Activities of Manuel BOMPARD related to 2021/2011(INI)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on a European strategy for critical raw materials
Amendments (107)
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 10 a (new)
Citation 10 a (new)
— having regard to its resolution of 10 march 2021 on recommendations to the Commission on corporate due diligence and corporate accountability,
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 10 b (new)
Citation 10 b (new)
— having regard to the UN Guiding Principles on business and human rights,
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion
Recital 1 a (new)
Recital 1 a (new)
1a. whereas the International Resource Panel, in its report ‘Global Resources Outlook 2019’, estimates that half of the total greenhouse gas emissions and more than 90 % of biodiversity loss and water stress come from resource extraction and processing; whereas Europe’s environmental footprint exceeds the planetary boundaries and Europe contributes more to environmental degradation than other regions through consumption; whereas a significant reduction in our overall use of natural resources and in our waste production should be the overarching main objective of the European strategy for critical raw materials; whereas this will require a decoupling of economic growth from resource use, keeping in mind the distinction between absolute and relative decoupling;
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 10 c (new)
Citation 10 c (new)
— having regard to the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Business Conduct (RBC),
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion
Recital 1 b (new)
Recital 1 b (new)
1b. whereas European Environmental Agency's report ‘Growth without economic growth’ concluded that global- scale, long-lasting and absolute decoupling of economic growth from resource consumption and environmental pressures may not be possible; whereas OECD's report ‘Global Material Resources Outlook to 2060’ forecast that global material use will more than double from 79 Gt in 2011 to 167 Gt in 2060 and that the materials intensity of the global economy is projected to decline more rapidly than in recent decades, but only relatively decouple from GDP growth;
Amendment 7 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 10 d (new)
Citation 10 d (new)
— having regard to the 2009 UN Environment programme Guidelines for Social Life Cycle Assessment of Products1a, _________________ 1a https://wedocs.unep.org/handle/20.500.11 822/7912
Amendment 8 #
Draft opinion
Recital 1 c (new)
Recital 1 c (new)
1c. whereas the European Environment Agency, in its report ‘The European Environment - State And Outlook 2020’, concluded that marine life, including species and habitats, is still under pressure across Europe from cumulative impacts that reduce the overall resilience of marine ecosystems; Whereas the target of achieving good environmental status of European marine waters by 2020 was not achieved; whereas globally oceans, seas and marine resources are increasingly threatened, degraded or destroyed by human activities;
Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion
Recital 1 d (new)
Recital 1 d (new)
1d. whereas the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (the Charter) requires a high level of environmental protection and the improvement of the quality of the environment must be integrated into the policies of the Union and ensured in accordance with the principle of sustainable development; Whereas the Charter applies to all Union legislation and to national authorities when implementing Union law both in the Union and in third countries; Whereas, given that future legislation on corporate due diligence and corporate accountability for European undertakings would be expected to have extraterritorial effects, such legislation would affect the environmental development of developing countries and their prospects of achieving their SDGs; whereas any corporate due diligence legislation must be in line with the Paris Agreement;
Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 22 a (new)
Citation 22 a (new)
— having regard to the IEA special report of 07 May 2021 “ The Role of Critical Minerals in Clean Energy Transitions”,
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 22 b (new)
Citation 22 b (new)
— having regard to the European Environment Agency January 2021 report on growth1a, _________________ 1a https://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/sustain ability-transitions/drivers-of- change/growth-without-economic-growth
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas critical raw materials (CRMs) are precious and limited goods of all humankind, that must be treated with care in front of the growing demand for the over whole periodic table; whereas CRM are the originators of industrial value creation and therefore essentially affect downstream sectors; whereas it is of high importance that the EU takes back reduces its dependency and increase its accountrol ofability over its flows, value, and supply chains, and supports, fosters and digitalises ecosystems since this is the new core capacity in international (industrial) competition;
Amendment 18 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recalls its demand in its resolution of 10 February 2021 on the New Circular Economy Action Plan1 for binding EU reduction targets for primary raw materials use; requests that the Commission include all possible options to minimise resource consumption in its demand scenarios for critical raw materials (CRM)science-based binding EU mid-term and long-term targets for the reduction in the use of primary raw materials and environmental impacts within planetary boundaries by 2050 at the latest; requests that the Commission include all possible options to minimise resource consumption in its demand scenarios for critical raw materials (CRM); reiterates its call for the Commission to introduce material footprint and consumption footprint indicators measuring resource consumption and resource productivity, as well as a number of sub-indicators on resource efficiency and ecosystem services; __________________ 1 Texts adopted, P9_TA(2021)0040.
