Activites

• 1996/06/29 Final act published in Official Journal
  • Decision 1996/1254
  • OJ L 161 29.06.1996, p. 0147
• 1996/06/05 Final act signed
• 1996/06/05 End of procedure in Parliament
• 1996/05/21 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament summary

    On a general level the rapporteur, Mr ADAM (PSE, UK), welcomed the fact that Parliament and the Council had finally arrived at a definite conclusion: the updating, by integration or reduction, of the list of projects in the Annex would still be subject to codecision with Parliament. Mr Adam then thanked the Finnish Members for their understanding, as the natural gas network for Northern Europe had still not been one of the priority projects adopted; however, the Council was committed to examining the project at the decisive stage. Commissioner Bonino, standing in for Mr Papoutsis, pointed out that during the period of nearly two years that had elapsed since the Commission had put forward its proposal the latter had not been standing idle but had in fact been able to present new projects, including that mentioned in the debate on natural gas networks for the countries of Northern Europe.

  • T4-0225/1996 summary

    Adopting the report by Mr Gordon ADAM (PSE, UK), Parliament approved at third reading the joint text for an EP/Council decision laying down a series of guidelines for trans-European energy networks. This conciliation procedure had not begun very auspiciously since the positions of the two institutions were rather far apart. The main difficulty lay in their differing views as to how the codecision procedure should be applied. Parliament and the Council recognized that it was necessary to identify projects of common interest by means of a sufficiently precise description. Should the list of projects be extended or shortened, Article 129 D would apply (European Parliament/Council codecision procedure). Furthermore, any amendment that altered the description of a project as it appeared in the Annex would be adopted under the codecision procedure. Parliament and Council agreed on a reformulated list of projects. The Commission was instructed to draw up and keep up to date the specifications which did not affect the trans-European dimension. These specifications did not appear in the Annex. The Commission would be assisted in this task by a committee (comitology procedure). The competent Commissioner had undertaken to come before Parliament and to defend his proposals if they gave rise to disagreement on the part of Parliament over procedure (application of the codecision procedure or application of comitology). The Council, for its part, undertook to consider developing the natural gas network in the Nordic countries (Nordic/Baltic gas networks) once those Member States had submitted fully developed projects. �

• #1921
• 1996/05/07 Council Meeting
• 1996/05/07 Report tabled for plenary, 3rd reading
  • A4-0153/1996
• 1996/04/04 Joint text approved by Conciliation Committee co-chairs
  • 3608/1996
• 1996/03/27 Final decision by Conciliation Committee
• #1908
• 1996/03/19 Council Meeting
• 1996/02/07 Formal meeting of Conciliation Committee
• #1894
• 1995/12/20 Council Meeting
  • 1894 summary

    The Council noted the progress of the work, under the codecision procedure with the European Parliament, on the proposal for a decision laying down a series of guidelines on trans-European energy networks. On 20 November 1995, the Council had noted that it was unable to accept all the amendments proposed by the European Parliament. Contacts have since taken place between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission with a view to preparing for the Conciliation Committee meeting.

• #1884
• 1995/11/20 Council Meeting
• 1995/10/26 Decision by Parliament, 2nd reading
  • T4-0512/1995 summary

    In adopting the recommendation for second reading by Mr ADAM (PSE, UK), the European Parliament approved the Council's common position with the following amendments: - Parliament felt that in the construction of links currently missing from the trans-European energy networks, these links should be as short as possible and optimally sited, taking economic factors into account; - with regard to comitology, the European Parliament called for an advisory committee and reminded the Commission that it was obliged to inform Parliament at the same time as the committee; - it stated that Parliament should be consulted on the basis of the first and second paragraphs of Article 129d of the Treaty should the list of priority projects be updated; - finally, it proposed changes with regard to the electricity networks surrounding the Baltic (adding Russia (Baltic regions) and Belarus), and the Baltic and Nordic gas distribution network (for Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland and the Baltic states). �

