Activities of Erik BERGKVIST related to 2020/0006(COD)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Just Transition Fund
Amendments (41)
Amendment 16 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) As set out in the European Green Deal and the Sustainable Europe Investment Plan, a Just Transition Mechanism should complement the othmobilising at least EUR 1 trillion to support sustainable investments over the next decade through the EU budget and associated instruments, a Just Transition Mechanism dedicated to a socially fair just green transition, mobilising at least EUR 100 billion should notably support workers actions under the next multi-annual financial framework for the period from 2021 to 2027nd citizens of the regions impacted by the transition, while complementing green transition actions of relevant programmes under the 2021-2027 MFF. It should contribute to addressing the social and economic consequences of transitioning, in particular for workers affected in the process, towards Union climate neutrality by bringing together the Union budget’s spending on climate and social objectives at regional level.
Amendment 22 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) This Regulation establishes the Just Transition Fund (‘JTF’) which is one of the pillars of the Just Transition Mechanism implemented under cohesion policy. The aim of the JTF is to mitigate and compensate the adverse effects of the climate transition by supporting the most affected territories and workers concerned. In line with the JTF specific objective, actions supported by the JTF should directly contribute to alleviate the impact of the transition by financing the diversification, repositioning and modernisation of the local economy and by mitigating the negative repercussions on employment and standards of living. This is reflected in the JTF specific objective, which is established at the same level and listed together with the policy objectives set out in Article [4] of Regulation EU [new CPR].
Amendment 23 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5 a (new)
Recital 5 a (new)
(5a) The application of Union support and funding through the JTF shall ensure that all eligible projects in every Member State are consistent with all Member States’ responsibility to achieve national climate neutrality by 2050, endorsed by the European Parliament resolution (2019/2930(RSP) and the European Council (EUCO 29/19);
Amendment 26 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) In view of the importance of tackling climate change in line with the Union’s commitments to implement the Paris Agreement, the commitment regarding the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the increased ambition of the Union as proposed in the European Green Deal, the JTF should provide a key contribution to mainstream climate actions. Resources from the JTF own envelope are additional and come on top of the investments needed to achieve the overall target of 25% of the Union budget expenditure contributing to climate objectives. Resources transferred from the ERDF and ESF+ will contribute fully to the achievement of this target, and facilitating the green transition, while fully contributing to new high-quality jobs, inclusive sustainable growth and regional development.
Amendment 35 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) The resources from the JTF should complement the resources available under cohesion policy, and come on top of the proposal of the Commission for Cohesion Policy in the 2021-2027 MFF. The voluntary contributions transferred from ERDF and ESF+ to the JTF shall not exceed 60% of the amount of support from the JTF. They shall not impact the primary role of cohesion policy and cannot exceed 20% of the resources originally allocated to a Member State for the ERDF and ESF+.
Amendment 41 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7 a (new)
Recital 7 a (new)
Amendment 43 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) Transitioning to a climate-neutral economy is a challenge for all Member States. It will be particularly demanding for those Member States that rely heavily on fossil fuels or greenhouse gas intensive industrial activities which need to be phased out or which need to adapt due to the transition towards climate neutrality and that lack the financial means to do so. The JTF should therefore cover all Member States, but the distribution of its financial means should reflect the capacity of Member States to finance the necessary investments to cope with the transition towards climate neutrality. Particular attention shall be paid to insular or sparsely populated and remote areas where the transition in energy towards climate neutrality is more challenging to implement.
Amendment 57 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) To protect citizens who are most vulnerable to the climate transition, the JTF should also cover the up-skilling and reskilling of the affected workers, with the aim of helping them to adapt to new employment opportunities, as well as providing job-search assistance to jobseekers and their active inclusion into the labour market. The creation of a net employment effect with new high quality jobs should be an overall goal of the climate transition and the Just Transition Mechanism and the JTF.
