EP - Energy co-operation with developing countries

Report on the Commission communication on energy cooperation with the developing countries
(COM(2002) 408 - 2002/2244(INI))
Doc.: A5-0196/2003
Procedure : Own-initiative report

Debate : 18.06.2003


Anders WIJKMAN (EPP-ED, S) for the Development Committee will be putting forward a draft own-initiative resolution on energy co-operation with the developing countries following the Commission communication on the subject.

The committee is of the opinion that the Commission's plans are not ambitious enough and is particularly critical of the fact that no additional resources are being proposed to meet the huge challenges posed by this sector. The Commission is urged to address the problem of extra funding and to consider setting up a special EU Sustainable Energy Fund using resources from the EDF.

While acknowledging that access to electricity is much needed for the rural poor, the committee feels that priority should be given in the short-term to other less costly forms of energy, like solar heaters, wind pumps, improved cooking stoves, bio-mass briquettes, etc., which could make a huge difference to people's daily lives and are often more appropriate to the level and structure of demand at village level than conventional alternatives. The Commission is also urged to pay special attention to the development of different forms of solar energy in many developing countries. The draft resolution further recommends increasing Community expenditure on R&D in the energy sector, giving primary importance to energy efficiency and renewable energy and ensuring the transfer of know-how. Amongst other benefits, the use of renewable energy sources could help to reduce dependence on expensive imports of fossil fuels and thereby to improve balance of payments; moreover, renewable energy projects could have a significant impact on job creation. The committee also calls for immediate steps to remove subsidies for environmentally harmful technologies and to develop mechanisms to address externalities, like pollution, to enable alternative energy technologies to compete in the market on a more equal basis. While acknowledging that the development of alternative energies is important, the committee nevertheless points out that it is essential to limit the OECD countries' consumption of fossil fuels in order to restore the balance of use and enable developing countries to use and have access to them.

The committee stresses the importance of global environment policy-making, "first and foremost through the United Nations", and underlines the need for all countries, including the USA, to ratify the Kyoto Protocol. The Commission is also urged to lend support to the proposal of establishing a World Energy Charter, whose main objective would be energy policy-making for sustainable development at global level. Lastly, the draft resolution is critical of the fact that the transportation sector, the cause of many problems, was largely overlooked in the communication and call for it to be included in the Commission's strategy.

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