Joint Statement by European Council President Konstandinos Simitis, European Commission President Romano Prodi and US President George W. Bush on the Hydrogen Economy

We affirm our commitment, on behalf of the United States and the European Union, to collaborate on accelerating the development of the hydrogen economy as part of our broadening cooperation on energy. We aim to enhance the security of energy supply, increase diversity of energy sources, and improve local and global environmental quality. Our cooperation will lay the technical, legal, and commercial basis needed to accelerate the commercial penetration and trade of emissions-free hydrogen technology world-wide, in cars, buildings and power generation, to secure to our citizens and our posterity the abundant, secure, and clean energy required to sustain growth, ensure security, and protect the environment.

In this context we see the potential of the hydrogen economy in establishing a secure energy supply through clean and environmentally sound systems. We will seek to build on complementarities in our research efforts in exploring actively all technology options, including a major focus on renewable energy sources, for boosting the development of hydrogen energy.

We agree to:

• further the goals of sustained economic growth;
• strengthen our cooperation to work for universally compatible codes,
• standards, and regulations;
• strengthen our cooperation on research and development; and
• work together to foster public-private collaboration.

This effort will enable us to leverage resources; bring to bear the expertise of the public and private sector to solve the complex challenges surrounding the hydrogen economy; establish sound, universally compatible codes, standards, and regulations for hydrogen fuel utilisation; and provide a strong and broad foundation for the International Partnership for the Hydrogen Economy and other partnerships in support of the hydrogen economy.