23 Amendments of Sir Graham WATSON related to 2013/0152(COD)
Amendment 32 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) Improving access to financing for SMEs, including SMEs from the Union investing in the regions covered by this Decision, can play an essential role in stimulating economic development and in combating unemployment. In order to effectively reach out to SMEs, the EIB shouldmay cooperate with local financial intermediary institutions in the eligible countries, in particular to ensure that part of the financial benefits is passed on to their clients and provide added value compared to other sources of finance. In its cooperation agreements with local financial intermediary institutions, the EIB must ensure that projects funded by intermediaries, including those with SMEs, do not conflict with the Bank's normal criteria or the Union's external policy goals.
Amendment 34 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) The EIB should continue to finance investment projects in the areas of social, environmental and economic infrastructure, and should consider increasing its activity in support of health and education infrastructure when there is clear added value in doing so. The EIB should continue to also provide projects with technical advice and assistance, as this support has an important role in the improvement and quality control of projects.
Amendment 36 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) The EIB should also continue toincrease its financeing of investment projects in support of climate change mitigation and adaptation, to further the promotion of the Union's climate goals on a global scale.
Amendment 37 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 15 a (new)
Recital 15 a (new)
(15 a) When supporting climate change mitigation projects, the EIB should take into consideration the conclusions of the European Council of 22 May 2013 regarding the need to prioritise the phasing out of environmentally or economically harmful subsidies, including for fossil fuels.
Amendment 40 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 18
Recital 18
(18) While the EIB's strength remains its distinctiveness as an investment bank, EIB financing operations should contribute to the general principles guiding Union external action, as referred to in Article 21 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU), of promoting and consolidating democracy and the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms, and to the implementation of international environmental agreements to which the Union is a party. Careful consideration should therefore be given when placing countries in Annex III to those countries' records regarding democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms, regardless of whether EU sanctions or restrictive measures are in force. In particular, in relation to developing countries, EIB financing operations should foster their sustainable economic, social and environmental development, particularly in the most disadvantaged amongst them, their smooth and gradual integration into the world economy, the campaign against poverty, as well as compliance with objectives approved by the Union in the context of the United Nations and other competent international organisations. While contributing to the implementation of the measures necessary to further the objectives of Union development cooperation policy in accordance with Article 209(3) of the Treaty, the EIB should strive to support indirectly the achievement of the UN's 2015 Millennium Development Goals in all regions where it is active.
Amendment 42 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 19
Recital 19
(19) The EIB activity under this Decision should support the Agenda for Change proposed by the Commission and be coherent with the relevant principles of the European Consensus on Development and the principles of aid effectiveness outlined in the Paris Declaration of 2005, the Accra Agenda for Action of 2008 and the Busan Partnership Agreement of 2011. Furthermore, it should be coherent with the EU Strategic Framework and Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy adopted by the Council on 25 June 2012 and international environmental agreements including biodiversity commitments. It should be implemented through a number of concrete measures, in particular by reinforcing the EIB's capacity to appraise environmental, social and development aspects of investment projects, including human rights and conflict-related risks, and by promoting local consultation with public authorities and civil society. In this context, the EIB should implement and further develop its Results Measurement framework (REM) which provides a detailed set of performance indicators measuring the economic, environmental, social, and development impact of its financing operations throughout the lifecycle of the underlying investment. The implementation of the REM should be evaluated as part of the mid-term review of this Decision. When carrying out due diligence in respect of an investment project, the EIB should, where appropriate and in line within line with the principles of the Union's social and environmental principleslegislation, require the investment project promoter to carry out local consultations and disclose their results to the public. EIB financing agreements involving public counterparts should explicitly include the possibility to suspend disbursements in case of revocation of eligibility under this Decision of the country in which the investment project takes place.
Amendment 51 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) The EIB should also continue toincrease its financeing of investment projects in support of climate change mitigation and adaptation, to further the promotion of the Union's climate goals on a global scale.
Amendment 53 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 3 – paragraph 4
Article 3 – paragraph 4
4. In developing countries, as defined in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) list of official development assistance (ODA) recipients, EIB financing operations shall contribute indirectly to the objectives of the Union policy in development cooperation as referred to in Article 208 TFEU.
Amendment 54 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 3 – paragraph 6
Article 3 – paragraph 6
6. EIB financing operations supporting the objectives provided for in paragraph 1(b) shall support investment projects, and consider in particular the use of debt capital market instruments, in the areas of transport, energy, including renewable energy, energy systems transformation enabling a switch to lower carbon intensive technologies and fuels, energy security and energy infrastructure, including for gas production and transportation to EU energy marketelectricity transmission infrastructure, in particular interconnections that facilitate the integration of electricity from renewable sources, environmental infrastructure, including water and sanitation and green infrastructure, information and communication technology, including telecommunications and broadband network infrastructure, health and education. Priority consideration should be given to electricity infrastructure projects connecting the Union and third countries which provide mutual economic, development, social and environmental benefits.
