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Dept of Trade and Industry

Statement on on the outcome of the Energy Council meeting on 8th December. - Inc figs.

Asked by

Ivor Caplin (Labour)

Answering body

Department of Trade and Industry

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

17 December 1997

For answer on

18 December 1997

Answered on

18 December 1997

Mr. Caplin: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement on the outcome of the Energy Council meeting on 8 December [22083] Mr. Battle: The Council considered several issues and received reports on matters of interest. I represented the UK. Council reached political agreement on a draft common position on the gas liberalisation directive. The main elements of the agreement include a requirement for a minimum initial market opening of 20 per cent., increasing to 28 per cent., after five years from entry into force and 33 per cent. after ten years. All gas-fired power generators will, from the beginning, be able to obtain competitive supplies. Initial thresholds for eligible industrial customers were set at 25 million cubic metres (mcm), dropping to 15 mcm after five years and 5 mcm by year ten. Members States were given the option to introduce separate arrangements for the inclusion of industrial combined heat and power producers. The agreement also includes provision for eligible customers and third party suppliers to have access to gas transportation networks and requires Member States to put in place an independent authority to settle disputes about access. Network companies will be required not to abuse information received from third parties and to publish the main commercial conditions for use of their network. The agreement also contains provisions to provide access to upstream pipelines in a manner which takes account satisfactorily of the particular nature of upstream activity. The draft common position recognises that market opening could lead to transitional problems for major gas companies and allows Member States, subject to clearance by the Commission, to agree to the possibility of their companies refusing network access where competition leads to serious financial difficulties in respect of long term take or pay contracts. Transitional arrangements will also be available to countries or areas of countries without a developed gas supply infrastructure (the latter subject to Commission authorisation) where the immediate implementation of the directive would create difficulties concerning the promotion of investment in gas networks. The Government welcome the agreement reached as a first step in opening the EU market for natural gas. Liberalisation will boost EU competitiveness and bring the UK new opportunities for trade, investment and employment. The draft common position is compatible with the existing competitive arrangements in the UK market. The proposal will be submitted to the European Parliament for consideration during the UK Presidency once a formal common position has been adopted. The Council received a presentation from the Commission on a White Paper and Action Plan on a strategy for the future of renewable sources of energy and a reached common position on a Council decision concerning a multinational programme for the promotion of renewable energy sources in the Community-- ALTENER II. A two year programme with a budget of 22 mecu was agreed. I gave my full support to the ALTENER II programme which I regard as an important element in the Commission's proposals to increase the use of renewable energy sources. Council approved a resolution on combined heat and power. The resolution welcomed the publication of a Community strategy to promote CHP recognising its positive contribution to environmental policies particularly towards the target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and invited the Commission to continue its work. Council approved a proposal to extend the SYNERGY programme aimed at the promotion of international cooperation in the energy field. A one year extension with a budget of 5 mecu was agreed subject to formal receipt of the European Parliaments opinion. In addition, the Council received presentations from the Commission on its proposal for a Council decision for a multiannual energy framework programme for actions in the energy sector, and a progress report on the Energy Charter Treaty.

Date

18 December 1997

Reference

22083; 303 c315-6W

House

House of Commons

Dept of Trade and Industry

Statement on the outcome of the Energy Council meeting on 3 December.

Asked by

Tim J Smith (Conservative)

Answering body

Department of Trade and Industry

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

For answer on

9 December 1996

Answered on

9 December 1996

Mr. Tim Smith: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the outcome of the Energy Council meeting on 3 December. [8632] Mr. Page: The Council considered several issues and received reports from the Commission on matters of interest. My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Energy, represented the United Kingdom. A policy debate was held to discuss the way forward on a proposal to liberalise the gas market. The Council recognised the presidency's compromise proposals as an important step in the right direction and as a good basis for progress in further discussions. There was considerable convergence of views on the four key issues of public service obligations, unbundling and transparency of accounts, access to the system and take or pay contracts. The Council agreed that further work was required in order to ensure a rigid conclusion of this proposal under the Dutch presidency, due to end in June 1997. The Council discussed a proposal for a Council regulation establishing a multi-annual programme to promote international co-operation in the energy field-- SYNERGY--and asked for work on this dossier to continue. A debate was also held on renewables following a Commission presentation on an EU strategy. Lord Fraser stressed that renewable forms of energy had to be both economically attractive and environmentally acceptable if they were successfully to penetrate the market. Council conclusions were agreed on a Committee report on oil supply, refining and markets in the Community. The conclusions welcomed the report and asked the Commission to undertake studies and continue to monitor and analyse the situation in close co-operation with member states. Conclusions were also agreed on the energy dimension of climate change. They recognised the contribution of energy policy to the climate change debate and asked for reports to be made on progress in this area including on the negotiations on a protocol in the framework of the UN convention on climate change. On deregulation, the Council endorsed a report from the Commission on the review of Community energy legislation which will enable several legislative acts to be repealed. The Council reached a common position on a proposal for a Council and European Parliament decision amending the guidelines on trans-European energy networks, updating the list of projects of common interest. The Council agreed the decision on the conclusion of the energy charter treaty. The Commission gave a presentation on a proposal for a council decision on the organisation of co-operation around agreed Community energy objectives. The Commission also gave progress reports on the energy dimension of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership, the proposed electricity liberalisation directive, the proposed decision on a multi-annual programme for the promotion of energy efficiency in the Community--SAVE II--and the proposed directive on rational planning techniques in the electricity and gas sectors, and gave information on the auto-oil programme.

