The EHA has been meeting with EU Parliament members to find a way to ensure that hydrogen and recharging infrastructure is included in the CEF and the accompanying TEN T and TEN E Guidleines. Below is an round up of the latest policy news.
On 18 December 2012 the joint ITRE/TRAN Committee will adopt the report on the Connecting Europe Facility to which over 800 amendments were tabled. In order to gain broad support in the joint ITRE/ TRAN Committee the Co-Rapporteurs have proposed 70 compromise amendments. The joint ITRE/TRAN Committee will also vote on whether to give a mandate to open inter-institutional negotiations.
Vote in ITRE: 18 December 2012
Trans-European Energy Guidelines
Parliament and Council have reached a provisional agreement on the draft Trans European energy Infrastructure Regulation at the third trilogue. The agreed regulation provides a radically new approach to the development of Trans European energy infrastructure: the selection is based on a regional process and on objective criteria in line with the EU energy policy objectives. In addition, the selected projects, so called “projects of common interest” benefit from regulatory provisions to facilitate cross border cost allocation and last but not least fastened and streamlined permitting procedures. For a limited amount of commercially non viable projects EU public funding should be made available by the Connecting Europe Facility. Specific provision related to the implementation of the internal energy market for electricity have been introduced as well as an emphasis on eliminating energy bottlenecks and ending energy isolation.
Trans European Energy Guidelines.
In their last meeting the Co_Rapporteurs outlined the main elements of the 50 draft compromise amendments most of which are still under discussion with the Shadow Rapporteurs. They underlined that they would only accept amendments to the annexes if these were in line with the Commissions methodology. Most members generally supported the Rapporteurs approach. However, some had certain reservations, in particular with regards to inland waterways as well as certain compromise proposals on the annexes. The Rapporteurs announced two more meetings with the Shadow Rapporteurs before the vote. Brian Simpson, TRAN Chairman urged all members to contribute to feasible compromises in order to ensure an efficient and coherent vote involving more than 1000 amendments.
Vote in TRAN – 18 December 2012
Vote in Plenary – January 2013