EC INFORM
CONTENTS - pdf
1 - INTRODUCTION - pdf
2 - WHAT IS ENERGY POLICY? - pdf
3 - THE SINGLE MARKET- pdf
3A- THE INTERNAL ELECTRICITY MARKET- pdf
3B- THE INTERNAL GAS MARKET- pdf
3C- THE SINGLE MARKET - COAL, OIL, BIOFUEL - pdf
4 - ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY- pdf
4A- CONTROLLING AIR QUALITY - pdf
4B- CLIMATE CHANGE POLICIES - pdf
5 - SECURITY OF SUPPLY - pdf
6 - ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COHESION - pdf
7 - NUCLEAR ISSUES - pdf
8 - RESEARCH AND DEMONSTRATION - pdf
9 - ENLARGEMENT - pdf
10- INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS - pdf
DOCUMENT LISTING - pdf
GLOSSARY- pdfDETAILED CONTENTS BELOW
This book concludes that, because of the Single Market and the escalation of the EU's environmental laws, very important energy policy developments have taken place in Brussels; and the European Commission's influence over the energy sector will continue to escalate.
The book is crammed full of details about current and future EU legislation and programmes and demonstrates the extent of the Community's responsibilities. These include important functions in controlling the liberalisation of the gas and electricity markets; very significant powers over energy industries when it comes to regulating air quality; and a huge influence over the Central and Eastern European countries that wish to join the European Union.
Controversial issues explained in the book include: the CO2/energy tax and the climate change negotiations, implementation of electricity liberalisation, oil platform decommissioning, EU moves to close Chernobyl, the EU-US conflict over Iran/Libya sanctions, Commission and UK action against German and Spanish coal subsidies, excise tax harmonisation, public procurement opportunities in third countries, how internalisation of external costs is influencing policy, energy relations with Russia, the donation of funds to Korea's nuclear centre, future gas security of supply, and the difficulties of enlargement.
The author, Paul Lyons, who has closely monitored energy developments in Brussels for over a decade, provides his own personal assessment on many of these issues.
'EU Energy Policies towards the 21st Century' can be FREELY downloaded chapter by chapter using the links below. This book originally cost £425. The author would be grateful for an email acknowleding any use of the book, whether for personal or business reasons: Lyons at p i k l e dot c o dot u k
Any use of the information in this book must be fully acknowledged and referenced. Copyright law applies
Contents - Download
Chapter One - Download
INTRODUCTION
Chapter Two - Download
WHAT IS ENERGY POLICY?
Introduction
Developing a Community strategy for energy
Detailed statement on energy policy by Council of Ministers
The Commission's white paper an energy policy for the EU
Member States' response to the white paper
New energy policy instruments for the 21st century
Proposal for agreement on common energy objectives
The Energy Consultative Committee for a dialogue with industry
Towards a restructuring of DGXVII's energy programmes
The Energy Framework Programme structure
The Energy Observatory and Carnot programmes
Support for international cooperation through Synergy
Monitoring energy investment in the Member States
Failed attempts to introduce an energy chapter
Commission Opinions for intergovernmental conference
Interventions on energy by Ireland and Italy
Assessment
Chapter Three - Download
THE SINGLE MARKET
Introduction
A Single Market - but with energy lagging behind
Early background to the internal energy market
Procurement rules including the excluded sectors
Slow transposition and inadequate economic benefits
International aspects of the Utilities Directive
Fraught attempt to adapt the Utilities Directive
Taxation - inducing harmonisation with green overtones
Large number of national exceptions continue
Refinements to original harmonisation Directives
Ambitious proposal to incorporate environmental objectives
Encouraging the use of environmental taxes
Assessment
Chapter Three A - Download
THE INTERNAL ELECTRICITY MARKET
Introduction
The electricity market Directive - a major achievement
Original proposals for liberalisation considered overly ambitious
The year-long debate over the Single Buyer concept
Final issues resolved under Spanish and Italian Presidencies
MEPs' decision to accept the Common Position
Summary of the electricity Directive's rules
The complex process of implementation
A first look at extra harmonisation requirements
Minor achievements through the use of competition law
Competition threats directly aimed at monopolies
Five cases brought to Court over import/export monopolies
Judgements fail to shed light on internal energy market
Restricting electricity power purchase agreements
DGIV interventions in Belgium and Denmark
