26 Amendments of Nils TORVALDS related to 2015/2113(INI)
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the Commission’s communication and underlines the importance of striking the right balance between its different goals: energy security and affordability, an ambitious climate policy and the transition towards a more sustainable and low carbon economy, while guaranteeboosting the EU’s competitiveness and providing more affordable prices to consumers;
Amendment 17 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Emphasises that the only way to achieve energy security while at the same time keeping energy prices affordable and reaching our climate goals is to create a sustainable energy landscape, based on a high degree of energy efficiency, renewable energy and a smart infrastructure; stresses, moreover, that the right actions need to be taken today in order to bring about this transition for future generations;
Amendment 54 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Underlines the key role of the Emissions Trading System (ETS) as a cost-effective tool to decarbonise Europe’s energy system and to achieve the EU’s 2030 emission reduction target for 2030 and beyond; in addition to the Market Stability Reserve (MSR), a structural post 2020 reform of the ETS should be implemented, to take into account the 2030 CO2 reduction target, and including as long as no comparable efforts are undertaken in other major economies tangible and more harmoniscontinued measures on carbon leakage to safeguardprovide EU industry with the appropriate levels of support, by ensuring that there will be no additional direct and inundue direct ETS costs at the level of best performers and by taking into account changing production levels; and real ETS costs; yet reiterates that the ETS review should also consider harmonised arrangements to compensate for indirect costs; points out in this regard that around 40% of the global economy is already covered by some form of carbon pricing and often experiencing higher carbon prices than in the EU;
Amendment 74 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls for new ambitious EU initiatives in the non- ETS sectors, in particular in the transport and buildings sector to, underlines that this will assist Member States in achieving their reduction targets; stresses the need of clear signals from policy makers on an EU level in order to make investments in EU energy objectives possible; recalls the European Parliament supports for the introduction of an ambitious EU-level energy efficiency target for 2030 of at least 3040 %, that should be focused in particular on non-ETS sectors; asks the European Commission to bear in mind the objective of 30 % when revising the Energy Efficiency Directive;
Amendment 88 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to prioritise the smart cities network in order to stimulate and exchange best practices and to fully exploit the potential of local and regional energy efficiency and greenhouse gas mitigating projects and measures; furthermore stresses the benefits of more sustainable indigenous energy systems, which can increase efficiency, consumer empowerment and small-scale business opportunities;
Amendment 105 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Underscores the need for more harmonised support schemes for renewables and more intra-EU trade in renewable electricity,; calls for the Commission to ensure an equal playing field so as to provide a clear investment signal for sustainable energy forms; calls for a functioning single market, especially for sustainable renewable energy;
Amendment 110 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Stresses that achieving decarbonisation goals depends on the right market conditions for investment in energy efficiency, renewables and smart infrastructures; the Energy Union should prioritise market-based instruments for the promotion of low-carbon energy sources as a means to ensure that the energy transition takes place in the most cost-effective and environmentally friendly way;
Amendment 112 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7b. Stresses the need to end environmentally harmful subsidies, which need to be identified and phased out urgently, since these subsidies are a waste of scarce public money which are used first for supporting polluting practices and later for cleaning up;
Amendment 113 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 c (new)
Paragraph 7 c (new)
7c. Underlines the success and further potential of ecodesign in terms of improving energy efficiency and energy consumption of products, and thereby decreasing household energy costs and consumption and reducing greenhouse gas emissions;
Amendment 114 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 d (new)
Paragraph 7 d (new)
7d. Stresses the role of the EU Energy Label in empowering and informing consumers with accurate, relevant and comparable information on the energy efficiency of energy related products; stresses the need for a revision of the Energy Label in order to further facilitate energy efficient consumer choices and incentivize manufacturing of energy efficient products;
Amendment 123 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls on the Commission to urgently step up the EU’s efforts through the introduction of long-term measures to pursue the decarbonisation of the transport sector, while ensuring a high level of environment and health protection;
Amendment 136 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Insists on the need for more ambitious long-term EU initiatives for developing and stimulating incentives for the roll-out of alternative fuels infrastructure, to further incentivise the production, market penetration and use of advanced bioand sustainable bio- and other alternative fuels and to speed up the electrification of transport, and in this regard highlights the importance of investments in research, development and technological innovation;
Amendment 139 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Calls on the Commission to revise the fuel consumption and CO2 labelling scheme for passenger cars to ensure consumers are provided with more accurate, relevant and comparable information on CO2 emissions, fuel consumption, running costs and tax related information so as to guide the consumer’s choice towards those cars that are the most energy efficient, and in turn incentivise manufacturers to improve the energy efficiency of their vehicles and increase energy security;
Amendment 142 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 b (new)
Paragraph 9 b (new)
