96/737/EC: Council Decision of 16 December 1996 concerning a multiannual programme for the promotion of energy efficiency in the Community - SAVE II

COUNCIL DECISION of 16 December 1996 concerning a multiannual programme for the promotion of energy efficiency in the Community - SAVE II (96/737/EC)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 130s (1) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1),
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (2),
Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions (3),
Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 189 (c) of the Treaty (4),
(1) Whereas Article 130r of the Treaty states that one objective of the Community policy on the environment shall be to ensure a prudent and rational utilization of natural resources;
(2) Whereas at its meeting on 29 October 1990 the Council set an objective of stabilizing total CO2 emissions by the year 2000 at the 1990 level in the Community as a whole;
(3) Whereas Decision 93/389/EEC (5) established a monitoring mechanism of Community CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions;
(4) Whereas nonetheless, despite efforts made, CO2 emissions in the Community generated by energy consumption are expected to increase by 5 to 8 % between 1995 and 2000, assuming normal economical growth; whereas, therefore, additional measures are indispensable;
(5) Whereas the Commission, in its communication of 8 February 1990 on energy and the environment, highlighted energy efficiency as the cornerstone of future efforts to reduce the negative impact of energy on the environment;
(6) Whereas improvement in the management of energy is urgently needed in order to contribute to the protection of the environment, to a better security of energy supply and to sustainable development;
(7) Whereas the Commission has communicated to the Council and the European Parliament, by means of the Green paper of 11 January 1995 and the White Paper of 13 December 1995, its views on the future of energy policy in the Community, and the role of energy-saving and energy efficiency measures;
(8) Whereas Article 130a of the Treaty provides that the Community should develop and pursue its actions leading to the strengthening of its economic and social cohesion, and that it should, in particular, reduce disparities between the levels of development of the various regions and the backwardness of the least-favoured regions; whereas energy should be integrated into that effort;
(9) Whereas, by Decision 91/565/EEC (6), a Community energy efficiency programme (SAVE), aimed at strengthening energy efficiency infrastructures within the Community, was adopted; whereas that programme expired on 31 December 1995;
(10) Whereas the Community recognized the SAVE programme as an important element of the Community's CO2 reduction strategy; whereas the communication of the Commission of 8 May 1991 on the European Community's energy programming activities at regional level, the conclusion of the Council on this communication, and the Resolution of the European Parliament of 16 July 1993 (7) stated that those activities should be pursued, amplified and utilized as a support for the energy strategy of the Community; whereas this initiative for regional actions should now be totally incorporated into a new SAVE II programme;
(11) Whereas by Decision No 1110/94/EC on the European Parliament and of the Council (8), a fourth framework programme for actions in technological research, development and demonstration was established; whereas energy efficiency policy constitutes an important instrument for the use and promotion of the new energy technologies that the framework programme will establish; whereas the SAVE II programme represents a policy instrument which complements this programme;
(12) Whereas the SAVE II programme aims at improving energy intensity of final consumption by a further one percentage point per annum over that which would have been otherwise attained;
(13) Whereas at its meeting on 15 on 16 December 1994 the Council stated that the target of stabilizing CO2 emissions can only be achieved by a coordinated package of measures to import energy efficiency and the rational use of energy which are based on supply and demand at all levels of energy production, conversion, transport and consumption and to exploit renewable energies, and that local energy management programmes are amongst these measures;
(14) Whereas in its opinion on the Commission's Green Paper on energy policy (9), the European Parliament called for the formulation of objectives and a common programme for energy efficiency and savings compatible with the objectives concerning the emissions of greenhouse gases as agreed in Rio de Janeiro (1992) and Berlin (1995), called for a SAVE II programme and requested that the Commission clarify the role which it intends to play in energy savings and efficiency by creating practical projects;
(15) Whereas improved energy efficiency will have a positive impact on both the environment and the security of energy supplies which are global in nature; whereas a high level of international cooperation is needed to produce the most positive results;
(16) Whereas all the elements of the Community action programme for improving the efficiency of electricity use set out in Council Decision 89/364/EEC (10) should be incorporated into the SAVE II programme; whereas therefore that Decision should be repealed;
(17) Whereas between 180 and 200 million tonnes of CO2 emissions could be avoided by the year 2000 by an improvement of 5 % in the energy intensity of final demand additional to the conventional expectations;
(18) Whereas the SAVE II programme is an important and necessary instrument for promoting increased energy efficiency;
(19) Whereas in order to prevent duplication and to achieve synergy, care should be taken in implementing the programme to ensure close cooperation with other Community programmes linked directly with energy efficiency promotion;
(20) Whereas it is politically and economically desirable to open the SAVE II programme to the associated Central and Eastern European Countries in accordance with the conclusions of the European Council meeting in Copenhagen in June 1994 and as outlined in the Commission communication to the Council on the subject in May 1994, and to the associated Mediterranean Countries Cyprus and Malta;
(21) Whereas, in order to ensure that Community aid is used efficiently, the Commission shall ensure that projects are subject to thorough prior appraisal and shall systematically monitor and evaluate the progress and results of supported projects;
(22) Whereas a financial reference amount within the meaning of point 2 of the Declaration by the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission of 6 March 1995 (11), is included in this decision for the entire duration of the programme, without thereby affecting the powers of the budgetary authority as they are defined by the Treaty;
(23) Whereas, before the end of 1997, the financial reference amount for the remaining period of the programme should be reviewed, on the basis of a study carried out by the Commission on the coordination of all the relevant programmes in the energy sector,