Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-05-17-Speech-3-331"
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"en.20060517.22.3-331"2
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".
Mr President, before answering the questions put to me, I would like to start by explaining the global approach towards the Energy Community. We know, and there is some consensus, that the two main routes for enhancing energy security in the European Union are diversification and the strengthening of market forces. Extensions of the EU’s own market to include our neighbours would gradually create around the EU a shared regulatory area with common trade, transit and environmental rules.
Of course any measure concerning the mutual assistance clause will have to remain within the external competence of the European Community. Let me highlight, in that regard, that decisions of the Energy Community on mutual assistance have to be taken by unanimity so that the European Community will have a veto on all decisions to be adopted.
Secondly, let me stress that, through its proposal to the Council, the Commission has steadily acted in favour of an increased role of Parliament as regards the ratification of the Energy Community Treaty. In this regard, once the Treaty has entered into force, I consider it of utmost importance that Parliament be fully informed in advance of important decisions to be adopted by the Energy Community.
To this effect, Parliament will be informed in advance of each semi-annual Ministerial Council of the European Energy Community. I have also instructed my services to ensure that Parliament is informed in advance of the European Community position to be taken before the institutions of the Energy Community on important issues and that it has full access to the Energy Community’s documents. There are no restrictions on official documents of the Energy Community and all policy documents are placed on the Energy Community website. These documents are accessible to all those who have an interest in them.
In addition, as provided for in the Treaty, the Energy Community’s Ministerial Council will, on an annual basis, submit a report on the activities of the Energy Community to the European Parliament and all other national parliaments involved, as the President-in-Office mentioned. In line with the proposed Conclusion Decisions, the Commission will further submit to Parliament, every three years, a report on the Energy Community.
I hope that my answers to the questions are satisfactory. I would also like to mention the issues referred to by the honourable Member with regard to Kozloduy, because I would like to separate this issue from the Energy Community Treaty.
The energy chapter with Bulgaria was closed in 2002 and both sides have agreed to close that chapter on the basis that units 3 and 4 of Kozloduy will be closed on the grounds of safety requirements. That means we have provided aid for Bulgaria to deal with this situation. So I would not make a connection between these two issues, because the decisions have been taken by mutual understanding and we have done quite substantial work to help Bulgaria deal with the consequences of the closure of units 3 and 4 of the Kozloduy power station.
In this context, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to present a successful initiative in the region of south-east Europe. It is not only because of its needs that the European Union acted in this area. The disintegration of the former Yugoslav energy system has brought havoc to the regional market, by breaking electricity connections, disrupting trade routes and forcing the system to work – on a chronic basis – far beyond its capacity.
On the other hand, industrial decline and population shifts have made demand much more capricious and more varied, so the technical challenges of keeping the system alive were preventing development and a fresh start. Indeed, some European Union aid was being used to buy electricity and fuel oil for immediate consumption. Such a situation could not go on.
Apart from these immediate needs, the Commission made a strategic decision to look at the long-term needs, to gather international consensus for a way forward and create a real basis for post-war cooperation in the region.
Today, I can present to the European Parliament the results of our joint work. It is valuable to the stabilisation and economic development of these countries. Within ten years we have gone from war to cooperative management of the most essential sector of the economy: energy. Along the way we have faced difficulties and sometimes scepticism. And I have to thank Parliament for assisting us in overcoming these difficulties. I would like to thank in particular the rapporteur, Mr Chichester, and the shadow rapporteurs.
The issues we have been discussing are not only related to investments. We have also addressed environmental and social issues in our debate. So the creation of the Energy Community for south-east Europe clearly responds to the needs of the region and of the whole EU.
Let me now turn to the question. Firstly, the Energy Community Treaty provides for a procedure ensuring cooperation and mutual assistance of the parties in the event of disruption of gas or electricity supply affecting a party. This is quite an important clause. One example is the recent gas crisis between Russia and Ukraine, but also, for instance, the blackout in Italy in 2003, which demonstrated the need for solidarity among European countries, and the importance and the benefits that such a solidarity clause could have in the energy sector. I would also recall that this winter Serbia’s gas supplies were cut off for quite a considerable time.
Pursuant to the draft conclusion decision, the positions that can be taken by the European Community under Title IV of the Energy Community Treaty, providing for the creation of a single energy market between the European Community and the countries of south-east Europe and containing the mutual assistance clause, have to be inspired by the existing
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As mutual assistance may not be fully covered by the existing
and in some cases our
is perhaps not ambitious enough – it was important to introduce some flexibility to this limitation as regards the mutual assistance clause. The reference to specific circumstances allows for this flexibility. It will, ultimately, be up to the Council to decide by qualified majority, whether or not the specific circumstances are met on a case-by-case basis. In my view, this concerns situations of extreme gravity and extreme disruption."@en1
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