9b. Notes that improved vehicle performance standards and fuel efficiency are crucial for both reducing EU oil dependency and cutting greenhouse gas emissions, and therefore calls on industry, Member States and the Commission to continue and accelerate their efforts in this field; for the period beyond 2020 asks the Commission to review the CO2 emission standards for cars and vans; notes, however, that the long-term solution for cutting transport emissions and ensuring energy demand reduction and diversification of supply lies in alternative fuels and in electrification with renewable electricity and in promotion of more sustainable modes of transport;
Amendment 186 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Insists that Member States pool resources, in particular ETS revenues, to support low-carbon innovation and industrial breakthroughs which is paramount for the EU to meet its climate goals., for instance through the planned NER400 fund;
Amendment 195 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Stresses the need of more than 1 trillion euros of investments in EU’s energy sector by 2020 alone; highlights the need to maximize the potential of current available EU funds for sustainable energy projects and research in order to reach the EU energy objectives, and that the sector remains attractive to private investors;
Amendment 199 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 12 b (new)
Paragraph 12 b (new)
12b. Underlines that the Energy Union marks a significant step forward in the way energy policies are coordinated and implemented, and that due to the substantial impact such policies will have on Europe’s Energy Security, economic and social landscape and environmental policy, requires an open, transparent and inclusive means of governance; reiterates that the Energy Union hinges upon establishing a robust system of governance which ensures full implementation of the relevant Union law within Member States, guarantees regular reporting and information exchange, and ensures the full participation of the European Parliament; calls in this regard on the Commission to present on an annual basis, a report on the implementation of the policies and projects under the Energy Union Strategy which shall be made public and considered as part of Energy Union implementation scrutiny conducted by the European Parliament;
Amendment 236 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital Y
Recital Y
Y. whereas diversification of supplies, the completion of the internal energy market, more efficient energy consumption, decarbonising the economy, a higher share of renewable energy, the development of indigenous energy resources and R&D activities are the key drivers of the Energy Union;
Amendment 437 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Believes that the Union can reduce its dependency on particular suppliers and fuels by maximising its use of indigenous sources of energy, including conventional and unconventional low-emission fossil fuels and renewables, and therefore stresses that no fuel or technology contributing toincreasing energy efficiency in industry, transport and buildings (both in the public and private sector as well as domestic homes) as well as maximising its use of indigenous sources of energy, in particular renewables, in line with the EUs energy security and climate goals should be discriminated against;
Amendment 526 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20a. Recognises that there is currently no single market for energy in Europe, and that the resulting fragmentation within the EUs energy markets is deeply harmful to Europe's competitiveness and energy security;
Amendment 720 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 a (new)
Paragraph 28 a (new)
28a. Notes that a more decentralised and flexible energy system, with power and heat sources being placed closer to the point of consumption, can facilitate small- scale energy generation and therefore empowers consumers to be more involved in the energy market and control their own energy use, diminishes transmission and distribution losses, improves the resilience of energy infrastructure, and simultaneously provides local business opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises; calls on the Commission and the Member States, therefore, to facilitate further development and expansion of local and regional renewable energy sources and of local and regional distribution networks and district heating networks through policies that tackle existing barriers and help bring about market transformation; calls on the Commission to propose guidelines on energy self-consumption in order to promote its use and protect the rights of consumers;
Amendment 748 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Notes that following the European Council conclusions of 23 and 24 October 2014, post-2020 EU state that an indicative target at the EU level of at least 27% is set for improving energy- efficiency targets must be non-binding and not apply at national level; in 2030 and that this will be reviewed by 2020, having in mind an EU level of 30%, as well as an EU level binding target of at least 27% for the share of renewable energy; Recalls the European Parliament support for a binding energy efficiency target of at least 40% and a binding renewable energy target of at least 30% in this regard; welcomes the commitment of the European Commission to bear in mind the objective of 30% when revising the Energy Efficiency Directive;
Amendment 943 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38 c (new)
Paragraph 38 c (new)
38c. Calls for a revision of the Energy Taxation Directive in line with the polluter pays principle; state aid and taxation of energy production should be based on energy content and the total climate impact in terms of CO2 emissions;
Amendment 969 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39 a (new)
Paragraph 39 a (new)
39a. Stresses that a high level of environmental protection must be ensured in the context of considering energy security; recalls, in this connection, the environmental, climate and health risks and impacts related to the extraction of unconventional fossil fuels;
Amendment 1029 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 43
Paragraph 43
43. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to undertake common efforts in order to bring down wholesale and retail gas and energy prices by 20 % by 2020for the consumers;
Amendment 1073 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 44 a (new)
Paragraph 44 a (new)
44a. Underlines the importance of investments in technological innovation and market penetration of smart grids and meters, as well as smart consumer friendly applications and services.