Activities of Nikolas FARANTOURIS
Plenary speeches (10)
Outcome of the Strategic Dialogue on the Future of EU Agriculture (debate)
Droughts and extreme weather events as a threat to local communities and EU agriculture in times of climate change (debate)
The extreme wildfires in Southern Europe, in particular Portugal and Greece and the need for further EU climate action on adaptation and mitigation (debate)
Mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund: assistance to Italy, Slovenia, Austria, Greece and France further to natural disasters occurred in 2023 (short presentation)
Empowering the Single Market to deliver a sustainable future and prosperity for all EU citizens (debate)
2025 budgetary procedure: Joint text (debate)
Outcome of COP 29 and challenges for international climate policy (debate)
Need to adopt an ambitious international legally binding agreement on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment
Preparation of the EU-Western Balkans Summit (debate)
Urgent need for EU action to preserve nature and protect biodiversity to avoid the extinction of species (debate)
Shadow reports (6)
REPORT on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the statute and funding of European political parties and European political foundations (recast)
REPORT on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Italy, Slovenia, Austria, Greece and France relating to six natural disasters occurred in 2023
REPORT on the Council position on the draft general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2025
REPORT on the joint text on the draft general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2025 approved by the Conciliation Committee under the budgetary procedure
REPORT on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Germany and Italy relating to floods occurred in 2024
REPORT on the Council position on Draft amending budget No 5/2024 of the European Union for the financial year 2024 - adjustment in payment appropriations, update of revenues and other technical updates
Institutional motions (1)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the UN Climate Change Conference 2024 in Baku, Azerbaijan (COP29)
Oral questions (2)
2024 UN Climate Change Conference in Baku, Azerbaijan (COP29)
2024 UN Climate Change Conference in Baku, Azerbaijan (COP29)
Written questions (6)
Implementation of competition rules in Greece – oligopoly in the telecommunications sector
Addressing the impact of the housing crisis on teachers and other categories of public servants in Greece
Problems arising from the EU’s agreement with the Mercosur countries
Piecemeal measures for the protection of Greek marine Natura 2000 sites
Serious lack of safety and dangerous delays in completing critical infrastructure on the Greek railway network
Speeding up procedures and increasing EU financial assistance to respond to natural disasters in the Member States
Amendments (111)
Amendment 18 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Citation 49 a (new)
Citation 49 a (new)
– having regarded to the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) report of 24 November 2020 entitled ‘Updated analysis of the non-CO2 climate impacts of aviation and potential policy measures pursuant to EU Emissions Trading System Directive Article 30(4)’,
Amendment 26 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas the European Parliament has declared a climate and environmental emergency and has committed to urgently fight and contain this threat before it is too late; whereas biodiversity loss and climate change are interlinked and exacerbate each other, representing equal threats to life on our planet, and as such should be tackled together as a matter of urgency;
Amendment 32 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the Paris Agreement entered into force on 4 November 2016; whereas to date, 193 states plus the EU have joined the agreement, representing over 98 % of global emissions;
Amendment 33 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas the richest 1 % of the global population are set to generate per capita consumption emissions in 2030 that are still 30 times higher than the global per capita level, while the footprints of the poorest half of the world population are set to remain several times below that level1a; _________________ 1a Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) and Oxfam, ‘Carbon Inequality in 2030’, November 2021
Amendment 35 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas, according to UNEP’s 2023 emissions gap report, fully implementing unconditional NDCs made under the Paris Agreement for 2030 would put the world on course to limit the temperature rise to 2.9 °C this century; whereas fully implementing conditional NDCs would lower the temperature rise to 2.5 °C; whereas the report underlines that the world is witnessing a disturbing acceleration in the number, speed and scale of broken climate records;
Amendment 41 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas inadequate progress has been made towards achieving the long- term goals of the Paris Agreement since it was adopted in 2015; whereas the 2023 UNFCCC synthesis report on NDCs states that the total global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions level in 2030 is projected to be 2 % below the 2019 level; whereas the IPCC concludes that in scenarios limiting warming to 1.5 °C, GHG emissions need to be 43 % below their 2019 level by 2030;
Amendment 47 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas on 16 October 2023 the EU and its Member States submitted their update of the NDC committing to reduce their net GHG emissions by at least 55 % by 2030 compared to 1990;
Amendment 51 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas the first global stocktake (GST) completed in 2023 at COP28 underlined the urgent need to address the interlinked global crises of climate change and biodiversity loss in the broader context of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, as well as the vital importance, for sustainable climate action, of protecting, conserving, restoring and sustainably using nature and ecosystems; whereas the outcome of the stocktaking exercise should subsequently spur on the Parties to ratchet up their level of ambition and drive climate action;
Amendment 61 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas marine biodiversity is seriously endangered, despite the ocean playing a unique and vital role as a climate regulator; whereas the ocean is the planet’s greatest carbon sink and absorbs excess heat and energy released from rising greenhouse gas emissions, having until now absorbed around 90 % of heat generated by rising GHGs trapped in the earth’s system, and taken in 30 % of carbon emissions; whereas a healthy ocean is key for both climate adaptation and mitigation;
Amendment 68 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Recital H
Recital H
H. whereas methane has been responsible for around 30 % of the rise in global temperatures since the industrial revolution; and rapid and sustained reductions in methane emissions are key to limiting near-term warming and improving air quality1a; whereas according to the IPCC’s 6th Assessment Report, keeping global warming under 1,5 °C requires major reductions in anthropogenic methane emissions by 20301b; whereas methane is a potent GHG which is 28 times more powerful than CO2 in terms of its climate impact over a 100- year time frame and 80 times more potent over a 20-year time frame; whereas according to the UNEP emissions gap report, methane and nitrous oxide emissions remained steady from 2019 to 2021, and fluorinated gases continued to surge; whereas stronger action to reduce methane emissions is one of the most cost- effective measures for cutting GHG emissions in the short term1c; whereas the agriculture and livestock sector emits 145 million tonnes of methane a year, making it the largest and most significant sector for methane emissions; whereas methane emissions in agriculture are primarily driven by increasing livestock numbers; whereas livestock emissions from manure and enteric fermentation account for roughly 32 % of all anthropogenic methane emissions; _________________ 1a https://www.iea.org/reports/global- methane-tracker-2022/methane-and- climate-change 1b https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/syr/downlo ads/report/IPCC_AR6_SYR_LongerRepor t.pdf 1c UNEP report of 6 May 2021 entitled ‘Global Methane Assessment: Benefits and Costs of Mitigating Methane Emissions’
Amendment 71 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Recital H a (new)
Recital H a (new)
Ha. whereas the IPCC’s AR6 conclusions warn that climate change impacts are already and increasingly affecting the productivity of all agricultural and fishery sectors, exacerbating water scarcity and threatening food security, nutrition and livelihoods; whereas global food systems account for 31 % of global emissions; whereas over 100 million tonnes of synthetic fertiliser are applied to crops worldwide every year1a; whereas most emissions from synthetic nitrogen fertilisers occur after they are applied to the soil and enter the atmosphere as nitrous oxide (N2O) – a persistent GHG with 265 times more global warming potential than CO2 over a 100 year period; whereas the synthetic nitrogen fertiliser supply chain was responsible for an estimated 2.1 % of global greenhouse gas emissions1b; _________________ 1a https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/ core/bitstreams/42d5a668-f44c-4976- 8540-8efdb0f4d17b/content 1b Menegat, S. et al., ‘Greenhouse gas emissions from global production and use of nitrogen synthetic fertilisers in agriculture’, Scientific Reports, 2022
