35 Amendments of Annie SCHREIJER-PIERIK related to 2015/2137(INI)
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. recalling that biodiversity encompasses the unique variety of ecosystems, habitats, species and genes on Earth, on which human beings are heavily dependent and within which human beings occupy a unique place;
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
Da. whereas the bulk of existing European nature areas form part of the European cultural landscape and have been historically shaped by human action;
Amendment 57 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that the general trend with regard to biodiversity continues to be cause for serious concern, and that the 2020 targets will not be achieved without substantial additional efforts; observes, at the same time, that targeted efforts genuinely produce results and that there is therefore great potential for improvement, so long as the efforts called for do not jeopardise the economic viability of the actors concerned;
Amendment 63 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Considers political will, efficient implementation, enforcement and further integration of biodiversity into other policy areas to be essential;
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Deplores the fact that nature and economic development are again in opposition; is convinced of the need to embed nature more in society, the economy and enterprise by means of scientific and innovative solutions so that economic growth, sustainability, ecology and biodiversity can go hand in hand;
Amendment 84 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Considers it vital to recognise that investing in biodiversity is essential from a socioeconomic point of view; welcomes methods to measure the economic value of biodiversity, such as The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB); considers that these instruments, despite possible shortcomingsprovided that a future solution is found for the shortcomings and problems that have been identified, can raise awareness, improve the use of available resources and result in better decision- making;
Amendment 99 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Urgently calls on the Commission and Member States to give priority to achieving the 2020 targets; calls for a multi- stakeholder approach and stresses the vital role both of immediate social and economic stakeholders and of regional and local actors in this regard; stresses that both greater public awareness of and the preservation of democratic support for biodiversity are also essential;
Amendment 112 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Stresses that the full and efficient implementation of the Nature Directives, meaning implementation which is sufficiently flexible and dynamic and eliminates red tape and legalistic approaches , is essential for the success of the strategy as a whole, and calls on all parties concerned to do their utmost to achieve this, in order to bring about widely and socially supported implementation, taking into account the geographical characteristics of regions;
Amendment 122 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls on the Commission to radically improve the guidelines, which should facilitate the optimal application of the directives, in accordance with existing case-law; calls on the Commission to give higher priority to dialogue with Member States and to encourage exchanges of best practices;taking full account of the social, economic, recreational, local, regional and cultural requirements in the Birds1a and Habitats Directives2a; calls on the Commission to give higher priority to dialogue with the actors directly involved in Member States and with the authorities of the Member States and to encourage exchanges of best practices between Member States, but without losing sight of the specific characteristics of the regions; __________________ 1a Article 2 of Directive 2009/147/EC. 2a Article 2(3) of Directive 92/43/EEC.
Amendment 130 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Calls on the Commission furthermore to tackle the task of implementation in a manner which, more than hitherto, takes account of the dynamic character of the species and habitats to be conserved;
Amendment 139 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Urges the Member States to complete the designation of Natura 2000 sites and draw up management plans; in extremely careful consultation with all stakeholders and actors concerned, while fully and strictly respecting the right to property1 a; __________________ 1aArticle 17(1), Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.
Amendment 143 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Calls on the Commission and Member States, in connection with management plans, to allow actors with a social, economic, recreational, regional, local or cultural interest themselves to perform appropriate assessments; (Regrettably, this does not yet happen in many Member States, but it does for example in the Member State France.)
Amendment 153 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Urges the Commission and Member States to continue to enforce the Nature Directives conscientiously; calls, in that context, for additional efforts to halt illegal hunting of protected birds; and at the same time for promotion of action both to combat damage by wild animals and to carry out other management of game and nature by qualified game keepers1 a to protect biodiversity; __________________ 1aCf. definitions of ‘fauna management unit’ and ‘game management unit’ in Article 1 of the Netherlands Flora and Fauna Act 1998.
Amendment 156 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Calls on the Commission and Member States to recognise the substantial expenditure by hunters in the field of biodiversity, conservation of ecosystems, and rare and endangered species; urges the Commission and Member States to provide financial support for the efforts of wildlife parks, qualified hunters and units for the management of fauna and game in the Union by means of economic instruments such as biodiversity banking, tax incentives, subsidies and funds, including the LIFE programme1 a and rural development projects relating to game management, combating damage by wild animals, and sustainable harvesting in the wild; __________________ 1aLIFE Programme. Nature & Biodiversity (sub-programme for Environment).