EU competition aspects of electricity mergers
Application of Treaty law by national authorities and courts
EFTA Surveillance Authority energy cases
Assessment
Chapter Three B - Download
THE INTERNAL GAS MARKET
Introduction
Negotiating the gas Directive - in the steps of electricity
Proposal for common rules in the gas market
General support in favour of the Directive
Political agreement reached under Luxembourg Presidency
The internal gas market - details from the Directive
Rules on market access and eligible consumers
Provisions on equality and upstream networks
Authorising derogations for take-or-pay contracts
Limited opportunities for application of competition law
Restricting long-term gas supply agreements
Germany's attempts to break down regional monopolies
The Commission's inspection of gas sector mergers
Assessment
Chapter Three C - Download
THE SINGLE MARKET - COAL, OIL, BIOFUEL
Introduction
Cutting coal subsidies - a case for Commission perseverance
Decision 93/3632/ECSC and its transition period
A decade of conflict between Brussels and Bonn
Complaints against German sales of anthracite into the UK
Close examination of German mergers and acquisitions
Limited state aid for lignite operations in Germany
Spain faced with social and economic problems
Coal state aid in Portugal, France and Ireland
The UK aims to maintain a competitive coal industry
Enhancing the oil market operation - upstream and downstream
Upstream industry concerns over application of working time rules
Revision of the block exemptions under discussion
Four options proposed for future of block exemptions
Oil market liberalisation in Greece, Spain and Portugal
Discrepancies over aid payments to German refinery
Ownership changes in refinery and distribution sector
Commission approval for developments in UK and France
A catalogue of infringements concerning biofuels
Discriminatory measures in Italy and Belgium
Concerted French attempts to back biofuel development
Commission attacked in Court over failure to act
Commission authorisation for French scheme challenged
Application of competition rules to energy saving schemes
Assessment
Chapter Four - Download
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
Introduction
Towards sustainability - towards a major new agenda
Review pinpoints unwillingness to make progress
Draft Decision to strengthen environmental policy
MEPs seek to strengthen framework programme
The European Environment Agency - a backbone for policy
A widening of the EEA's cooperative network
The regulatory approach - potent new preventative legislation
Proposal for strategic environmental assessment
Finding a consensus with UK and Norway on oil platform decommissioning
Integrated pollution prevention and control
The difficult area of environmental liability
Coercion - EU law enforcement and trade mechanisms
International efforts to improve environmental policies
The voluntary approach - a green conscience for business
Ecolabel, ecomanagement and environmental auditing
Assessment
Chapter Four A - Download
CONTROLLING AIR QUALITY
Introduction
Regulating air quality - assessment and controls
Details from air quality framework Directive
The first daughter Directive with limit values for SO2, NOx
Reducing the impact of vehicle engine emissions
The Auto-Oil Programme results
New vehicle emission limits for the 21st century
Towards a conciliation procedure on vehicle standards
New standards for light commercial vehicles
Diesel engines in lorries and off-road vehicles
Fuel qualities - a more consistent regulatory approach
Draft Directive on fuel limits for pollutants
Towards a difficult conciliation on fuel quality
Transboundary pollution and the problem of acidification
Commission strategy paper on acidification
New proposals due on large combustion plant
Measures to foster international cooperation
Council restrictions on acidification strategy
Assessment
Chapter Four B - Download
CLIMATE CHANGE POLICIES
Introduction
The first phase - policies for stabilisation by 2000
The first CO2/energy tax proposal
The Commission's second attempt at a climate change tax
A mechanism to monitor CO2 emissions and programme implementation
Revised mechanism for monitoring beyond 2000
Preparations for Kyoto and a legally binding protocol
Berlin mandate granted by First Conference of the Parties
Common and coordinated policies and measures needed
The energy dimension of climate change
The Commission's strategy paper in advance of Kyoto
The Kyoto agreement for a binding Protocol
The Kyoto follow-up process
Energy efficiency - the bedrock of CO2 control policy
Energy efficiency standards and voluntary agreements
The rest of the SAVE legislative programme
The SAVE grant programme of projects and promotion
Six categories of action for SAVE II
Developing a strategy for cogeneration
A new energy efficiency strategy for the 21st century?
