Thermie II: financial support for the promotion of European energy technology 1995-1998

The Commission's amended proposal took over a number of the amendments tabled by the European Parliament, and particularly those relating to the following points: - the promotion of projects, particularly in the field of renewable energies, which could have slower access to the market, but which were of significant interest in terms of energy provision, protection of the environment and employment; - greater Community support for the projects proposed by SMEs; - the simplification and acceleration of the procedures for the calls for tender and selection procedures with a view to making them more transparent; - the final assessment of the programme by independent experts; - the launch of a Community action plan concerning cooperation with developing countries (particularly the countries of the Pacific basin and Latin America) in order to reduce the risks of pollutant emissions, particularly CO2; - the eligibility of projects implemented outside the Community insofar as the actions were necessary to respect the Community's commitment in the context of the International Convention on Climate Change; - the coordination and promotion of demonstration projects within the framework of international cooperation (Phare, Tacis, Mediterranean programmes); relevant activities involving the EIB and the EBRD would also be included; - the appropriations to finance the measures in the field of non-nuclear energies for 1995-1998 under the Fourth Framework Programme for RTD should not be lower than they had been for the previous corresponding period; - the appropriations would be broken down among the various areas of the programme as follows: . rational energy use: 45%, . renewable energy sources: 35%, . clean combustion of solid fuels: 13%, . hydrocarbons: 7%. However, the Commission rejected the amendment which: - stated that financial support could exceed 35% of the cost of eligible projects where they were the result of collaboration between entreprises established in different Member States; - did away with the reference to previous programmes; - proposed a consultative committee rather than a management committee and consultation of the EP before decisions were taken. �