Amendment 81 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas the OECD’s seventh assessment of progress towards the UNFCCC climate finance goal finds that in 2022 developed countries provided a total of USD 115.9 billion in climate finance for developing countries; whereas mitigation finance continues to account for the majority of finance, representing 60 % of the total; whereas adaptation finance reached USD 32.4 billion in 2022;
Amendment 83 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas the UNEP’s 2023 adaptation gap report highlights that the current adaptation finance gap is estimated at USD 194 billion to USD 366 billion per year; whereas the report finds that the adaptation finance needs of developing countries are 10-18 times as big as international public finance flows, which is over 50 % higher than the previous range estimate;
Amendment 93 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Recital K a (new)
Recital K a (new)
Ka. whereas soils are the largest terrestrial carbon pool on the planet; whereas ensuring healthy soils strengthens resilience and reduces vulnerability to climate change; whereas, globally, 500 000 hectares of peatlands a year are lost, while already drained and degraded peatlands contribute around 4 % of annual global human-induced emissions1a; whereas despite only covering 3-4 % of the world’s land surface area, peatlands are responsible for storing nearly one third of the world’s soil carbon, which is more than double that of all the world’s forests combined; _________________ 1a https://www.unep.org/news-and- stories/press-release/global-assessment- reveals-huge-potential-peatlands-climate- solution
Amendment 100 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Recital K b (new)
Recital K b (new)
Kb. whereas there are scientifically proven interlinkages between health and the environmental and climate crises; whereas the European Climate and Health Observatory identifies serious health effects from heat, wildfires, flooding, vector-borne diseases, water and food-borne diseases, pollution, air pollution, UV radiation, aeroallergens, ground-level ozone, mental health effects and occupational safety and health effects; whereas extreme weather events, biodiversity loss, land degradation and water scarcity are displacing people and having a dramatic impact on their health and their ability to fully enjoy their human rights;
Amendment 106 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Recital K c (new)
Recital K c (new)
Kc. whereas water scarcity is becoming endemic as a result of the local impact of physical water stress coupled with the acceleration and spread of freshwater pollution;
Amendment 113 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Takes note ofHighlights the outcome of the first GST at COP28, which recognises that limiting global warming to 1.5 °C with no or limited overshoot requires deep, rapid and sustained reductions in global GHG emissions of 43 % by 2030 and 60 % by 2035 relative to the 2019 level, reaching net zero GHG emissions by 2050;
Amendment 141 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Expresses concern at the findings of the UNEP’s 2023 emissions gap report that fully implementing current unconditional NDCs would put the world on track for 2.9 °C global warming while the additional implementation and continuation of conditional NDCs would lead to 2.5 °C global warming by the end of the century; underlines that current policies are insufficient to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement and emphasises that climate risks will be magnified by any further delay in implementing ambitious and effective measures to mitigate and adapt to climate change;
Amendment 173 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Notes that the EU and its Member States are the largest providers of public climate finance, with all EU climate finance reaching an all-time high in 2022 of EUR 28.5 billion; reiterates its call for a dedicated EU public finance mechanism that provides additional and adequate support towards delivering the EU’s fair share of international climate finance goals;
Amendment 175 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Highlights that significant financial resources from a variety of sources are needed to implement the goals of the Paris Agreement in developing countries, also considering that many developing countries have conditional NDCs, the achievement of which depends on sufficient financial support; recalls that the Glasgow Climate Pact urges developed country Parties to significantly scale up their provision of climate finance as a matter of urgency;
Amendment 179 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7b. Stresses that financing from the developed countries responsible for a large share of historical emissions will also be crucial to build trust for a more ambitious dialogue on climate mitigation targets; calls on historical emitters to help developing countries adapt to climate change, inter alia, through grants-based financing and technical support;
Amendment 183 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Notes that developed countries provided and mobilised a total of USD 115.9 billion in climate finance for developing countries in 2022, exceeding the UNFCC annual USD 100 billion climate finance goal for the first time, two years after the target year of 2020; notes that there is still a significant imbalance between adaptation and mitigation finance and that the adaptation finance gap is growing;
Amendment 187 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Calls on all Parties to agree on a post-2025 new collective quantified goal (NCQG) on climate finance at COP29 with safeguards to reach the agreed quantum and timeframe; calls also for dedicated sub-goals for mitigation, adaptation and Loss and Damage in the NCQG in order to bring greater resources to where they are most needed and to improve climate finance tracking; believes that the NCQG should be firmly anchored in both the qualitative and quantitative needs of developing countries, with a target and structure that respond to lessons learned from the annual USD 100 billion goal; believes that the Core Goal of the NCQG should be measured on a grant-equivalent basis and delivered by additional contributions from developed countries; considers that a fair and effort-sharing approach could be used among developed countries, using for example GNI;
Amendment 202 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Notes that many climate-vulnerable countries are in debt distress or at significant risk of debt distress; calls on other countries and multilateral development banks, including the EIB, to adopt climate resilience debt clauses in future lending; looks forward to the conclusions of the global expert review on debt, nature and climate as proposed by France, Colombia and Kenya during the Paris Summit for a New Global Financing Pact; considers it necessary to have solutions that jointly tackle the climate and debt crises; reiterates the need to clearly prioritise grants-based climate finance to ensure that climate finance does not contribute to unsustainable debt levels in developing countries and calls on the Parties to engage in discussions and undertake the necessary measures to alleviate the debt burden of developing countries; stresses that many developing countries are in great fiscal need and require investments in order to transition their energy systems and undertake effective climate mitigation and adaptation efforts; highlights the importance of increasing grants-based finance, especially for adaptation, and that climate finance provided in the form of loans can exacerbate developing countries’ debt distress; notes that 50 % of the EU’s total climate finance in 2020 was provided in the form of grants and urges the EU and all Member States to increase grants-based finance, particularly for adaptation and especially for least developed countries and SIDs;
Amendment 210 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Considers it essential to advance the Bridgetown Agenda without delay; calls on all the major international financial institutions and multilateral development banks to align their portfolios and lending policies with the Paris Agreement, integrate tackling climate change and preserving nature and biodiversity into their practices and priorities, phase out direct and indirect support to fossil fuels and gather and use high-quality climate risk, vulnerability and impact data to guide the direction of investments towards 1,5 °C aligned investments;
Amendment 282 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Welcomes the decision at COP28 to use theestablish a loss and damage (L&D) fund to address and respond to the economic and non-economic impacts of climate change for particularly vulnerable developing countries;
Amendment 286 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18a. Urges all Parties to deliver on making the loss and damage fund fully operational in order to ensure new, additional, adequate and predictable funding to avert, minimise and address loss and damage associated with the adverse impacts of climate change; strongly believes that loss and damage funding should prioritise grants and be additional to and distinct from humanitarian aid; urges the Commission and the Member States, together with other major emitters, to contribute their fair share to the loss and damage fund to ensure global climate justice;
Amendment 289 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 b (new)
