Translation of "e-consommatrice " (French → English) :

Considers energy audits for businesses to be a proven means of boosting energy efficiency, and stresses their benefits for competitiveness; calls for a uniform definition and enforcement of the criteria set out in the Directive (for the definition of SMEs; for audits; no double certification for cross-border business structures) and for the creation of a uniform approach towards the de minimis threshold referred to in Article 8(4); calls for the scope of that article to be extended to cover all companies with high energy consumption; calls for an evaluation with a view to improving the effectiveness of energy audit systems; calls f ...[+++]or the implementation of cost-effective energy audit recommendations to be required in conjunction with planned maintenance in accordance with companies’ objectives.

Mr. Stan Keyes: I wonder, sir, if you could tell me if you're aware that the New Brunswick select committee also outlined in its report that there is a risk that the few independents that do exist could be forced out of the market by discriminatory pricing; that an environment that encourages the presence of independents and competition at both wholesale and retail levels would be desirable for consumers; that the maintenance of competition at all levels of the industry is key to protecting consumers; and that the select committee has proposed an alternative model based on providing a civil remedy, as it believes such a system could a ...[+++]fford more protection to consumers.

The Commission will therefore carefully examine whether the reductions for energy-intensive companies can be justified and whether they are proportionate and do not unduly distort competition.

The criteria for eligibility for the TPA system have been laid down in such a way as to include: - large industrial energy consumers whose annual consumption exceeds 100 GWh of electricity or 25 000 000 m3 of gas; a total of 400 to 500 industrial consumers will be eligible in the Community, mainly in the aluminium, steel, chemicals, construction materials and glass sectors; the main gas consumers concerned are fertilizer and electricity producers; - distributors who supply at least 3% of the electricity or 1% of the gas consumed in their Member State; distributors can join forces to reach or exceed this threshold; a total of 100 or ...[+++]so electricity distributors, individually or in association, will be eligible in the Community as a whole, as will a similar number of gas distributors; this will enable all consumers, especially the smallest ones, to benefit indirectly from the greater competition.

Energy-intensive firms will moreover be able to reduce their CO2 tax on energy used in energy-intensive processes by entering into a voluntary agreement with the authorities. Under a voluntary agreement the CO2 tax on energy used in production processes covered by the process-list will be reduced to DKr 3 per tonne CO2 emitted, whereas for other energy-intensive firms as defined in the law the reduction will be less favourable.

I therefore call on you, Mr. Minister, to take the necessary action to have your department immediately inform consumers and retailers, among others, by placing announcements in newspapers pointing out that satellite dishes are becoming obsolete as a means of capturing analog signals, so that sales of this kind of equipment cease; to launch an information campaign regarding DTH broadcasting so that consumers, whose interests it is your responsibility to defend, know exactly where they stand: the incompatibility of technologies, subscription required for basic service, the risks of purchase, given that the CRTC does not use the viability ...[+++] of businesses as a criterion for issuing licences to businesses, DTH—