Activities of Britta THOMSEN related to 2013/2135(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
A 2030 framework for climate and energy policies (debate)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on a 2030 framework for climate and energy policies PDF (377 KB) DOC (227 KB)
Amendments (79)
Amendment 25 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 16 a (new)
Citation 16 a (new)
- having regard to the Commission report ‘Assessment of Cumulative Cost Impact for the Steel Industry’,
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 16 b (new)
Citation 16 b (new)
- having regard to the Commission Staff Working Document ‘Exploiting the employment potential of green growth’,
Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 17 a (new)
Citation 17 a (new)
- having regard to the European Parliament resolution of 23 October 2013 on the Climate Change conference in Warsaw, Poland (COP19),
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 18 a (new)
Citation 18 a (new)
- having regard to the European Council’s conclusions on GHG emissions reductions of 80-95% by 2050 compared to 1990 levels,
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 18 b (new)
Citation 18 b (new)
- having regard to the International Labour Organization report ‘Towards a Green Economy: The Social Dimensions’,
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 18 c (new)
Citation 18 c (new)
- having regard to the Eurostat document ‘Energy Production and imports’,
Amendment 52 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas security of supply, competitiveness and climate objectives are of the utmost importance for the EU, are inextricably linked and must be addressed and considered on an equal footingmutually reinforcing and should not be considered as conflicting in nature;
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Aa. whereas lessons should be learned from the fact that out of the three headline 2020 targets agreed in 2007 (20% of the Union’s energy mix to come from renewable sources, a 20% increase in energy efficiency compared to projections, and a reduction in GHG emissions of 20% as compared to 1990 levels) the only target not currently on track is the non-binding energy efficiency target;
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A b (new)
Recital A b (new)
Ab. whereas only binding targets offer Member States the necessary flexibility to decarbonise their economies in the most efficient and cost-effective way, taking into account national circumstances and specificities;
Amendment 63 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A c (new)
Recital A c (new)
Ac. whereas the current climate of uncertainty surrounding the future direction of climate and energy policy is deterring much-needed investments in clean technology;
Amendment 64 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A d (new)
Recital A d (new)
Ad. whereas the Commission’s Energy Roadmap 2050 finds that decarbonisation of the energy sector and a high renewables scenario is cheaper than a continuation of current policies, and that over time prices of energy from nuclear and fossil fuels will continue to rise, whereas the cost of renewables will decrease;
Amendment 65 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A e (new)
Recital A e (new)
Ae. whereas the 2050 carbon roadmap estimates health savings through improvement in local air quality would save up to €17 billion per year by 2030 and the IEA estimates that by 2035 2°C consistent policies could cut the EU’s annual fossil fuel import bill by 46% or €275 billion (1% of EU GDP);
Amendment 66 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A f (new)
Recital A f (new)
Af. whereas attention must be paid to the impact of climate and energy policy not only on the most vulnerable groups in society but also on low and middle-income households whose standards of living have been squeezed in recent years;
Amendment 67 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A g (new)
Recital A g (new)
Ag. whereas energy saving and energy efficiency are the fastest and cheapest routes to addressing issues such as energy security, external dependence, high prices and environmental concerns;
Amendment 68 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A h (new)
Recital A h (new)
Ah. whereas the transport sector accounts for a significant share of both greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption in the EU; whereas greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector increased by 36 % between 1996 and 2007;
Amendment 72 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas this is acknowledged in the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), which stipulates that the objectives of the Union’s energy policy include the functioning of the energy market, security of supply, energy efficiency, energy saving, renewable energy and interconnections; and that the objectives of the Union’s environmental policy include preserving, protecting and improving the quality of the environment, promoting human health, prudent and rational utilization of natural resources and the promotion of measures at international level to deal with regional or worldwide environmental problems and in particular climate change;
Amendment 89 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas Eurostatpean Environment Agency figures show that the EU has reduced its CO2 emissions by 16.978% between 1990 and 20112 and is on track to achieve its 2020 target in this regard;, mainly due to the economic crisis1; __________________ 1 Trends and projections in Europe 2013, EEA Report nr 10/2013.