Paragraph 18 b (new)
18b. Highlights that climate change has been affecting cultural heritage at an unprecedented speed and scale; stresses the need to strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the worlds cultural and natural heritage focusing on risk preparedness and on strengthening resilience to climate change; considers it important to incorporate the loss and damage of cultural heritage in the UN climate talks and negotiations, which has so far been neglected;
Amendment 291 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Reiterates its call for L&D to be a standing agenda item at COPs, in order to monitor and make progress on this issue, and for the full useoperationalisation of the Santiago Network in order to effectively catalyse technical assistance for adequately addressing L&D;
Amendment 293 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Calls on the Loss and Damage Transitional Committee to ensure that the Loss and Damage Fund is gender- sensitive and transformative, is guided by the needs of those most impacted and responds to specific losses suffered by women; believes that women should be centrally engaged in the design, management and disbursement of the new fund;
Amendment 296 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Recalls the importance of the full involvement of all Parties in the UNFCCC decision-making processes; calls on the COP29 presidency and future presidencies to better enable the participation of all delegates, with a special focus on developing countries and delegates from the least developed countries, and to allocate additional resources to this, in order to eliminate financial and other access barriers and to avoid inequalities in the COP process;
Amendment 310 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Recalls its resolution of 25 April 2024 on Azerbaijan and calls on the UNFCCC, all Parties and the authorities of Azerbaijan to ensure equitable access to COP29 and full and unrestricted participation for all citizens and civil society organisations; reiterates its call on the UNFCCC Secretariat to develop human rights criteria that countries hosting future COPs must commit to as part of the host agreementexpresses its utmost concerns over COP29 host Azerbaijan’s human rights records and reports over intensified crackdown of the country’s independent media, civil society, and activists under the preparations of COP29 summit; demands that civil society and independent media actors' privacy, participation, freedom of expression and safety must be guaranteed in this and future COP summits; reiterates its call on the UNFCCC Secretariat to develop human rights criteria for COP host agreements and stresses that the respect for human rights and freedom of expression and safety of independent media and civil society actors must be a prerequisite for any country to be able to host COP summits in the future;
Amendment 313 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Recalls its resolution of 25 April 2024 on Azerbaijan and calls on the UNFCCC, all Parties and the authorities of Azerbaijan to ensure equitable access to COP29 and full and unrestricted participation for all citizens and civil society organisations; reiterates its call on the UNFCCC Secretariat to develop human rights criteria that countries hosting future COPs must commit to as part of the host agreement; calls attention to Azerbaijan’s restrictions on free speech and strongly calls for freedom of expression to be respected;
Amendment 320 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Welcomes the preparation of the first biennial transparency reports under the Paris Agreement; stresses the importance of this granular and transparent reporting assessing progress on the NDCs; takes note of the launching of the Baku Global Platform for Climate Transparency;
Amendment 321 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23a. Calls attention once again to the appointment of a COP president with links to the state’s oil company, and stresses that this is again cause for concern; underlines that Azerbaijan plans to increase its gas production threefold over the next decade; urges the Commission and the Member States to take all necessary actions to ensure that this and upcoming COP presidencies are free of conflicts of interest; calls for clear conflict of interest, lobbying and anti- corruption rules for the UNFCCC process, including the selection of the COP president;
Amendment 330 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Expresses concern that more than 2 400 fossil fuel lobbyists were accredited attendees at COP28; calls for the UNFCCC and the Parties to ensure that the decision- making process is protected from interests that run counter to the goal of the Paris Agreement and to ensure that fossil fuel companies do not exert any undue and improper influence over public officials and the UNFCCC public decision-making process that may compromise the goals of the Paris Agreement; urges the UNFCCC to take the lead in proposing an ambitious Accountability Framework that would protect the UNFCCC’s work from undue influence from corporate actors with proven vested interests, based on the model contained in the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control with regard to the tobacco industry;
Amendment 334 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24a. Strongly rejects COP29 summit’s chief executive and Azerbaijan’s deputy energy minister Elnur Soltanov’s claims that continued fossil fuel extraction is compatible with the goals of the Paris agreement, especially as the International Energy Agency (IEA) has stated already in 2021 that no new fossil fuel projects are compatible with limiting warming to 1.5°C1a; is highly concerned over fossil fuel industry’s ties with Azerbaijan’s government and influence over the preparation of COP, for example through the inclusion of president of the state oil company of the Azerbaijan Republic, Rovshan Najaf, to the organizing committee of COP29; points out that on the 20th of March 2024 over 150 civil society organisations published an open letter expressing grave concerns over fossil fuel industries influence and clear conflict of interest in the preparation of COP291b; _________________ 1a https://www.iea.org/reports/net-zero-by- 2050 1b https://350.org/wp- content/uploads/2024/03/OpenLetter_CO P29.pdf
Amendment 338 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24a. Strongly insists that the Host Country Agreements (HCA) for future COPs must be made public as soon as possible and must contain guarantees that human rights will be respected, inside and outside the COP venue, including the right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly; calls on the UNFCCC secretariat to publish all past and future HCAs;
Amendment 342 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 b (new)
Paragraph 24 b (new)
24b. Strongly believes that the current rules governing the UNFCCC are not fit for purpose as they allow excess influence of private sector polluters over UNFCCC processes, in particular in the case of fossil fuel industry; while acknowledging that engaging with industry can play a role, strongly demands to take immediate action to limit the influence of polluting industries and establish a robust accountability framework to protect against undue influence of corporate actors with vested interests that contradict the goals of the Paris Agreement in UNFCCC gatherings;
Amendment 347 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Takes note of the EU’s updated NDCRegrets that EU’s updated NDC is not compatible with 1.5°C target of the Paris agreement and falls short of the Union’s and it’s Member States fair share of global climate change mitigation efforts; highlights that the EU’s current climate legislation will reduce in theory the EU’s net GHG emissions by only around 57 % compared to 1990, but especially the developments of emission reductions in the sectors covered by Regulation (EU) 2018/842 and decrease of net sinks covered by Regulation (EU) 2018/841 threaten the achievement of Union’s 2030 climate goals;
Amendment 353 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Takes note of the EU’s updated NDC; highlights that the EU’s current climate legislation will reduce the EU’s net GHG emissions by around 57 % compared to 1990; stresses the need to adopt the post-2030 target in a timely manner in order to be able to submit it as an NDC;
Amendment 355 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25a. Demands the Commission to propose an intermediate 2040 EU climate target that is aligned with the goal of limiting warming to 1.5°C; reminds that United Nations chief António Guterres has urged developed countries to hit net- zero emissions by 2040; strongly believes that EU’s 2040 climate target and revised sectoral legislation must be designed mainly on the basis of technologies that have already been proven to deliver greenhouse gas emission reductions, while also strongly focusing on demand- side measures; stresses that the development and utilisation of expensive and yet to be proven novel climate mitigation technologies must focus on hard-to-abate sectors; believes that the recommendations of the European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change must be an integral part of developing the Union’s climate policy;
Amendment 362 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 b (new)
Paragraph 25 b (new)
