RESOLUTION OF THE ECSC

Consultative Committee on the Green Paper for a European Union energy policy

(95/C 206/04)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(Adopted unanimously, with two abstentions, at the 320th Session of 28 June 1995)

THE CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE OF THE EUROPEAN COAL AND STEEL COMMUNITY

welcomes the fact that the Commission has opened a fundamental debate on energy, which influences the whole economy and well-being of the citizens of the European Union.

Having taken note of:

- document COM(94) 659 final of 11 January 1995, entitled 'Green Paper for a European Union energy policy`,

- the Commission representatives explanations and comments on that subject at the meeting of the Consultative Committee on 28 June 1995,

- the resolution of the European Parliament (B3-0182/93) of 15 March 1993 on European Community coal sector policy,

- the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on Community energy policy of 14-15 September 1994 (Doc. CES 1016/94), and

- the conclusions of the Council of Energy Ministers meeting on 1 June 1995,

wishes to contribute to the drafting of the White Paper which is to lay down guidelines for Community energy policy by issuing the following resolution:

A. Whereas

- the Green Paper is primarily a report on the various situations concerning energy in the European Union, a report which is timely in that it defines guidelines to be recommended to the Member States,

- the Green Paper is, for the same reason, of interest to coal producers, dealers, consumers (energy converters), workers and the steel industry, a major energy consumer, and concerns, more generally, every citizen of the European Union,

- although some of the different fuels available (solid, oil, gas, nuclear) have specific uses (coal for coke, oil for transport, gas for optimum-value uses in the household and industrial sectors, nuclear for electricity), all contribute to the production of electricity;

B. Noting that

- security of supply is recognized as one of the vital elements of any energy policy, on a par with the global competitiveness of the economy and the protection of the environment,

- there will be a slow but sure rise in demand for electricity in the European Union,

- the European Union's energy dependency, currently 50 %, will inevitably climb towards 70 % by 2020, and the Green Paper does not provide a totally satisfactory answer to this increase,

- solid fuels in general (home-produced and imported) offer permanent and considerable advantages in terms of global competitiveness and security of supply as a result of both the geopolitical diversification of supply and stable, predictable, low world prices,

- there is little reference to coal or lignite in the Green Paper even though they constitute the most important indigenous sources of energy, and imports of coal are the only ones for which there is very little risk of interruptions in supply;

C. Pointing out that

- the reserves/output ratios (expressed in years of life) of the various fuels (at current rates of consumption/production) are as follows:

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- the interplay of market forces alone, based upon short-term considerations, is insufficient for drawing up a strategy in the field of energy in general and for establishing the role of coal in particular,

- there is a fundamental difference between short-term and long-term security of supply and investments in energy are economically conceivable only if the long-term view is taken,

- coal plays and will continue to play an important role in restraining free-market prices,

- the problems of coal should not be seen from the European angle alone but should be linked with conditions of use,

- the social aspect is a very important feature of energy policy, which should thus take the economic and social cohesion of the regions into account as well,

- environmental measures should take cost/benefit ratios into account and be part of a balanced and positive, rather than negative, approach,

for all these reasons, the Consultative Committee

1. REQUESTS that the diversification of energy be one of the major objectives of energy policy, and that the role of each type of energy, including renewable energy, be duly recognized.

In this spirit, the European Community MUST compile guidelines promoting the convergence of the Member States' policies in the field of energy and pursuing a balanced strategy for the long term;

2. EMPHASIZES the importance of national resources and requests that, with this in mind, Decision No 3632/93/EEC on State aid for coal be considered an instrument for energy policy beyond its social and regional impact;

3. ASKS the Commission, in consideration of the increasingly rapid development of technologies, to conduct more intensive research on the green and efficient use of coal, without forgetting research in mining that is important for working conditions, security and productivity. In this context, ECSC research MUST be phased into the European Union's framework programmes;

4. REQUESTS that, where the environment is concerned, no step be taken which would discriminate against a particular type of energy. In this context all taxes should be avoided along with any approach seeking to 'internalize external costs`, which would lead to distortions of competition without any genuine impact on the environment at world level. The rational management of energy MUST be promoted above all else;

5. ASKS the Commission to maintain international cooperation (dialogue with producer countries, technology transfer, promotion of the activities of European enterprises in the producer countries) in view of the increasing energy dependency of the European Union;

6. REQUESTS that, in view of the major impact of solid fuel production in certain European regions, the social aspect be incorporated into any energy policy measures;

7. RECOGNIZES that the European Community has an important role to play in energy policies, adding to the value of the policies of the individual Member States.