WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3379/97 by Carlos ROBLES PIQUER to the Commission. ALURE, Synergy, and Latin America
8. 6. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 174/49 (98/C 174/87) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3379/97 by Carlos Robles Piquer (PPE) to the Commission (23 October 1997) Subject: ALURE, Synergy, and Latin America ALURE, the programme launched by the Commission to help rationalize and modernize Latin American energy systems, has just completed its first year of operations. The aims of the programme are also covered in an area of the Synergy programme. Could the Commission supply the essential details of experiences to date, with particular reference to the development of renewable energy sources, specifying what amounts have been invested, who have been the recipients, what experts have been recruited, and what has been the outcome of the initial stage? Answer given by Mr Mar ·n on behalf of the Commission (13 November 1997) Alure (optimum use of energy resources in Latin America) is an economic cooperation programme under Council Regulation (EEC) No 443/92 of 25 February 1992 on financial and technical assistance to and cooperation with Latin American developing countries (1). It establishes relations between Community and Latin American power and gas companies and between investors from the two regions but does not get involved in institutional matters unless an obstacle to business ties is detected. The standard size of projects is around ECU 1 million, of which half comes from Alure. Alureís consultative committee recommends a preselection of projects to the Commission which then makes the final selection. Thirteen projects were selected for Phase I (1995-97) for a total of ECU 7 million in Community contributions, with an equivalent amount coming from consortia. Whilst eligible projects are aimed at sustainable development Alure does not focus on the promotion of renewable energy. The Synergy programme is situated upstream of Alure and deals with energy policy, also in Latin America. The customary Community contribution ranges from ECU 150 000 to ECU 200 000 for studies, seminars or consultancy activities. Renewable energy forms part of Synergyís priorities in the context of European security of supply and protection of the environment: Synergy has cofinanced, to the tune of ECU 220 000, together with the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, a study on the regionís geothermal potential and the obstacles to its development. The outcome was the regional development plan to be discussed at Santiago de Chile from 10 to 12 November. Two Italian and French experts contributed to this work. Relatively few cooperation schemes on energy policy cover the field of renewable energy where the demand mainly concerns feasibility studies for projects. (1) OJ L 52, 27. 2. 1997. (98/C 174/88) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3380/97 by Carlos Robles Piquer (PPE) to the Commission (23 October 1997) Subject: Aftermath of the euro and enlargement Influential media voices once hardly in favour of the single European currency now acknowledge that it will inevitably come into being. They also recognize that new Member States will join the Union. This development is to be welcomed