§ Mr. Tim SmithTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the outcome of the Energy Council meeting on 3 December. [8632]
§ Mr. PageThe Council considered several issues and received reports from the Commission on matters of interest. My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Energy represented the United Kingdom.
A policy debate was held to discuss the way forward on a proposal to liberalise the gas market. The Council recognised the presidency's compromise proposals as an important step in the right direction and as a good basis for progress in further discussions. There was considerable convergence of views on the four key issues of public service obligations, unbundling and transparency of accounts, access to the system and take or pay contracts. The Council agreed that further work was required in order to ensure a rigid conclusion of this proposal under the Dutch presidency, due to end in June 1997.
The Council discussed a proposal for a Council regulation establishing a multi-annual programme to promote international co-operation in the energy field—SYNERGY—and asked for work on this dossier to continue.
A debate was also held on renewables following a Commission presentation on an EU strategy. Lord Fraser stressed that renewable forms of energy had to be both economically attractive and environmentally acceptable if they were successfully to penetrate the market.
Council conclusions were agreed on a Committee report on oil supply, refining and markets in the Community. The conclusions welcomed the report and asked the Commission to undertake studies and continue to monitor and analyse the situation in close co-operation with member states.
Conclusions were also agreed on the energy dimension of climate change. They recognised the contribution of energy policy to the climate change debate and asked for reports to be made on progress in this area including on the negotiations on a protocol in the framework of the UN convention on climate change.
31WOn deregulation, the Council endorsed a report from the Commission on the review of Community energy legislation which will enable several legislative acts to be repealed.
The Council reached a common position on a proposal for a Council and European Parliament decision amending the guidelines on trans-European energy networks, updating the list of projects of common interest.
The Council agreed the decision on the conclusion of the energy charter treaty.
The Commission gave a presentation on a proposal for a council decision on the organisation of co-operation around agreed Community energy objectives. The Commission also gave progress reports on the energy dimension of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership, the proposed electricity liberalisation directive, the proposed decision on a multi-annual programme for the promotion of energy efficiency in the Community—SAVE II—and the proposed directive on rational planning techniques in the electricity and gas sectors, and gave information on the auto-oil programme.