Amendment 56 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 3 – paragraph 7
Article 3 – paragraph 7
7. EIB financing operations supporting the objectives provided for in paragraph 1(c) shall support investment projects in climate change mitigation and adaptation which contribute to the overall objective of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, in particular by avoiding or reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the areas of renewable energy, energy efficiency and sustainable transport, or by increasing resilience to the adverse impacts of climate change on vulnerable countries, sectors and communities. Over the period covered by the Decision, the volume of these operations shall represent at least 2540% of total EIB financing operations.
Amendment 58 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 3 – paragraph 8
Article 3 – paragraph 8
8. In line with Union and international climate change objectives, before the end of 20165, the EIB, in cooperation with the Commission and following a full public consultation, shall update its climate change strategy as regards EIB financing operationon how to gradually and steadily increase under its external mandate the percentage of projects promoting the reduction of CO2 emissions and phase out financing projects detrimental to the achievement of Union climate objectives. This strategy should inter alia include targets to increase lending to energy efficiency and renewable energy projects and an action plan to implement the conclusions of the European Council of 22 May 2013 regarding the need to prioritise the phasing out of environmentally or economically harmful subsidies, including for fossil fuels.
Amendment 61 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 4 – paragraph 2
Article 4 – paragraph 2
2. The Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 17 concerning amendments to Annex III. The Commission's decisions shall be based on an overall economic and political assessment, includingwith significant consideration also given to aspects related to the democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms as well as the relevant European Parliament resolutions and Council decisions and conclusions.
Amendment 69 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 9 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Article 9 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
The EIB shall carry out thorough due diligence and, where appropriate and in line within line with the principles of Union social and environmental principleslegislation, require appropriate local public consultation, on development-related aspects of investment projects covered by the EU guarantee.
Amendment 72 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 9 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 3
Article 9 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 3
The EIB's own rules and procedures shall include the necessary provisions on assessment of environmental and social impact of investment projects and of aspects related to human rights and conflict prevention in line with the principles of Union legislation, to ensure that only investment projects that are economically, financially, environmentally and socially sustainable are supported under this Decision.
Amendment 73 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 9 – paragraph 2
Article 9 – paragraph 2
2. In addition to the ex-ante assessment of development-related aspects, the EIB shall monitor the implementation of financing operations. In particular, it shall require the project promoters to carry out thorough monitoring during project implementation until completion, inter alia, on the development, environmental and human rights impact of the investment project. The EIB shall verify and where possible make public the information provided by the project promoters.
Amendment 75 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 11 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Article 11 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
1. In accordance with itsEU legislation own transparency policyaccess to documents and information, the EIB shall make publicly available on its website information relating to:
Amendment 77 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 11 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 11 – paragraph 1 – point b
(b) unless confidentiality requirements apply, any memoranda of understanding between the EIB and other European Financial Institutions or International Financial Institutions having a bearing on EIB financing operations under this Decision.
Amendment 78 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 3 – paragraph 6
Article 3 – paragraph 6
6. EIB financing operations supporting the objectives provided for in paragraph 1(b) shall support investment projects in the areas of transport, energy, including renewable energy, energy systems transformation enabling a switch to lower carbon intensive technologies and fuels, energy security and energy infrastructure, including for gas production and transportation to EU energy marketelectricity transmission infrastructure, in particular interconnections that facilitate the integration of electricity from renewable sources, environmental infrastructure, including water and sanitation and green infrastructure, information and communication technology, including telecommunications and broadband network infrastructure, health and education. Priority consideration should be given to electricity infrastructure projects connecting the Union and third countries which provide mutual economic, development, social and environmental benefits.
Amendment 79 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 11 – paragraph 1 – point b a (new)
Article 11 – paragraph 1 – point b a (new)
(b a) framework agreements concluded between the EIB and a recipient country.
Amendment 80 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 3 – paragraph 7
Article 3 – paragraph 7
7. EIB financing operations supporting the objectives provided for in paragraph 1(c) shall support investment projects in climate change mitigation and adaptation which contribute to the overall objective of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, in particular by avoiding or reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the areas of renewable energy, energy efficiency and sustainable transport, or by increasing resilience to the adverse impacts of climate change on vulnerable countries, sectors and communities. Over the period covered by the Decision, the volume of these operations shall represent at least 2540% of total EIB financing operations.
Amendment 89 #
Proposal for a decision
Annex 1 – point C – point i
Annex 1 – point C – point i
(i) Latin America: EUR 21 150 000 000;
Amendment 90 #
Proposal for a decision
Annex 1 – point C – point ii
Annex 1 – point C – point ii
(ii) Asia: EUR 12 200 000 000;
Amendment 91 #
Proposal for a decision
Annex 3 – point C – point 2 – paragraph 1
Annex 3 – point C – point 2 – paragraph 1
Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, China (including Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions), India, Indonesia, Iraq, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Yemen