BETA

Activities of Alain LIPIETZ

Plenary speeches (63)

The Stability and Growth Pact
2016/11/22
Appointment of the ECB President
2016/11/22
Situation of the Alstom Group
2016/11/22
One-minute speeches on matters of political importance
2016/11/22
Effects of the summer heatwave
2016/11/22
Economic and Monetary Union
2016/11/22
Activities and supervision of institutions for occupational retirement provision
2016/11/22
Stability and Growth Pact
2016/11/22
Mercosur
2016/11/22
Vote
2016/11/22
Vote
2016/11/22
Vote
2016/11/22
Vote
2016/11/22
Financial markets
2016/11/22
VOTE
2016/11/22
Stability plans in Ireland and France
2016/11/22
Action taken on EIB annual report
2016/11/22
Human rights
2016/11/22
VAT
2016/11/22
Question Time (Council)
2016/11/22
Peru
2016/11/22
Sport
2016/11/22
ECB annual report
2016/11/22
Coup d'état in Paraguay
2016/11/22
Peru
2016/11/22
Broad outlines of economic policies
2016/11/22
VOTE
2016/11/22
Financial services and complementary pensions
2016/11/22
Union Economy (1999)
2016/11/22
UCITS
2016/11/22
Reform of European competition policy
2016/11/22
Informing and consulting workers
2016/11/22
Employment (continued)
2016/11/22
ECB annual report
2016/11/22
Credit Rating Agencies - Reporting and documentation requirements in the case of merger and divisions - Insurance and reinsurance (Solvency II) (recast) (debate)
2016/11/22
Dossiers: 2007/0143(COD)
Facility providing mid-term financial assistance for Member States' balances of payments - Facility providing mid-term financial assistance for Member States' balances of payments (debate)
2016/11/22
Dossiers: 2009/0053(CNS)
European Economic Recovery Plan (A6-0063/2009, Elisa Ferreira) (vote)
2016/11/22
Dossiers: 2008/2334(INI)
Reduced rates of value added tax (debate)
2016/11/22
Dossiers: 2008/0143(CNS)
Formal sitting and debate - 10th anniversary of the euro
2016/11/22
Internal market in electricity - Conditions for access to the network for cross-border exchanges in electricity - Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators - Towards a European Charter on the Rights of Energy Consumers (debate)
2016/11/22
Dossiers: 2007/0195(COD)
EMU@10 – The first ten years of Economic and Monetary Union (Commission communication) (debate)
2016/11/22
Trade and Climate Change (debate)
2016/11/22
Dossiers: 2007/2003(INI)
Referendum in Venezuela (debate)
2016/11/22
Amendment of Directive 2003/87/EC so as to include aviation activities in the scheme for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading within the Community (debate)
2016/11/22
Dossiers: 2006/0304(COD)
Negotiations on an Interregional Association Agreement with Mercosur and the new bilateral strategic partnership with Brazil (debate)
2016/11/22
Financial instability and the impact on the real economy (debate)
2016/11/22
Eurozone (2007) - European Central Bank (2006) (continuation of debate)
2016/11/22
EIB Annual Report 2005 (debate)
2016/11/22
Dossiers: 2006/2269(INI)
Increase in energy prices (debate)
2016/11/22
Dossiers: 2006/2247(INI)
2006 Annual Report on the Euro Area (vote)
2016/11/22
Dossiers: 2006/2239(INI)
Services of general interest (vote)
2016/11/22
Dossiers: 2006/2101(INI)
Services of general interest (vote)
2016/11/22
Dossiers: 2006/2101(INI)
Services of general interest (debate)
2016/11/22
Dossiers: 2006/2101(INI)
Competition policy 2004 (vote)
2016/11/22
Dossiers: 2005/2209(INI)
Competition policy 2004 (debate)
2016/11/22
Dossiers: 2005/2209(INI)
Budget/Economy
2016/11/22
Redundancies at Alstom
2016/11/22
EIB activity report 2003
2016/11/22
Voting time
2016/11/22
Situation in Colombia
2016/11/22
Voting time
2016/11/22
ECB 2003 annual report
2016/11/22
Stability and Growth Pact
2016/11/22

Reports (8)