• 1995/10/25 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament summary

    Commissioner PAPOUTSIS stated that the Commission could take over Amendments Nos 1 and 4: the first because it introduced a recital to clarify the criteria for the selection of projects and their implementation at the highest possible level; the second because it clarified the route of the ‘Baltic ring’, which was a joint project in the electricity sector. However, the Commission rejected the following amendments: Amendment No 2 because as far as the committee procedure was concerned, there was already an interinstitutional ‘modus vivendi’, which strengthened Parliament’s position in terms of information and consultation in relation to the Commission; the latter preferred the management committee to the advisory committee; Amendments Nos 3 and 6 on Parliament’s participation, according to the codecision procedure in ex-Article 129d of the Treaty on European Union, in the revision of the list of priority projects as the procedure in question would be incompatible with the flexibility required to update the list. Finally, Amendment No 5 on the trans-Scandinavian and Baltic natural gas project should be removed given that the two Member States concerned - Sweden and Finland - would not be ready to get involved the project before its revision in 1996.

• 1995/09/27 Vote in committee, 2nd reading
  • A4-0220/1995
• 1995/07/14 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 2nd reading
• #1862
• 1995/06/29 Council Meeting
  • 07784/2/1995 summary

    The Council's common position largely followed the approach of the Commission and Parliament on the basis of the amended proposal. The main amendments incorporated in the common position related to the following points: - consultation of the EP on the implementing measures to be submitted to the committee; - the adoption of an overall energy strategy to respond to the objectives of the European Union, including with respect to the liberalisation of the energy market; - the need to encourage the production, distribution and rational use of energy resources as well as the need to reduce the cost of energy for individuals and businesses; - the interconnection of networks with third countries: this should take place in accordance with the European Energy Charter Treaty; - the conditions for eligibility for projects: in the context of assessing projects of common interest, the objectives and priorities defined in the guidelines should be respected and consideration given to economic, social and technical factors; - Member States were required to comply with Community law and international conventions on the environment when taking measures to facilitate the completion of projects of common interest and to minimise delays. The Council also introduced new provisions concerning: - the use of private capital and the need to avoid distortions of competition; - taking account of the effects of competition and the prospects of private financing or financing by the economic operators concerned; - the Council decision would be without prejudice to any financial commitment by a Member State or the Community; - removal of projects nearing completion and premature projects from the list of projects of common interest annexed to the decision; - comitology: decision in favour of a type IIIa committee (regulatory committee). �

• 1995/05/29 Modified legislative proposal published
  • COM(1995)0226 summary

    Of the 16 amendments adopted by the European Parliament, the Commission's amended proposal took over five in full and seven in part. These amendments related to the following points: - the need to encourage the production, distribution and rational use of energy resources as well as the need to reduce the cost of energy for individuals and businesses; - the need to establish an overall energy strategy to achieve the objectives of the European Union, and particularly the liberalisation of the energy market; - the interconnection of networks with third countries which were signatories to the European Energy Charter should take place in accordance with that treaty; - the links connecting the gas and electricity networks should be as short as possible and optimally sited; - when assessing projects of common interest, consideration should be given to economic, social and technical factors; - Member States were required to comply with Community law and international conventions on the environment when taking measures to facilitate the completion of projects of common interest and to minimise delays. However, the Commission did not take over the amendments aimed at: - establishing an advisory committee (type I) for the implementation of these measures, instead of the management committee proposed by the Commission; - adding a new electricity project "d14: Baltic ring" to the annex; - adding the Italian peninsula to project e3 in the annex (gas pipeline to Corsica and Sardinia); - including Finland and the Baltic countries in project h3 in the annex (connecting Norway, Denmark and Sweden to the SCANPIPE gas pipeline). �

• 1995/05/18 Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
  • T4-0237/1995 summary

