Wind Watch is a registered educational charity, founded in 2005. |
France’s wind sector support upheld by EU
Credit: By WILLIAM DOTINGA | Courthouse News Service | December 19, 2013 | www.courthousenews.com ~~
Translate: FROM English | TO English
Translate: FROM English | TO English
Upholding France’s scheme to offset the extra costs of purchasing wind-generated electricity on Thursday, Europe’s highest court called it an “intervention through state resources.”
French law requires electric companies that produce wind energy to purchase the electricity the turbines generate, usually at a rate higher than market price. Previously, the government offset the difference with money managed by an agency known as the Fund for Deposits and Consignments.
Now, however, lawmakers require electric companies to pass the added costs of wind energy on to the end consumers of electricity throughout France. A French anti-wind energy coalition known as the Angry Wind Association and other groups petitioned France’s Council of State to overturn the amended law as illegal state aid.
The French court acknowledged that charging higher rates for wind energy creates an advantage that could affect both trade and competition. It asked the Court of Justice of the European Union, however, whether France’s intervention constitutes state aid under EU law.
The Luxembourg-based high court found Thursday that offsetting wind-energy costs by charging end users higher rates is an intervention through state resources.
Whether the scheme qualifies as state aid, however, is a matter for the French court to resolve, according to the ruling.
“It is clear that the offset mechanism at issue in the main proceedings was established by law and must therefore be regarded as attributable to the state,” the court wrote.
The court also emphasized how the French energy minister sets the additional charges or nonpayment penalties and deposits said money into the government-held Fund for Deposits and Consignments.
“The court has held that funds financed through compulsory charges imposed by the legislation of the member state, managed and apportioned in accordance with the provisions of that legislation, may be regarded as state resources within the meaning of EU law even if they are managed by entities separate from the public authorities,” the court concluded.
This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.
The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.
Wind Watch relies entirely on User Funding |
(via Paypal) |
(via Stripe) |
Share: