L7/28 Official Journal of the European Communities 13.1.1999 COUNCIL DECISION of 14 December 1998 adopting a multiannual programme of technological actions promoting the clean and efficient use of solid fuels (1998 to 2002) (1999/24/EC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 235 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Having regard to the opinion of the European Parlia- ment ('), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (%), Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions (%), 1) (6) ¢ O Whereas solid fuels are available in the Community and the ready, abundant, diverse sources of hard coal traded worldwide ensure that such fuels are and will remain a low-cost energy source; Whereas the promotion of clean and efficient tech- nologies for solid fuels contributes to the diversifi- cation of primary energy resources and to the balance of Community energy policy objectives; Whereas solid fuels will be increasingly utilised both in developed and emerging areas of the world, thereby contributing to emissions of pollutants and CO2; whereas every effort should be made to ameliorate such emissions by the promotion of clean and efficient technologies and the application of best available technologies (BAT) to existing and new plant using solid fuels; Whereas the manufacture and supply of equipment for the clean utilisation of coal, lignite and other forms of solid fuels, for use both within and outside the Community, can contribute to the maintenance of employment; Whereas action by the Community relating to the environment should improve the quality of the environment and ensure a prudent and rational utilisation of natural resources, objectives which are furthered by the implementation of clean coal technologies; Whereas the promotion of more efficient clean solid fuel technologies can make a significant contribution to the reduction of polluting emis- 328, 26. 10. 1998. oj C @) O] C 214, 10. 7. 1998, p. 44. oj C 315, 13. 10. 1998, p. 1. (10) (1) (12) sions arising from the use of fossil fuels at Community level; whereas use of cleaner technolo- gies contributes to the objectives of the Community strategy to combat acidification; Whereas the promotion of more efficient clean solid fuel technologies will contribute to the reduc- tion of greenhouse gases and the danger of global climate change; whereas wide-ranging cooperation is therefore desirable in order to obtain significant results; Whereas it is desirable that promotion of clean solid fuel technologies should be applied both to domestic and small-scale commercial and indus- trial boilers as well as large electrical power genera- tion plants; Whereas on 13 December 1995 the Commission adopted a White Paper entitled ‘An energy policy for the European Union’, defining the main lines of new Community energy policy objectives for coherence and convergence of the policies of the Member States; whereas this White Paper states that the contribution of new clean solid fuel tech- nologies can enhance the use of a wide variety of fuels, so that they can continue to play a significant part in the overall energy balance sheet but with an improved environmental image; Whereas the promotion and exploitation of clean solid fuel technologies offers economic advantages in terms of employment opportunities with com- panies in the Community operating on a world- wide basis; Whereas, in order to sustain a cleaner environment, advanced clean solid fuel technologies should be developed to achieve improved BAT at costs which can be afforded; Whereas certain countries which are expected to become members of the European Union in the coming years are very strongly dependent on the production and use of solid fuels to meet their energy requirements; whereas those countries will need to modernise and improve their energy tech- nologies in order to comply with Community legis- lation;