Further information about the SEANCE project can be found at:
www.grazer-ea.at/energieagenturen/idcat_81-lang_3-content.html

This Charter was presented at the Third managEnergy Reflection Group meeting 28 March 2003

The SEANCE project, including Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Italy, Sweden and UK, had its kick-off meeting in Perugia prior to the Reflection Group meeting. The meeting agreed on a charter, which will govern the future action of SEANCE:

Granted that:

• within the SAVE programme, the European Commission has promoted the Regional and Local Energy Agencies, at the moment more than 250, in all the UE countries and in the candidate countries
• in order to apply and spread the energy and environmental policies in the UE, the Regional and Local Energy Agencies have established National Associations
• the EC, through the ManagEnergy Project, has identified in the National networks of the Regional and Local Energy Agencies an important and efficient support for the diffusion among the Local Authorities, public and private operators and citizens of the good ways for a rational use of the energy and of renewable sources
• the EC has underlined the strong will to support the strategic role of the Regional and Local Energy Agencies also co-financing a project of coordination of the national associations called SEANCE where Austria, Germany, Ireland, Italy United Kingdom and Sweden participate
• at the presence of the representative of the EC, the SEANCE partner National Associations met in Perugia last March 24th and 25th to discuss about the role of the Agencies and of their Associations in the realization of the community, national and local energy policies,

all this granted

The Regional and Local Energy Agencies of the National Associations of Austria, Germany, Ireland, United Kingdom and Sweden together with the Associations of Holland, Spain and Bulgaria, also present in Perugia

Ask that the Regional and Local Energy Agencies

1. together with their National Associations could get an official and national acknowledgment of their role,
2. could be direct receivers of the compulsory duties following the current national legislations, and in particular referring to those competences of the territorial local authorities of the single Agencies about energy themes and the sustainable development
3. could get the acknowledgement of an operative role in the adoptive processes of the new community directives on the energy efficiency and on the themes connected to the energy certification of buildings
4. could establish an observatory in order to verify the application of the European and National regulations as regards sustainable development and energy

All the Associations signing the present charter will surely study in depth its aspects with a following document which will be written after the meeting of the Reflection Group next March 28th, 2003 in Brussels.

Perugia, March 25th, 2003