Recommendation for second reading on the common position adopted by the Council with a view to adopting a European Parliament and Council Directive on the supplementary supervision of credit institutions, insurance undertakings and investment firms in a financial conglomerate and amending Council Directives 73/239/EEC, 79/267/EEC, 92/49/EEC, 92/96/EEC, 93/6/EEC and 93/22/EEC, and Directives 98/78/EC and 2000/12/EC of the European Parliament and the Council - Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs PDF (124 KB) DOC (44 KB)
2016/11/22
Committee: ECON
Dossiers: 2001/0095(COD)
Documents: PDF(124 KB) DOC(44 KB)
Report on the Commission's XXX1st Report on Competition Policy 2001 - Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs PDF (137 KB) DOC (75 KB)
2016/11/22
Committee: ECON
Dossiers: 2002/2142(COS)
Documents: PDF(137 KB) DOC(75 KB)
Report on the proposal for a European Parliament and Council directive on the supplementary supervision of credit institutions, insurance undertakings and investment firms in a financial conglomerate and amending Council Directives 73/239/EEC, 79/267/EEC, 92/49/EEC, 92/96/EEC, 93/6/EEC and 93/22/EEC, and Directives 98/78/EC and 2000/12/EC of the European Parliament and the Council - Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs PDF (214 KB) DOC (178 KB)
2016/11/22
Committee: ECON
Dossiers: 2001/0095(COD)
Documents: PDF(214 KB) DOC(178 KB)
PDF (53 KB) DOC (87 KB)
2016/11/22
Committee: ECON
Dossiers: 2000/2173(INI)
Documents: PDF(53 KB) DOC(87 KB)
REPORT Report on trade and climate change PDF (230 KB) DOC (161 KB)
2016/11/22
Committee: INTA
Dossiers: 2007/2003(INI)
Documents: PDF(230 KB) DOC(161 KB)
REPORT Report on the Commission report on competition policy 2004 PDF (149 KB) DOC (89 KB)
2016/11/22
Committee: ECON
Dossiers: 2005/2209(INI)
Documents: PDF(149 KB) DOC(89 KB)
REPORT on the activity report for 2003 of the European Investment Bank PDF (166 KB) DOC (61 KB)
2016/11/22
Committee: ECON
Dossiers: 2004/2187(INI)
Documents: PDF(166 KB) DOC(61 KB)
REPORT 2003 annual report of the ECB - in accordance with Article 113(3) of the Treaty establishing the Europeab Community PDF (167 KB) DOC (62 KB)
2016/11/22
Committee: ECON
Dossiers: 2004/2144(INI)
Documents: PDF(167 KB) DOC(62 KB)

Opinions (6)

OPINION Proposal for a Council Decision on the eligibility of Central Asian countries under Council Decision 2006/1016/EC granting a Community guarantee to the European Investment Bank against losses under loans and loan guarantees for projects outside the Community
2016/11/22
Committee: INTA
Documents: PDF(152 KB) DOC(465 KB)
OPINION Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing an Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators
2016/11/22
Committee: ECON
Documents: PDF(250 KB) DOC(634 KB)
OPINION Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2003/87/EC so as to include aviation activities in the scheme for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading within the Community
2016/11/22
Committee: ECON
Documents: PDF(183 KB) DOC(272 KB)
OPINION Specific problems in the Transposition and Implementation of Public Procurement Legislation and its relation to the Lisbon Agenda
2016/11/22
Committee: JURI
Documents: PDF(114 KB) DOC(63 KB)
OPINION Proposal for a Council decision granting a Community guarantee to the European Investment Bank against losses under loans and guarantees for projects outside the Community
2016/11/22
Committee: INTA
Documents: PDF(188 KB) DOC(272 KB)
OPINION i 2010-A European information Society for growth and employment
2016/11/22
Committee: ECON
Documents: PDF(99 KB) DOC(61 KB)

Written declarations (1)

Written declaration on religious rights and freedoms in France and throughout the European Union

Amendments (177)

Amendment 25 #

2008/2334(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Aa. Whereas the responses to the economic crisis cannot be disconnected from those to be given to face the ecological crisis, and the commodities shortage crisis,
2009/01/29
Committee: ECON
Amendment 36 #

2008/2334(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Da. whereas the EU recovery plan must combine stability in the short term with a longer-term restructuring of the financial, taxation and energy systems,
2009/01/29
Committee: ECON
Amendment 39 #

2008/2334(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Ea. Whereas the facilities granted by the revised Stability and Growth Pact makes it easier to finance high-quality public investments, such as those ones aiming at the de-coupling of growth from energy consumption, transport and the use of resources, as well as investments needed to meet the Kyoto targets,
2009/01/29
Committee: ECON
Amendment 49 #

