22 Amendments of Frédérique RIES related to 2018/0229(COD)
Amendment 20 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1
Recital 1
(1) With 1.8% of EU GDP, down from 2.2% in 2009, infrastructure investment activities in the Union in 2016 were about 20% below investment rates before the global financial crisis. Thus, while a recovery in investment-to-GDP ratios in the Union can be observed, it remains below what might be expected in a strong recovery period and is insufficient to compensate years of underinvestment. More importantly, the current investment levels and forecasts do not cover the Union’s structural investment needs in the face of technological change and global competitiveness, including for innovation, research, skills, infrastructure, small and medium- sized enterprises ('SMEs'), start- ups, and the need to address key societal challenges such as sustainability or population ageing. Consequently, continued support is necessary to address market failures and sub-optimal investment situations to reduce the investment gap in targeted sectors to achieve the Union's policy objectives.
Amendment 23 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) In the last years, the Union has adopted ambitious strategies to complete the Single Market and to stimulate sustainable growth and jobs, such as the Capital Markets Union, the Digital Single Market Strategy, the Clean Energy for all Europeans package, the Union Action Plan for the Circular Economy, Horizon 2020, the Low- Emission Mobility Strategy, the Defence and the Space Strategy for Europe. The InvestEU Fund should exploit and reinforce synergies between those mutually reinforcing strategies through providing support to investment and access to financing.
Amendment 26 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) The InvestEU Fund should contribute to improving the competitiveness of the Union, including in the field of innovation and digitisation, scientific excellence, the sustainability of the Union's economic growth, the social resilience and inclusiveness and the integration of the Union capital markets, including solutions addressing their fragmentation and diversifying sources of financing for the Union enterprises. To that end, it should support projects that are technically and economically viable by providing a framework for the use of debt, risk sharing and equity instruments underpinned by a guarantee from the Union's budget and by contributions from implementing partners. It should be demand-driven while support under the InvestEU Fund should at the same time focus on contributing to meeting policy objectives of the Union.
Amendment 31 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) The Union endorsed the objectives set out in the United Nations Agenda 2030 and its Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement in 2015 as well as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030. To achieve the agreed objectives, including those embedded in the environmental policies of the Union, action pursuing sustainable development is to be stepped up significantly and environmentally harmful subsidies to be phased-out. Therefore, the principles of sustainable development should feature prominently in the design of the InvestEU Fund.
Amendment 33 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) Reflecting the importance of tackling climate change in line with the Union's commitments to implement the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the InvestEU Programme will contribute to mainstream climate actions and to the achievement of an overall target of 2530 % of the Union budget expenditures supporting climate objectives. Actions under the InvestEU Programme are expected toshall contribute 340 % of the overall financial envelope of the InvestEU Programme to climate and environmental objectives. Relevant actions will be identified during the InvestEU Programme's preparation and implementation and reassessed in the context of the relevant evaluations and review processes. The Climate tracking methodology used shall be in line with international standards of multilateral development banks and the EIB.
Amendment 49 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) A significant effort is urgently needed to invest in digital transformation and to distribute the benefits of it to all Union citizens and businesses in urban and rural areas. The strong policy framework of the Digital Single Market Strategy should now be matched by investment of a similar ambition, including in artificial intelligence.
Amendment 50 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play a crucial role in the Union. However, they face challenges when accessing finance because of their perceived high risk and lack of sufficient collateral. Additional challenges arise from SMEs' need to stay competitive by engaging in digitisation, internationalisation and innovation activities and skilling up their workforce. Moreover, compared to larger enterprises, they have access to a more limited set of financing sources: they typically do not issue bonds, have only limited access to stock exchanges or large institutional investors. The challenge in accessing finance is even greater for those SMEs whose activities focus on intangible assets. SMEs in the Union rely heavily on banks and debt financing in the form of bank overdrafts, bank loans or leasing. Supporting SMEs that face the above challenges by simplifying their access to finance and providing more diversified sources of funding is necessary for increasing the ability of SMEs to finance their creation, growth and development, withstand economic downturns, and for making the economy and the financial system more resilient during economic downturn or shocks. This is also complementary to the initiatives already undertaken in the context of the Capital Markets Union. Programmes such as COSME and H2020 have been important for SMEs in that they facilitated access to finance in all phases of their lifecycle, and that this was added to by EFSI for which there was a quick SME uptake. The InvestEU Fund should provide an opportunity to focus on specific, more targeted financial products.
