Activities of Petros KOKKALIS related to 2020/0006(COD)
Plenary speeches (1)
Just Transition Fund (debate)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Just Transition Fund
Amendments (27)
Amendment 30 #
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.
Amendment 42 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7 a (new)
Recital 7 a (new)
(7a) Just Transition should be a horizontal policy approach in the new MFF 2021-2027 and thus sufficiently funded. JTF should not be considered as a stand-alone funding instrument but it should be additional to other funding schemes that ensure a fair transition for all to climate neutrality;
Amendment 62 #
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. These investments should take into account the polluters pay principle and not be considered as window of opportunity for industrial installations to sell surplus emissions allowances for their own profit. Investments in fossil fuels technologies like carbon capture and storage and improvement of emission performance of existing installations should also be excluded as they do not contribute to the climate neutrality until 2050 objective. 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 78 #
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 shouldmay 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 113 #
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 an additional amount of EUR 7.530 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.
Amendment 121 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 a (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Access to the JTF should be conditional to the acceptance of an ambitious Long Term Strategy consistent with an EU-wide objective of climate neutrality by 2050, as well as of intermediate national targets for 2030 consistent with the new 2030 EU target;
Amendment 131 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point b
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point b
(b) investments in the creation of new firms, in alternative sustainable economic activities, including through business incubators and consulting services;
Amendment 142 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point f
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point f
(f) investments in regeneration and decontamination of sites, land restoration and repurposing projects;. These investments should be complementary and consistent with the polluter pays principle.
Amendment 142 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) Transitioning to a climate-neutral economy is a challenge for all Member States. It will be particularly demanding for those Member States that rely heavily on fossil fuels or greenhouse gas intensive industrial activities which need to be phased out or which need to adapt due to the transition towards climate neutrality and that lack the financial means to do so. The JTF should therefore cover all Member States, but the distribution of its financial means should reflect the capacity of Member States to finance the necessary investments to cope with the transition towards climate neutrality. by 2050 at the latest;
Amendment 149 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 a (new)
Additionally, all investments must be eligible under the EU Sustainable Taxonomy Regulation and follow a community-driven approach in terms of planning, taking and ownership of investments;
Amendment 160 #
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 arerespect the rights of citizens as depicted in the European Pillar of Social Rights, support local economies and are socially, environmentally and economically 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, fossil gas, 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 sustainable 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 that such measures help mitigate the negative side effects of a transition towards, and contribute to, a climate- neutral and circular economy by 2050 at the latest. _________________ 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 180 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
The Commission shall only approve a programme where the identification of the territories most negatively affected by the transition process, contained within the relevant territorial just transition plan, is duly justified and the relevant territorial just transition plan is consistent with the National Energy and Climate Plan of the Member State concerned. For those Member States which have not yet committed to a 2050 national climate neutrality target, the Commission shall release only 50% of their national allocation and make the remaining 50% available once they have adopted that target;
Amendment 186 #
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. These investments should take into account the polluters pay principle and not be considered as window of opportunity for industrial installations to sell surplus emissions allowances for their own profit. Investments in fossil fuels technologies like carbon capture and storage and improvement of emission performance of existing installations should also be excluded as they do not contribute to the climate neutrality until 2050 objective. 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 205 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) The JTF support should be conditional and measurable on the effective implementation of a transition process in a specific territory in order to achieve a climate-neutral economy by 2050 at the latest. 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 or even more ambitious than with their National Energy and Climate Plans. To this end, the Commission should set up a Just Transition Platform, which would build on the existing platform for coal regions in transition to enable bilateral and multilateral exchanges of experience on lessons learnt and best practices across all affected sectors.
Amendment 253 #
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 at the latest.
Amendment 266 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1
Article 2 – paragraph 1
In accordance with the second subparagraph of Article [4(1)] of Regulation (EU) [new CPR], the JTF shall contribute to the single specific objective ‘enabling regions and people to address the social, economic and environmental impacts of the transition towards a climate- neutral economy’ by 2050 at the latest.
Amendment 314 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point a
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point a
(a) productive and sustainable investments in SMEs, including start-ups, leading to decent and well-paid job, economic diversification and reconversion;
Amendment 343 #
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 exclude fossil fuels;
Amendment 357 #
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 cleanrenewable safe and sustainable energy, in greenhouse gas emission reduction, energy efficiency and renewable energy;
Amendment 380 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point e
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point e
(e) investments in digitalisation and digital connectivity especially for rural areas with limited access to broadband technology;
Amendment 391 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point f
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point f
(f) investments in regeneration and decontamination of sites, land restoration and repurposing projects; . These investments should by complementary and consistent with the polluter pays principle;
Amendment 438 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 a (new)
investments to address energy poverty and affordable renewable energy by local energy communities;
Amendment 440 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 b (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 b (new)
investments in sustainable tourism activities and promotion of industrial heritage;
Amendment 481 #
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 fossil fuels, except investments for district heating system of coal regions in transition;
Amendment 556 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) a detailed description of the transition process at national level towards a climate- neutral economy by 2050 at the latest, including a timeline for key transition steps which are consistent with the latest version of the National Energy and Climate Plan (‘NECP’);
Amendment 569 #
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 development needs and objectives, to be reached by 2030 linked to the transformation or closure of greenhouse gas-intensive activities in those territories in line with the 1,5 degrees C target as set in the Paris Agreement;
Amendment 626 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 4
Article 10 – paragraph 4
4. Before adopting a delegated act, the Commission shall consult experts designated by each Member State and any other relevant stakeholder in accordance with the principles laid down in the Interinstitutional Agreement of 13 April 2016 on Better Law-Making.