Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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538. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the discussions that he had with fellow Ministers at the EU Telecoms Council held in Luxembourg on Thursday, 6 June 2013; if he will detail the decisions made at the Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27781/13]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Given the Irish Presidency’s emphasis on promoting stability, jobs and growth, our focus within the Telecoms’ Council has been to progress initiatives under the Digital Agenda for Europe and to push for the completion of the various dossiers linked to the Digital Single Market.

At its meeting on June, I reported to Council on progress in relation to the various files for which we had responsibility during our Presidency term. I was happy to be able to report two early successes: we secured early agreement on the re-use of Public Sector Information which will improve the availability of publicly-held information by removing barriers to its access which will facilitate the development of new services and innovative products.

I also reported on the agreement of a new mandate for the European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA). As a result of our leadership on this issue we now have the basis for a more robust, reinforced agency, better able to meet the technological challenges and demands facing the EU now and in the future.

I presented my Council colleagues with progress reports on the files relating to proposals on Trans-European Networks for telecommunications (as part of the Connecting Europe Facility), on reducing the costs associated with broadband roll-out and on the issue of web-accessibility, particularly in relation to public sector websites. I also reported on substantial progress on the complex but very important area of the draft Regulation on electronic identification and trust services, one of the most important building blocks in any properly-functioning digital single market.

The Council also held two debates. One was an orientation debate on the recently-published Directive on National Information Security. The purpose of this debate was for the Council to give to both the Commission and to the incoming Lithuanian Presidency some clear guidance in terms of how the important issue of cyber security should be dealt with within the EU and what policy priorities should be pursued.

The main debate at Council was a policy debate on the proposed Single Telecoms Market (STM). This debate afforded the Council an opportunity to reflect on progress to-date in relation to achieving a Digital Single Market and give direction to the Commission in advance of its anticipated draft Regulation on STM due to be published in July. In addition, it also allowed the Council to set out its priorities ahead of next October’s European Council, which will specifically focus on digital and innovation. In my role as President of the Telecoms’ Council, I will be writing to President Van Rompuy setting out the main policy priorities as expressed by my Council colleagues.

Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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539. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the discussions that he had with fellow Ministers at the EU Energy Council held in Luxembourg on Friday, 7 June 2013; if he will detail the decisions made at the Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27782/13]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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At the Energy part of the Transport, Telecommunications and Energy (TTE) Council, which was held in Luxembourg on Friday, I presided over discussions by EU Energy Ministers on the areas of the internal energy market, the indirect land-use change issue in relation to biofuels production, energy technologies and innovation, and external energy relations.

Ministers were presented with a progress report on the Commission Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 98/70/EC relating to the quality of petrol and diesel fuels and amending Directive 2009/28/EC on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources, known as the ILUC proposal. The proposal is intended, among other measures, to limit the production of conventional biofuels due to the impact of indirect land-use change (ILUC) on greenhouse gas emissions resulting from biofuels, and incentivising the production of advanced biofuels that have no ILUC effects. The report sets out the progress made under the Irish Presidency in trying to establish a Council position in advance of negotiations with the European Parliament to reach an agreement under the co-decision process.

Council Conclusions on the Commission’s Communication, “Making the Internal Energy Market Work”, were adopted by Ministers. During discussions on this point, Ministers took stock of the conclusions adopted by Heads of State and Government at the European Council on 22 May, which highlighted completion of the internal energy market (including development of interconnections to end isolation of Member States from energy networks), investments in energy infrastructure, the diversification of energy sources, and enhanced energy efficiency as the main issues to be addressed in order to foster competitiveness and respond to the challenges of high energy prices. The detailed Council Conclusions adopted by Energy Ministers build on the European Council Conclusions of 22 May and provide guidance on the tasks ahead, e.g. completion of the internal market, elimination of energy isolation, improved rights and roles of consumers, and the transition to the energy market of the future.

Concerning the Commission’s Communication on Energy Technologies and Innovation, the Energy Council held an extensive debate on the need for increased focus on innovation policy to address research and development, the deployment of new technologies, and the putting in place of support mechanisms for accelerated roll-out and implementation of sustainable energy technologies. There was also discussion on how to improve and reinforce the existing institutional frameworks in order to support a more integrated approach to innovation and technology development, including strengthening the Strategic Energy Technology (SET) Plan.

Ministers were also briefed on international relations in the field of energy. I briefed Ministers on developments in the International Energy Agency, and on the Clean Energy Ministerial meeting, which took place in India in April. The Commission briefed Ministers on issues such as developments in relation to the Southern Gas Corridor, on relations with Ukraine and on relations with Russia.

Finally, the Council was informed of the energy policy priorities of the Lithuanian Presidency under the heading of ‘Growing Europe’.

In noting a successful conclusion to Ireland’s Presidency in the field of energy at the Energy Council last week, I took the opportunity to wish every success to the incoming Lithuanian Presidency and stated that responsible development of our energy resources, and innovation in the ways in which we consume them, are vital to maintaining European competitiveness and keeping prices down for both households and business.