25b. Reminds that the Union and its Member States cannot achieve their climate targets unless the transition is just and leaves no one behind, as policies are dependent on public support; strongly believes that more focus and a stronger framework is needed to tackle short and medium term socio-economic impacts of the transition, especially for low income households; points out that intergenerational climate justice requires a swift and permanent mitigation of greenhouse gas emission, as the pursuit of welfare by the current generation should not diminish opportunities for a good and decent life for succeeding generations;
Amendment 400 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Stresses that the current geopolitical situation further highlights the urgency of cutting the EU’s dependence on fossil fuels and the need to boost the deployment of renewables;
Amendment 412 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. NotWelcomes the Council Decision of 4 March 2024 on the approval of the withdrawal of the European Atomic Energy Community from the Energy Charter Treaty;
Amendment 419 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Underscores that the climate and biodiversity crises are interlinked; emphasises the importance of protecting, conserving and restoring biodiversity and ecosystems and of managing natural resources sustainably in order to enhance nature-based climate change mitigation; and that the responses to both crises need to be aligned; recalls that, currently, 80 % of habitats in the EU are in a bad state1a; emphasises the importance of protecting, conserving and restoring biodiversity and ecosystems, in particular soils, forests, agricultural ecosystems, freshwater bodies, oceans and other carbon-rich ecosystems, and of managing natural resources sustainably in order to enhance nature-based climate change mitigation and build resilience, which are necessary for achieving the objectives of the Paris Agreement; firmly believes that the Paris Agreement goals cannot be met without restoring nature, including in the Union; calls for the swift implementation of the EU Nature Restoration Law; stresses that agriculture should contribute to protecting and restoring biodiversity; _________________ 1a https://www.eea.europa.eu/en/newsroom/ news/ecosystems-need- restoration#:~:text=According%20to%20t he%20EEA%27s%20latest,a%20poor%20 or%20bad%20state
Amendment 420 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Underscores that the climate and biodiversity crises are interlinked and the mitigation of one environmental problem cannot undermine the efforts to tackle the other; emphasises the importance of protecting, conserving and restoring biodiversity and ecosystems and of managing natural resources sustainably in order to enhance nature-based climate change mitigation; believes that environmental policies should be designed with full alignment with the One Health approach; points out that Decision (EU) 2022/591 of the European Parliament and the Council on General Union Environmental Action Programme to 2030 holistically recognises the interconnections between human health, animal health and the environment through integration of the One Health approach in policy making;
Amendment 427 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)
Paragraph 30 a (new)
30a. Stresses the complementarity between the roll-out of renewable energy and nature conservation and restoration both inside and outside EU; stresses that the environmental transition should be carried out with the least environmental cost, and that synergies between renewable energy and nature conservation and restoration should be maximised; underlines the support of the renewable energy industry in the EU for a nature-positive roll-out of renewable energy infrastructure;
Amendment 440 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Recognises that healthy ecosystems and rich biodiversity underpin human survival and provide life-critical services such as food and clean water, and highlights the fact that climate change is one of the direct drivers of biodiversity loss; points to how climate change has already altered terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems all around the world, causing species losses and declines in key ecosystem services; recognises that these climate-driven impacts on ecosystems have caused measurable economic and livelihood losses around the world; notes that the IPPC’s 6th Assessment Report concludes that climate change has reduced food security and affected water security due to warming, changing precipitation patterns, the reduction in and loss of cryospheric elements, and the greater frequency and intensity of climatic extremes; stresses that the world’s land and ocean sinks have absorbed 56 % of the human-induced GHG emissions of the past 60 years, and that according to the IPCC, maintaining the resilience of biodiversity and ecosystem services on a global scale depends on effective and equitable conservation of approximately 30 % to 50 % of the Earth’s land, freshwater and ocean areas1a; _________________ 1a https://www.ipcc.ch/assessment- report/ar6/
Amendment 447 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Underlines that the conservation and restoration of high-carbon ecosystems such as peatlands, wetlands, rangelands, and blue carbon ecosystems (salt marshes, seagrasses, mangroves), and the species that enable these ecosystems to function, offer a wide range of mitigation and adaptation benefits; calls on the Commission to develop the mapping of these ecosystems and developin order to work further on the identification of robust, transparent and science-based methodologies for the proper accounting of carbon removals and emissions from those ecosystems in a manner that does not undermine other biodiversity objectives;
Amendment 453 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Stresses the need to protect the rights and interests of indigenous peoples and local communities; stresses the need to support and protect environmental defenders by ensuring effective and robust regulatory protection of the environment, land rights and indigenous peoples’ rights, livelihoods and cultures, including the right to free, prior and informed consent; stresses the central role of indigenous communities in climate action, implementation, data collection, decision-making and knowledge-sharing; calls on the Parties to ensure that all commitments made at COP28 to implement the Paris Agreement align with existing international human rights obligations and standards applicable to business operations, and respect indigenous people’s rights; stresses the need to support and protect environmental defenders and calls for those responsible for murders, defamatory attacks, acts of persecution, criminalisation, imprisonment, harassment and intimidation against them to be held accountable;
Amendment 458 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33 a (new)
Paragraph 33 a (new)
33a. Acknowledges that the needed deployment of renewable energy will significantly increase the demand of certain critical raw materials; underlines the need to avoid and minimise the environmental effects of mining operations in their locations and to ensure consultation and free prior consent, human rights and health protection of affected communities; points out that large shares of these materials are located on or near indigenous peoples’ lands1a; stresses the need to strengthen indigenous peoples’ rights on land and resources, as set out in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and ILO Convention 169, and to comply with the principle of free, prior and informed consent; _________________ 1a https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893- 022-00994-6
Amendment 462 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Stresses the importance of effectively, swiftly and fully implementing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework; recalls the failure in achieving the Aichi targetsunderlines that its implementation can maximise the ability of nature to help mitigate and adapt to climate change and to minimise negative impacts of climate action on biodiversity; reminds that conserving highly biodiverse, intact ecosystems on land and in the ocean is the most cost-effective nature- based action to tackle climate change; recalls the failure in achieving the Aichi targets, owing largely to the lack of implementation; insists therefore on the need to translate the 4 goals and 23 targets of the GBF into nationally driven action;
Amendment 468 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35
Paragraph 35
35. Welcomes all efforts by governments and non-governmental actors to maximise the potential of soils to mitigate climate change and to improve water availability; underlines the transboundary impacts of soil degradation that warrant joint international efforts to tackle all soil degradation threats; draws attention to the huge importance of peatlands for climate change mitigation; calls for efforts globally and within the EU to swiftly restore peatlands, so that they can be a sink rather than a source;
Amendment 475 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
Paragraph 36
