Countries of the World/COUNTRYS.BIN/dp/0056/00560.txt

Text File | 1991-06-24 | 20KB | 348 lines

$Unique_ID{COW00560}
$Pretitle{405}
$Title{United Kingdom
Other Common Policies}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{Embassy of the United Kingdom, Washington DC}
$Affiliation{Embassy of the United Kingdom, Washington DC}
$Subject{community
energy
european
member
states
research
nuclear
programme
education
british}
$Date{1990}
$Log{}
Country:     United Kingdom
Book:        Britain in the European Community
Author:      Embassy of the United Kingdom, Washington DC
Affiliation: Embassy of the United Kingdom, Washington DC
Date:        1990

Other Common Policies

Energy

     The high price of energy in the 1970s and early 1980s focused attention
on the Community's dependence upon imported oil for more than half its energy
supplies. In June 1980 the Council of Ministers set out a number of objectives
to be achieved by 1990, including a commitment by member states to reduce the
share of oil in Community energy consumption to about 40 per cent, increase
the share of coal and nuclear energy for electricity generation to at least
70 to 75 per cent, and reduce the ratio between economic growth and growth in
energy demand to less than 0.7. Member states submit details of their national
energy programmes to the Commission each year so that progress can be
monitored.

     In 1986 further objectives for attainment by 1995 were set out. These
were that energy efficiency should be improved by at least 20 per cent; that
oil consumption should be kept down to around 40 per cent of total energy
consumption; and that natural gas should continue to play an important role
in energy supply. The others stated that the share of solid fuels in energy
consumption should be increased; that the proportion of electricity generated
from hydrocarbons should be reduced to less than 15 per cent; and that output
from renewable energy sources should be increased.

     The Community is also working towards the establishment of an internal
energy market. This will include the removal of barriers to transfrontier
trade in energy and energy services, and unrestrained competition.

     The Commission accepts that the main responsibility for implementing
energy policies falls on national governments, complemented by Community
action in areas such as research and development. About half the Community's
research and development programme has been devoted to improving the
management of energy resources and forming broad objectives regarding nuclear
fission, nuclear fusion, renewable energy sources and the efficient use of
energy.

     Energy from nuclear fission plays an important part in meeting
requirements. Attention is paid to the operational safety of nuclear power
stations and fuel cycle installations and includes the management and storage
of nuclear waste. Since 1984 the Community has run a research programme into
problems associated with the decommissioning of nuclear installations. The
European fusion programme's main project is the Joint European Torus (JET) at
Culham in Oxfordshire, which was set up to demonstrate the scientific
feasibility of nuclear fusion.

     The Community's non-nuclear-energy research and development programme
covers research on solar energy, energy from biomass, wind energy and
geothermal energy (renewable sources have the potential to contribute between
5 and 6 per cent of Community requirements by the year 2000). The other major
constituents are research into energy conservation and storage, more efficient
and environmentally acceptable use of solid fuels, better methods of
exploration for, and recovery and production of, hydrocarbons, and analysis
of energy systems and modelling. Some of the work is carried out in the
Community's own laboratories (the Joint Research Centre) and the remainder is
contracted out to specialist institutions and companies. Financial assistance,
which totalled 60 million Pounds in 1988 and 55 million Pounds in 1989, is
available to support projects in energy-saving technology and renewable
energy.

British Energy Policy

     Britain, with the largest energy resources of any Community country, is
committed to a number of the Community's objectives, namely the reduction of
dependence on oil imports, the maintenance of strategic reserves, adherence to
open pricing and co-operation in research and development. While encouraging
the exploitation of Britain's diverse energy resources, the Government seeks
to ensure that all economic forms of energy are produced, supplied and used.
It stresses the continued profitable development of Britain's oil and gas
resources, the development of a competitive coal industry and the safe and
economic development of nuclear power. There is substantial expenditure on
energy research, most of which is connected with developing nuclear power and
coal technology, while the rest is concerned with offshore gas and oil and the
assessment of renewable energy in electricity generation and the production
of heat for industrial and domestic uses. Energy and research programmes in
Britain also take environmental factors into account.

European Atomic Energy Community

     In 1957 the original six member states signed the Treaty setting up the
European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), with the tasks of promoting and
coordinating nuclear research for peaceful purposes in member states and a
Community programme of research and training; disseminating technical
information; establishing and applying uniform health and safety standards;
facilitating capital investment; and introducing arrangements to prevent
nuclear materials from being diverted from their intended uses.

     Other matters covered by the Treaty concern the creation of a common
market in specialised material and equipment, the free movement of capital,
and freedom for nuclear specialists to work within the Community. The
Commission is responsible for the Euratom research programme, much of which is
being carried out in the Joint Research Centre, and also co-ordinates research
on nuclear fusion.

     Under the Euratom Treaty the Commission is required to exercise control
over certain specified nuclear materials, and its regulations are legally
binding on all member states. These stipulate that operators must supply the
Commission with details about the basic technical characteristics of their
installations and that they should keep and produce records accounting for
ores, source materials and special fissile materials. The Commission may
impose sanctions in the event of any infringement of the regulations. In
Britain the Government ensures that these obligations are fulfilled.

Other International Agencies

     Britain and all the Community member states, with the exception of
France, are members of the International Energy Agency. Since its
establishment in 1974 the Agency has adopted a wide range of co-operative
measures to reduce member nations' dependence on imported oil and to share
oil stocks in the event of emergency. It continues to support the adoption
of realistic energy pricing policies by all member countries, as well as
encouraging measures to stimulate the efficient use of energy and the
diversification of energy supplies of member states.

     Britain is also a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency, which
is responsible for international activities regarding the peaceful uses of
nuclear energy. The Agency encourages research, fosters the exchange of
scientific and technical information and administers safeguards designed to
ensure that fissionable and other materials are not used in such a way as to
further any military purpose.

Consumer Protection

     Since 1975 the Community has been developing a programme of consumer
protection and information based on five rights: protection of health and
safety, protection of economic interests, redress, access to information and
education, and the right to be heard. Community directives are in place to
control misleading advertising, to protect consumers against defective
products, to record information on accidents invol