Activities of Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS
Plenary speeches (9)
Continued financial and military support to Ukraine by EU Member States (debate)
Droughts and extreme weather events as a threat to local communities and EU agriculture in times of climate change (debate)
The crisis facing the EU’s automotive industry, potential plant closures and the need to enhance competitiveness and maintain jobs in Europe (debate)
Strengthening Moldova's resilience against Russian interference ahead of the upcoming presidential elections and a constitutional referendum on EU integration (debate)
Consequences of the devastating forest fires in the Amazon and the importance of the Amazon for climate change (debate)
Enhancing Europe’s civilian and defence preparedness and readiness (debate)
Reinforcing EU’s unwavering support to Ukraine against Russia’s war of aggression and the increasing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia (debate)
Critical infrastructure vulnerabilities and hybrid threats in the Baltic Sea (debate)
Russia’s disinformation and historical falsification to justify its war of aggression against Ukraine (debate)
Institutional motions (4)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION The severe situation of political prisoners in Belarus
JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the severe situation of political prisoners in Belarus
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on EU actions against the Russian shadow fleets and ensuring a full enforcement of sanctions against Russia
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Georgia’s worsening democratic crisis following the recent parliamentary elections and alleged electoral fraud
Written questions (3)
The role of TikTok in the Romanian presidential election
The spread of disinformation by recommender systems and other automated mechanisms as a systemic risk under the Digital Services Act
Providing the necessary flexibility within the economic governance framework
Amendments (16)
Amendment 32 #
2024/2019(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8 a. Considers that civil society and NGOs play an instrumental role in shaping policies that benefit society and our environment; recalls the commitment of the Commission in its political guidelines to step up its engagement with civil society organisations that have expertise and an important role to play in defending specific societal issues and upholding human rights; urges the Commission to revise its guidelines1a from May 2024 in order to ensure the continuation of the funding of NGO activities, including advocacy, under the LIFE programme; considers that discontinuation of this funding for all NGO activities would seriously undermine the voice of civil society in the public debate and would cause a severe reputational risk for the Commission; _________________ 1a Guidance on funding for activities related to the development, implementation, monitoring and enforcement of Union legislation and policy
Amendment 13 #
2024/0017(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 17
Recital 17
(17) Greenfield foreign investments occur where the foreign investor or a foreign investor’s subsidiary in the Union sets up new facilities or a new undertaking in the Union. Greenfield foreign investments should fall within the scope of this Regulation to the extent they are considered relevant by a Member State for the purpose of the screening of foreign investments because they create lasting and direct links between a foreign investor and such facilities or such undertakings. In addition, by setting up new facilities, a foreign investor can impact on security and public order, including when that risk concerns essential economic inputs. Member States are therefore encouraged toshould include greenfield foreign investments in the scope of transactions covered by their screening mechanisms, in particular when such investments occur in sectors relevant to their security or public order or when they present characteristics such as size or essential nature to be relevant to their security or public order.
Amendment 17 #
2024/0017(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 27
Recital 27
(27) For greater clarity, the list of projects or programmes of Union interest should be listed in Annex I. These should include any foreign investments undertaken on the trans-European networks for transport, energy and communication, as well as programmes providing funding for research and development for activities relevant for the security or public order of the Union. Due to the importance of these projects and programmes for the security and public order of the Union, Member States should screen foreign investments into Union undertakings that are part of or participating in these projects or programmes, includingespecially those that receive funding from the Union.
Amendment 18 #
2024/0017(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 28
Recital 28
(28) In order to ensure that the likely effect of a foreign investment on the security or public order of one or more Member States is adequately addressed, Member States receiving duly justified comments from other Member States or an opinion from the Commission should give such comments or opinion utmost consideration, including where it considers that its own security or public order is not affected. The Member State should coordinate with the Commission and the Member States concerned if necessary and provide them with written feedback on the decision taken and how the comments and the opinion have been given utmost consideration. The final decision on foreign investments should remain the sole responsibility of the Member State where the foreign investment is planned or completedIf the Commission considers that its opinion has not been given utmost consideration, and that security or public order of the Union can be significantly affected, it may issue another opinion stipulating recommendations to address the risks. Such opinions should have a binding effect.
