34 Amendments of Grzegorz TOBISZOWSKI related to 2020/0006(COD)
Amendment 58 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) The transition to a climate-neutral and circular economy constitutes one of the most important policy objectives for the Union., although the COVID-19 pandemic will have a significant impact on this objective On 12 December 2019, the European Council endorsed the objective of achieving a climate-neutral Union by 2050, in line with the objectives of the Paris Agreementwith one Member State indicating that it cannot commit itself to this objective. While fighting climate change and environmental degradation will bring general benefit alls in the long term and provides opportunities and challenges for all in the medium term, not all regions and Member States start their transition from the same point or have the same capacity to respond. Some are more advanced than others, whereas the transition entails a wider social and economic impact for those regions that rely heavily on fossil fuels - especially coal, and lignite, as well as peat and oil shale - or greenhouse gas intensive industries. Such a situation not only creates the risk of a variable speed transition in the Union as regards climate action, but also of growing disparities between regions, detrimental to the objectives of social, economic and territorial cohesion.
Amendment 91 #
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 support the transition towards a climate- neutral economy and actions to mitigate 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 and modernisation of the local economy and by mitigating the negative repercussions on employment. 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 108 #
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+ willmay contribute fully to the achievement of this target, provided that the Member States so decide.
Amendment 115 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6 a (new)
Recital 6 a (new)
(6a) On basis of the European Investment Bank’s guidelines, funding should be permitted for up to 75 % of the assumed costs of a project supported by the JTF.
Amendment 130 #
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, as well as orn 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 ttarget mainly those Member States where the magnitude of the challenges is greatest, mainly due to their dependence on generating energy from coal and lignite. The distribution of its financial means should reflect the magnitude of the challenges and the capacity of Member States to finance the necessary investments to cope with the transition towards climate neutrality.
Amendment 145 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8 a (new)
Recital 8 a (new)
(8a) Nuclear energy can play a role in meeting climate objectives because it does not emit greenhouse gases, and can also ensure a significant share of electricity production in the EU. Nevertheless, due to the waste it produces, this energy requires a medium- and long-term strategy that takes into account technological advances (laser, fusion, etc.) aimed at improving the sustainability of the entire sector. The Fund could contribute to implementation of safe nuclear energy and thus help to meet the EU’s climate goals.
Amendment 166 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) This Regulation identifies types of investments for which expenditure may be supported by the JTF. All supported activities should be pursued in full respect of the climate and environmental priorities of the Union. The list of investments should include those that support local economies and are sustainable in the long- term, taking into account all the objectives of the Green Deal. The projects financed should contribute to a transition to a climate-neutral and circular economy. For decliningemission-intensive sectors, such as energy production based on coal, and lignite, as well as peat and oil shale or extraction activities for these solid fossil fuels, support should be linked to the phasing out of the activity and the corresponding reduction in the employment level. As regards transforming sectors with high greenhouse gas emission levelproductive sectors, support should promote new activities through the deployment of new technologies, new processes or products, leading to significant emission reduction, in line with the EU 2030 climate objectives and EUthe EU’s pursuit of climate neutrality, by 205013while maintaining and enhancing employment and avoiding environmental degradation. Particular attention should also be given to activities enhancing innovation and research in advanced and sustainable technologies that are also marketable, as well as in the fields of digitalisation and connectivity, provided that such measures help mitigate the negative side effects of a transition towards, and contribute to, a climate- neutral and circular economy. _________________ 13 As set out in “A Clean Planet for all European strategic long-term vision for a prosperous, modern, competitive and climate neutral economy”, Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the European Council, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions and the European Investment Bank - COM(2018) 773 final.
Amendment 192 #
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 ifwhen they are necessary forcontribute to 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 201 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) In order to provide flexibility 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 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 shcould 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.
Amendment 213 #
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 the basis of 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 225 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16
Recital 16
Amendment 255 #
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.
Amendment 275 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1
Article 3 – paragraph 1
1. The JTF shall support the Investment for jobs and growth goal in all Member States whose Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2018 was below the European Union average. Member States extracting coal or lignite shall always be entitled to support from the JTF.
Amendment 281 #
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 7.5X1a 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. _________________ 1aThe resources of the Fund should be significantly higher than the EUR 7.5 billion foreseen, in order to meet the requirements of a just transition.
Amendment 287 #
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 7.5X1a 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. _________________ 1aThe resources of the Fund should be significantly higher than the EUR 7.5 billion foreseen, in order to meet the requirements of a just transition.
Amendment 318 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point a
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point a
(a) productive investments in SMEs, including in SMEs and start-ups, leading to economic diversification and reconversion;
Amendment 337 #
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 of advanced technologies that are marketable;
Amendment 365 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point d a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point d a (new)
(da) investments relating to the production, processing, distribution, storage and combustion of natural gas;
Amendment 366 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point d a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point d a (new)
(da) investments related to construction of nuclear power plants as well as distribution of nuclear energy;
Amendment 374 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point d b (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point d b (new)
(db) investments in energy efficiency and renewables, including investments in district heating;
Amendment 412 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point g a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point g a (new)
(ga) investments in energy efficiency and renewables, including investments in district heating;
Amendment 413 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point g a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point g a (new)
(ga) investments in sustainable multimodal urban mobility or contributing to reducing emissions in all transport modes;
Amendment 419 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point g b (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point g b (new)
(gb) investments that contribute to reducing emissions from transport;
Amendment 441 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2
Amendment 459 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point a
Amendment 487 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point d
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point d
(d) investment related to the production, processing, distribution, storage or combustion of solid fossil fuels;
Amendment 532 #
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 transferred in accordance with Article [21a] of Regulation (EU) [new CPR]. The total of the ERDF and ESF+ resources that can be transferred to the JTF priority shall be at least equal to one and a half times the amount of support from the JTF to that priority but shallshould not exceed three times that amount.
Amendment 536 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 6 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Projects funded by the JTF that contribute to its specific objective may receive funding of up to 75% of the assumed costs.
Amendment 559 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) a description of the transition process at national level towards a climate- neutral economy, including a timeline for key transition steps which are consistent withdeveloped on the basis of the latest version of the National Energy and Climate Plan (‘NECP’);
Amendment 580 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point e
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point e
Amendment 612 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9
Article 9
Amendment 633 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point a – point i
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point a – point i
(i) greenhouse-gas emissions of industrial facilities in NUTS level 2 regions where the carbon intensity, as defined by the ratio of greenhouse gas emissions of industrial facilities as reported by Member States in accordance with Article 7 of Regulation (EC) No 166/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council28 compared to the gross value added of the industry, exceeds by a factor of two the EU-27 average. Where that level is not exceeded in any NUTS level 2 regions in a given Member State, greenhouse-gas emissions of industrial facilities in the NUTS level 2 region with the highest carbon intensity is taken into account (weighting 4925%), _________________ 28Regulation (EC) No 166/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 January 2006 concerning the establishment of a European Pollutant Release and Transfer Register and amending Council Directives 91/689/EEC and 96/61/EC (OJ L 33, 4.2.2006, p. 1).
Amendment 643 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point a – point ii
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point a – point ii
(ii) employment in the mining of coal and lignite (weighting 2549%),
Amendment 658 #