Commission backs Council position on cogeneration

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Thursday 19 September 2013

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Background:

The Commission has on 19 September adopted a Communication responding to the Council's Common Position on the Cogeneration Directive (seeEurActiv 19 September 2003. In its Communication, the Commission is generally positive about the Member States' agreement, stating that it "has succeeded in retaining the spirit of the Commission proposal and of a substantial part of the amendments of the European Parliament."

The Parliament had in particular raised the issue of establishing targets for further exploitation of cogeneration. The Council did not back this proposal, but included an obligation for Member States to carry out an analysis of national potentials for high efficiency cogeneration, which includes a study of barriers preventing further use of this technology. The Commission welcomed this approach, hoping that the analysis will result in establishing de facto objectives at national level.

The Commission concludes that a workable and acceptable compromise has been reached in defining cogeneration, balancing the need for harmonisation to ensure a more level playing field, and flexibility to fit in with national differences and existing schemes.

It therefore recommends that the Parliament adopts the Council's Common Position at its second reading. The Parliament is likely to vote on it in December 2003.