Amendment 20 #
2024/0017(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 49
Recital 49
(49) In order to take into account developments relating to projects or programmes of Union interest and to adapt the list of technologies, assets, facilities, equipment, networks, systems, services and economic activities of particular importance for the security or public order interests of the Union, the power to adopt acts in accordance with Article 290 TFEU should be delegated to the Commission in respect of amendments to the Annexes to this Regulation. The list of projects and programmes of Union interest set out in Annex I should cover projects or programmes covered by EU law which provide for the development, maintenance or acquisition of critical infrastructure, critical technologies or critical inputs which are essential for security or public order. The list of technologies, infrastructure, assets, facilities, equipment, networks, systems, services and economic activities of particular importance for the security or public order interests of the Union set out in Annex II should include areas where a foreign investment may affect security or public order in more than one Member State or in the Union as a whole through an Union target, which does not participate in or receive funds from a project or programme of Union interest. It is of particular importance that the Commission carries out appropriate consultations during its preparatory work, including at expert level, and that those consultations be conducted in accordance with the principles laid down in the Interinstitutional Agreement of 13 April 2016 on Better Law-Making16 . In particular, to ensure equal participation in the preparation of delegated acts, the European Parliament and the Council receive all documents at the same time as Member States’ experts, and their experts systematically have access to meetings of Commission expert groups dealing with the preparation of delegated acts. _________________ 16 OJ L 123, 12.5.2016, p. 1.
Amendment 23 #
2024/0017(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 4 – introductory part
Article 4 – paragraph 4 – introductory part
4. Member States shall ensure that their screening mechanisms impose an authorisation requirement for foreign investments where the Union target is established or is to be established in their territory:
Amendment 24 #
2024/0017(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
1. Member States shall notify the Commission and the other Member States through the cooperation mechanism of any foreign investment in a Union target that is established or is to be established in their territory that:
Amendment 25 #
2024/0017(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2
Article 5 – paragraph 2
2. Member States shall notify the Commission and the other Member States of any foreign investment in a Union target that is established or is to be established in their territory where they initiate an in-depth investigation under their screening procedures. Furthermore, Member States shall notify the Commission and the other Member States of any foreign investment in a Union target that is established or is to be established in their territory, in exceptional cases, where they intend to impose a mitigating measure or to prohibit the transaction without an in- depth investigation.
Amendment 26 #
2024/0017(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1
Article 5 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1
Member States may notify any foreign investment that do not meet the conditions set out in paragraphs 1 and 2 if the Member State where the Union target is established or is to be established considers that a foreign investment could be of interest to the other Member States and the Commission from a security or public order perspective, including where the Union target has significant operations in other Member States, or belongs to a corporate group that has several companies in different Member States which are economically active in one of the areas listed in Annex II.
Amendment 27 #
2024/0017(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part
The Commission mayshall issue a duly motivated opinion addressed to the notifying Member State via the secure and encrypted system referred to in Article 12(4). The Commission mayshall issue such an opinion if:
Amendment 28 #
2024/0017(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 3
Article 7 – paragraph 3
3. The Commission mayshall issue a duly motivated opinion addressed to all Member States if it considers that severala foreign investments or otherseveral similar investments if they were to be made, taken together, and having regard to their characteristics could affect the security or public order of the Union. After a Commission opinion is issued, the Commission mayshall, as appropriate, discuss with Member States how to address the identified risks and shall monitor the implementation of any actions taken.
Amendment 29 #
2024/0017(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 9
Article 7 – paragraph 9
9. Where the Member States or the Commission indicate that the screening decision referred to in paragraph 8, subparagraph (a), of this Article does not give utmost consideration to their comments provided pursuant to pursuant to paragraph 1 or the opinion provided pursuant to paragraph 2 or 3, the Member State where the investment is planned or completed shall organise a meeting to explain the obstacles encountered or the reasons for disagreement and shall endeavour to identify solutions, should a similar situation arise in the future. Where the screening decision concerns a multi- country notification, the other Member States who notified the foreign investment to the cooperation mechanism shall also be invited. The Commission shall be invited to any meetings organised pursuant to this paragraph. If the Commission decides that its opinions have still not been given utmost consideration, and that security or public order of the Union can be significantly affected, it may issue another opinion with recommendations how to address the identified risks. Such opinions shall have a binding effect.
Amendment 36 #
2024/0017(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph 2
Article 24 – paragraph 2
It shall apply from [date: 152 months after entry into force].
Amendment 39 #
2024/0017(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex II – subheading 1
Annex II – subheading 1
List of technologies, infrastructure, assets, facilities, equipment, networks, systems, services and economic activities of particular importance for the security or public order interests of the Union
Amendment 40 #
2024/0017(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex II – point 3 – point e – indent 5 a (new)
Annex II – point 3 – point e – indent 5 a (new)
– Operational technologies for all transport modes, such as signalling systems for trains, traffic management systems and safety related technologies
Amendment 42 #
2024/0017(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex II – point 3 – point e a (new)
Annex II – point 3 – point e a (new)
e a. Transport infrastructure and technologies: - Critical infrastructure, including railways, inland waterways, short sea shipping routes and roads linking urban nodes, maritime and inland ports, airports and terminals that are located at least within the geographical scope of Regulation (EU) 2024/1679’ - Electric propulsion technologies - Refueling infrastructure, including electric charging infrastructure - Railway rolling stock