    In adopting the report by Mr Gordon Adam, the European Parliament approved the Commission proposal. In its amendments, the EP: - stressed that the development of energy networks should help to reduce the cost of energy supply and promote growth, competitiveness and employment; - highlighted that the interconnection of electricity and natural gas networks with third countries should take place in accordance with the European Energy Charter Treaty; - requested that the Commission be assisted by an advisory committee composed of representatives of the Member States and chaired by the representative of the Commission, and called on the Commission to take the utmost account of the opinion delivered by the committee and any observations of the EP; - called for the EP to be consulted on any revision of the priority projects listed in the annex. With regard to the projects, the EP: - added "Baltic ring": Germany, Poland, Russia (Kaliningrad enclave), Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Sweden and Finland; - added "Italian peninsula" to the Corsican and Sardinian projects; - added Finland and the Baltic countries to the projects concerning Norway, Denmark and Sweden (joint Nordic/Baltic gas grid) �

• 1995/05/17 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament summary

    The rapporteur stated that he broadly accepted the Commission proposal, which laid down new guidelines for the development of trans-European energy networks, in accordance with the Maastricht Treaty and the White Paper on Growth, Competitiveness and Employment. The measures, including those under procedure SYN940010, designed to cover the period from 1995 to 1999, related to around 70 projects on the transport of electricity and natural gas, costing a total of approximately ECU 105 million. Connecting the network with countries outside the Union would improve the political understanding and cooperation with Norway, Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union and the Mediterranean countries. The proposed amendments sought to give priority to the energy networks that promoted economic and social cohesion and called for Parliament to be consulted on any changes to the priority projects adopted by the Commission. The rapporteur also proposed that the Commission should be assisted by an advisory committee. The Commissioner responsible for energy, Mr PAPOUTSIS, indicated that the Commission could take over most of the 24 amendments of the Committee on Energy: Amendments Nos 1, 3, 5, 6 and 10 in full; and the substance of Amendments Nos 4, 7 to 9, 11 and 13, subject to a slight change to the wording (to include, for example, the countries that would sign the European Energy Charter). Amendments Nos 12 and 14 to 16 could not be taken over as they related to projects that were not yet developed. Mr PAPOUTSIS confirmed that the Commission would keep Parliament informed of the implementation of the projects and that it did not agree with the Council, which was in favour of establishing a regulatory committee.

• 1995/03/14 Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
  • A4-0046/1995
• #1807
• 1994/11/29 Council Meeting
  • 1807
• 1994/02/23 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
• 1994/01/19 Legislative proposal published
  • COM(1993)0685 summary

    The Commission proposal established the Community objectives, the priorities for the period between 1994 and the year 2000 and the main thrust of planned Community action designed to stimulate the development of trans-European energy networks. Community guidance, by promoting the development, interconnection and interoperability of these networks, as well as access to them, would help to achieve the following objectives: - make the energy supply to the Community more secure, - pave the way for the effective operation of the single market, and - help to open up disadvantaged, remote and island regions. In order to achieve these objectives, the Commission proposed the establishment of the following priorities: - the electricity grid: links between isolated regions, especially the less wealthy regions; connections between Member States and interconnections with non-Member States in Europe and with the Mediterranean countries; - the natural-gas supply network: introduction of natural gas into new regions; connection of isolated networks to the trans-European networks; increase in transport, reception and storage capacities. The main aims of the proposed action were: - to identify projects of common interest, and - to create a more favourable climate for the implementation of trans-European energy-network programmes by taking initiatives of a technical, administrative, judicial and financial nature. �

Documents

• Legislative proposal published: COM(1993)0685
• Debate in Council: 1807
• Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading: A4-0046/1995
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading: T4-0237/1995
• Modified legislative proposal published: COM(1995)0226
• Council position published: 07784/2/1995
• Committee recommendation tabled for plenary, 2nd reading: A4-0220/1995
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 2nd reading: T4-0512/1995
• Debate in Council: 1894
• Joint text approved by Conciliation Committee co-chairs: 3608/1996
• Report tabled for plenary, 3rd reading: A4-0153/1996
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 3rd reading: T4-0225/1996
• : Decision 1996/1254
• : OJ L 161 29.06.1996, p. 0147

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)