Renewable energy sources - energies for the future
The Altener II programme agreed for two years only
Towards a Community strategy for renewables
The white paper on renewable energy sources
A Directive expected on fair access for renewables
Related developments in transport and other policies
Reducing CO2 emissions from passenger cars
A citizen's network and fair pricing
First Communication on transport and climate change
The control of methane emissions under investigation
Assessment
Chapter Five - Download
SECURITY OF SUPPLY
Introduction
Stocks and crisis measures - the legacy of the 1970s
Updating the Community rules on oil stocks
Deregulation of peripheral oil crisis rules
Monitoring the state of the refinery markets
Natural gas - the focus for supply concerns of the future
Possible future actions concerning natural gas security
The Council limits short-term action to studies
MEPs concerned about pipeline dependency and renewables
Public service obligations and the grid-based energies
Recognition of general economic interests in Treaty
Assessment
Chapter Six - Download
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COHESION
Introduction
Trans-European energy networks - economic integration
Details of the TENs Guidelines Decision
Financing the TENs feasibility studies
Other financing instruments for TENs
Sustaining the political impetus on priority projects
Difficulties with France-Spain and Greece-Italy links
The external dimension of energy TENs
Regional development backed by the Structural Funds
Interreg support for cross-border energy links
Rechar support for revitalising coal mining regions
Assessment
Chapter Seven - Download
NUCLEAR ISSUES
Introduction
Policy framework relies on illustrative nuclear programme
Revision of Euratom proposed by Ireland
The fourth illustrative nuclear programme
Seven main features and challenges for the future
The Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee
The Parliament's failure to agree an Opinion
Security of fuel supply and the role of trade agreements
KLE's challenge to the Euratom Supply Agency \
Uranium imports from the NIS continue to rise
ENU's challenge to Euratom's supply policy
Supply of HEU a particular concern
Negotiating the complex Euratom-US nuclear agreement
Details of the Euratom-US agreement
MEPs' frustration at lack of consultation on the agreement
Other nuclear agreements with Western partners
No formal development in nuclear relations with Russia
Non-proliferation/safeguards preserving Euratom's status
The extent of the Community's safeguards operation
The future challenges for safeguards policy
Efforts to clamp down on nuclear materials smuggling
Commission report on results of anti-smuggling actions
Community contributions to the ISTC in Moscow and KEDO
Nuclear safety always an absolute priority
Basic nuclear safety standards for radiation protection
Additional rules on radioactive shipments
The Community's radioactive waste management strategy
DGXVII's contribution to nuclear safety activities
Promoting the nuclear safety of installations
Nuclear safety a priority for Phare and Tacis
Moscow summit on nuclear safety
The West's persistent efforts to close Chernobyl
Western initiatives in Bulgaria, Slovakia and Lithuania
Developing a more refined strategy towards Eastern Europe
Assessment
Chapter Eight - Download
RESEARCH AND DEMONSTRATION
Introduction
The Third RTD Framework Programme and Thermie
Thermie support for targeted projects and dissemination
The Fourth FP closing the gap between R&D and demonstration
The non-nuclear energy R&D programme
Examples from the Joule part of the energy programme
The non-nuclear energy demonstration programme
The nuclear fusion and fission programmes
The Fourth FP supplement and task forces
The role of the Joint Research Council
The Fifth Programme better targeting, improved transparency
Proposal to reduce thematic programmes to three
The Fifth FP budget and management proposals
The EP's call for over one hundred amendments
Budget cutbacks agreed by the Member States
The Fifth Framework Programme approach to fusion
Dwindling funds for technical coal R&D programme
International aspects widening cooperation opportunities
Cooperation with and support for the CEEC and NIS
Assessment
Chapter Nine - Download
ENLARGEMENT
Introduction
The pre-accession strategy - three main elements
Europe Agreements set the framework for cooperation
The energy and environment Structured Dialogues
The internal market and environment - mountains to be climbed
Difficulties of approximation in energy
The huge burden of environmental laws
Agenda 2000 how to manage the enlargement process
The impact of enlargement on CEEC energy and environment
The impact of enlargement on EU energy policies
Setting up the Accession Partnerships
International banks provide the investment support
Opinions on CEEC accession five ready, five not ready
Hungary - positive progress in the energy sector
Poland - the largest of the applicant countries
Estonia - the only Baltic state ready to start negotiations
Czech Republic - energy policy in line with the EU
Slovenia - a country with diversified energy sources
Slovakia - failure to meet political criteria
Romania - no clear overall energy policy
Latvia - concerns over economic criteria
Lithuania - closure of Ignalina necessary
Bulgaria - insufficient progress on transposition of the acquis
Assessment
Chapter Ten - Download
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
Introduction
Encouraging reform and modernisation in the NIS
Energy sector projects in the national programmes
The regional facilities programmes
Tacis evolution and evaluation
The Partnership and Cooperation Agreements
Strategic action plans for Russia and Ukraine
The Energy Charter Treaty - exploiting East-West synergies
Extension of the Treaty to the pre-investment phase
The Euro-Med Partnership - a new impetus for southern neighbours
Meda and the Euro-Med Agreements
The energy sector to play a pivotal role
The tasks of the Euro-Mediterranean Energy Forum
US relations - procurement, environment and investment issues
EU reaction to the d'Amato act
Gulf Cooperation Council - oil and gas market concerns
Energy cooperation strategies for Asia and Latin America
Priority areas for energy cooperation in Asia
The Alure programme for energy projects in Latin America
Assessment
DOCUMENT LISTINGS - Download
GLOSSARY - Download