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Aa. whereas the extractive industry also brings negative externalities on the upstream sector to be taken into account and prevented ; whereas mining activities produce air emissions that affect air quality, can also lead to large-scale soil and water contamination and contribute significantly to deforestation and loss of biodiversity; whereas mining activities are also exposing workers to harmful and hazardous conditions; whereas labour rights and protection varies greatly across the globe and different mining sites;
Amendment 20 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recalls its demand in its resolution of 10 February 2021 on the New Circular Economy Action Plan1 for binding EUscience-based binding EU mid- and long-term reduction targets in the use for primary raw materials use and environmental impacts, to stay within planetary boundaries by 2050 at the latest; requests that the Commission include all possible options to minimise new resource consumptionextraction and to prioritize reducing consumption, re-using, repairing and recycling in its demand scenarios for critical raw materials (CRM); __________________ 1 Texts adopted, P9_TA(2021)0040.
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A b (new)
Recital A b (new)
Ab. whereas, as pointed in the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee,” there are extremely few examples of raw material exports in developing countries triggering sustainable economic and social development from which broad sections of the population would have benefited. Rather, the situation often entails social exploitation and environmental pollution with usually only a few profiteers on the winning side”;
Amendment 21 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A c (new)
Recital A c (new)
Ac. whereas, according to several scientific studies, approximately 10% of the world's primary energy was devoted to extracting, transporting and refining metal resources in all sectors; whereas the relative share of the world's primary energy devoted to metals is expected to increase by 40% by 2030; whereas the mining sector is responsible for 2% of current global emissions ;
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the growing populationdemand for smart devices, especially IoT, as well as technologies for renewables and the transition towards digital, highly energy- efficient and climate-neutral economies lead in all scenarios to a significant higher demand for CRMs6 ; whereas this scenarios are all based on an unstainable growth model for the planet and humankind, based on supply-side, instead of along-term. public-led planification based foremost on the demand ; whereas digitalisation should also be an opportunity to reduce human exposure to harmful and hazardous conditions and help to create more quality and decent jobs; _________________ 6 World Bank, Commission Foresight Study, OECD.
Amendment 28 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas certain materials mined in Europe like lithium currently have to leave Europe for processing ;
Amendment 29 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B b (new)
Recital B b (new)
Bb. whereas according to the United Nations University, in 2016, the total value of secondary raw materials in waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) was estimated to be around EUR 55 billion1a ; _________________ 1a https://collections.unu.edu/eserv/UNU:78 19/GEM_2020_French_final_pages.pdf
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B c (new)
Recital B c (new)
Bc. whereas, according to the same study, up to 90% of the world's e-waste has been illegally traded or landfilled1a; _________________ 1a https://collections.unu.edu/eserv/UNU:78 19/GEM_2020_French_final_pages.pdf
Amendment 31 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B d (new)
Recital B d (new)
Bd. whereas 352,474 metric tonnes of e-waste are exported each year from EU countries to countries in the South where social, health and safety regulations are less stringent than in the EU;
Amendment 32 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Points out that around 10% of global primary energy is used to extract, transport and refine metal resources across all sectors; highlights that the relative share of global primary energy used for metals is set to increase by 40% by 20301a;notes that the mining sector is responsible for 2% of current global emissions1b; __________________ 1aNorgate, T., Jahanshahi, S., ‘Reducing the greenhouse gas footprint of primary metal production: Where should the focus be?’, Minerals Engineering Volume 24, Issue 14, November 2011, pages 1563- 1570. 1bUNFCC (2018), Industry Sector Snapshot. Mining and Metals.
