to arise and the                commercial      viability.    the   new
        extent of transregional and /or                   production capacity expected to arise
        transnational benefit                             and the extent of transregional and /or
                                                          transnational benefit;
       (d) the principles established in Article         (d) the principles established in Article
        92 of the Treaty and the relevant                 92 of the Treaty and the relevant
        Community guidelines on State aid                 Community guidelines on State aid
        for environmental protection.                     for environmental protection.
      The Committee referred to in Article 5            The Committee referred to in Article 5
      shall assist the Commission in defining           shall assist the Commission in defining
      these conditions and guidelines.                  these conditions and guidelines.
                    Article 5                                         Article 5
The Commission shall be assisted by an            The Commission shall be assisted by an
advisory        committee      composed       of  advisory        committee      composed       of
representatives of the Member States and          representatives of the Member States and
chaired by the representative of the              chaired by the representative of the
Commission.                                       Commission.
The representative of the Commission shall        The representative of the Commission shall
submit to the committee a draft of the            submit to the committee a draft of the
measures to be taken The committee shall          measures to be taken. The committee shall
deliver its opinion on the draft within a time    deliver its opinion on the draft within a time
limit which the chairman may lay down             limit which the chairman may lay down
according to the urgency of the matter, if        according to the urgency of the matter, if
necessary by taking a vote.                       necessary by taking a vote.
The opinion shall be recorded in the              The opinion shall be recorded in the
minutes: in addition, each Member State           minutes: in addition, each Member State
shall have the right to ask to have its           shall have the right to ask to have its
position recorded in the minutes.                 position recorded in the minutes.
The Commission shall take the utmost The Commission shall take the utmost
account of the opinion delivered by the account of the opinion delivered by the
committee. It shall inform the committee of committee. It shall inform the committee of
                                                  11
 ---pagebreak---  the manner in which its opinion has been the manner in which its opinion has been
 taken into account.                           taken into account.
                    Article 6                                     Article 6
    During the course of the second year of    1. During the course of the second year of
    the programme, the Commission shall           the programme, the Commission shall
    present a report to the European              present a report to the European
    Parliament, the Council, the Economic         Parliament, the Council, the Economic
    and Social Committee and the Committee        and Social Committee and the Committee
    of the Regions, on the measures taken to      of the Regions, on the measures taken to
    promote renewable energy sources at the       promote renewable energy sources at the
    level of the Community and of the             level of the Community and of the
    Member States, with reference in              Member States, with reference in
    particular to the objectives set out in       particular to the objectives set out in
    Article 1. This report shall be               Article 1. This report shall be
    accompanied by proposals for any              accompanied by proposals for any
    amendments to the programme which             amendments to the programme which
    may be necessary in the light of those        may be necessary in the light of those
    results.                                      results.
2. On expiry of the programme, the 2. On expiry of the programme, the
    Commission shall assess the results           Commission shall assess the results
    obtained from the application of this         obtained from the application of this
    Decision and the consistency of national      Decision and the consistency of national
    and Community actions. It shall present a     and Community actions. It shall present a
    report thereon to the European                report thereon to the European
    Parliament, the Council, the Economic         Parliament, the Council, the Economic
    and Social Committee and the Committee        and Social Committee and the Committee
    of the Regions.                               of the Regions.
                    Article 7                                     Article 7
This programme shall be open to               This programme shall be open to
participation by associated Central and       participation by associated Central and
Eastern European Countries (CEECs) in         Eastern European Countries (CEECs) in
accordance with the conditions, including     accordance with the conditions, including
financial provisions, laid down in the        financial provisions, laid down in the
additional protocols to the Association       additional protocols to the Association
Agreements or in the             Association  Agreements or in the             Association
Agreements       themselves,   relating    to Agreements       themselves,    elating    to
participation in Community programmes.        participation in Community programmes.
This programme shall be open to               This programme shall be open to
participation by Cyprus on the basis of       participation by Cyprus on the basis of
additional appropriations under the same      additional appropriations under the same
rules as those applied to EFTA/EEA            rules as those applied to EFTA/EEA
countries, in accordance with procedures to   countries, in accordance with procedures to
be agreed with this country.                  be agreed with this country.
                                              12
 ---pagebreak---                     Article 8                                   Article 8
This Decision shall apply from 1 January This Decision shall apply from 1 January
1998 to 31 December 2002.                       1998 to 31 December 2002.
                    Article 9                                   Article 9
This Decision is addressed to the Member This Decision is addressed to the Member
States.                                         States.
            OJNoL 167, 9.7.1993, p. 31.
            COM (94) 659 of 11.01.1995
            COM (95) 682 of 13.12. 1995
            O J N o C 2 1 1 , 22.7.1996, p. 27.
            COM (96) 576 final of 20.11.1996
            OJ No C 362, 2.12.1996, p. 279.
            O J N o C 167, 2.6.1997, p. 160.
            OJNoL235, 18.9.1993, p.41.
            OJNoL 126, 18.5.1994, p. 1.
            O J N 0 L 8 6 , 4.4.1996, p. 69.
                                                13
 ---pagebreak---  ---pagebreak---                                                                   ISSN 0254-1475
                                                           COM(97) 646 final
                                              DOCUMENTS
EN                                                                    12 01
                                    Catalogue number : CB-C0-97-656-EN-C
                                                             ISBN 92-78-28313-4
Office for Official Publications of the European Communities
L-2985 Luxembourg
                                               IV