Amendment 63 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12
Recital 12
(12) In order to enhance the economic diversification of territories impacted by the transition, the JTF should provide support to productive investment in SMEs. Productive investment should be understood as investment in fixed capital or immaterial assets of enterprises in view of producing goods and services thereby contributing to gross-capital formation and employment. For enterprises other than SMEs, productive investments should only be supported if they are necessary for mitigating job losses resulting from the transition, by creating or protecting a significant number of jobs and they do not lead to or result from relocation. Investments in existing industrial facilities, including those covered by the Union Emissions Trading System, should be allowed if they contribute to the transition to a climate-neutral economy by 2050 and go substantially below the relevant benchmarks established for free allocation under Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council14 and if they result in the protection of a significant number of jobs. Any such investment should be justified accordingly in the relevant territorial just transition plan. In order to protect the integrity of the internal market and cohesion policy, support to undertakings should comply with Union State aid rules as set out in Articles 107 and 108 TFEU and, in particular, support to productive investments by enterprises other than SMEs should be limited to enterprises located in areas designated as assisted areas for the purposes of points (a) and (c) of Article 107(3) TFEU. Productive investment for enterprises should not distort competition between enterprises. _________________ 14Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 October 2003 establishing a scheme for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading within the Community and amending Council Directive 96/61/EC (OJ L 275, 25.10.2003, p. 32).
Amendment 64 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12
Recital 12
(12) In order to enhance the economic diversification and repositioning of territories impacted by the transition, the JTF should provide support to productive investment in SMEs. Productive investment should be understood as investment in fixed capital or immaterial assets of enterprises in view of producing goods and services thereby contributing to gross-capital formation and employment. For enterprises other than SMEs, productive investments should only be supported if they are necessary for mitigating job losses resulting from the transition, by creating or protecting a significant number of jobs and they do not lead to or result from relocation. Investments in existing industrial facilities, including those covered by the Union Emissions Trading System, should be allowed if they contribute to the transition to a climate-neutral economy by 2050 and go substantially below the relevant benchmarks established for free allocation under Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council14 and if they result in the protection of a significant number of jobs. Any such investment should be justified accordingly in the relevant territorial just transition plan. In order to protect the integrity of the internal market and cohesion policy, support to undertakings should comply with Union State aid rules as set out in Articles 107 and 108 TFEU and, in particular, support to productive investments by enterprises other than SMEs should be limited to enterprises located in areas designated as assisted areas for the purposes of points (a) and (c) of Article 107(3) TFEU. _________________ 14Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 October 2003 establishing a scheme for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading within the Community and amending Council Directive 96/61/EC (OJ L 275, 25.10.2003, p. 32).
Amendment 76 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) In order to provide flexibility and coherence for the programming of the JTF resources under the Investment for jobs and growth goal, it should be possible to prepare a self-standing JTF programme or to Member States, in close cooperation with local and regional authorities and social partners, should programme JTF resources in one or more dedicated priorities within a programme supported by the European Regional Development Fund (‘ERDF’), the European Social Fund Plus (‘ESF+’) or the Cohesion Fund. In accordance with Article 21a of Regulation (EU) [new CPR], JTF resources should be reinforced with complementary funding from the ERDF and the ESF+. TA self-standing JTF programme could be alternatively prepared whe resp objective amounts transferred from the ERDF and the ESF+ should be consistent with the type of operations set out in the territorial just transition planscircumstances justify such a course of action.
Amendment 79 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13 a (new)
Recital 13 a (new)
(13a) In accordance with Article 21a of Regulation (EU) [new CPR], JTF resources may be reinforced with complementary funding from the ERDF and the ESF+. The respective amounts transferred from the ERDF and the ESF+ should be consistent with the type of operations set out in the territorial just transition plans. The JTF resources may be reinforced by the budgetary authority within the annual budgetary procedure.
Amendment 81 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13 b (new)
Recital 13 b (new)
(13b) The implementation of JTF resources shall minimise the administrative burden and costs for beneficiaries of the fund and for all actors involved in line with the simplification measures introduced by the CPR.
