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The committee's decision backs the four key elements of the Commission's
proposal. These are:
- European approach to project selection with involvement of the European
Investment Bank (EIB), to ensure a comprehensive technology portfolio;
- European approach to monetisation of the allowances, which will be sold by
the EIB and distributed to the Member States for project support;
- strong role for Member States in determining which projects are eligible
and are suitable for support;
- good balance between CCS and renewables demonstration, determined by
demonstration needs.
Other important elements of the Decision include the following:
- at least one demonstration project will be awarded per Member State, but no
more than three;
- the NER will fund in principle 50% of the additional costs of
demonstration;
- member states' role in the selection process has been reinforced by a
consultation step on the draft list of projects, before the Commission takes
the final award decisions
Next and future steps
Assuming the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers raise no
objections, the text would be adopted by the Commission in May 2010.
The call for proposals for the first round of projects would be issued
shortly afterwards. Member states would subsequently submit projects to the EIB
by the end of 2010, and the EIB's due diligence and assessment will take place
in 2011 so as to allow the final Commission award decisions to be made by end
2011. This timetable should ensure that CCS demonstration projects can be up
and running by the end of 2015, as requested by the European Council.
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