WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2915/98 by Jean BAGGIONI to the Commission. Reducing the dependency of islands with regard to energy
C 207/18 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 21. 7. 1999 (1999/C 207/022) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2915/98 by Jean Baggioni (UPE) to the Commission (2 October 1998) Subject: Reducing the dependency of islands with regard to energy In view of the geographical separation caused by the sea and the limited nature of available natural and human resources, can the Commission say whether it has any plans in the short term to reduce rapidly the dependence of islands with regard to energy by developing endogenous, alternative and renewable forms of energy such as solar, wind, geothermal or hydro-electric power? Answer given by Mr Papoutsis on behalf of the Commission (19 November 1998) The promotion of developing renewable forms of energy is one of the priority actions under European energy policy. The Commission recently adopted a White Paper on the subject (1). Island regions are among the main locations for renewable forms of energy within the Community. At the same time traditional forms of energy are more costly there than on the continent and this is why renewable forms of energy will in such regions be competitive sooner than elsewhere. Furthermore, the new process of gradual liberalisation of the internal energy market will encourage autonomous energy production. In the Commission’s opinion it is incumbent upon the authorities and economic agents in island regions to make optimum use of these new opportunities to make the islands more autonomous in terms of energy while at the same time offering opportunities for economic development, job creation and improvement of the environment. The Commission can support such efforts to promote renewable forms of energy in the framework of structural funds as virtually all islands are covered by objectives 1 or 5b. In this context the Commission intends to improve information for and raise the awareness of the national and regional authorities concerned with regard to the manifold benefits of energy management. Moreover, several programmes for energy efficiency (SAVE), renewable forms of energy (Altener) and innovative powerful technologies (Thermie) are contributing towards achieving these objectives. For instance, under the SAVE programme 15 local and regional agencies for energy management have been set up in island regions. One of the main tasks of these agencies is to promote renewable forms of energy at local level. (1) COM(97) 599 final. (1999/C 207/023) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2939/98 by Eryl McNally (PSE) to the Commission (8 October 1998) Subject: Rabies controls for pet animals Does the Commission agree that there is a need for an EU-wide framework of rules and standards to prevent the spread of rabies, while permitting domestic pets to be transported, and will it disclose the incidence of rabies in applicant countries? Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (3 November 1998) The Community has for a number of years recognised the need for rules and standards to control the spread of rabies and a major goal has been to eradicate rabies in the Member States where the disease is still present. Within the framework of Council Decision 90/424/EEC of 26 June 1990 on expenditure in the veterinary field (1) the Community actively supports rabies eradication by large-scale programmes for oral vaccination of sylvatic foxes. These programmes take into account that the vast majority of rabies cases in Europe occur in