Amendment 82 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) The JTF support should be conditional on the effective implementation of a transition process in a specific territory in order to achieve a climate-neutral economy. In that regard, Member States should prepare, in cooperation with the relevant stakeholders and supported by the Commission, territorial just transition plans, detailing the transition process, consistently with their National Energy and Climate Plans. To this end, the Commission should set up a Just Transition Platform, which would build on the existing platform for coal regions in transition to enable bilateral and multilateral exchanges of experience on lessons learnt and best practices across all affected sectors. In addition, the territorial just transition plans shall be consistent with the relevant territorial strategies referred to in Article [23] of Regulation(EU) [new CPR], including Smart Specialisation Strategies (S3), the NECPs and the European Pillar of Social Rights, in order to shaping and implementing the Just Transition Fund, comprising a strategic coordination of local, regional, national and Union efforts for diversification of regional economies, while ensuring a just and fair transition.
Amendment 84 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) Respect and adherence to fundamental Union values such as the rule of law principle should be mandatory for receiving any financial support from the EU budget, including the JTF. Member States benefitting from the JTF should be committed to achieving the EU 2050 climate neutrality target .The JTF support should be conditional on the effective implementation of a transition process in a specific territory in order to achieve a climate-neutral economy. In that regard, Member States should prepare, in cooperation with the relevant stakeholders and supported by the Commission, territorial just transition plans, detailing the transition process, consistently with their National Energy and Climate Plans. To this end, the Commission should set up a Just Transition Platform, which would build on the existing platform for coal regions in transition to enable bilateral and multilateral exchanges of experience on lessons learnt and best practices across all affected sectors.
Amendment 90 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) The territorial just transition plans should identify the territories most negatively affected, where JTF support should be concentrated and describe specific actions to be undertaken to reach a climate-neutral economy, notably as regards the conversion or closure of facilities involving fossil fuel production or other greenhouse gas intensive activities. Those territories should be precisely defined and correspond to NUTS level 3 regions or should be parts thereof. The plans should detail the challenges and needs of those territories and identify the type of operations needed in a manner that ensures the coherent development of climate-resilient economic activities that are also consistent with the transition to climate-neutrality and the objectives of the Green Deal. The plans should detail synergies and complementarities with other Union programmes and pillars of the Just Transition Mechanism and, where relevant, the Modernisation Fund to address identified development needs. Only investments in accordance with the transition plans should receive financial support from the JTF. The territorial just transition plans should be part of the programmes (supported by the ERDF, the ESF+, the Cohesion Fund or the JTF, as the case may be) which are approved by the Commission.
Amendment 96 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) In order to enhance the result orientation of the use of JTF resources, the Commission, in line with the principle of proportionality and Regulation (EU).../...[new CPR], should be able to apply financial corrections in case of serious underachievement of targets established for the JTF specific objective.
Amendment 99 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16 a (new)
Recital 16 a (new)
(16a) Since the European Semester process is having an impact on the programming of the JTF, local and regional authorities shall be effectively involved as key partners in the European Semester dialogue. This enhanced involvement of local and regional authorities in the European Semester will contribute to help the latest to better integrate the cohesion policy partnership and multilevel governance in the coordination of economic policies.
Amendment 100 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 18
Recital 18
(18) In order to set out an appropriate financial framework for the JTF, implementingdelegated powers should be conferred on the Commission to set out the annual breakdown of available allocations per Member State in accordance with Annex I. A revised allocation method, taking better into account other sectors directly or indirectly affected by the transition, should accompany a significant increase of the resources of the JTF.
Amendment 105 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1
1. This Regulation establishes the Just Transition Fund (‘JTF’) to provide support to territories facing serious socio-economic challenges deriving from the transition process towards a climate-neutral economy of the Union by 2050, ensuring that all Member States achieve climate neutrality by 2050.
