Directive 2009/28/EC of the European Parliament and of the CouncilShow full title

Article 9 Joint projects between Member States and third countries

1. One or more Member States may cooperate with one or more third countries on all types of joint projects regarding the production of electricity from renewable energy sources. Such cooperation may involve private operators.

2. Electricity from renewable energy sources produced in a third country shall be taken into account only for the purposes of measuring compliance with the requirements of this Directive concerning national overall targets if the following conditions are met:

(a) the electricity is consumed in the Community, a requirement that is deemed to be met where:

(i)

an equivalent amount of electricity to the electricity accounted for has been firmly nominated to the allocated interconnection capacity by all responsible transmission system operators in the country of origin, the country of destination and, if relevant, each third country of transit;

(ii)

an equivalent amount of electricity to the electricity accounted for has been firmly registered in the schedule of balance by the responsible transmission system operator on the Community side of an interconnector; and

(iii)

the nominated capacity and the production of electricity from renewable energy sources by the installation referred to in paragraph 2(b) refer to the same period of time;

(b) the electricity is produced by a newly constructed installation that became operational after 25 June 2009 or by the increased capacity of an installation that was refurbished after that date, under a joint project as referred to in paragraph 1; and

(c) the amount of electricity produced and exported has not received support from a support scheme of a third country other than investment aid granted to the installation.

3. Member States may apply to the Commission, for the purposes of Article 5, for account to be taken of electricity from renewable energy sources produced and consumed in a third country, in the context of the construction of an interconnector with a very long lead-time between a Member State and a third country if the following conditions are met:

(a) construction of the interconnector started by 31 December 2016;

(b) it is not possible for the interconnector to become operational by 31 December 2020;

(c) it is possible for the interconnector to become operational by 31 December 2022;

(d) after it becomes operational, the interconnector will be used for the export to the Community, in accordance with paragraph 2, of electricity generated from renewable energy sources;

(e) the application relates to a joint project that fulfils the criteria in points (b) and (c) of paragraph 2 and that will use the interconnector after it becomes operational, and to a quantity of electricity that is no greater than the quantity that will be exported to the Community after the interconnector becomes operational.

4. The proportion or amount of electricity produced by any installation in the territory of a third country, which is to be regarded as counting towards the national overall target of one or more Member States for the purposes of measuring compliance with Article 3, shall be notified to the Commission. When more than one Member State is concerned, the distribution between Member States of this proportion or amount shall be notified to the Commission. This proportion or amount shall not exceed the proportion or amount actually exported to, and consumed in, the Community, corresponding to the amount referred to in paragraph 2(a)(i) and (ii) of this Article and meeting the conditions as set out in its paragraph (2)(a). The notification shall be made by each Member State towards whose overall national target the proportion or amount of electricity is to count.

5. The notification referred to in paragraph 4 shall:

(a) describe the proposed installation or identify the refurbished installation;

(b) specify the proportion or amount of electricity produced from the installation which is to be regarded as counting towards the national target of a Member State as well as, subject to confidentiality requirements, the corresponding financial arrangements;

(c) specify the period, in whole calendar years, during which the electricity is to be regarded as counting towards the national overall target of the Member State; and

(d) include a written acknowledgement of points (b) and (c) by the third country in whose territory the installation is to become operational and the proportion or amount of electricity produced by the installation which will be used domestically by that third country.

6. The period specified under paragraph 5(c) shall not extend beyond 2020. The duration of a joint project may extend beyond 2020.

7. A notification made under this Article may not be varied or withdrawn without the joint agreement of the Member State making the notification and the third country that has acknowledged the joint project in accordance with paragraph 5(d).

8. Member States and the Community shall encourage the relevant bodies of the Energy Community Treaty to take, in conformity with the Energy Community Treaty, the measures which are necessary so that the Contracting Parties to that Treaty can apply the provisions on cooperation laid down in this Directive between Member States.