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Ca. whereas several key industrial projects in mining and processing, totalling almost EUR 2 billion, are under way in Europe, expecting to cover 80% of our lithium needs in the battery sector by 2025 ;
Amendment 37 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C b (new)
Recital C b (new)
Cb. whereas under a high demand scenario, the EU would need 18 times more lithium by 2030 and 60 times more by2050; whereas the mining needed for this development is water-intensive, which may compete with the needs of local populations, especially in water-stressed regions1a ; _________________ 1ahttps://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal- content/FR/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:52 020DC0493&from=FR#footnote87
Amendment 40 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1b. Notes with concern that the twin green and digital transition promoted by the Commission will require increasing amounts of rare earths, rare metals, critical metals and base metals;
Amendment 40 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C c (new)
Recital C c (new)
Cc. whereas the European Environment Agency, in a report of January 2021, considers that "economic growth is closely linked to increased production, consumption and use of resources, with negative effects on nature, climate and human health"; that "current research suggests that it is unlikely that economic growth can be completely divorced from its environmental impacts";
Amendment 41 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C d (new)
Recital C d (new)
Cd. whereas, in the frame of twin transition, there is a serious risk of misuse of EU funds by merely speculative companies and projects, without real effect on economy and territories ;
Amendment 42 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas with current growth and capitalist model, it is evident that new sourcing is required and that the potential of sourcing at high sustainable standards by the EU and its neighbourhood should be carefully and quickly exploitedexploited; whereas, as the amount of metals available on Earth is limited, other options such as recycling, should be promoted in order to change and reduce our over whole consumption and production model ;
Amendment 48 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 c (new)
Paragraph 1 c (new)
1c. Highlights with deep concern the risk of creating and maintaining a vicious circle in which metal extraction becomes increasingly energy-intensive and energy production consumes increasing quantities of metals;
Amendment 50 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 d (new)
Paragraph 1 d (new)
1d. Points out that most mineral resources, particularly metals, are not renewable; emphasises that the quantity of all metals available on earth is therefore finite on a human scale;
Amendment 51 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 e (new)
Paragraph 1 e (new)
1e. Denounces therefore the myth of a total decoupling of growth from the use of natural resources, and stresses that this can only be achieved in the EU at the cost of relocating polluting production and activities to countries outside the EU, making them shoulder the burden of an unsustainable mode of production, consumption and trade;
Amendment 53 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 f (new)
Paragraph 1 f (new)
1f. Emphasises that, in a January 2021 briefing, the European Environment Agency notes that ‘economic growth is closely linked to increases in production, consumption and resource use and has detrimental effects on the natural environment and human health’, and that ‘it is unlikely that a long-lasting, absolute decoupling of economic growth from environmental pressures and impacts can be achieved’1a; __________________ 1aEuropean Environment Agency (2021), Growth without economic growth.
Amendment 54 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 1
Subheading 1
Challenges and opportunities for a responsible, sustainable and long-term public planning of the demand
Amendment 55 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 g (new)
Paragraph 1 g (new)
1g. Considers therefore that ‘green growth’ strategies based on the myth of decoupling, such as the current European Green Deal, are inadequate; notes that it has been clear since 1972, when the Meadows report was published, that the pursuit of exponential economic growth, even where it is green growth, can only lead to the biophysical limits of the earth being exceeded, which is likely to result in the collapse of current modes of production, consumption and trade; points out that in developed countries, since the 1980s, economic growth has not been linked to an improvement in people’s well-being;
Amendment 55 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 1 a (new)
Subheading 1 a (new)
Denounces the myth of an absolute decoupling between growth and the use of natural resources ; stresses that current growth model in the EU is often at the cost of relocating polluting production and activities to third countries, making them bear the burden of an unsustainable mode of production, consumption and exchange ;
Amendment 56 #
Calls on the Commission and the Member States to plan for the adoption of binding medium and long-term European targets, based on scientific knowledge, for the reduction of the use of primary raw materials and the impact on the environment, the transition to an economic system compatible with the new global limits ;
Amendment 58 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 h (new)
Paragraph 1 h (new)
1h. Points out that the EU’s environmental footprint and, more broadly, the pressure of human activities on ecosystems must decrease immediately and irreversibly;
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Considers that waste collection and product design are ‘low hanging frunecessary prerequisit’e strategies to increasmprove CRM supply; notes that CRM substitution, while having its limits in product efficiency, is an inherent goal of industry because of high prices and dependencylso favourable to the industry in the very short term because of high prices and dependency; underlines that current pricing mechanisms do not include negative externalities and do not contribute to a more sensible use of raw materials ;
Amendment 59 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 i (new)
Paragraph 1 i (new)