Amendment 97 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
Da. whereas the verified EU emissions from 2005 to 2012 within the ETS fell by 16 % and within the non-ETS sectors by 10 %, indicating that the 2020 reduction targets of -21 % and -10 %, respectively, are likely to be achieved several years ahead of that year;
Amendment 112 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas the IEA estimates that the EU is responsible for only 11 % of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the proportion is set to decrease in the future so that,while EU CO2 emissions measured by metric ton per capita still are higher than world average, and the average of emerging economies and developing countries; whereas even if ithe EU has limited capacity in lowering global emissions by means of unilateral action, it has a significant leading role to play, in particular; as regards the achievement of a binding agreement in Paris in 2015; whereas the EU therefore has to define a clear and ambitious position;
Amendment 127 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas investors and industries need a clear and long-term framework for EU climate and energy policy with greater levels of certainty in order to encourage medium and long-term private investment and reduce the risk associated with this;
Amendment 150 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H
Recital H
H. whereas the EU spent EUR 573 billion on imported fossil fuels in 2011 (equivalent to over €1000 per head of population) and its dependency on energy imports is expected to grow; whereas this dependency leaves the Union vulnerable to world energy prices and political shocks, and compromises Union and Member State foreign policy autonomy
Amendment 158 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H a (new)
Recital H a (new)
Ha. whereas money spent on importing fossil fuels contributes little to investment, jobs or growth in the Union, and therefore redirecting this money towards domestic investment in energy efficiency, renewable energy and smart infrastructure would stimulate the construction, automotive and high-tech industries and their downstream suppliers, creating high-quality, high- skilled jobs which cannot be exported/delocalised;
Amendment 164 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H b (new)
Recital H b (new)
Hb. whereas fossil fuel subsidies in 2011 for electricity alone in the EU amounted to €26 billion and this figure does not take into account gas and oil subsidies;
Amendment 166 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H c (new)
Recital H c (new)
Hc. whereas the conclusions from the European Council meeting of 22nd May 2013 called for priority to be given to phasing out environmentally or economically harmful subsidies, including for fossil fuels;
Amendment 168 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H d (new)
Recital H d (new)
Hd. whereas investment in renewable energy sources and energy efficiency creates jobs in high-technology industries, ensures EU leadership in RES and EE technologies (fields with high global demand which will continue to grow), and also reduces energy dependence;
Amendment 192 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I a (new)
Recital I a (new)
Ia. whereas nearly half of the final energy in the EU is used for heating and cooling purposes;
Amendment 215 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the Commission Green Paper on a 2030 framework for climate and energy policies and expects the European Council to address these issues with realistic but ambitiousambitious and realistic responses;
Amendment 235 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. AsksInsists that the Commission to take a multifaceted approach, the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of which ought to be enhanced by coordinin its forthcoming communication should propose a new climated and coherent policies that address in equal measure issues such as competitiveness, energy security and climate objectives (e.g.energy package for 2030 consisting of three binding, and mutually-reinforcing headline targets for GHG emission reduction, renewable energy sources and energy efficiency)savings. ;
Amendment 248 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Considers that a strong binding energy efficiency target is of primary importance in order to make the most efficient use of energy within the Union and such a target will also have the knock-on effect of ensuring that less effort will be needed to meet the GHG and renewable energies targets; therefore calls for the current 2020 target to be continued, but be made binding and the level of ambition doubled to 40%;
Amendment 254 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2b. Considers that a binding target of 45% for the share of renewable energies in the Union is the best way to ensure the necessary investor certainty for the continued development and promotion of renewable energy sources and related infrastructure and is entirely feasible alongside a strong binding energy savings target;
Amendment 256 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 c (new)
Paragraph 2 c (new)
2c. Considers that a binding 50% domestic reduction target for greenhouse gas emissions compared to 1990 levels is the absolute minimum required to stay on track for the below 2°C target and is both realistic and affordable, as has been shown by numerous studies, particularly when combined with ambitious energy savings and renewable energy targets
Amendment 274 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls on the European Council to keep up the progress made at EU level and set ambitious but realistic objectivesswiftly endorse the new climate and energy package for the 2030 EU policies that take account of the economic, social, environmental, international and technological contexts, andwith these three binding headline targets, in order to establish a clear, stable, long-term and cost-effective framework for industries and investors;