36. Emphasises the importance of protecting, conserving and restoring water and water-related ecosystems; highlights the devastating environmental, social and economic impacts of desertification, droughts, floods and water pollution; and the need for common approaches to properly prevent and adapt to this phenomenon and overcome it; underlines, therefore, the importance of water availability and sustainable water management for climate change mitigation and adaptation; highlights that water stress is becoming a major and growing concern in Europe and that droughts and water scarcity are no longer rare or extreme events, with about 20 % of the European territory and 30 % of Europeans affected by water stress during an average year according to the EEA1a; highlights the need to prevent excessive pressures from economic activities on river bodies in some regions of Europe affecting their ecological flow; calls for the efficient use, reuse and recycling of water and for the protection and restoration of ecosystems supporting groundwater resources; stresses the need for the speedy and full implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive in order to achieve its objectives and better manage Europe’s water resources; _________________ 1a EEA report entitled ‘Water resources across Europe – confronting water stress: an updated assessment’, October 2021
Amendment 484 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
37. Welcomes the adoption of the historic UN High Seas Treaty (Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement); calls on the Parties to continue work on the UN Ocean and Climate Change Dialogue; stresses that climate mechanisms depend on the health of the ocean and marine ecosystems currently affected by global warming, pollution, overexploitation of marine biodiversity, acidification, deoxygenation and coastal erosion; stresses that the IPCC recalls that the ocean is part of the solution to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change; recalls the importance of ocean-based solutions also in restoring ecosystems, ensuring food security and providing resources;
Amendment 490 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38
Paragraph 38
38. Stresses the need to combat plastic pollution; welcomes the ongoing work on the Global Plastics Treaty because of the climate impact of plastic throughout its life cycles; welcomes the ongoing work on the Global Plastics Treaty; and calls on the UN member states to reach an ambitious and effective agreement, consistent with the Paris Agreement, at the fifth session of the Intergovernmental negotiating committee in Busan this year; underlines the necessity to address plastic pollution by reducing waste at its source, cutting down on plastic use and consumption, and increasing circularity; calls for a systemic approach in order to appropriately address plastic pollution in the environment, including microplastics, and its impact on climate change;
Amendment 500 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39
Paragraph 39
39. Welcomes the fact that 158 countries have become signatories to the Global Methane Pledge to date; calls for a quantified, science-based assessment of the progress made since its adoption at COP26; strongly urges, in particular, the large methane-emitting Parties that have not joined the pledge to do so as soon as possible; urges all signatories to ensure that they reduce methane emissions within their territories by at least 30 % from 2020 levels by 2030 and to adopt national measures to achieve this aim; calls for the signatories of the pledge to enhance governance on methane by drawing up an overarching framework to make progress towards the collective commitment; calls for more attention at the upcoming and future COPs to be given to mitigating non-CO2 GHGs;
Amendment 510 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40
Paragraph 40
40. Calls on all Parties also to include specific methane reduction targets in their NDCs; notes that no Parties have set any quantified targets to address methane emissions from livestock; reiterates its call to ensure ambitious reductions of GHG emissions in the agriculture sector along with tackling competitive disadvantages among different global regimes beyond the EU;
Amendment 515 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 41
Paragraph 41
41. Recalls the EU regulation on methane emissions reduction in the energy sector which will apply, from 1 January 2027, also to EU importers of crude oil, natural gas and coal; reiterates its call on the Commission to propose, based on an impact assessment, a 2030 EU binding methane emissions reduction target covering all relevant emitting sectors and including methane among the regulated pollutants in the National Emission Reduction Commitments Directive1a; _________________ 1a Directive (EU) 2016/2284 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 December 2016 on the reduction of national emissions of certain atmospheric pollutants, amending Directive 2003/35/EC and repealing Directive 2001/81/EC (OJ L 344, 17.12.2016, p. 1)
Amendment 519 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42
Paragraph 42
42. Highlights the fact that the transport sector is the only sector in which emissions have risen at EU level since 1990 and that this is not compatible with the EU’s climate goals, which require greater and faster reductions in emissions from all sectors; is concerned by the slow progress achieved in the IMO and the ICAO in addressing emissions from international shipping and aviation;
Amendment 536 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 44
Paragraph 44
44. Acknowledges the significant potential for GHG emissions reduction in the agricultural sector; emphasises the importance of developing a more sustainable agriculture, including by giving farmers alternatives in order to reduce the use of synthetic fertilisers and pesticides; emphasises that reducing the overall production and use of synthetic fertilisers and increasing the use of natural carbon sequestration in soils and soil organic matter can offer multiple benefits by increasing soil fertility and biodiversity restoration while providing substantial mitigation potential; points, moreover, to the need to tackle in parallel competitive disadvantages among different global regimes beyond the EU that undermine the GHG emissions reduction efforts;
Amendment 560 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 45
Paragraph 45
45. Stresses that all sectors must contribute to the reduction of emissions, including the defence sector, while maintaining operational effectiveness, and that the development of decarbonisation technologies and strategies in the defence sector should be accelerated; notes that the inclusion of disaggregated military emissions in UNFCCC submissions is voluntary and it is not currently possible to identify reported military GHG emissions from the submitted UNFCCC data; calls on the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Commission and the Council to formulate a proposal for the transparent accounting of military emissions to the UNFCCC which acknowledges the adoption of the Strategic Compass for Security and Defence, and in order to fully implement the Climate Change and Defence Roadmap;
Amendment 581 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 47
Paragraph 47
47. Stresses the need to address the climate and environmental impact of the textile sector; recognises that the textile industry needs to play an important role in the transformation to a circular economy and tackle challenges related to, for example, waste prevention, waste management, microplastic shedding, water usage, overproduction and the overall durability and non-toxicity of the production process and recyclability of textile products, including by ensuring that textiles are designed to be long- lasting and recyclable; stresses that working towards establishing global standards for when brands can make green claims about a product is imperative; highlights, in this regard, that consistent and transparent mandatory criteria will help consumers make informed choices and prevent greenwashing and ensure that sustainability claims are backed by verifiable evidence;
Amendment 592 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 49
Paragraph 49
49. Stresses that climate change and environmental degradation lead to scarcity of natural resources, can increase conflicts and tensions, as well as food shortages and natural catastrophes, and are major drivers of human displacement and threat multipliers; highlights the fact that women are disproportionately affected by this and that 80 % of people displaced by climate change are women1a; expects COP29 to pay more attention to climate-induced displacement; calls on the Commission and the Member States to recognise the needs and vulnerability of people affected by climate displacement and step up efforts to find solutions; _________________ 1a https://www.undp.org/sites/g/files/zskgke3 26/files/publications/UNDP%20Linkages %20Gender%20and%20CC%20Policy%2 0Brief%201-WEB.pdf
Amendment 599 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 49 a (new)
Paragraph 49 a (new)
49a. Recalls that aviation accounts for 2 to 3 % of global CO2 emissions and according to The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) the sector’s international CO2 emission could triple by 2050 compared to 2015; points out that according to the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) the non- CO2 climate impacts of aviation activities are, in total, at least as significant as those of CO2 alone and are currently unregulated both in EU and globally; underlines the need to mitigate all aviation emission with climate impact and swiftly put in place regional and global binding policies to mitigate non-CO2 emissions of aviation;
Amendment 602 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 49 b (new)
Paragraph 49 b (new)
