Activities of Alexander BERNHUBER related to 2020/2058(INI)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on the sustainable Europe Investment Plan - How to finance the Green Deal
Amendments (23)
Amendment 3 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Underlines that Erasmus+, the European Solidarity Corps and Creative Europe, as the EU’s main education, volunteering and culture programmes, play a key role in fostering education in the skills needed for the green transition, raising awareness of environmental and climate issues, volunteering to protect the environment and the rural area, and developing creative, inclusive and accessible solutions to tackle environmental challenges; highlights in this regard the importance of agricultural internships supported by Erasmus+;
Amendment 8 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Highlights in regard to Erasmus+ that agricultural internships raise awareness on challenges related to the environment and climate change; notes, that agricultural internships ensure, that young people work with nature, act environmentally friendly, learn about the high standards and values of European food production and furthermore, learn to preserve and respect biodiversity;
Amendment 8 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the Commission communication on the Sustainable Europe Investment Plan (COM(2020)0021), which aims to enable a just and well-managed transition towards a resilient and sustainable society; emphasises that it is imperative that the EU achieve the revised 2030 and 2050 climate and biodiversityall environmental goals and reach its commitments under the Paris Agreement, based on the best available science;
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1 b. Through solidarity placements, projects and networking activities in the field of agriculture and rural development, the European Solidarity Corps and Erasmus+ offer a valuable and sustainable opportunity for young people to learn to respect and protect the climate and the environment and exchange best practices;
Amendment 13 #
1 c. Welcomes the European Commission's communication on the Sustainable European Investment plan; calls on the Commission to facilitate sustainable investments in the fields of culture, education, youth and sports;
Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 d (new)
Paragraph 1 d (new)
1 d. Considers that the investment plan has to be complementarity with other relevant Union policies, programmes and funds, in particular those relating to education and youth, culture and sport, agriculture and rural development, environment and climate;
Amendment 16 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 e (new)
Paragraph 1 e (new)
1 e. Points out that the investment plan should support research on nature-based solutions, green technologies and other sustainable solutions that can help to protect the environment and the climate; highlightes that especially start-ups, young professionals and young people who already work on innovative green solutions should have access to funding;
Amendment 20 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Considers it essential that the investment plan provides for and enables additional investment with real added value and doesn’t crowd out market financing;
Amendment 24 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1b. Emphasises that the transition cannot be done simply with public funds; calls on the Commission when developing the Investment Plan to encourage and enable private investments;
Amendment 25 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 c (new)
Paragraph 1 c (new)
1c. Notes that, even with an ambitious funding, the available funds will not be unlimited; calls on the Commission to establish a robust framework for reporting and monitoring to ensure that spending has a real impact;
Amendment 37 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls on the Commission to introduce financial incentives in the investment plan to complement the Erasmus+, European Solidarity Corps and Creative Europe programmes in the shift towards more environmentally friendly, sustainable means of transport, in particular railways, while also promoting inclusion and accessibility; takes the view that participants for whom air travel is the only option, shall not be discriminated or excluded from the programmes; such incentives should be supported with an ambitious and dedicated budget within the investment plan;
Amendment 41 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Emphasises the need for prioritisation among the MFF expenditures;
Amendment 47 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Is concerned about the situation resulting from the COVID-19 crisis, especially that of the most vulnerable individuals and sectors and that of minorities, who face an even more precarious situation than before the crisis; calls on the Commission to take all necessary measures to adapt the proposal for the Green Deal investment plan to develop an approach coordinated with emergency measures, such as the Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative and the proposed SURE scheme, and recovery instruments, andrecovery instruments; notes, that any measures must not overlap or lead to duplicity; requests that investment in the fields of culture, education, youth and sport be considered strategic in order to foster the green transition promoted through the Green Deal.
Amendment 63 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Commits to a just recovery from the coronavirus crisis that ensures that taxpayers’ money is prudently invested in the future, not the past; that conditions fiscal expansion to drive the shift to a green economy and make societies and peopleand more resilient economy; that employs public funds to climate proof sectors and projects, thereby generattrigger additional investments ing green jobs and sustainable growth and transition to low carbon energy; that incorporates climate risks and opportunities into the financial system, as well as all aspects of public policymaking and infrastructure; and that guarantees an end to fossil fuel subsidies and applies the polluter pays principle;
Amendment 84 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Insists that all large share of EU- supported investments be subject to tha clear and predictable EU taxonomy for sustainable activities and the Paris- aligned and Climate Transition Benchmarks; calls on the Commission to propose a ‘brown’ taxonomy and enhanced social sustainability criteria to avoid corporate greenwashing;
Amendment 101 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. EmphasisReiterates the European Parliament’s demand that at least 40 % of investments under the InvestEU programme should contribute to climate objectives; believes that the green finance gap is surmountable;
Amendment 107 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
Amendment 121 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. UrgNotes the Commission to come forward with an EU taxonomy for the public sector and a grepossibilities to take environmental aspects into consideration under current public procurement regulationdirective and other sectoral legislation, such as the Clean Vehicles Directive;
Amendment 140 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls onNotes the intention of the Commission to revise State aid rules to allow public support for the European Green Deal and to reform the European Semester to deepen the inclusion of the Sustainable Development Goals and the European Pillar of Social Rights; calls on the Commission to ensure the integrity of the internal market and a level playing field in any future revision;
Amendment 149 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
Amendment 159 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. claims the creation of a special dedicated funding for supporting the integration of renewable energy projects as well as use of renewable construction material (e.g. wood construction, renewable insulation materials). This fund has to be filled up from fossil energy use. For every kWh of fossil energy that is brought onto the European market, the provision of an equivalent quantity (1kWh) of renewable energy must be proven. This can be done through payments on account into that fund for supporting the transformation to bioeconomy.
Amendment 166 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Underlines the importance of increased economic growth in facilitating the necessary investments for transitioning the economy;
Amendment 172 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 b (new)
Paragraph 9 b (new)
9b. Calls on the Commission to facilitate exchange of best practices between Member States regarding the role of public investment in achieving the Green Deal;