Doc. 7693
29 October 1996

MOTION FOR A RECOMMENDATION on the Energy Charter Treaty

presented by Mr ROSETA and others

1.       In December 1991, at a conference held one week before the formal dissolution of the Soviet Union, 51 states (the central and east European countries, the European Community and its members, the states of the former Soviet Union, the United States of America and other overseas countries such as Japan and Australia) adopted the European Energy Charter, whose objectives are to facilitate energy co-operation between countries formerly divided by the Iron Curtain, assist the countries in the East that are in transition to a market economy and stimulate their economic recovery, improve the security of energy supplies in East and West and maximise the efficiency of production, conversion, transport, distribution and use of energy, as well as technology transfers.

2.       The Energy Charter conference also saw the launching of negotiations on an agreement providing for safeguards in such areas as investment, transit, trade and the transfer of profits, thus providing a legal framework for long-term co-operation in the energy field.

3.       After three years of arduous negotiations, the Energy Charter Treaty has been finalised and was opened for signature on 17 December 1994. It establishes strict procedures for settling disputes between states, and between states and companies. The Treaty has since been signed by 49 countries plus the European Union.

4.       The challenges thrown up by closer co-operation in the energy sector are considerable. The Treaty's application is therefore a matter of urgency, to allow major investments to be made. However, the Treaty does not come into force until it has received thirty ratifications, a figure that is still far from being achieved.

5.       In the light of these considerations, the Assembly requests the Committee of Ministers to invite member states to expedite the process of ratifying the Energy Charter Treaty.

Signed: 1

Roseta, Portugal, LDR

Birraux, France, EPP

Külahli, Turkey, EDG

Lenzer, Germany, EPP

Lorenzi, Italy, LDR

Melcak, Czech Republic, SOC

Moser, Austria, LDR

Olrich, Iceland, EDG

Prokes, Slovakia, EPP

Rewaj, Poland, SOC

Sanz, Spain, EPP

Szalay, Hungary, LDR

Weyts, Belgium, EPP

Yürür, Turkey, EDG

1 ¹       SOC : Socialist Group

      EPP : Group of the European People's Party

      EDG : European Democratic Group

      LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers Group

      UEL : Group of the Unified European Left