49b. Notes that inclusion of disaggregated military emissions in UNFCCC submissions is voluntary and it is not currently possible to define reported military GHG emissions from the submitted UNFCCC data; supports introducing disaggregated compulsory reporting of military emissions to the UNFCCC; calls on the Member States to lead by example by publishing national data on the GHG emissions of their militaries and military technology industries as standard practice;
Amendment 609 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 50
Paragraph 50
50. Emphasises the need for more concrete actions by all PartiesBelieves that the transformation towards a sustainable society has to be done in an inclusive, fair and equal manner, and that the gender balance and the empowerment of women and girls are key to that transformation; emphasises the need for more effective gender mainstreaming throughout all relevant targets and goals; reiterates its call on the Commission to design a concrete action plan to deliver on the commitments of the renewed Gender Action Plan agreed at the 25th Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP 25) and to create a permanent EU gender and climate change focal point, with sufficient budgetary resources, to implement and monitor gender-responsible climate action in the EU and globally; believes this could set an example for other Parties to adopt similar measures;
Amendment 614 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 50 a (new)
Paragraph 50 a (new)
50a. Points to the fact that people are impacted by climate change in different ways, depending on factors such as gender, age, disability, ethnicity and poverty; notes that vulnerable populations, such as the poor, indigenous peoples, women and the elderly are the hardest hit by its consequences; believes that gender balance and the empowerment of women and girls are key to an inclusive and just transition; emphasises the need for more effective gender mainstreaming throughout all relevant targets and goals;
Amendment 617 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 50 b (new)
Paragraph 50 b (new)
50 b. Calls on all Parties, including the EU and its Member States, to increase efforts to integrate gender equality in the implementation of their NDCs, as well as in climate and environmental policies and to increase the meaningful involvement of women’s groups in the design and implementation; stresses the need for more concrete actions by all Parties, including the EU, to deliver on the commitments contained in the renewed Gender Action Plan agreed at COP25; urges the Member States and the Commission to increase efforts to achieve the goals set out in the EU Gender Action Plan III;
Amendment 619 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 50 c (new)
Paragraph 50 c (new)
50c. Stresses the need to accelerate action for gender-responsive disaster risk reduction and therefore for a gender- responsive implementation of the Sendai Framework; calls for further efforts to be made to prioritise and account for gender in disaster preparedness, particularly using disaggregated disaster risk reduction data sets;
Amendment 620 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 50 d (new)
Paragraph 50 d (new)
50d. Considers that women’s access to inclusive climate finance must be increased and enabled; highlights the fact that gender-responsive climate financing is critical for a just transition; emphasises the importance of a gender- transformative approach in climate finance; urges the EU and its Member States to report on the gender responsiveness of its climate finance contributions and to increase the coherence between support for gender and climate through external action instruments and through the EIB, including through enhancing the participation of women and women’s organisations in governance, decision- making and programmes which support the role of women in climate governance;
Amendment 621 #
2024/2718(RSP)
Draft motion for a resolution
Paragraph 50 e (new)
Paragraph 50 e (new)
50e. Highlights the importance of increasing women’s participation in decision-making in the climate diplomacy context, including in COP delegations and leadership at all levels of climate action; regrets that women made up less than 34 % of country negotiating teams at COP28, less than one in five Heads of Delegation (19 %) was a woman, only 2 % of delegations had equal numbers of men and women and that 79 % of delegations had more men than women; calls on all Parties to aim for gender parity in their delegations and at all levels of climate change decision-making and negotiations; urges all Parties to nominate a national gender and climate change focal point and increase their resources, training and support, including in the EU;
Amendment 9 #
2024/0185(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Underlines that, with Draft amending budget No 4/2024, GNI lump- sum reductions for the five beneficiary Member States amount to just under EUR 5,4 billion net; stresses that these rebates are inflation-linked and have therefore increased at a higher rate than the MFF ceilings, which are adjusted annually on the basis of the 2 % deflator; underlineregrets that this anomaly increases the burden on the other Member States; calls for the rebates to be adjusted on the basis of the 2 % deflator as an immediate measure; recalls, furthermore, its long-standing position that rebates and other correction mechanisms should be abolished;
Amendment 4 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 11 a (new)
Citation 11 a (new)
– having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2092 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2020 on a general regime of conditionality for the protection of the Union budget,
Amendment 5 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 11 b (new)
Citation 11 b (new)
– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 June 2021 establishing the framework for achieving climate neutrality and amending Regulations (EC) No 401/2009 and (EU) 2018/1999 (European Climate Law),
Amendment 6 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 11 c (new)
Citation 11 c (new)
– having regard to the Interinstitutional Proclamation on the European Pillar of Social Rights of 13 December 2017 and its resolution of 19 January 2017 thereon,
Amendment 7 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 11 d (new)
Citation 11 d (new)
– having regard to the Commission communication of 11 December 2019 on the European Green Deal and to Parliament’s resolution of 15 January 2020 in response thereto,
Amendment 8 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 11 e (new)
Citation 11 e (new)
– having regard to the EU Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025,
Amendment 9 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 11 f (new)
Citation 11 f (new)
– having regard to the Agreement adopted at the 21st Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP21) in Paris on 12 December 2015 (the Paris Agreement) and to the Agreement adopted at the 15th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Biodiversity Conference on 19 December 2022 (the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework),
Amendment 10 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 11 g (new)
Citation 11 g (new)
– having regard to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals,
Amendment 20 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 1
Subheading 1
Section III – European Commission - A people-centred EU budget 2025: Investments tailored to improving people’s lives and boosting the Union’s competitiveness and sustainability
Amendment 25 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Emphasises that Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and its economic and societal consequences continue to put a severe strain on the everyday lives of people, especially the most vulnerable, across Europe and frontline countries; acknowledges that a confluence of political, security, socio- economic, climate and environmental challenges demand a comprehensive and resolute response from the Union, including by exploiting to the fullest possible extent the crisis response capacity of the EU budget; considers it crucial for the Union to be able to act swiftly and adequately in emergency situations caused by major natural disasters, humanitarian emergencies or public health crises in Member States and accession countries and to support third countries suffering from conflicts, refugee crises or natural disasters;
Amendment 33 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes with concern that while inflation has begun to subside compared to previous years’ peaks, its longer term impact on the cost of living, energy insecurity, energy poverty and food prices continues to be a burden on households’ purchasing power and companies’, and in particular SMEs’, competitiveness and productivity; stresses that, against this background, a combination of policy responses comprising regulatory, fiscal and budgetary measures will have to be deployed to adequately address the broad range of challenges; reminds that the Union budget, in complementarity with the national budgets of the Member States and private finance should play a central role in this regard; recalls that the EU budget is an investment budget in line with Union’s political priorities and programmes which generates a return on investment and growth possibilities; emphasises that the 2024 European Parliament elections have sent a clear message for more solidarity between Member States and more investments in policies and programmes which improve people’s lives; highlights that this call must not be answered by ever more budgetary cuts and by a reduction in badly needed resources to help people go through these difficult times;
