31.1.84 Qfﬁcial Journal of the European Communities No L 27/19 COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) No 218/84 of 18 January 1984 amending Regulation (EEC) No 2618/80 instituting a specific Community regional development measure contributing to improving security of emergy supply in certain Community regions by way of improved use of new techniques for hydro-electncal power and alternative energy sources THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the Euro- pean Economic Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 724/75 of 18 March 1975 establishing a Euro- pean Regional Development Fund (!), as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 3325/80 (?), and in particular Article 13 (3) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commis- sion (3), Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (4), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (%), Whereas Article 13 of Regulation (EEC) No 724/75 (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Fund Regulation’) provides, independently of the national allocations of resources fixed by Article 2 (3) (a) of that Regula- tion, for participation by the Fund in financing spe- cific Community regional development measures which are in particular linked with Community poli- cies and with measures adopted by the Community in order to take better account of their regional dimension or to reduce their regional consequences; Whereas, pursuant to that Article, the Council adopted on 7 October 1980 an initial series of Regu- lations instituting specific Community regional development measures and in particular Regulation (EEC) No 2618/80 (5) instituting a specific Com- munity regional development measure contributing to improving security of energy supply in certain Community regions by way of improved use of new () OJNoL73,21.3.1975,p. 1. (1) OJ No L 349, 23. 12. 1980, p. 10. () OJNoC15,19.1.1983, p. 10. () OJ NoC 184,10.6. 1983, p. 163. () OJNoC124,9.5.1983, p. 2. (*) OJ No L 271, 15. 10. 1980, p. 23. techniques for hydro-electrical power and aiterna- tive energy sources, this measure being hereinafter referred to as ‘the specific measure’; Whereas, pursuant to that Regulation and in parti- cular Article 3 thereof, the Commission has approved a special programme relating to certain areas in the Mezzogiorno and has at the same time decided to allocate appropriations to that pro- gramme; Whereas Greece has become a Member of the Com- munity since the adoption of the specific measure; whereas the situation in that country is also charac- terized by a substantial energy shortfall and heavy dependence on oil imports; whereas, moreover, the cost of energy is pamcularly high in the Greek islands; Whereas the development of those islands entails increased consumption of energy, which also stems’ from the operation of the water supply systems serv- ing agriculture, industry and tourism; whereas there is therefore a need to encourage the installation there of new generating capacity exploiting local alternative energy sources; Whereas steps should be taken to promote the exploitation of geothermal energy, which is an important alternative source of energy in these areas; whereas similar steps should also be taken in the areas of the Mezzogiorno affected by the specific measure; Whereas the Member States concerned have pro- vided the Commission with information on regional problems which would be a suitable subject for a specific Community measure; Whereas, in order to accelerate the implementation of the special programme, the rules laid down by Regulation (EEC) No 2618/80 concerning budget- ary commitments, payment of aid from the Fund and advances made from the Fund should be amended;