Council Resolution on renewable sources of energy
A Resolution on renewable sources of energy, agreed by the Council of the EU, meeting in Brussels on 8 June 1998, has recently been published in the Official Journal. In the context of the Kyoto Protocol, the White Paper on Growth, Competitiveness and Employment, and the discussions on the Energy Framework programme, the Council considers that there is a need to promote a sustained and substantially increased use of renewable sources of energy throughout the EU. The Council calls on Member States to continue to develop, in conformity with national procedures, national strategies and structures for the promotion of renewables with a view to bringing about a substantial increase in their use. Examples of such strategies are provided, and include: - Programmes to support R&D, demonstration and dissemination of renewable energy technology; - Elimination of legal, administrative and institutional obstacles; - Levies on energy consumption, designed to promote sustainable energy consumption; - Long-term purchase contracts and energy contracting. The effect of the liberalization of EU energy markets is also considered, the opinion being that despite the fact that this will increase competitive pressure, opportunities will also be created for the development of renewables. The Council also stress the importance of the EU's ALTENER programme for R&D in renewable energy and feels that renewable energy should be built into other Community policies where it is appropriate to do so. The Council invites the Commission to provide a progress report on the development of renewables at the end of 1999, to consider measures to remove obstacles to their greater use, and to develop indicators on their competitiveness.