Amendment 295 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Notes that as one of the cornerstones of the EU's climate and energy package, the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) should be the principal instrument for reducing industrial emissions and promoting investment in low carbon technologies; doing so in a manner that creates a level playing field for competing technologies, that gives companies the flexibility to develop their own mitigation strategy, and that provides for specific measures to combat carbon leakage;
Amendment 307 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. Recognises that the ETS is experiencing problems not originally anticipated which has led to an accumulation of surplus allowances; calls on the Commission to take into account past experience when proposing structural improvement to the ETS, which is necessary in order to increase the scheme's ability to respond to economic downturns and upturns, enhance investor certainty and strengthen market-based incentives for investment in and the use of low-carbon technologies;
Amendment 315 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 c (new)
Paragraph 3 c (new)
3c. Calls on the Member States to increase the proportion of ETS auctioning revenue spent on climate-related purposes so as to spur low-carbon investment in industry and encourage other means of job creation;
Amendment 325 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
Amendment 372 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Notes that some RES should nowas and when the cost of RES production be considered mature energy sources andmes competitive on the market, their subsidies should therefore be phased out onver time in order to be able to reallocate these to research and development (R&D) programmes and RESto next-generation RES technologies that are not yet cost- effeccompetitive; asksIn the Commission to study the impact of RES priority dispatch on general energy costs;same vein, affirms that fossil fuels are mature energy sources and their subsidies should be phased out as soon as possible.
Amendment 389 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Is of the opinion that support schemes have already been shown to be effective at promoting the development and use of renewable energies; recognises however that they have in some cases been inefficient and should be better designed; deplores the retroactive changes made to some schemes which have damaged investor confidence; sees an important role for the Commission in providing guidance in this regard;
Amendment 396 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5b. Asks the Commission to study the impact of RES priority dispatch on the functioning of the internal energy market;
Amendment 400 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 c (new)
Paragraph 5 c (new)
5c. Highlights that the Commission's 2050 Low-carbon Roadmap showed that renewables and improved energy efficiency could result in annual savings of between 175 and 320 billion euros for the Union.
Amendment 401 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 d (new)
Paragraph 5 d (new)
Amendment 421 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Stresses that increased energy efficiency and energy savings will play an essential role in the decarbonisation of the energy sectortire Union economy;
Amendment 436 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
Amendment 450 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7 a. Calls on the European Commission to fully integrate the heating and cooling sector into the transformation of the European energy system; calls furthermore on the Commission and the Member States to support development of local heating and cooling infrastructures and readily available renewable heating and cooling solutions. Believes that in combination with energy efficiency measures, local heating and cooling have the potential to increase the security of supply by reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, while keeping energy costs affordable for consumers and businesses;
Amendment 454 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Notes that as one of the cornerstones of the EU's climate and energy package, the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), should be able to best fulfil its main function, the reduction of GHG emissions, and respond efficiently to economic downturns and upturnchanges; recalls that the main objective of the EU ETS is to reduce GHG emissions and not to provide investors with sufficient incentives to invest in low-carbon technologies, as these should be seen merely as a secondary objective and not as a basis for evaluating if the scheme works as intended; </AmendOr. <Original>bg</Original>
Amendment 496 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Notes that the EU needs a comprehensive policy framework for 2030 that encourages investment in and the long- term decarbonisation of non-ETS sectors; therefore calls on the Commission and the Member States to reviewstrengthen the non-ETS targets while preserving the flexibility for Member States to define their own ways of meeting their effort sharing targets;
Amendment 502 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9 a. calls on the Commission to increase dialogue and cooperation with the International Maritime Organisation so as to ensure inclusion of the shipping sector in CO2 reduction commitments; If an international agreement on global measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from maritime emissions has not been reached before 31 December 2015, calls on the Commission, through the ordinary legislative procedure, to propose emission reduction targets for international maritime shipping and market based measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the maritime sector.
