Council adopts the Carnot programme for solid fuels The Council of the European Union has taken a Decision (1999/24/EC) to adopt a multiannual programme of technological actions promoting the clean and efficient use of solid fuels. Within the multiannual framework programme for actions in the energy sector, a specific programm... The Council of the European Union has taken a Decision (1999/24/EC) to adopt a multiannual programme of technological actions promoting the clean and efficient use of solid fuels. Within the multiannual framework programme for actions in the energy sector, a specific programme for the promotion of clean solid fuel technologies is to be implemented by the Community for the period 1998 to 2002. The programme is to be referred to as the "Carnot programme". The objectives of the Carnot programme are to: - Promote the use of clean and efficient technologies to plants using solid fuels in order to limit emissions, including carbon dioxide emissions, from such use; - Encourage the development of advanced clean solid fuel technologies in order to achieve improved BAT (best available technology) at affordable cost. The financial reference amount for the implementation of the Carnot programme shall be ECU 3 million. Of this amount, ECU 1.2m is for the period 1998 to 1999. The amount for the period 2000 to 2002 shall be reviewed if the amount ECU 1.8m is not consistent with the financial perspective for that period. There are two categories of actions on clean solid fuel technologies, which shall be financed under the Carnot programme, namely: - Measures to foster cooperation aimed at promoting better market and technical information between nation, Community and international activities through the development of appropriate means for exchanging information, helping to remove barriers and evaluation the impact of the various actions; - Measures to foster industrial strategic cooperation, such as business workshops and seminars, industrial on-site visits, studies, evaluations and concertation groupings, aimed at promoting the industrial exploitation of clean technologies for energy purposes, for example combined heat and power production. This will include the promotion of exports of European clean solid fuel technology. The Carnot programme shall be open to associated Central and East European countries in accordance with the conditions, including financial provisions, laid down in the additional protocols to the Association Agreements or in the Association Agreements themselves relating to participation in Community programmes. The Carnot programme is also open to Cyprus on the basis of additional appropriations, under the same rules as those applied to the EFTA/EEA countries, in accordance with procedures to be agreed with that country.
