44 Amendments of Stelios KYMPOUROPOULOS related to 2020/0006(COD)
Amendment 74 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1
Recital 1
(1) The regulatory framework governing the Union’s cohesion policy for the period from 2021 to 2027, in the context of the next multi-annual financial framework, contributes to the fulfilment of the Union’s commitments to implement the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by concentrating Union funding on green objectives. This Regulation implements one of the priorities set out in the Communication on the European Green Deal (‘the European Green Deal’)11 and is part of the Sustainable Europe Investment Plan12 providing dedicated financing under the Just Transition Mechanism in the context of cohesion policy to address the economic and social costs. by optimizing the sustainable employment opportunities, of the transition to a climate-neutral and circular economy, where any remaining greenhouse gas emissions are compensated by equivalent absorptions. __________________ 11 COM(2019) 640 final, 11.12.2019. 12 COM(2020) 21, 14.1.2020.
Amendment 87 #
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. 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 Agreement. While fighting climate change and environmental degradation will benefit all 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, lignite, 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 fundamental values for our Union, objectives of social, economic and territorial cohesion.
Amendment 99 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) In order to be successful, the transition has to be fairreduce regional disparities, be fair and inclusive and socially acceptable for all. Therefore, both the Union and the Member States must take into account its economic and social implications from the outset, and deploy all possible instruments to mitigate adverse consequences. TheAn increased Union budget with fresh money has an important role in that regard.
Amendment 119 #
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 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 mitigating the negative repercussions on employment and creating new sustainable jobs, while 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 134 #
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, with no allocation of the existing funds.
Amendment 144 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) The resources from the JTF should complement the resources available under cohesion policy. The establishment of the JTF should not lead to cuts to, or transfers from, the funds covered by Regulation (EU)…/… (new CPR)
Amendment 146 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) The resources from the JTF should complement the resources available under cohesion policy in regional frameworks that aim to optimally lever private capital.
Amendment 151 #
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. Particular attention should be paid in that regard to insular or mountainous areas whose population make the transition in energy towards climate neutrality more challenging. 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.
Amendment 153 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) Transitioning to a climate-neutral economy is a challenge for all Member Statemost EU regions. 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 thebe provided with the supporting funding schemes to help them modernise and 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, as soon as possible and by 2050 at the very latest.
Amendment 162 #
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 gradual transition to a climate-neutral and circular economy. For declining sectors, such as energy production based on coal, lignite, 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 over time. As regards transforming sectors with high greenhouse gas emission levels, 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 EU climate neutrality by 205013 while maintaining and enhancing the relevant skills of employmentees and avoiding environmental degradation. Particular attention should also be given to activities enhancing innovation and research in advanced and sustainable technologies, as well as in the fields of digitaliszation 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. Those investments should also enable the financing of the costs, during and especially following the transitional period, for expertise and analysis to help achieve the goals of successfully transformed SMEs to retain the up-skilled and re-skilled employees. __________________ 13As 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 165 #
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 declining sectors, such as energy production based on coal, lignite, 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 levels, 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 EU climate neutrality by 205013 while 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, as well as in the fields of digitalisation and connectivity, provided thatthe creation of knowledge innovation communities with emphasis in digitalization and connectivity, under the guidance of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, bringing together research centres, entrepreneurship, universities and local and regional governments, in order to attain the objective of a smart and sustainable transition, as such measures help mitigate the negative side effects of a transition towards, and contribute to, a sustainable, 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 181 #
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. Furthermore, the Commission is called to support the Member States and regions to create time- specific and place-specific favourable conditions for eco-systems that can attract and sustain innovative enterprises.
Amendment 185 #
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 and gain new skills suitable for the green economy, as well as providing job-search assistance to jobseekers and their active inclusion into the labour market.
Amendment 197 #
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, with particular consideration for the ensuring structural changes and the measures required for these changes. That exception should allow support for the economic development of areas where there is above-average, long-term unemployment, in view of their structural, economic and social situation. __________________ 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 12 a (new)
Recital 12 a (new)
(12a) Union state aid rules should be applied flexibly in eligible regions in transition, so as to support green, innovative investments. In doing so, the problems of structural change in eligible regions should be taken into account in order to ensure that those regions are given sufficient flexibility to carry out their projects in a social and economically sustainable manner.
Amendment 202 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12 b (new)
Recital 12 b (new)
(12b) The areas most affected by the transition should be given the opportunity to actively address the associated structural change, as early as possible. Accordingly, the applicable Union state aid rules should ensure that the required aid permissible, regardless of the status of the assisted regions.