1i. Urges the Commission and Member States to democratically plan for the transition to an economic system compatible with the nine planetary boundaries identified by Rockström et al, by adopting science-based binding EU mid-term and long-term targets for the reduction in the use of primary raw materials and environmental impacts;
Amendment 62 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 j (new)
Paragraph 1 j (new)
1j. Stresses that the transition to an economic system compatible with the planetary boundaries must not come at the expense of vulnerable people, but must contribute to a constant improvement in living and working conditions in the EU and third countries;
Amendment 67 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Asks the Commission to set ambitious product design requirements for easy removal ofand identification of different CRMs; calls for ambitious binding minimum recycled CRM content targets; requests that the Commission propose new EU-wide collection schemes to increase collection rates of waste products containing CRMs; askUrges to make use of the positive experiences from deposit refund schemes of glass and plastics in many Member States; demands the Commission to propose dedicated binding recycling targets for CRMsall CRMs accompanied by a robust monitoring framework, by extending the approach suggested in the proposal for a regulation on batteries and waste batteries (COM(2020)0798) to other product groups without delay;
Amendment 69 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Stresses that CRM sourcing is tied to geographic location, highly dependent on the availability of low-carbon and renewable energy, and at risk of indirect and direct carbon leakage and exposure to unfair competitionfossil energy, and is a major source of CO2 emissions ; stresses in that regard that the sector should be compelled to transition to low carbon and renewable energy sources for its extraction; underlines unfair competition arises from social and ecological dumping ;
Amendment 74 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Asks the Commission to set ambitious product design requirements for easy removal of CRMs; calls for mandatory ambitious minimum recycled CRM content targets; requests that the Commission propose new EU-wide collection schemes to significantly increase collection rates of waste products containing CRMs; asks the Commission to propose binding dedicated recycling targets for CRMs, by immediately extending the approach suggested in the proposal for ain the regulation on batteries and waste batteries (COM(2020)0798) to other product groups;
Amendment 84 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls on the Commission to review the criticality assessment methodology before 2023, ahead of the publication of the next list of CRMs; and introduce social and ecological criterion in its methodology for a wider picture of the condition of extraction across the globe ; those criterion should be based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the UNGP, including the ILO's fundamental labour rights, the Declaration of Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, which includes the Core Labour Standards and the Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy, as well as the UN SDGs ;
Amendment 89 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls on the Commission to pay attention not only to CRMs but also to the potential criticality of other raw materials needed for the twin transition; calls on the Commission to consider also aspects of thermodinamical rarity, that is, to take into account natural mineral scarcity as well as energy cost of extraction and refining1a ; _________________ 1a https://www.researchgate.net/publication/ 317771645_The_Thermodynamic_Rarity_ Concept_for_the_Evaluation_of_Mineral _Resources
Amendment 99 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls on the Commission and the European Raw Materials Alliance to prioritise CRM extraction from existing mines and waste dumps over new mining; requests that the Commission assess whether current due diligence and environment rules are sufficient to guarantee minimal environmental impact of potential new mining projects in the EU, and revise them where necessary;
Amendment 104 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls on the Commission and the European Raw Materials Alliance to prioritise CRM extraction from existing mines and waste dumps over new mining; requests that the Commission assess whether current due diligence and environment rules are sufficient to guarantee minimal environmental impact of potential new mining projects in the EU; emphasizes that reducing the adverse environmental effects of new mining projects in the EU cannot be based on offsetting schemes;
Amendment 106 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Notes that environmental standards for resource extraction and recycling in the European Union are robust in comparison to third countries; stresses that environmental standards regarding CRMs in the European Union and its Member states must be further developed and strengthened in order to guarantee a safe operation space for our societies within the planetary boundaries; highlights that currently high volumes of CRMs leave the union as waste which weakens the Unions strategic autonomy and causes both environmental problems and public health hazards in third countries; Urges the Commission to come up with legislative proposal without delay to ensure that CRMs do not leave the borders of the European union as waste, especially concerning dismantling of marine vessels;
Amendment 106 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to create an Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI) on CRMs for a strategic sustainable planning of our demand for the twin transition assessing domestic mineral sources, mining, smelting, transforming, recycling, re-purposing as well as training and retraining of workers ;
Amendment 107 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Considers that solutions to substitute or at least reduce the quantity of CRMs needed by European industry must be found, in particular with the aim of limiting dependence on foreign suppliers and reducing the damage done to the environment; stresses, however, that substitution can be only a transitional solution as transferring demand to other metals is not an answer, in the medium and long term, to global pressure on metals and the finite nature of resources;