Amendment 40 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Underscores that the revision of the Multiannual Financial Framework has been partly successful and partly unsatisfactory; acknowledges that the revision has resulted in providing additional resources for Ukraine, the Western Balkan and several other budget lines of strategic importance as well as replenished flexibility mechanism; deplores, however, that the revision has also resulted in cuts to flagship programmes, such as Horizon Europe and EU4Health; welcomes that the Commission has proceeded with translating the outcome of the MFF revision into the Financial Programming as well as amending budgets 2024 and the draft general budget for 2025 (the “DB”); underlines once again that the higher than foreseen repayment costs of the European Union Recovery Instrument (EURI) should have been placed fully in a EURI special instrument over and above the MFF ceilings with a view to restoring some margin within Heading 2b and protecting EU programmes and budgetary space in the Flexibility and Single Margin Instruments; recalls the Interinstitutional Agreement adopted as part of the 2020 MFF agreement, according to which expenditure to cover NGEU financing costs “shall aim at not reducing programmes and funds”;
Amendment 45 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Stresses that the 2025 Budget will be the first full annual budgetary procedure under the revised MFF ceilings and rules; insists that the spirit and letter of the MFF revision be respected and the additional appropriations resulting from the revision be fully authorised and committed; reminds that a certain level of redeployments, in particular under headings 1 and 6 was part of the MFF revision package; wishesstresses its firm position to not see such reductions repeated or made worse in the annual procedure;
Amendment 50 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Reiterates its concerngrets, that, despite the MFF revision, overall ceilings and margins are still very low in the Financial Programming and the DB and stand at zero in several headings (Heading 2b, Heading 5, Heading 7); takes note with concern that the NGEU overrun costs, i.e. the needs for the EURI refinancing costs which have not yet been programmed, amount to approximately EUR 2,6 billion, twice the Commission’s forecast; is aware that the Amending Letter 1/2025 will update the needs estimation for 2025; is keenly aware that identifying the sources of financing this amount, without causing undue collateral damage to essential programmes and maintaining some flexibility for unforeseen future events, constitutes the biggest challenge in the 2025 procedure;
Amendment 53 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Takes noteDeplores that the Council, in its position which it calls “prudent”, proposes to cut commitment appropriations by EUR 1.52 billion across the MFF headings, leaving a total of EUR 191,527 billion, and reduces payment appropriations by EUR 876 million across the MFF headings; stresses that, by cutting across headings on programme lines to generate additional unallocated margins, the Council’s position may convey an ambiguous message of creating additional availabilities for 2025; underlines that this approach, however, is not in accordance with the reality of current budgetary needs, as these margins are not intended for use in the annual budget 2025, and therefore the cuts proposed by the Council remain unjustified;
Amendment 62 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Is adamant that, in times of geopolitical and institutional change, financial pressure, climate change and societal challenges, a reliable, robust, flexible, investment oriented EU budget remain instrumental for the implementation of the Union’s policies and central in responding to people’s increasing needs, leaving no-one behind through the green and digital transitions, in delivering prosperity and security for people and in boosting the competitiveness and sustainability of the Union economy; to defend the social dimension of Union spending in all policy areas, in other words, we will work to reinforce budgetary lines that have a direct impact on improving peoples’ lives;
Amendment 66 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 b (new)
Paragraph 9 b (new)
9 b. Underlines that swift progress on new own resources is essential both for the repayment of EURI borrowing costs and for the financial robustness and implementation of the current and future MFFs; reiterates the need to fully respect the timeline of the legally-binding roadmap for the introduction of new own resources annexed to the IIA and urges the Commission to continue the efforts to identify fresh, new and preferably genuine own resources and other revenue sources for the Union budget beyond the IIA;
Amendment 67 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9 a. Reaffirms the significance of the horizontal principles concerning climate, biodiversity and gender equality that underpin the MFF and all related EU policies, also in the context of annual budgetary procedures; calls on the Commission to fulfil its obligation under the Interinstitutional Agreement of 16 December 2020 to take concrete action to ensure that the agreed targets related to climate and biodiversity, as well as the obligation to respect the ‘do no significant harm’ principle and to promote gender equality are fully met;
Amendment 104 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Recalls that programmes under Heading 1 play a key role in ensuring that the green and digital transitions leave no- one behind by providing the necessary support for research and innovation, in key sectors such as health, food, climate and natural resources, by boosting funding for cross- border infrastructure, in particular in the transport and energy sectors, by bolstering the Union’s investment in cutting-edge technology, by stimulating job creation and by improving the competitiveness and sustainability of the Union economy, with an emphasis on SMEs and youth entrepreneurship;
Amendment 118 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Highlights the added value of the Digital Europe Programme in view the Union’s digital transition, technological progress and competitiveness and proposes an increase of EUR 10 million for the budget line Artificial Intelligence and EUR 5 million above the DB for the skills strand of the programme;
Amendment 122 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Stresses that a well-functioning Single Market is critical for the Union’s competitiveness and to enhance access to markets for EU businesses, especially SMEs and young entrepreneurs; emphasises that SMEs in particular have been hit hard by high inflation and energy prices and proposes, as a result, an increase of EUR 5 million above the DB for the SME strand of the Single Market programme;
Amendment 128 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Underlines the key role cohesion policy plays in delivering on Union policy priorities, improving peoples’ quality of life and boosting the Union economy by contributing to fair, inclusive and sustainable growth and development, promoting economic and social convergence between countries and regions, addressing regional and social inequalities, supporting the green and digital transitions, and fostering innovation and employment; calls on the Commission and the Member States to accelerate implementation of cohesion policreiterates that cohesion policy is not a crisis response tool and, therefore, should not be called on to make up for shortcomings in budgetary flexibility or crisis response mechanisms to the detriment of its long-term policy objectives; calls on the Commission and the Member States to accelerate implementation of cohesion policy, especially in light of the additional pressure for the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Facility;
Amendment 143 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. UnderliIs highly concernesd that the expenditure programmes under Heading 2b have to share the already tight resources and margins under Heading 2b with the EURI budget line, which covers the NGEU debt management and interest costs and, eventually, debt repayments; underlines that this could have been avoided if the higher than foreseen EURI repayment costs had been placed fully in a EURI special instrument over and above the MFF ceilings as Parliament had repeatedly called for; is intent on covering these borrowing costs in a reliable and transparent manner without having to reduce programme allocations for this purpose; is convinced that, for 2025, the cascade mechanism and the newly created EURI Special Instrument make it possible that this objective can be achieved; emphasises that this is a crucial message to the beneficiaries of EU funding and the public at large;
Amendment 149 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Recalls that programmes under Heading 2b play a key role in ensuring resilience and values by providing support and opportunities for young people through Erasmus+, including the Special Olympics World Games (SOWG) 2025, and through the European Solidarity Corps; reinforcing support for the Union Civil Protection Mechanism and the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme; investing in preventing cardiovascular diseases (CVD), cancer diseases affecting children and improving peoples’ health, including mental health, by increasing EU4Health; investing in skills development, including through reskilling and upskilling; ensuring social security coordination in order to facilitate labour mobility and easier transfer of social security benefits; supporting vulnerable communities, as well as rural, isolated, island and mountainous areas, social dialogue and trade unions, cultural and creative industriesectors;
