Decision No 1230/2003/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 June 2003 adopting a multiannual programme for action in the field of energy: "Intelligent Energy — Europe" (2003 — 2006) (Text with EEA relevance)

• Published date: 15 July 2003
• Subject Matter: Energy
• Official Gazette Publication: Official Journal of the European Union, L 176, 15 July 2003

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Decision No 1230/2003/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 June 2003 adopting a multiannual programme for action in the field of energy: "Intelligent Energy — Europe" (2003 — 2006) (Text with EEA relevance)

Official Journal L 176 , 15/07/2003 P. 0029 - 0036

Decision No 1230/2003/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council

of 26 June 2003

adopting a multiannual programme for action in the field of energy: "Intelligent Energy - Europe" (2003 - 2006)

(Text with EEA relevance)

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 175(1) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission(1),

Having regard to the Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee(2),

Having regard to the Opinion of the Committee of the Regions(3),

Acting in accordance with the procedure provided for in Article 251 of the Treaty(4),

Whereas:

(1) Natural resources, the prudent and rational utilisation of which is provided for in Article 174 of the Treaty, include, apart from renewable energy sources, oil, natural gas and solid fuels, which are essential energy sources but are also the main sources of carbon dioxide emissions. Promoting measures at international level to deal with regional or world-wide environmental problems is one of the aims of that Article.

(2) The Commission communication entitled "A sustainable Europe for a better world: A European Union strategy for sustainable development", presented to the Gothenburg European Council of 15 and 16 June 2001, includes greenhouse gas emissions and pollution caused by transport among the main obstacles to sustainable development. Overcoming these obstacles means adopting a new approach to Community policies to bring them closer to individual citizens and businesses in order to change patterns of consumption and investment.

(3) The Gothenburg European Council adopted a strategy for sustainable development and added an environmental dimension to the Lisbon process for employment, economic reform and social cohesion.

(4) Measures relating to energy efficiency and renewable energy sources are important elements of the action needed to comply with the provisions of the Kyoto Protocol, as provided for in the European Climate Change Programme (ECCP). Physical changes observed throughout Europe and elsewhere in the world highlight the need for urgent action.

(5) The Green Paper entitled "Towards a European Strategy for the Security of Energy Supply" notes that the European Union is becoming increasingly dependent on external energy sources and that its dependence could rise to 70 % in 20 to 30 years' time (compared with 50 % at present) and therefore stresses the need to balance supply policy against clear action for a demand policy and calls for a genuine change in consumers' behaviour so as to orientate demand towards better managed, more efficient and more environmentally friendly consumption, particularly in the transport and building sectors, and to give priority to the development of new and renewable sources on the energy supply side in order to respond to the challenge of global warming.

(6) In its Resolution on the Green Paper "Towards a European Strategy for the Security of Energy Supply"(5), the European Parliament identified energy efficiency and savings as first priority. It called for the promotion of an "intelligent" approach to energy use, making Europe the most energy-efficient economy in the world.

(7) The Communication from the Commission on an action plan to improve energy efficiency in the European Community provides for the improvement of energy efficiency by an additional 1 % a year compared with the figure of 0,6 % which corresponds to the trend recorded over the last ten years. If this target is met, two-thirds of the energy-saving potential, which is estimated at 18 % of total consumption, could be realised by 2010. The action plan proposes legislative measures and supporting actions. The implementation of the action plan also requires the setting-up of efficient systems for monitoring and follow-up.

(8) The Communication from the Commission entitled "Energy for the future: renewable sources of energy - White Paper for a Community strategy and action plan" - recommends an indicative target of 12 % of energy from renewable sources in gross internal consumption in the Community by 2010. The Council, in its Resolution of 8 June 1998 on renewable energy sources,(6) and the European Parliament, in its Resolution on the White Paper, underlined the need for a substantial, sustained increase in the utilisation of renewable energy sources in the Community and endorsed the strategy and action plan proposed by the Commission, including the strengthening of programmes to support renewable sources. The action plan provides for measures to support the promotion and development of renewable energy sources. The Communication from the Commission on the implementation of the Community strategy and action plan for renewable energy sources (1998-2000) notes the progress which has been made, but stresses that further efforts are needed at Community and national level to attain these objectives, in particular new legislation on renewable energy sources and their promotion.

(9) Directive 2001/77/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 September 2001 on the promotion of electricity produced from renewable energy sources in the internal electricity market(7) requires Member States to set national indicative targets consistent with the Community global indicative target of 12 % of gross national energy consumption by 2010 and in particular with the 22,1 % indicative share of electricity produced from renewable energy sources in total Community electricity consumption by 2010.

(10) The Resolution on the use of renewable energy sources in the ACP States(8) adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly on 1 November 2001 "calls on the Commission to include sustainable energy supplies, in particular through energy efficiency and the use of renewable forms of energy, as a priority action field in the new development policy strategy".

(11) The "Final Implementation Plan" of the World Summit on Sustainable Development, agreed on 2 September 2002, committed the signatory countries, including the EU, to...