Amendment 58 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 15 a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 15 a (new)
(15 a) 'start up' means an entreprise that is often tech-enabled, in general combines fast growth, high reliance on innovation of product, processes and financing, utmost attention to new technological developments and extensive use of innovative business models, and, often, collaborative platforms1a. _________________ 1a COM (2016) 733
Amendment 65 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point c
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point c
(c) to increase and simplify the access to and the availability of finance for SMEs and, in duly justified cases, for small mid- cap companies;
Amendment 74 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – point c
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – point c
(c) SMEs policy window: simplified access to and availability of finance for SMEs and, in duly justified cases, for small mid-cap companies;
Amendment 77 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – point d
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – point d
(d) social investment and skills policy window: comprises microfinance, social enterprise finance, female entrepreneurship and social economy; skills, education, training and related services; social infrastructure (including social and student housing); social innovation; health and long-term care; inclusion and accessibility; cultural activities with a social goal; integration of vulnerable people, including third country nationals.
Amendment 80 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1
Article 7 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1
Financing and investment operations under the sustainable infrastructure policy windows referred to in point (a), (b), (c), (d) of paragraph (1) shall be subject to climate, environmental, economical and social sustainability proofing with a view to minimise detrimental impacts and maximise benefits on climate, environment, economical and social dimensions. For that purpose, promoters requesting financing shall provide adequate information based on guidance to be developed by the Commission in close cooperation with implementing partners. Projects below a certain size defined in the guidance shall be excluded from the proofing.
Amendment 91 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 5
Article 7 – paragraph 5
5. At least 40 % of the investments under the Invest EU shall contribute to meeting the climate and environmental objectives of the union. Implementing partners shall targetensure that at least 50 % of the investment under the sustainable infrastructure policy window contribute to meeting the Union objectives on climate and environment.
Amendment 130 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex II – paragraph 1 – point 1 – point d
Annex II – paragraph 1 – point 1 – point d
(d) production and supply of synthetic fuels from renewable/carbon-neutral non- fossil sources; alternative fuels;
Amendment 131 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex II – paragraph 1 – point 1 – point e
Annex II – paragraph 1 – point 1 – point e
(e) bio-carbon-capture and -storage infrastructure.
Amendment 133 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex II – paragraph 1 – point 1 – point e a (new)
Annex II – paragraph 1 – point 1 – point e a (new)
(e a) Local and regional renewable energy production especially through energy communities.
Amendment 135 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex II – paragraph 1 – point 2 – point d
Annex II – paragraph 1 – point 2 – point d
(d) railway infrastructure, other rail projects, inland waterway infrastructure and maritime ports;
Amendment 144 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex II – paragraph 1 – point 3 – point h a (new)
Annex II – paragraph 1 – point 3 – point h a (new)
(h a) antimicrobial resistance, and notably reducing the use of antibiotics in humans and animals with the ’One health approach’ by preventative measures;
Amendment 146 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex II – paragraph 1 – point 3 a (new)
Annex II – paragraph 1 – point 3 a (new)
3 a. promote substitution of products that are chemically hazardous with more sustainable alternatives.
Amendment 147 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex II – paragraph 1 – point 4
Annex II – paragraph 1 – point 4
4. Development of digital connectivity infrastructure, in particular through projects supporting deployment of very high capacity digital networks in urban and rural areas.
Amendment 149 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex II – paragraph 1 – point 11 – point a
Annex II – paragraph 1 – point 11 – point a
(a) microfinance, social enterprise finance, female entrepreneurship and social economy;
Amendment 152 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex II – paragraph 1 a (new)
Annex II – paragraph 1 a (new)
13 a. Seas and Oceans, through the development of a sustainable blue economy in line with the objectives of the Integrated Maritime Policy in particular through (a) maritime entrepreneurship (b) an innovative and competitive maritime industry (c) ocean literacy and blue careers (d) the International Ocean Governance agenda (e) maritime surveillance and security (f) cross-border cooperation (g) the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, in particular SDG 14 (Life Below Water)