Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-06-13-Speech-3-267"
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"en.20010613.10.3-267"2
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"Mr President, Mr Linkohr's report is much to be welcomed. It is a balanced report with workable suggestions on how to improve the intermittently precarious oil supply situation. That it is precarious can be seen from the spike in prices which occurred last autumn, or as is occurring now with Iraq's decision to stop oil exports. It is precarious because we depend on supplies of oil from unstable parts of the world. It is intermittent because these crises endure for relatively short periods as market forces come to bear and rectify the situation. Indeed the volatility of oil prices, ranging in the last 18 months from USD 10 to 34 per barrel, is as much a problem for the suppliers as it is for the consumers.
This gives us an opportunity, because stable prices are of interest both to us in Europe and to the oil supplier countries. We should make a much more consistent effort to develop a dialogue with the oil supplier countries, with the Middle East, with Russia, with the Caspian and Caucasus countries and with West Africa. This dialogue must not just be pursued when there is a shortage, or when there is a seller's market, or when it is in our interest. It must be pursued also when the boot is on our foot, when there is a glut and a buyer's market. As a practical example, Europe should encourage and facilitate the construction of oil and gas pipelines from these places to the heartland of Europe. Nor should we overlook the potential of our indigenous oilfields, notably those in my Scottish constituency.
Research and investment and improved recovery techniques have already extended the life and productivity of the North Sea and continental shelf oilfields. But more can still be done. We must also pursue opportunities for saving energy, above all in the transport sector. Yes, we must do what we can to promote renewable and alternative energies. But we cannot share Mr Linkohr's enthusiasm for harmonising tax rates and using harmonised tax, applied at European level, and the manipulation of strategic oil reserves to regulate oil prices. Tax rates are for the Member States to set and clearly they are quite unwilling to sign up to the long-delayed directive on taxation of energy products. Taxes on energy should be set in the context of an open competitive European market which, in itself, will ensure that fuel costs are not too far out of line from one country to the next.
We cannot afford to hobble our economies, our industries and those who live and work in our rural and remoter regions. Yes, oil supply is a matter which has to concern us. The Commission's communication and Mr Linkohr's report are valuable contributions to understanding the problem and defining possible solutions. If we can succeed in amending the few unacceptable aspects that I have detailed, this group will be pleased to support Mr Linkohr's report."@en1
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