Amendment 161 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
Amendment 166 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Calls on Member States to prioritise the target of restoring 15% of degraded ecosystems by 2020 and to use the appropriations available within the MFF for this purpose;, including compensatory financial measures for actors with a social, economic, regional, local, cultural or recreational interest who suffer damage1 a; __________________ 1aCf. Article 2(3) of Directive 92/43/EEC, Article 2 of Directive 2009/147/EC.
Amendment 179 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Notes and regrets that thereRecalls that Member States were required to actually implement the greening measures under the CAP only in 2015; notes that, as a result of this, it has not yet been apossible to measurablee any improvement of the biodiversity status in agriculture arising from the greening measures implemented; urges the Commission and Member States to monitor, assess and if necessary increase the effectiveness of greening measures and other rural development measures of the CAP; calls on the Commission to take into account its findings in the mid-term review of the CAP; and where necessary to simplify greening measures;
Amendment 202 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Recognises the efforts to date made by European farmers for the conservation of biodiversity and the vital social contribution of family farms in the management of biodiversity in rural areas and the creation of cultural landscapes; stresses the freedom of choice of farmers in their approach to greening measures under the common agricultural policy;
Amendment 215 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 b (new)
Paragraph 13 b (new)
13b. Recognises the efforts to date made by farmers in the Union in the reduction of emissions that possibly, under certain circumstances, pose a threat to biodiversity; acknowledges that, following the recent scandal surrounding automobile emissions and bearing in mind the scientific research and proposed legislation currently under way regarding the measurement of actual emissions, calculations regarding the contribution of agriculture to total nitrogen deposition and total emissions of other substances that possibly, under certain circumstances, pose a threat to biodiversity, may be incorrect and must be treated with caution;
Amendment 236 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Amendment 249 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Urges the Commission to draw up an accurate list of invasive alien species which are of concern to the Union; stresses the importance of regularly updating this list, and of carrying out additional risk assessments for species, so that the legislation on invasive alien species can act as a powerful lever, provided that measures are taken to guarantee a level playing field in the Union;
Amendment 259 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to phase out environmentally harmful subsidiestep up support for research and development subsidies intended to achieve environmentally friendly and sustainable ways of preventing the loss of biodiversity and the deterioration of ecosystems; urges the Commission and Member States to fully endorse, fund and facilitate the transition to a circular economy, particularly with regard to the processing of manure and waste; calls on the Commission to submit an effective and ambitious action plan for combating illegal trafficking in wild animals and plants;
Amendment 279 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Stresses that the Nature Directives are milestones for nature policy, not only within the EU but also internationally; considers that, thanks to their concise, coherent and consistent form, these Nature Directives can, so to speak, be regarded as smart regulation avant la lettre although these Nature Directives basically contain all necessary elements, they cannot be regarded as smart regulation because of their fragmented, inconsistent and divergent implementation and legal interpretation by the judicial authorities in the Member States and Union and that in practice they all too often cause wildlife protection to become legalistic and bureaucratic;
Amendment 282 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17a. Calls on the Commission to give objective substance to the terms 'significant effect',1a 'for imperative reasons of overriding public interest',2a 'established practice' 3a and 'appropriate steps',4a so as to put an end to and prevent in future any divergent implementation and legal interpretation of the precautionary principle in the Member States and the Union; calls on the Commission to ensure that these concepts are given objective substance in the new, revised and updated guidelines 5a for implementation of the Nature Directives; __________________ 1a Article 6(2) of Directive 92/43/EEC 2a Article 6(3) and (4) of Directive 92/43/EEC 3a cf. Article 6(3) of Directive 92/43/EEC; CJEU 23 March 2006, Case C-209/04 Commission of the European Communities v Republic of Austria CJEU 14 January 2010, Case C-226/08 Stadt Papenburg v Bundesrepublik Deutschland 4a Article 6(2) of Directive 92/43/EEC 5a Cfparagraph 8 of the MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION on the mid-term review of the EU's biodiversity strategy (2015/2137(INI)).