Amendment 110 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
The resources for the JTF under the Investment for jobs and growth goal available for budgetary commitment for the period 2021-2027 shall be EUR 18.7.5 billion in 2018 prices, which may be increased, as the case may be, by additional resources allocated in the Union budget, and by other resources in accordance with the applicable basic act. . The amount of the JTF may be increased for the period 2021- 2027 when deemed appropriate, as the case may be, by additional resources allocated in the Union budget, by the budgetary authority under the annual budgetary procedure. In addition, the financial envelope for the JTF may be increased by additional contributions from Member States, and by other resources in accordance with the applicable basic act, constituting external assigned revenue in addition to the cases listed in point (a) of Article 21(2) of the Financial Regulation.
Amendment 120 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3
Article 3 – paragraph 3
3. The Commission shall adopt a decision by means of an implement delegated act ing actcordance with Article 10 setting out the annual breakdown of resources, including any additional resources referred to in paragraph 2, by Member State in accordance with the methodology set out in Annex I.
Amendment 124 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1
Article 4 – paragraph 1
1. Only Member States that are committed to achieving the EU 2050 climate neutrality target and adhere to the fundamental values of the Union may benefit from the JTF. The JTF shall only support activities that are directly linked to its specific objective as set out in Article 2 and which contribute to the implementation of the territorial just transition plans established in accordance with Article 7.
Amendment 125 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1
Article 4 – paragraph 1
1. The JTF shall only support activities that are directly linked to its specific objective as set out in Article 2 and which contribute to the implementation of the territorial just transition plans established in accordance with Article 7. The JTF resources shall be additional and shall not replace activities supported under the ERDF, ESF+, or other EU programmes.
Amendment 128 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point a
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point a
(a) productive and sustainable investments in SMEs, including start-ups, leading to economic diversification and reconversion;
Amendment 133 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point c
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point c
(c) investments in research and innovation activities, including research institutions and universities, and fostering the transfer of advanced technologies;
Amendment 134 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point c
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point c
(c) investments in research and innovation activities and fostering the transfer and adoption of advanced technologies;
Amendment 136 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point d
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point d
(d) investments in the deployment of technology and infrastructures for affordable clean energy, in greenhouse gas emission reduction,and sustainable energy, in reducing dependency on carbon- intensive energy and energy poverty, in greenhouse gas emission reduction, including investments in sustainable transport and infrastructure, inter alia fostering electrification and the use of biofuels in order to phasing out fossil fuels, ensuring energy efficiency and renewable energy;
Amendment 140 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point e
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point e
(e) investments in digitalisation and digital connectivity, including new high speed networks such as fibre-optic cables to individual households in insular, remote and sparsely populated areas in order to enabling teleworking and reducing emissions;
Amendment 143 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point f
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point f
(f) investments in regeneration and decontamination of sites, land restoration and repurposing projects, while ensuring appropriate respect for the polluter pays principle;
Amendment 155 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 3
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 3
The JTF may also support investments to achieve the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from activities listed in Annex I to Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council provided that such investments have been approved as part of the territorial just transition plan based on the information required under point (i) of Article 7(2). Such investments shall only be eligible where they are necessary for the implementation of the territorial just transition plan., must be sustainable and shall not be made in energy projects relying on fossil fuels and that are not in line with climate action targets;
Amendment 170 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point e
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point e
(e) investment in broadband infrastructure in areas in which there are at least two broadband networks of equivalent category. This exclusion shall not apply to insular, remote and sparsely populated areas where new individual high- speed infrastructures are required to reach individual households.
