Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-07-04-Speech-2-267"
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"en.20000704.11.2-267"2
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"Mr President, in his report Mr Mombaur has certainly given a comprehensive coverage of the implications of the liberalization of these markets. Energy, of course, is not just any good or service. It is very basic and very essential and has to be treated differently from normal goods.
The two directives were very carefully calculated to ensure that there would not be huge and sudden job losses – approximately 250,000 jobs have been lost in this sector, with more to come – and secondly to allow those Member States which had invested heavily in, for example, nuclear energy to do some strategic planning and not leave them with too much in the way of stranded costs. For that reason they were not full speed ahead directives. Nevertheless they should have been implemented on time by every Member State and they were not. Those which delayed were wrong, especially those which at the same time took advantage of the opening of markets elsewhere and we have evidence that this also applies to countries outside the European Union.
I have said that the job losses were very considerable. There has also been a great deal of upheaval and restructuring and some evidence of the formation of new monopolies, something which must be combated. There has been a diminution in the amount of research and development and that is a shame. There is a lack of harmonization to date and Mr Mombaur is quite right to call for harmonization. I am fairly sceptical about allowing the regulators to do that through the Florence work.
The question of public service obligations is mentioned several times in the report. The Socialist Group has put forward an amendment asking for a framework directive ensuring that in sectors like energy services of general interest are protected. I hope that will be supported.
Although there are difficulties with the two directives and liberalization, it is part of creating Europe and lower prices do benefit people. However there are environmental implications which we have not taken very seriously.
The Lisbon Council asked the Commission to look at the possible need for an acceleration. I do not agree, however, with preaching to Member States and telling them what they should be doing. It is up to them to decide. I am very anxious that renewable energy is supported in a liberalised market. That is not easy to do and it is something the Parliament holds dear. I am very concerned about the threat to combined heat and power in the gas directive. That needs to be rectified very quickly."@en1
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