Cooperation around agreed Community energy objectives - Amended proposal
The European Commission has put forward an amended proposal for a Council Decision concerning the organization of cooperation around agreed Community energy objectives. The proposed Decision would establish a framework for cooperation between Member States and the Community around agreed common energy objectives. The proposed framework, foreseen in the White Paper on Energy Policy, aims at strengthening cooperation in energy matters. In particular, the framework takes into account the objectives of security of supply, environmental protection, job creation, greater business efficiency and economic and social cohesion. The Commission proposes eight common objectives, as follows: - Community energy policy should contribute to the achievement of the objective set out in the Treaties; - Community energy markets should be integrated, on the principles of openness and competitiveness; - Energy prices should be transparent and undistorted; - Energy and environmental objectives should be fully integrated in order to achieve the objective of sustainable development; - Security of supply should be strengthened; - External energy relations should be coordinated, to ensure free and open trade and a secure framework for investment; - Renewable energy resources should be promoted at Community and national levels; - Energy efficiency should be improved significantly by 2010, through coordination of Community and national measures. The amended proposal takes account of a number of amendments proposed by the European Parliament in its report adopted in May 1997 (Stockmann Report). These go generally in the direction of encouraging greater energy efficiency and promoting environment-friendly energy technologies. A list of the amendments proposed, identifying those accepted and those rejected, is given in the text of the amended proposal.