Amendment 172 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point e a (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point e a (new)
(ea) investments in projects that do not respect occupational health and safety standards for workers;
Amendment 178 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
The JTF resources shall be programmed for the categories of regions where the territories concerned are located, on the basis of the territorial just transition plans established in accordance with Article 7 and approved by the Commission as part of a programme or a programme amendment. The resources programmed shall take the form of one or more specific programmes or of one or more priorities within a programme. priorities within a programme supported by the European Regional Development Fund (‘ERDF’), the European Social Fund Plus(‘ESF+’) or the Cohesion Fund, or one or more specific programmes where objective circumstances justify such a course of action. The programming of JTF resources shall be in accordance with article 6 of the regulation CPR and ensure the direct involvement of authorities of targeted territories at NUTS2 or NUTS3 level, namely via the allocation of resources through regional programmes, where such programmes are in place, or the exploitation of integrated territorial tools set out under Art.22-28 of Regulation (EU) [new CPR].
Amendment 182 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
The Commission shall only approve a programme where the identification of the territories most negatively affected by the transition process, contained within the relevant territorial just transition plan, is duly justified and the relevant territorial just transition plan is consistent with the National Energy and Climate Plan of the Member State concerned as well as existing relevant regional and local strategies.
Amendment 186 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2
Article 6 – paragraph 2
2. The JTF priority or priorities shall comprise the JTF resources consisting of all or part of the JTF allocation for the Member States and the resources voluntary transferred in accordance with Article [21a] of Regulation (EU) [new CPR]. The total of the ERDF and ESF+ resources transferred to the JTF priority shall be at least equal to one and a half timesnot exceed 60% of the amount of support from the JTF to that priority but shall not exceed three times that amount. It shall take place without prejudice to ensuring adequate funding to the priorities under the ERDF and ESF+. In no case shall the resources transferred from either the ERDF or the ESF+ exceed 20% of the respective ERDF and ESF+ allocation to the Member State concerned.
Amendment 191 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1
Article 7 – paragraph 1
1. Member States shall prepare, together with all the relevant authorities of the territories concernedand social partners, notably at local and regional level of the territories concerned in accordance with Article 6 of the Regulation CPR, one or more territorial just transition plans covering one or more affected territories corresponding to level 3 of the common classification of territorial units for statistics (‘NUTS level 3 regions’) as established by Regulation (EC) No 1059/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council as amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 868/201417 or parts thereof, in accordance with the template set out in Annex II. Those territories shall be those most negatively affected based on the economic and social impacts resulting from the transition, in particular with regard to expected job losses in fossil fuel production and use and the transformation needs of the production processes of industrial facilities with the highest greenhouse gas intensity. Objective and transparent criteria shall be used to designate the targeted areas and define the distribution of funding among them. The just transition plans shall ensure consistency with relevant strategic documents, in particular Smart Specialisation Strategies (S3) preferably defining the framework of priorities and implementation processes, the NECPs, and the European Pillar of Social Rights and existing regional and local strategies. _________________ 17Regulation (EC) No 1059/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 May 2003 on the establishment of a common classification of territorial units for statistics (NUTS) (OJ L 154 21.6.2003, p. 1).
Amendment 200 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point j
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point j
(j) synergies and complementarities with other Union programmes and pillars of the Just Transition Mechanism and, where relevant, the Modernisation Fund to address identified development needs.
Amendment 206 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 2
Article 10 – paragraph 2
2. The power to adopt delegated acts referred to in Article 3(3) and 8(4) shall be conferred on the Commission for an indeterminate period of time from [the date of the entry into force of this Regulation].
Amendment 207 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 3
Article 10 – paragraph 3
3. The delegation of power referred to in Article 3(3) and 8(4) may be revoked at any time by the European Parliament or by the Council. A decision to revoke shall put an end to the delegation of the power specified in that decision. It shall take effect the day following the publication of the decision in the Official Journal of the European Union or at a later date specified therein. It shall not affect the validity of any delegated acts already in force.
Amendment 208 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 6
Article 10 – paragraph 6
6. A delegated act adopted pursuant to Article 3(3) and 8(4) shall enter into force only if no objection has been expressed either by the European Parliament or by the Council within a period of two months of notification of that act to the European Parliament and the Council or if, before the expiry of that period, the European Parliament and the Council have both informed the Commission that they will not object. That period shall be extended by two months at the initiative of the European Parliament or of the Council.