Parliament calls for greater EU-CEEC cooperation in the energy sector
In an own initiative report, presented by Gordon Adam MEP, the energy committee of the European Parliament makes the case for strengthened EU cooperation in the energy sector with the countries of central and Eastern Europe (CEECs) and the former Soviet Union. The report, adopted in plenary on 20 September 1996, points out that the EU, over the next 20 years or so, will become increasingly dependent on imported energy, in particular gas supplies, mainly from Russia. Given that gas imports are a vital interest for the EU, the Parliament proposes a joint oil and gas centre in Moscow, supported by Gasprom and the EU. It also calls for a solution to be found for the financing of the EU energy centres. With regard to nuclear power, which accounts for 17% of electricity in Eastern Europe, the Parliament stressed the need for greater emphasis on the security aspects of nuclear energy cooperation. In particular, it called for cooperation in this area to be subject to the nuclear safety norms set out by the International Atomic Energy Agency. More specifically, the Parliament believes that third countries should: adhere to the Vienna Convention and to the international Convention on nuclear safety; be signatories to the Non-Proliferation Treaty; and have ratifies the Espoo Convention (Transborder study on environmental impact). In addition, it was felt that an independent national regulatory safety authority should exist in each country. More generally, the Parliament expressed dissatisfaction with the activities of the PHARE and TACIS programmes in this area and called for a greater priority to be given to energy within these programmes. In this context, it insisted that financial aid awarded by the Union in the area of nuclear power be directed solely towards activities pertaining to the safety of reactors presently in service. The Parliament's report also calls for the Treaty on the Energy Charter to be ratified and implemented as soon as possible by the signatories. In relation to this, the Parliament expressed its disappointment at the refusal of the United States to sign the Treaty and charged its delegation for relations with the US to raise this question at forthcoming meetings. On behalf of the Commission, Commissioner Joao de Deus Pinheiro, welcomed the call for greater cooperation and promised to take account of the comments on energy centres, the PHARE and TACIS programmes and on nuclear power and safety.