Brussels, 16/01/2014 (Agence Europe) - At this stage, the European Commission will not be proposing legislation but simply a recommendation providing common minimum principles on shale gas exploitation.
The long-awaited climate/energy package for 2030 that the European Commission is to unveil on 22 January will include a communication on the exploration and production of non-conventional hydrocarbons, such as shale gas, the considerable reserves of which several EU member states hope to exploit. Shale gas is currently at the core of a far-reaching and heated controversy caused by the many reservations regarding its method of extraction by hydraulic fracking. After months of interinstitutional debate, the Commission has prepared a framework, at EU level, for assessing the environmental and health risks linked to the extraction of non-conventional fossil fuels.
At this stage, the Commission is not planning to legislate on the matter but to table recommendations to member states providing common minimum principles for the exploration and production of shale gas. The Commission will monitor the implementation of the recommendation by member states and publish the results in a scoreboard. It will also report to the European Parliament and Council 18 months after publication. It may decide to put forward legislative proposals.
The recommendation provides common minimum principles focusing on the technical challenges raised by the technique of high-volume hydraulic fracking (at least 1,000 cubic metres of water used at each stage or at least 10,000 cubic metres of water for the whole process). These principles are linked to the planning, evaluation, granting of installation permits, operational and environmental performance of the installations, as well as public participation.
Under the terms of these principles, before authorising the exploration and production of shale gas via the hydraulic fracking technique, member states should prepare a strategic environmental assessment of the projects proposed with a view to preventing, managing and reducing the risk for health and the environment. The suitability of a geological formation is determined through a risk assessment based on the best available techniques. A site should only be selected if the risk assessment demonstrates that no direct discharge of pollutants will result from high volume hydraulic fracturing. Before fracking begins, the state of the site's environment should be determined, not only underground but also on the surface (water conditions, groundwater, air and soil conditions, etc.). The best available techniques should be applied during operation (minimal use of chemical substances for high volume fracking) and it will be necessary to ensure proper insulation of the well and minimise venting of gases. Member states will have to meet the recommendations annually and, for the first time, by December 2014. (EH/transl.jl)