Brussels, 26/06/2002 (Agence Europe) - In Brussels on Wednesday, the Commission adopted its final Report on the Green Paper on the security of energy supply in the EU. "I am very pleased with the debate", the Commissioner for Energy, Loyola de Palacio, told the press, stating that the debate had allowed for the conclusion to be reached that there needed to be "a global concept on the way energy is approached in the EU", comprising: the control of energy demand in the EU, the need to diversify sources and types of energy, more use of renewable energies, the establishment of a dialogue with producer countries. Ms de Palacio also stressed that "reflection on co-ordinating oil and gas stocks was necessary and that opinions on the use of nuclear energy remained mitigated.
You may recall that adoption of the Report, scheduled for last week, had been postponed due to differences between Commissioners on certain passages of the text relating to strategic energy stocks and nuclear energy. On the first point, Commissioners Monti, Kinnock and Fischler had, notably, wanted to leave out references to "price mechanisms", whereas on nuclear energy, Commissioners Wallstrom, Schreyer, Fischler and Diamantopoulou are said to have regarded as unacceptable the link between nuclear energy and climate change. According to Ms. Wallstrom, some passages are said to have been interpreted as a placing back into question of abandoning nuclear energy by certain Member states. Finally, changes to the wording were made to reach a consensus, sources close to the issue commented. Here is the detail of the Final Report:
Priority to an ambitious policy of controlling demand, to reduce and direct energy consumption. The Commission has, moreover, already taken legislative measures aimed at promoting renewable energies, energy efficiency in buildings and the promotion of bio-fuels, without mentioning its White Paper aimed at a re-balance in transport.
Reflection on a better organisation of oil stocks and better co-ordination of their use, so as to combat the physical ruptures of stocks (for geopolitical reasons) and against oil price speculation. As we announced yesterday, the Commission is studying proposals along these lines aimed at introducing minimum Community measures.
Strengthening relations between the Union and its energy partners so as to increase transparency of markets, network security, investment protection, and make better use of long-term supply agreements and production share agreements.
Need for a debate on nuclear energy: "the future of the nuclear sector requires a firm and transparent response to questions of security standards and the treatment transport of nuclear waste", Loyola de Palacio told the press, stipulating that "a package of legislation will be complete after the summer". Furthermore, the Union intends maintaining a rigorous policy for the safety of nuclear power plants in candidate countries. "We shall ask candidate countries to respect the EU acquis in the matter", the Commission declared. Asked about the differences on the role of nuclear energy within the EU, de Palacio replied that "nuclear energy allows for a reduction in the emission of greenhouse gases" and that all other instruments (rationalisation of the demand for energy, renewable energy, development of technologies rendering fossil energy more environmental-friendly) went along those lines, but were inadequate. "Anyhow, the Commission submits proposals, and it is the Member States who decide", she concluded.
The nuclear issues raised lively comments on the eve of the Commission Report's adoption. Thus, the Green Group in the European Parliament sent President Prodi a letter asking for clarifications on "the contrary declarations between Ms. Loyola de Palacio and Ms. Wallstrom on the future of the nuclear sector in the EU". Whereas Ms. de Palacio backs the use of nuclear energy to meet the Kyoto Protocol obligations on the reduction of greenhouse gases, Ms. Wallstrom considers that nuclear is not a sustainable energy, say the Greens, wanting, "on the eve of the Johannesburg Summit, a clear position from Romano Prodi on behalf of the Commission". As for the NGOs Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth, in a letter sent to the Commission, yesterday they rejected the Ms. de Palacio's Communication, considering "that no substantial debate has been organised by the Commission with civil society" and that "the Communication contains strong language in favour of nuclear energy: .
The Green Paper also places emphasis on the diversification of sources of energy (notably alluding to Russia and southern Mediterranean countries), the need to develop a Europe-wide security concept of supply to ensure the EU's energy independence (the dialogue with Russia is an example), the promotion of new and renewable energies (while indicating that the proposal of funding their development with conventional energies received a mixed response, the harmonsisation of the energy tax and the tarification in transport (which has also been received with a number of reservations).