Date

9 December 1996

Reference

8632; 287 c30-1W

House

House of Commons

Dept of Trade and Industry

Statement on the outcome of the EC Energy Council held on 7th May.

Asked by

Stephen Day (Conservative)

Answering body

Department of Trade and Industry

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

For answer on

13 May 1996

Answered on

13 May 1996

Mr. Day: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the outcome of the EC Energy Council held on 7 May.[28845] Mr. Eggar: The Council considered several issues and received reports on matters of interest. I represented the UK. The Council made some limited progress on electricity market liberalisation. Ministers agreed the broad framework for opening up electricity markets to competition and undertook to continue discussions on the extent and pace of market opening. I hope that we can make further progress in the coming weeks with a view to reaching a final decision at at an extraordinary Council meeting before the end of the Italian Presidency. The Council also reached political agreement on the key elements of the Commission's proposal for a second programme, aimed at encouraging best use of energy efficiency technology which will help reduce CO2 emissions. A five-year programme with a budget of 45 mecu was agreed. The Council reached agreement on a resolution on the European energy policy White Paper. Broadly, this invites the Commission to continue its existing activities in the energy field; to organise co-operation on energy policy objectives and energy studies; to report on transparency measures and to present proposals from the indicative work programme on the basis of existing treaties and competences. Also, the Council agreed conclusions on a Commission report on gas supply and prospects. These invite the Commission to continue to examine the issues raised in the report, bring forward proposals if necessary and report back to the Council in two years' time. Council conclusions were agreed on the energy aspects of the Barcelona Euro-Mediterranean conference which identified energy as having a pivotal role in economic co-operation especially in terms of investment and the activities of companies in extending networks. The conclusions look forward to a conference of energy ministers in Trieste on 8-9 June--preceded by a day involving the industry on 7 June--to discuss possible participation in the energy charter treaty, implementation of trans-european energy projects and definition of priorities for future action. The Council held a discussion on the SYNERGY proposal which involves a multi-annual financial support programme over five years to help non-member countries in the definition, formulation and implementation of energy policy. Work on this dossier will continue. In addition, the Council received presentations from the Commission on its reports on civil protection, tourism and energy, as requested by declaration 1 to the treaty of the European Union, and on the oil supply and refining markets as well as progress reports on the energy charter treaty and the draft directive on integrated resource planning.

Date

13 May 1996

Reference

28845; 277 c327-8W;277 c328-9W

House

House of Commons

Dept of Trade and Industry

Statement on the outcome of the Energy Council meeting on 20th December 1995.

Asked by

Michael Grylls (Conservative)

Answering body

Department of Trade and Industry

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

For answer on

15 January 1996

Answered on

15 January 1996

Sir Michael Grylls: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Energy Council meeting on 20 December 1995. [8692] Mr. Eggar: The Council considered several issues and received reports on matters of interest. I represented the United Kingdom. Progress was made in a number of areas. In particular, political agreement was reached on a proposed directive on energy efficiency standards for fridges and freezers, the aim of which is to establish minimum standards and thus help to limited CO{2} emissions. The directive provides for a 15 per cent. reduction in electricity consumption for all new models over three years. The Council also adopted a common position on the Commission's proposed regulation on the registration of crude oil imports. It was not possible to reach a common position on the electricity liberalisation proposal. Ministers agreed however that there had been a convergence of positions during the Spanish presidency and that work should be continued during the Italian presidency with a view to possible agreement early in 1996. The Council considered a Commission proposal for the repeal and/or simplification of several EU legislative measures in the energy efficiency, oil and gas sub-sectors. In particular, political agreement was reached on a Commission proposal to simplify regulation 1056/72 on the notification of investments. Also, the Council received presentations/reports from the Commission on a number of items. These included a presentation of its energy policy White Paper; a report on gas supply and prospects to 2020; and its proposal for a second SAVE programme, aimed at encouraging best use of energy efficiency technology. The presidency gave a progress report on informal contacts with the European Parliament on Energy TENs prior to the convening of the conciliation committee. Progress reports were also given on the energy charter treaty, SYNERGY and on the energy aspects of the Barcelona Euro-Med conference.

Date

15 January 1996

Reference

8692; 269 c351W

House

House of Commons

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