Amendment 117 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. Recalls its demand in its resolution of 10 March 2021 on Corporate due diligence and corporate accountability1a for the Union to urgently adopt binding requirements for undertakings to identify, assess, prevent, cease, mitigate, monitor, communicate, account for, address and remediate potential and/or actual adverse impacts on the environment, among other aspects, in their value chains; highlights that the demand for ambitious due diligence and corporate accountability consider also CRM value chains; stresses that it is the responsibility of governments to ensure peoples right to healthy and safe environment and that this responsibility should not be transferred to private actors; __________________ 1a Text adopted, P9_TA(2021)0073
Amendment 119 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. Points out that only a few metals are recycled relatively well, with most being poorly recycled; stresses therefore that very few small metals are recycled, in particular rare earths;
Amendment 120 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. WelcomNotes the creation of the European Raw Materials Alliance (ERMA) and its current focus on the most critical CRMs, namely rare earth elements and magnets, since the market conditions are completely distorted and monopolised by China, and on quantitative domestic and non-Chinese sourcing targets to support long-term supply relationships for a huge range of small and large manufacturers in the EU; underlines its role as the world’s largest ‘certification process’ for environmentally assessed and feasible CRM projectsa few global players ; underlines its role as the world’s largest ‘certification process’ for environmentally assessed and feasible CRM projects; warns against the structure of this Alliance, based on Public-Private Partnerships which allow huge financial transfers from public to private hands as well as allowing private commercial interests to set the political and financial agenda of the EU on CRM ; stresses that the participation of foreign companies undermines the so-called European strategic autonomy ;
Amendment 123 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 c (new)
Paragraph 3 c (new)
3c. Calls on the Commission to always include in the external policy activities on CRMs, including in trade and investment agreements, binding provisions and discussions on the protection of the environment; stresses that all such agreements must be fully aligned with and drive forward the implementation of the Paris Agreement, the Convention on Biological Diversity and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); believes that such levelled playing concerning environmental standards would significantly mitigate environmental dumping in international trade and improve the health of citizens in the EU and third countries; emphasizes that mitigating environmental pressures in third countries caused by Europe's demand of CRMs cannot be based on offsetting schemes;
Amendment 123 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Insists on a public leadership of the ERMA, with all territories concerned, trade unions, NGOs, academics and scientists at its core ; further insists on promoting comprehensive social dialogue mechanisms within ERMA emphasising the employment potential in domestic extractive industries while ensuring the highest environmental standards and good working conditions;
Amendment 124 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 c (new)
Paragraph 3 c (new)
3c. Points out that small metals are often used in the form of complex alloys; stresses that such alloys make recycling extremely complex; calls on the Commission to introduce binding product design standards so that components are easy to separate when end-of-life products are dismantled;
Amendment 127 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 d (new)
Paragraph 3 d (new)
3d. Stresses, however, that, when alloys are recycled, the metals recovered are not in their purest form as they become degraded through use; emphasises that increasing the volumes recycled will not reduce mining in the long term unless our growth model changes; notes that a truly circular economy is built on a waste hierarchy in which waste prevention is distinguished from and prioritised over recycling; considers therefore that achieving a truly circular economy, capable of reducing our mining activities, is incompatible with the continued existence of a capitalist economy based on the sole imperative of profitability;
Amendment 127 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 b (new)
Paragraph 9 b (new)
9b. Calls the Commission and Member States to evaluate very carefully every proposal for exploitation of CRM, to ensure the best economic and social value for the territories concerned ;
Amendment 128 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 e (new)
Paragraph 3 e (new)
Amendment 129 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 f (new)
Paragraph 3 f (new)
3f. Stresses that WEEE poses significant health and safety risks as it contains a complex mixture of materials, some of which are hazardous; stresses as a result that repair and recycling of electronic products expose workers to toxic and radioactive materials; calls for workers in this sector to be given appropriate personal protective equipment; calls for the right to adequate personal protective equipment to be extended to the informal circular economy;
Amendment 130 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 g (new)
Paragraph 3 g (new)
Amendment 130 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Regrets that the creation of strategic stockpiling is not yet part of the action plan in a coordinated and public-led approach between Member States;
Amendment 131 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 h (new)
Paragraph 3 h (new)
3h. Expresses alarm at the quasi- monopoly that the People’s Republic of China has over rare earths and rare metals; considers that, even if China does not necessarily have any hostile geostrategic intentions against the Union, this dependence on China is not compatible with the strategic autonomy imperatives of the EU;
Amendment 133 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Stresses the need for closer partnerships between CRM actors, especially mining regions, and downstream users and the common awareness and commitment to sustainable value chains;
Amendment 140 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Believes that mining permits should include requirements forbe conditional upon effective guarantees of the proper recovery of all CRMs; requests that the Commission urgently implement Parliament’s demands in its resolution of 27 April 2017 on implementation of the Mining Waste Directive2; __________________ 2 OJ C 298, 23.8.2018, p. 132.
