10 Amendments of Klaus BUCHNER related to 2016/2059(INI)
Amendment 8 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Is of the opinion that energy security can be achieved in the most efficient way through better coordination of national energy policies and consensus between the Member States on this matter in line with EU targets and international obligations as well as with the objectives and the consistency of the Common Foreign and Security Policy; believes, in this context, that further integration of energy policy should be for the benefit of non EU and EU Member States and their citizens;
Amendment 11 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Stresses that trade plays a keyn important role in energy security, and that strong energy partnerships, reinforced by the inclusion of energy chapters in the EU’s trade agreements, are essential tools; considers it to be of key importance that the EU’s trade agreementspolicy enhances the EU’s energy diversification and reduces its dependence on imported energy from too few suppliers;
Amendment 16 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Highlights that energy is a basic human good and that an important goal of the Energy Union is to ensure equal and cheap access for all and to combat energy poverty; believes that through energy cooperation the EU can positively contribute to promoting and strengthening democracy, the rule of law and human rights in partner countries; calls in this context for better links between energy and climate policiesreminds that climate change diplomacy is an integral part of the EU foreign policy and calls in this context for the full integration of its climate policies into the EU energy policy;
Amendment 23 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Recalls that in order to meet the current challenges and implement its energy and climate change objectives in the context of global constraints in those policy fields, the EU and its Member States must, on the basis of existing multilateral conventions and legal frameworks, also take common action on the international stage by raising energy security and sustainability issues in international trade forums;
Amendment 25 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Stresses the need to ensure the highest environmental standards in the planning, construction and use of liquefied natural gas (LNG); underlines the necessity of raising awareness to environmental, climate and social impacts of imported LNG; asks the Commission in this context to require foreign gas suppliers that their production conditions must meet standards required for production in the EU, and to allow Member States to refuse LNG that has been produced under conditions infringing their respective national standards;
Amendment 30 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Recalls that in order to promote the transition towards a low-carbon society, we need to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels; highlights that the existing technologies converting solar- and wind- generated power into ‘artificial natural gas’ are cost-efficient methods to further this transition without building additional infrastructure in light of vast storage facilities, gas transport networks and modern gas power plants already in existence;
Amendment 32 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Emphasises that liquefied natural gas (LNG) and gas storage are of particular importance in order to avoid dependence on a single energy supplier; calls in this context for the promotion and development of new natural gas nodes and LNG storage stations in the central and south-eastern regions, the Baltic and the Mediterranean; highlights that the Commission should consider in upcoming gas supply contracts that in the future "artificial natural gas" production will play an important role;
Amendment 36 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Stresses the importance of reducing or removing the EU gas and oil dependence on authoritarian regimes that violate human rights as a matter of consistency with the EU founding values and the effectiveness of the EU external action;
Amendment 44 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Points out that it is estimated that gas imports to the EU will rise until 2030, even if gas demand within the EU simultaneously stays stagnant or declines; stresses that moderating energy demand and promoting renewable and local energy sources are amongStresses that reducing energy demand and promoting renewable and local energy sources backed by energy efficiency measures as well as the phase- out of fossil fuel subsidies are the most effective tools for reducing dependence on external energy and to reach a fossil fuel free economy by 2050; recalls that the EU has significant LNG import excess capacity overall, but that this capacity is not evenly distributed in geographical terms;
Amendment 56 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Points out that LNG trading prices have been declining internationally and that price differentials between pipeline imports and LNG have also decreased; considers, therefore, that the key challenge is to address bottleneckreminds, however, of the volatility of gas prices and of the irreducible additional costs of LNG due to transport, liquefaction, shipping and regasification that make up the bulk of costs and rendergy security concerns in relation both to trade and to optimising LNG and related infrastructure unprofitable in times of oversupply and low gas prices; hence stresses a better use of existing infrastructure should be prioritised over the construction of new ones that in discrepancy with decreasing demand could result in significant storage capacity.nded assets;