Amendment 220 #
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 and, following the successful regional transition, will merge with the Climate Knowledge Innovation Communities.
Amendment 231 #
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, whilst maintaining and expanding employment opportunities in the affected territories in order to sustain inclusive growth. 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. 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 separate 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 236 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15 a (new)
Recital 15 a (new)
(15a) Additionally, according to the present planning, the managing authorities and Member States need to submit their territorial just transition plans by the end of 2020. That poses an implementation barrier and as the adoption of these plans is a condition to release the funding, conditional pre- financing for technical assistance should be made available before their adoption in order to overcome this barrier, targeting to a realistically progressive and inclusive transition according to the EU climate goals.
Amendment 241 #
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 261 #
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 17.588 billion in 2018 prices, which ("principal amount") and shall not be transferred from the allocations of the Funds covered by the Regulation (EU)…/…[new CPR]. The principal amount 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.
Amendment 270 #
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 283 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part
In accordance with paragraph 1, the JTF shall exclusively support the following activities:
Amendment 290 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point a a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point a a (new)
(aa) Communities supported on the quadruple axis of innovation: Government, enterprises, tertiary education and research centres;
Amendment 291 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point a b (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point a b (new)
(ab) investments in renewable energy, greening and green infrastructure construction, maintenance and development of related technologies;
Amendment 300 #
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, energy efficiency and renewable energincluding the deployment of environmentally-friendly means of transportation and energy efficiency;
Amendment 308 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point e
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point e
(e) investments in digitaliszation and, digital connectivity, future-oriented infrastructure and digital innovation;
Amendment 325 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point i
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point i
(i) job-search assistance and Long Life Learning opportunities to jobseekers;
Amendment 352 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point c
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point c
Amendment 356 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point d
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point d
Amendment 366 #
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 covered by Regulation (EU)…/… [new CPR].
Amendment 372 #
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 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 shall not exceed three times that amount.
Amendment 403 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point c
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point c
(c) an assessment of the transition challenges faced by the most negatively affected territories, including the social, economic, and environmental impact of the transition to a climate-neutral economy, identifying the potential number of affected jobs and job losses, the potential impact on government revenues, the development needs and objectives, to be reached by 2030 linked to the transformation or closure of greenhouse gas-intensive activities in those territories;
Amendment 411 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point e
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point e
(e) an assessment of its consistency with other national, regional or territorial strategies and plans, where relevant;
Amendment 431 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1
Article 7 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1
Territorial just transition plans shall be consistent with the relevant territorial strategies referred to in Article [23] of Regulation (EU) [new CPR], with relevant smart specialisation strategies, the NECPs and the European Pillar of Social Rights.
Amendment 437 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 4 a (new)
Article 8 – paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. This Article shall be applied in full compliance with Union and national laws on data protection and without prejudice to the provisions of Regulation (EU).../...[new CPR].
Amendment 440 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 1
Article 9 – paragraph 1
Amendment 445 #
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 448 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 6
Article 10 – paragraph 6
6. A delegated act adopted pursuant to Articles 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.
Amendment 450 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 a (new)
Article 10 a (new)
Article 10a Member States shall benefit from a transition period until... [one year from the date of entry into force of this Regulation] for the preparation and adoption of the territorial hust transition plans. All Member States shall be fully eligible for funding under this Regulation during that transition period, which shall not be taken into account by the Commission when considering a decision on decommitment or loss of funding.
Amendment 456 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point a – point ii
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point a – point ii
(ii) employment in mining of coal and lignite as a proportion of the total industrial workforce of each region (weighting 2533%),
Amendment 467 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point a – point v a (new)
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point a – point v a (new)
(va) the speed with which the Member States commit to reducing their greenhouse gas emissions from coal or lignite, as reflected in the respective 2030 National energy and Climate Plans (weighting 6%);
Amendment 471 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point b
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point b
(b) the allocations resulting from the application of point (a) are adjusted to ensure that no Member State receives an amount exceeding EUR 2 billion27% of the principal amount indicated in Article 3(2). The amounts exceeding EUR 2 billion27% per Member State are redistributed proportionally to the allocations of all other Member States. The Member States’ shares are recalculated accordingly;
Amendment 477 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point d a (new)
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point d a (new)
(da) population resident in insular or mountainous areas reliant on autonomous electricity production by diesel or petrol generators (weighting 2%);