Amendment 143 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Points out that, on 5 August 2020, the United Nations Environment Programme adopted a new Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management; notes that the standard covers the entire lifecycle of tailings facilities, from selection of the site, design and construction, through management and monitoring, to closure and post- closure; emphasises that it covers topics such as: affected communities; integrated knowledge base; design, construction, operation and monitoring of tailings facilities; management and governance; emergency response and long-term recovery; and public disclosure and access to information;
Amendment 143 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Calls for the harmonisation of the definition of waste in the EU and to step- up efforts in the field of market surveillance in order to prevent illegal exports of e-waste;
Amendment 145 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4b. Calls on the Commission to study the possibility of incorporating into Union law and developing further the new UNEP Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management, and to distribute the standard throughout the value chains of companies importing and using CRMs within the internal market;
Amendment 151 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Underlines the need to build secondary CRM markets in order to guarantee constant secondary CRM flows; notes that there is no one-size-fits-all approach; notes that dis-assembly and recycling is major opportunity for re- location of industrial jobs in Europe ;
Amendment 161 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Welcomes the proposal to map the potential supply of secondary CRMs from EU stocks and waste; encourages the Commission to make this mapping exercise a priority and carry it out earlier than envisaged, by the end of 2021;
Amendment 164 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Notes the importance of waste recycling considering the high presence of CRM in electrical or electronic equipment ; notes that the increase in recycled volumes is not sufficient in the long term to reduce mining if our growth model remains unchanged; further notes that by moving towards a more circular economy700,000 jobs1a could be created, especially through additional labour demand from recycling plants, repair services and rebounds in consumer demand from savings generated through collaborative action; notes that industrial CRM recycling processes still need massive investment in the collection and recovery infrastructure, in innovation and scaling of technologies, and in skills, while providing job opportunities; , training and labour protection ; recommends in all circular economy plans to have a waste hierarchy, in which waste prevention is the first priority, before maximising the potential of recycling; _________________ 1a https://circulareconomy.europa.eu/platfor m/sites/default/files/ec_2018_- _impacts_of_circular_economy_policies_ on_the_labour_market.pdf
Amendment 165 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Believes thatCalls for mining shouldto be forbidden in nature conservation areas and in all protected area categories, in accordance with the IUCN international recommendations; calls on the Commission to evaluate the various legislative options to ensure that local communities are fully involved in the permit procedures for new industrial and new mining projects. ; calls on the Union and Member States to offer legal guarantees on social and environmental matters, in particular the prior, free and informed consent of all local communities, as well as effective mechanisms of redress managed by independent organisations and supervisory bodies free from any conflict of interest;
Amendment 166 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Believes that mining and the exploration of mining minerals should be forbidden in nature conservation areas, especially areas included in the Natura 2000 network; calls on the Commission to evaluatecome up with legislative optionsproposal to ensure that local communities are fully involved in the permit procedures for new industrial and new mining projects.democratic decision-making processes for new industrial and new mining projects and to pay special attention to the rights of indigenous people while drafting the proposal; stresses that mining projects must have social acceptance from EU citizens and communities must have a ‘Right to Say No’ to new mining projects in their local environment;
Amendment 171 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Supports the Commission’s review of State aid guidelines in all relevant sectors, including those related to CRMs and circular economy, in order to achieve the objectives of the European Green Deal by applying the ‘just transition’ principle; stresses that sustainable use of CRMs and transition to a fully circular economy in a just and inclusive way will demand massive public and private investments; highlights the role of R&D funding in developing more environmentally sound alternatives for current technologies, especially concerning batteries;
Amendment 172 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Points out that mining poses multiple risks of pollution to surface and ground water; stresses that such pollution can contaminate and even eliminate aquatic fauna a long way downstream of mining sites; emphasises that such pollution also affects plant growth and land animals that drink the water; notes that neighbouring populations are exposed to the contamination due to their consumption of polluted water and also plants and animals that have consumed the water;
Amendment 174 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Calls on the Commission to step up efforts to ensure the proper collection of end-of-life products with CRMs instead of having them stockpiled in households or discarded by landfill disposal or incineration; calls on the Commission in the framework of the revision of the eco- design directive, to promote ecoconception and renewable materials and foremost, introduce binding product design standards to ensure easy separation of components when dismantling end-of-life products ;further recommends to ban planned obsolescence and place a responsibility on manufacturers for product support over longer periods of time; underlines the necessity to clarify liability in case of repair or of upgrade between the original manufacturer and the organisation that repaired or upgraded the product;
Amendment 180 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Notes that while smart product design, the reuse of materials, recycled sources and substitution can significantly reduce primary demand, responsible and sustainable sourcing is needed when supply cannot be met; recommends to invest in research for new methods for extraction, recovery and production meeting the highest environmental and social standards;
