91999E0137

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0137/99

by Carlos Robles Piquer (PPE) to the Commission

(11 February 1999)

Subject: Community policy on promoting energy crops

The set-aside of land formerly devoted to growing food crops means that such land can either lie fallow or it can be used for alternative non-food crops such as energy crops without losing its right to the appropriate EU subsidy.

So-called energy-crops, mainly for the production of bio-fuels, therefore constitute an alternative of the greatest importance for those who own land which has been withdrawn from food production.

Can the Commission tell me what Community initiatives have been taken to create an EU policy on promoting energy crops, what information campaigns have been undertaken in connection with these initiatives, and how it intends to promote energy crops amongst owners of set-aside land?

Answer given by Mr Papoutsis on behalf of the Commission

(12 April 1999)

In its White Paper on energy establishing a strategy and an action plan for renewable energies(1), the Commission predicts a substantial increase in the proportion of energy produced from biomass in the Community's overall energy consumption, from the current 45 million tonnes of oil equivalent (toe) to 135 million by 2010. Such a development will require additional agricultural and forestry land to be made available for non-food crops, and especially energy crops.

In addition, following a request by the "Agriculture" Council of 22-26 June 1998, the Commission drafted a working document on non-food crops in the context of Agenda 2000(2). Presenting the paper to the "Agriculture" Council of 15 December 1998, the Commission emphasised that this was an initial approach to the problem of support measures for non-food crops.

While not proposing practical solutions at this stage, the document opens the debate and invites Member States to give their points of view.

The Commission will give these its fullest attention in the negotiations on Agenda 2000.

(1) COM(97) 599 final.

(2) SEC(98) 2169.