Amendment 283 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 b (new)
Paragraph 17 b (new)
17b. Regrets the addition by Member States of 'national add-ons' to the requirements of the Nature Directives; calls on the Commission and Member States to press ahead with efforts to ensure effectively harmonised implementation by Member States so as to guarantee a level playing field in the Union, which does not currently exist; (In certain Member States, including the Netherlands, compulsory authorisation and other instruments relating to Natura 2000 areas apply. In the Netherlands, for example, 'national objectives' are also referred to, with no baseline having been set at the time of notification of a Natura 2000 site. Management plan provisions are therefore needed for the further development of habitats and species in Natura 2000 areas, which is not apparent from the Directives. In addition, while some Member States have incorporated hardship clauses into their national legislation relating to the EU Nature Directives, others, such as the Netherlands, have not done so, frequently making it impossible for them to make their laws less rigid so as to deal with intractable problems when they arise.)
Amendment 286 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Highlights that Natura 2000 is still a relatively young network, whose full potential is far from having been achieved because of insufficient cohesion and the fragmented designation of Natura 2000 areas and unnecessarily complex delimitation in certain Member States; considers that the Nature Directives aremain relevant and that best practices on implementation demonstrate their effectiveness; notes, however, that continuing legalistic and bureaucratic complications, uncertainties and numerous intractable problems reflect the urgent need for more effective implementation and hence an in-depth review of the guidelines;
Amendment 289 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18a. Notes that only after the Commission has carried out the necessary review of the abovementioned guidelines and, together with the Member States, addressed the intractable problems and sticking points occurring, will it be possible to speak of smart regulation and best practices within the Union;
Amendment 294 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Is convinced that the problem lies not with theonly with European legislation itself but primarily with its incomplete and inadequate implementation by the Member States as a result of the sticking points and uncertainties arising; opposes a possible revision of the Nature Directives becauseif this would jeopardise the implementation of the biodiversity strategy, and bring about a protracted period of legal uncertainty and possibly weaken the legislation; ;
Amendment 304 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to make all necessary efforts to resolve sticking points and genuinely intractable problems by carrying out a critical review of management plans in question and making the necessary improvements to the implementation guidelines, so as to ensure long-term democratic support for the European biodiversity strategy and the Nature Directives;
Amendment 310 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 b (new)
Paragraph 19 b (new)
19b. Reserves for itself, the Commission and the Council the right to revise the Nature Directives in future if the aforementioned major review of the guidelines does not take place and/or does not lead to a satisfactory solution to the abovementioned sticking points and intractable problems within the Union and the Member States.
Amendment 316 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Regards biodiversity loss outside protected nature areas as a gap in the strategy; encourages the Commission to develop an appropriate framework for preventing the net loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services with strict regard for the implications thereof in economic terms and in terms of employment, regional practices, recreation and culture;
Amendment 328 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Encourages the Member States to ensure, by means of urban planning initiatives, adequate protection of the Natura 2000 network, to preserve open spaces, and to establish a coherent network of blue-green infrastructure from rural to urban areas, while at the same time creating the requisite legal certainty for economicscope for the development of, and legal certainty for, social, economic, recreational and cultural activities; calls on the Commission to produce an overview of best practices in this regard;
Amendment 335 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Considers that, in order to use the available resources more efficiently and in a more targeted manner, it is essential that the Commission draw up specific criteria for the Natural Capital Financing Facility, which should guarantee that projects deliver positive and tangible results for biodiversityappropriate, positive and scientifically tangible results for biodiversity and to take sufficient account of social, economic, regional and cultural requirements;
Amendment 348 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Calls on the Commission and Member States to launch a European initiative on pollinators without delay, paying particular attention to the Varoa destructor and other problems of pest resistance affecting honeybees and other pollinators;
Amendment 357 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Strongly believes that the environment and innovation complement one another, and draws particular attention to organic and nature- based solutions which provide both economically and environmentally smart solutions to address challenges such as climate change, scarcity of raw materials and pollution; urges the Commission to allow as much scope as possible for innovations in these areas, such as the production of organic fertilizer out of mineral concentrates obtained from manure processing and calls on the Member States to take up these ‘calls’ under Horizon 2020;