Amendment 157 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Emphasises its strong preference forosition to covering a larger share of EURI borrowing costs by availabilities in the de- commitment compartment of the EURI Special Instrument over and above the MFF ceilings which would have the effect of restoring some margin within Heading 2b and creating budgetary space in the Flexibility Instrument; proposes, therefore, to cover 65% of the overrun costs in 2025 by the de-commitment compartment of the EURI special instrument;
Amendment 159 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Is alarmed by the ever-growing impact of natural disasters, such as wildfires, floods and droughts, in Europe and its neighbourhood and is highly concerned about the Union’s ability to respond in a timely and effectively manner; underlines that these disasters are often linked to climate change and are therefore likely to occur with greater frequency and intensity in the future; wishes committed to protect human lives and to augment the Commission’s crisis response capacity; increases, therefore, appropriations for the Union Civil Protection Mechanism by EUR 42 million above DB; calls for a prioritisation of investments that help reduce the impact of natural disasters and strengthen prevention, preparedness and disaster risk reduction; stresses that the Union, being based on solidarity, will find the resources for the citizens affected by the recent floods;
Amendment 168 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Underlines the importance of a stronger Health Union and enhanced preparednesotection, prevention, preparedness and response against human health hazards; highlights the vital role that the EU4Health programme plays in this respect, as well as in supporting actions to achieve universal health coverage across the Union, including access to quality sexual and reproductive health services and rights; proposes, therefore, to increase the programme’s appropriations by EUR 50 million above DB in support of investments in preventing cardiovascular diseases (CVD), cancer, diseases affecting children and improving mental health;
Amendment 188 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
37. Reiterates the indispensable role of the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme in promoting European values and citizens’ rights, in fostering active civic engagement, in building resilient societies, in combatting gender-based violence, notably violence against women, girls and the LGBTQI+ community, and in supporting the key principles of democracy, the rule of law, solidarity, inclusiveness, justice, non- discrimination and equality; proposes, therefore, to increase appropriations for the programme by EUR 9 million above the DB, with reinforcements for the equality and rights, ‘citizens’ engagement and participation’, Daphne and ‘Union values’ strands;
Amendment 197 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39
Paragraph 39
39. Underlines the significance of the social dimension in the Union budget and the need for effective social dialogue, proper information and training for workers’ organisations;, with a view to further developing and increasing the capacity and involvement of social partners, free movement of workers, coordination of social security schemes and the EaSI strand of ESF+; reinforces, therefore, financing for the relevant lines;
Amendment 198 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39 a (new)
Paragraph 39 a (new)
39 a. Proposes to reinforce support to the Turkish Cypriot community by EUR 1 million above DB in order to finance the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus and support the bi-communal Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage;
Amendment 212 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 44
Paragraph 44
44. Underscores the negative impact of droughts and other extreme, climate change induced, weather patterns on the agricultural sector in addition to any competitive disadvantages by imports from third countries without the appropriate environmental, ecological and consumer protection standards; underlines the importance of the fruit and vegetables sector, of school schemes as well as promotional measures of agricultural products under the Common Agricultural Policy; decides, therefore, to increase the allocation of these budget lines under the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund by a total of EUR 56 million above the DB; emphasises equally the importance of investing in the digitalisation of small and medium-sized farms and the acquisition of equipment to implement good environmental practices in farming and to contribute to environmental sustainability in Union agriculture;
Amendment 221 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 45
Paragraph 45
45. Underlines the indispensable and complementary role that the LIFE programme plays in delivering on the European Green Deal and achieving the Union’s climate neutrality goal, in line with the Paris Agreement, by investing in nature and biodiversity, supporting climate change mitigation and adaptation measures, reducing emissions and increasing the use of renewable energy, creating a circular economy, protecting ecosystems, reversing the alarming trend of biodiversity loss and improving peoples’ quality of life; is concerned by the increase in climate change-driven extreme weather events and stresses the need for urgent action; proposes, therefore, to increase appropriations for the programme by EUR 49 million above the DB; supports the EEA with a modest increase in funding and staff;
Amendment 233 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 49 a (new)
Paragraph 49 a (new)
49 a. Stresses that the Union’s migration and asylum policy should be based on solidarity, shared responsibility and respect for human rights, promote safe and legal pathways and provide certainty, clarity and decent and dignified conditions for people arriving in the EU, in line with Union values and international commitments;
Amendment 234 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 49 b (new)
Paragraph 49 b (new)
49 b. Underlines the importance of saving lives at sea; highlights the need for the Commission to present a legislative proposal to establish an EU Search and Rescue Fund to show solidarity among Member States in the carrying out of SAR obligations;
Amendment 267 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 60
Paragraph 60
60. Emphasises that, and once more as a consequence of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the international context has deteriorated rapidly as a result of the food, energy, humanitarian and economic crises , which have dramatically increased pressure on Heading 6; welcomes the fact that the introduction of the Ukraine Facility and the Western Balkan Facility over the MFF ceilings provides a stable basis for support for Ukraine and the Western Balkan countries and releases some pressure on the availabilities within Heading 6 and more particularly on the cushion and buffers in the NDICI envelope; reminds that the commensurate redeployments leave behind gaps on some other budget lines which are difficult to manage;
Amendment 272 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 61
Paragraph 61
61. Stresses the importance of the Southern Neighbourhood line in supporting political, economic and social reforms in the region; taking into consideration the increasing humanitarian needs in the region as well as other purposes of regional cooperation in providing assistance to refugees, in particular Syrian and Palestinian refugees, and in enabling support along the southern migration routes; proposes to increase appropriations for the line by EUR 60 million above the DB, including to reinforce funding for UNRWA based on EU regulations and values and the intensified needs on the ground;
Amendment 285 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 64
Paragraph 64
64. Shares the Council’s assessment that the need for humanitarian aid needs have reached new heights; considers that, given the highly challenging international context, increasing geopolitical instability, rising extreme poverty and the ongoing climate change- induced emergencies, humanitarian aid needs in 2025 are likelyexpected to be evenmuch higher than estimated by the Council, in particular since humanitarian aid to Ukraine will continue to be covered under Heading 6 rather than the Ukraine Facility; proposes, therefore, to increase appropriations for humanitarian aid by EUR 120 million compared to the DB; regrets that the lack of available margin under Heading 6 does not allow for further reinforcement;
Amendment 9 #
2024/0089(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Takes note of the calculation of the adjusted annual GNI lump-sum reductions for the five beneficiary Member States, which amount to around EUR 5,4 billion net; highlights the fact that these rebates are inflation-linked and have therefore increased at a higher rate than the MFF ceilings, which are adjusted annually on the basis of the 2 % deflator; stresseregrets that this anomaly increases the burden on the other Member States; calls for the rebates to be adjusted on the basis of the 2 % deflator as an immediate measure; recalls, furthermore, its long-standing position that rebates and other correction mechanisms should be abolished;