Brussels, 08/06/2004 (Agence Europe) - The 25 Energy Ministers of the EU, meeting in Luxembourg on Thursday, will have a considerably more ambitious agenda than December's Energy Council. The Presidency will try to reach agreements on the proposed eco-design directive, the proposed regulation on conditions of access to the gas-transport network and the proposed decision on guidelines for trans-European energy networks. The Commission will also inform the Council of the results of the Bonn conference on renewable energy, which took place from 1 to 4 June, and of the International Energy Forum in Amsterdam, which was held from 22 to 24 May.
Proposed directive establishing a framework for setting eco-design requirements applicable to energy-consuming products: this proposal, which dates from August 2003, aims to include environmental considerations into the design of energy-consuming products, such as electrical and electronic appliances and heating devices. The objective is to ensure greater respect for the environment throughout the life-cycle of the products, and to avoid obstacles to intra-Community trade. The Presidency hopes to reach political agreement on this dossier. This could be achievable, as only Denmark still has a reservation on this proposal, and is seeking reassurance that the directive will not reduce the level of protection guaranteed under its own environmental legislation.
Proposed regulation on conditions for access to gas transport networks: this proposal, which was presented in December 2003, specifies the fundamental principles and application measures for various elements which are required for the smooth running of the gas market. The Presidency hopes to reach political agreement on this dossier, on the basis of a draft compromise. Nevertheless, several problems subsist including: scope, the range of comitology and timescale for the regulation to enter into force. The Commission would like this to be 1 July 2005, but several delegations have proposed to postpone it until 1 July 2007.
Proposed decision on guidelines for the trans-European energy networks: pending the European Parliament's first reading, the Presidency will try to obtain a general convergence off views on this dossier. The proposal, which modifies decisions 96/391/EC and 1229/2003/EC, aims to authorise the funding of projects of common interest in the enlarged EU, to link them up to the internal electricity and gas markets. To this end, the Commission proposes two measures (which are also to be found in the decision modifying the guidelines for the trans-European transport networks): the declaration of European interest (giving priority to cross-border projects with considerable fallout for the integration of the networks) and the appointment of a European co-ordinator for a specific priority project. However, in the text on the table at the Council, the articles of the proposal on the declaration of European interest, the execution of projects of European interest and the European co-ordinator have apparently been deleted. Certain delegations, furthermore, including Germany and Italy, have reservations on the annexes to the proposal (which include projects for the trans-European energy networks), which have yet to be discussed at the Council.
Lastly, the Council will take stock of work on two proposals presented in December 2003: one on measures to guarantee security of electricity supply and investment in infrastructure, the other on the effectiveness of energy and energy services (EUROPE of 11 December, p.10). Further to the power cuts which paralysed several European countries in summer 2004, there is an overall agreement on the objective of these proposals. However, various delegations have expressed doubts as to the capacity of these proposals to satisfy the objectives agreed upon. Others feel that some provisions are too interventionist. The Parliament has postponed its first reading on the dossier until the end of the year.