Amendment 507 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 b (new)
Paragraph 9 b (new)
9 b. Calls on the Commission to come forward with a specific framework for transport, including targets, as the transport sector accounts for around a quarter of EU greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption in the EU making it the second biggest greenhouse gas emitting sector after energy production;
Amendment 516 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Sees an important role for cogeneration and efficient district heating and cooling in increasing energy efficiency in the future;
Amendment 521 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10 a. Sees an important role for advanced biofuels in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in transport, while increasing energy security and contributing to growth and jobs;
Amendment 531 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Asks Member States for better cooperation and interaction at EU level in order to make national measures more efficient and consistent;
Amendment 541 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Recalls that a clear, coherent and consistent policy and regulatory framework, based on three binding headline targets is key to helping stimulate the necessary investments in the ‘'no regrets’ technologies' options (energy efficiency, renewable energies and smart infrastructure) defined in the Energy Roadmap 2050 in a cost-effective and sustainable way;
Amendment 547 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12 a. Asks the Commission to analyse how the use of energy and environmental taxes by the Member States can be facilitated, in order to reduce GHG emissions within the non-ETS sectors in a cost-efficient way;
Amendment 551 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
Amendment 574 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Believes that Member States and regions should be encouraged to improve cooperation in order to optimise the efficiency of renewables expansion, notably offshore wind energy; in this context, the Commission has an important role to play as a facilitator in coordinating, financially supporting and preparing appropriate analyses of renewable energy resources and potential for the Member States;
Amendment 578 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Calls on the Commission to submit an analysis of how renewable energy sources can be developed sustainably, taking into account environmental impact, aspects related to dependency on raw materials and life cycle and, above all, how to support stablenon-intermittent sources of renewable energy such as hydropower, biomass or geothermal power;
Amendment 605 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
Amendment 634 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Underlines the importance of an energy strategy 2030 climate and energy framework focused on boosting energy security and economic and industrial competitiveness in the EU, job creation, social aspects and environmental sustainability by means of measures such as increasing the deployment of RES, investing heavily in energy efficiency and the diversification of supply routes, suppliers and sources and by increasing the deployment of RES;
Amendment 641 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
Amendment 667 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Stresses that as the EU pursues its goal of energy security, emphasis needs to be shifted towards a model of energy interdependence between Member States by ensuring the swift completion of the EU internal energy market, including in particular the construction of interconnectors and elimination of cross- border barriers; believes furthermore that completing the EU supergrid infrastructure linking the north, south, east and west will enable the EU to make the best use of the comparative advantages of each Member State, and calls for further support for decentralised and micro-scale energy production and smart energy infrastructures in all Member States; stresses, therefore, the need for strong coordination between Member States’ policies and for joint action, solidarity and transparency in view of the fact that national energy policy decisions can affect other Member States; suggests that it would be desirable to determine whether and how the expertise and facilities of the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) could be put to use in carrying out the above tasks;
Amendment 676 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
Amendment 697 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Stresses that energy end consumers – individuals, SMEs and industry alike – are at the very core of the internal energy market and that they should benefit from lower energy prices, be duly protected, and accurately informed by ensuring easy access to information; for this purpose, calls on the Commission and Members States to achieve, as a matter of urgency, the completion of the internal market, security of supply and the interconnecpay particular attention to energy poverty and propose a specific strategy proposing measures to tackle energy poverty, including ensuring best-practice can be spread and the use of statistics and indicators, including an EU-wide definition of enetworks as requested in Article 194 TFEUrgy poverty;
Amendment 702 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23a. Notes that energy is an essential service covered by Protocol No 26 on Services of General Interest, appended to the Lisbon Treaties, which requires a high level of affordability; stresses that the 2030 framework needs to include the principle of affordability and avoid discrimination against vulnerable consumers, particularly those on low income; asks therefore that the Commission give greater priority to the socio-economic dimension of sustainability and introduce measures to address the distributional impact of its policies.
