Energy: organisation of cooperation around agreed Community objectives

Rejecting the legal basis chosen by the Commission, Mr Stockmann (PSE, DE) wanted Article 130(1) to replace Article 130(3) and said that the Treaty must have a chapter on energy. He argued that a treaty on renewable energies should be concluded in the future and that a harmonised policy should be implemented in this sector. This could be accompanied by a timescale and would allow the environment to be properly defended. In the same respect, the rapporteur urged agreement on an energy consumption tax. Commissioner Papoutsis said that he could not accept Amendments Nos 1 (on the legal basis) and 4. Amendments Nos 5 and 12 were, on the other hand, acceptable. However, Amendments Nos 2 and 3 were superfluous, according to Mr Papoutsis. As regards the annex, the Commission could not accept Amendments Nos 7, 9 and 13 to 17. By contrast, Amendments Nos 8, 10 and 11 could be taken over.