Amendment 181 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6b. Acknowledges the lower environmental impact of electric vehicles (EV) in comparison to internal combustion engine cars; points out that despite relative advantages the manufacturing and use of EVs contribute to environmental problems through extraction of CRMs and multiple other ways; stresses that a truly sustainable transportation policy cannot be based on replacing internal combustion engine cars by EVs, but by putting walking, bicycling and public transportation as first and key policy priorities, especially in urban areas; highlights both the environmental and public health benefits of such sustainable transportation policy approach;
Amendment 183 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6b. Stresses that mining activities produce air emissions that harm air quality, that they can also contaminate the soil over large areas, and that they play a major role in deforestation and loss of biodiversity; emphasises that all this pollution seriously disturbs ecosystems;
Amendment 189 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 c (new)
Paragraph 6 c (new)
6c. Is concerned about the environmental state of oceans, seas and marine resources , including species and ecosystems, in the European Union and globally; stresses that deep-sea mining causes significant potential risks to fisheries disturbance, water contamination, sound pollution and habitat destruction; calls for imposing a ban on deep-sea mining in EU waters and the Union and its Member States to promote such moratorium globally;
Amendment 189 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18a. Calls on Member States to ensure the protection of workers in this sector, with appropriate personal protective equipment, considering that the repair and recycling of electronic products potentially exposes workers to toxic materials;
Amendment 191 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 c (new)
Paragraph 6 c (new)
6c. Points out that the mining required for this growth consumes large amounts of water, and that this may compete with the needs of local populations, particularly in regions subject to water stress; emphasises that around 70% of the mining operations of the six main mining companies are located in countries where there is water stress;
Amendment 192 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Highlights that sourcing in the EU ismust be subject to the highest environmental and social standards worldwide, provides thousands of highly qualified jobs and is an indispensable prerequisite of the green and digital transition; calls therefore on all actors to help build public acceptanceparticipation for responsible CRM sourcing projects in the EU; calls on the EU and the Member States to ensure strong social and environmental legal safeguards, including free prior and informed consent of all local communities, as well as effective redress mechanisms governed by independent bodies and oversight bodies free from conflicts of interest ;
Amendment 193 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 d (new)
Paragraph 6 d (new)
6d. Highlights that North and South Pole are experiencing faster warming than areas closer to the Equator due climate change; stresses the sensitivity and vulnerability of the these areas and the extreme difficulty of to mitigate environmental damage due harsh natural conditions; notes that the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (the Madrid Protocol) bans mining in Antarctic; points out that Greenland's bedrock contains rare earth mineral deposits that have drawn international interest in the mining industry; calls for the Union to support the government of Greenland to develop and implement high standard and sustainable mining regulation suitable for the local natural conditions;
Amendment 195 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 d (new)
Paragraph 6 d (new)
6d. Points out that local people suffer indirect consequences from the water, air and soil contamination caused by mining activities, with a major impact on their health;
Amendment 197 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 e (new)
Paragraph 6 e (new)
6e. Points out that there is a large body of evidence of non-compliance of EU law in relation to mining across the EU; urges the Commission and the Member States to step up efforts to enforce the rule of law and prevent breaches to EU law in the mining sector; highlights that communities effected negatively by mining must have adequate tools to seek justice for environmental damage;
Amendment 198 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 e (new)
Paragraph 6 e (new)
6e. Stresses that the pollution caused by mining has a direct impact on the means of subsistence of local people and may, in the long term, drive them to move away;
Amendment 198 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Demands that mining be prohibited in nature conservation areas, and in all categories of protected areas, in accordance with the international recommendations of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN); stresses in particular the importance of preserving the seabed and water bodies, as defined by water framework directive;
Amendment 199 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 f (new)
Paragraph 6 f (new)
6f. Highlights that the European Green Deal and its initiatives, such as increased organic farming and promoting zero-carbon steel making, will not only mitigate multiple environmental pressures, but also increase the Union's and its Member States self-sufficiency on CRMs; believes that the advantages of the green transition should be also considered from the perspective of strategic autonomy in addition to mere narrow economic or environmental viewpoint;
Amendment 200 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 b (new)
Paragraph 19 b (new)
19b. Underlines that mining of CRM should never be an imperative reason of overriding public interest, including those of a social or economic nature, in particular in the frame of Article 6.4 of Directive2009/147/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009on the conservation of wild birds and Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora ;
Amendment 201 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 f (new)
Paragraph 6 f (new)
6f. Stresses that the development of mining activities, especially where forest areas are converted into mines, poses a particular risk to indigenous peoples and infringes their rights;
Amendment 202 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 g (new)
Paragraph 6 g (new)
6g. Recalls its demand in its proposal of 8 October 2020 on the European Climate Law1a that the Union institutions and all Member States should, as early as possible and by 2025 at the latest, have phased out all direct and indirect fossil subsidies; stresses that all public subsidies related to CRMs should follow the ‘do no harm’ principle; __________________ 1a Text adopted, P9_TA(2020)0253