Amendment 703 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
Amendment 734 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Notes that some Member States, being energy islands, are still totally isolated from the European gas and electricity networks and continue to pay higher prices for energy, which adversely affects their competitiveness; suggests that these Member States could benefit in particular from energy efficiency measures and deployment of renewable energies; points out that without substantial infrastructure investment, the commitment of the European Council that no Member State should remain isolated from the EU networks by 2015 cannot be fulfilled for those Member States will be broken; favours in this regard the swift completion of the internal energy market;
Amendment 738 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
Amendment 747 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
Amendment 780 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 a (new)
Paragraph 28 a (new)
28a. Firmly believes that reducing energy use and costs through high energy efficiency, further developing renewable energy sources and using research and innovation to develop new technologies to slash our CO2 emissions are all necessary in order to boost the Union's competitiveness and create much-needed high-quality growth and jobs which cannot be exported outside the Union
Amendment 783 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 b (new)
Paragraph 28 b (new)
28b. Considers that the setting of ambitious targets would provide the necessary stimulus to revitalise Member States' economies and ensure an end to the current economic downturn, boosting competitiveness through lower production costs for heavy industry by resource and energy efficiency, decrease vulnerability to world energy price fluctuations and ensure a more stable investment environment, as well as ensuring European leadership in the high-tech sustainable technology sector and the first-mover advantage that goes with it.
Amendment 795 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Calls on the Commission to launch a study analysing new and cost-efficient market designs with a view to ensuring reasonably priced electricitaffordable energy to consumers and toindustry and preventingon of carbon leakage; asks therefore the Commission to come forward as soon as possible with an additional assessment and recommendations for further actions to prevent the risk of carbon leakage caused by reallocation of production facilities outside the EU, focusing in particular on additional scenarios in which limited or no further global action is taken on carbon emission reduction;
Amendment 814 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Notes that the EU’'s main competitors on the global market place great emphasis on technological developments, innovation and improving industrial processes; notes also that their economies grow at a much faster pace than the EU; concludes that the EU must give priority to R&D and innovation;concludes that the EU must give priority to R&D and innovation and the setting of long-term targets will incentivise new technologies
Amendment 827 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
Amendment 840 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Strongly underlines that any future EU policy must address the comparative strengths and weaknesses of its economy, particularly with regard to any free trade agreement the EU signs up to, especially in light of the planned free trade agreement (TTIP) with the US where energy prices have been decreasing significantly while efforts to reduce GHG emissions are not on par with the progress already achieved in the EU although the carbon price in California currently is more than double that in the EU;
Amendment 852 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 5
Subheading 5
Amendment 860 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Welcomes the Commission’'s remarks that the EU climate and energy targets can impact differently on each Member State and their citizens, and that this justifies working on a more equitable effort sharing basis, taking into account a country’s GDP, achievements in reducing emissions since 1990, emissions per capita, economic potential and potential forwhen deciding each Member State's effort required to meet the new binding 2030 GHG, RES and EE targets, consideration should be given to each country's individual circumstances and potential for emission reduction, renewable energy sourcesproduction and energy efficiencsaving capacity;
Amendment 872 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Underlines, in line with Article 194 TFEU, that Member States are the ultimate decision makers as regards their energy mix and within the framework of the three headline climate and energy targets should be able to use and develop different approaches for technologies and energy sources that are environmentally sound and socially and economically acceptable in respect of the Union's climate and energy policy goals;
Amendment 880 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35
Paragraph 35
Amendment 895 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
Paragraph 36
36. Notes that access to capital, even for heavy industry sectors, is often a barrier to investment in cleaner technologies; therefore asks the Commission to study the possibility of creating a fund that could help to leverage investment, possibly financed by a share of ETS revenue; considers that a significant strengthening and reorientation of the EIB would help in this respect;
Amendment 904 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37 a (new)
Paragraph 37 a (new)
37a. Points out that a well-functioning EU ETS is pivotal in maintaining the EU's leadership on climate change and that several countries such as China and Australia are implementing or developing legislation to introduce their own emissions trading system following the example of the EU ETS; recalls in this regard that an international cap and trade system is central in order to secure a new legally binding global climate change agreement and that without a stable and predictable emissions trading system the credibility of the EU's climate policy is at risk;