Energy and sustainable development: multiannual programme "Intelligent Energy for Europe", 2003-2006

Parliament adopted 13 amendment to the common position of the Council at the second reading. All of the 13 amendments were the result of a compromise with the Council with a view to avoid conciliation. The Commissio accepts all 13 amendments proposed by the European parliament, which are in line with the objectives of the Commission's original proposal or constitute a acceptable compromise. The amendments accepted by the Commission concern the following: - the addition of a new recital which makes reference to the increase of the financial framework for an even more comprehensive programme; - a recital dealing with the diversification of fuels in the transport sector. The amendment proposes that a specific reference is made to the role that can be played by new developing energy sources in this context, like hydrogen and renewable energy sources; - an addition to a recital which deals with the importance of issues like co-ordination of the programme with other Community policies. The amendment notes that national regional or local organisations could play a useful role in contributing to the implementation of the programme with corresponding national programmes; - adding a reference to "new developing and renewable energy sources" as examples of "energy diversification" or the "diversification of fuels"; - an addition to Article 3, which precise why the Commission shall make available reports on the actions and projects, i.e. in order to contribute to the dissemination of the project results; - a clarification of the selection criteria reflect the objectives of this Decision; - specifies that the Community rules on public access to information, transparency and gender mainstreaming apply all the way through the programme; - increasing the budget to EUR 200 million (EUR 190 million are in the Council's Common Position). The Commission can accept this amendment as the amount is closer to its original proposal of EUR 215 million that enables to take better account of the new developments and priorities in the field of energy, environment and sustainable development; - anticipating the mid-term evaluation to the 'end of the second year'; secondly, to include in the Commission's conclusions, any adaptation of the current programme in particular in the light of enlargement, if considered appropriate; and thirdly, that the conclusions of the Commission shall be communicated to the other institutions before putting forward proposals not only for any subsequent programme but also on this programme as well. The Commission can accept this amendment since it extends the scope of the mid-term evaluation exercise to serve as an input to a possible adaptation of the current programme, and not only as a compulsory step prior to any subsequent programme, as it was the case until now; - the addition of a measure stipulating that the annual progress examination report shall be submitted by the Commission to the other institutions; - the annex of this decision related to the indicativeallocation of the programme estimated amount. The Parliament allocates the EUR 200 million along the same percentage shares as fixed in the Council Common Position: 34.9% for SAVE field, 40% for ALTENER field, 16.3% for STEER field and 8.8% for COOPENER field. �