Amendment 203 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 g (new)
Paragraph 6 g (new)
6g. Points out that mining activities mainly take place in developing countries, where labour standards are far less protective than in the Union, and that working conditions in mining operations therefore endanger the health and lives of the miners;
Amendment 204 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 h (new)
Paragraph 6 h (new)
6h. Stresses that the risks to the health and safety of workers are particularly high in small-scale mining, which is the main type of mining using child labour;
Amendment 205 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 i (new)
Paragraph 6 i (new)
6i. Considers that, by setting standards, the Union should guarantee worldwide that mining fully respects human rights, offers decent working conditions, minimises its impact on the water supplies and health of local populations, ensures prudent resource management and soil use, and prevents any water, air or soil contamination, deforestation or loss of biodiversity;
Amendment 205 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Underlines the importance of maintaining and further developing expertise and skills in mining and processing technologies in the EU; insists on investments on training of workers through the Just Transition Mechanism as mining skills can be transferred to metal and minerals exploitation, possibly in the same regions ;
Amendment 206 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 j (new)
Paragraph 6 j (new)
6j. Considers that the Union should introduce due diligence for companies operating in the internal market to ensure that those companies importing and using CRMs identify, assess, prevent, halt, mitigate and report on any potential and/or actual harmful effects of mining on human rights and the environment; stresses that victims should be guaranteed effective access to legal redress; welcomes in this respect the European Parliament resolution of 10 March 2021, which contains recommendations to the Commission on corporate due diligence and corporate accountability;
Amendment 207 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 k (new)
Paragraph 6 k (new)
6k. Considers that mining emissions and CRM imports should be covered by the future carbon border adjustment mechanism;
Amendment 208 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 l (new)
Paragraph 6 l (new)
6l. Calls on the Commission and Member States to put in place emission reduction strategies for imported CRMs for each sector with binding quantified targets, drawn up with stakeholders on the basis of the most ambitious existing initiatives;
Amendment 209 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 m (new)
Paragraph 6 m (new)
6m. Points out that seismic sounding and offshore drilling cause significant noise pollution in the oceans, that the aquatic environment is particularly sensitive to noise pollution, and that there is evidence that many marine animals, particularly cetaceans, are directly affected, sometimes fatally, by this noise pollution of human origin;
Amendment 210 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 n (new)
Paragraph 6 n (new)
6n. Considers that it would be a tragedy if the large deposits of rare earths in the seabed were mined; stresses that the consequences of mining in deep water could be far-reaching, severe and felt by many generations to come, principally through species loss and damage to ecosystems.
Amendment 213 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Calls on the Member States to improve the timeliness, predictability and transparency of the authorisation processes for sourcing projects; calls on the EU and the Member States to ensure strong social and environmental legal safeguards, including free prior and informed consent of all local communities, as well as effective redress mechanisms governed by independent bodies and oversight bodies free from conflicts of interest ;
Amendment 231 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Urges the Commission to systematicacarefully and strategically build new CRM partnerships, taking into account sovereignty of third countries over their resources so as to ensure that CRM become a source of welfare for developing countries and make this endeavour a horizontal task of its external and internal policies and to present the results in 2021;
Amendment 234 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Welcomes the EU’s commitment to responsible and sustainable sourcing; stresses the need to underpin this commitment with concrete technical support, institution building and political dialogue with partner countries; stresses the need to mobilise more state and private actors to also subscribe to and implement sustainability standards, according to 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; regrets that the European Commission has postponed its proposition of a mandatory corporate due diligence legislation; insists that the European Union must urgently adopt across- sectoral legislation requiring corporations to respect all human rights and the environment throughout their entire value chains and ensure victims' access to justice; stresses once again that this legislation must provide for strict sanctions for companies, including fines comparable to those provided for by competition law, and civil liability to allow victims to access reparation; recalls its resolution of 10 March 2021 containing recommendations to the Commission on due diligence and corporate responsibility;
Amendment 240 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Calls for enhanced cooperation to develop international agreements for better monitoring, notification and implementation of CRM export restrictions promoting responsible sourcing and increasing circularity in this sector; supports the adoption of a legally binding treaty to regulate in international law the activities of transnational corporations and other business enterprises; urges the European Union to adopt a mandate and engage in the negotiations of the UN Open-Ended Intergovernmental Working Group to that end;
Amendment 246 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Reiterates its call in its resolution of 25 March 2021 on a new EU-Africa Strategy – a partnership for sustainable and inclusive development8 for fair and sustainable exploitation of CRMs in Africa, which account for 49 % of EU imports from Africa, and supports the Commission in its endeavours to conclude new CRM partnerships with Africanreminds that any new CRM partnerships between EU and African countries should follow the strictest principles of due diligence, and to create opportunities for development in those countries; ; _________________ 8 Texts adopted, P9_TA(2021)0108.
Amendment 248 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 a (new)
Paragraph 27 a (new)
27a. Considers that emissions from extractive activities and imports of critical raw materials should be covered by the border carbon adjustment mechanism ;