2008/2334(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Takes the view that the European economic recovery plan must take the form of a "New Green Deal", the overriding objective of which must be to tackle a three-pronged 'crunch': the present global financial crisis, climate change and the rapid depletion of oil;
2009/01/29
Committee: ECON
Amendment 56 #

2008/2334(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
2. stresses that the top priority of the Recovery Plan must be to protect citizens of the Union from the effects of the financial crisis, as they are the most strongly affected whether as workers, as members of households, or as entrepreneurs; reasserts that an encompassing programme to fight climate change is part of the solution to counter an economic recession;
2009/01/29
Committee: ECON
Amendment 61 #

2008/2334(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Underlines that the Recovery Plan must serve the purpose of delivering a fair and equitable international agreement to succeed the Kyoto Protocol in 2012; such an agreement must, inter alia, give poorer countries the opportunity to escape poverty without fuelling global warming by helping to finance massive investment in climate-change adaptation and renewable energy;
2009/01/29
Committee: ECON
Amendment 81 #

2008/2334(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
7. restates its endorsement to the flexibility offered by the revised Stability and Growth Pact, as a way to conduct anti-cyclical policies to address the economic recession, considering the impact of the financial crisis on the real economy; however, calls on the Commission to give clear guidance on the interpretation of the flexibility clause of the revised Stability and Growth Pact, namely when addressing short-term investment decisions which are compatible with medium-term budgetary targets and conducive to sustainable growth andthe achievement of long-term Lisbon goals as well as the objectives of the climate-energy package;
2009/01/29
Committee: ECON
Amendment 90 #

2008/2334(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
8. welcomes the short-term measures adopted to return confidence to the financial system; recalls that those emergency measures are insufficient to tackle the fundamental problems at the source of the crisis, namely excessive risk- taking, leveraging and rewarding short- termism; in the long run, considers especially in this context that closing down tax havens and ensuring strict control of remuneration scheme are of utmost importance in order to restore financial stability;
2009/01/29
Committee: ECON
Amendment 114 #

2008/2334(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
14. considers that although the European Central Bank (ECB) has a role to playno official supervisory mandate, there is a need to enhance its role as regards monitoring the macro-economic and financial stability in the European Union, while ensuring political accountability;
2009/01/29
Committee: ECON
Amendment 149 #

2008/2334(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
21. underlines the need to guarantee minimum living standards for all citizens of the Union and calls for adequate emergency measures to be taken; calls for social policies to be adapted to cope with the recession, supporting active labour market policies, living conditions (in particular in the housing market and access to quality public services) and paying special attention to the most vulnerable members of society; urges also the Member States to implement a shift of taxation from labour to environmental degradation as a way to promote employment and more generally to target fiscal stimuli towards social and environmental objectives, such as reduced VAT for labour-intensive services and locally supplied services, energy-saving materials, and energy-efficient appliances and equipment;
2009/01/29
Committee: ECON
Amendment 166 #

2008/2334(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 a (new)
27a. believes that a strong public investment policy, aiming at creating a "low-carbon economy" is of utmost importance to face the economic recession; considers, however, that the way in which the EU economies have been managed, which is far removed from the constraints of an "ecological budget" (one that focuses on "pollution" and the ability of forests, soils, and seas to absorb "carbon emissions"), cannot be a sustainable response to the effective relaunch of the economy; urges the Member States, therefore, to refrain from a traditional simplistic demand management approach to relaunching the economy, which ignores the limits of ecosystems;
2009/01/29
Committee: ECON
Amendment 167 #

2008/2334(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 b (new)
27b. deplores the fact that taxation policy is a tool which is hardly used at the EU, in view of the rule of unanimity applied at the Council; takes the view that fiscal stimulus and a common strategic approach to environmental taxation has a major role to play in the economic recovery plan and the achievement of the climate-energy package, considering that green taxation is a flexible policy instrument for addressing industrial competitiveness, providing incentives for technological innovation, addressing climate change (namely by internalising environmental externalities in transport) applying the 'polluter pays' principle or achieving a reduction of pollution at source; in this respect, calls on Member States to undertake reforms in their fiscal regimes for ensuring that certain sectors like agriculture, transport and energy, which impact so heavily on the environment, perform sustainably;
2009/01/29
Committee: ECON
Amendment 168 #

2008/2334(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
28. calls on the development of recovery instruments and policies both at European Union and at Member State level, capable of boosting demand and confidencerestoring confidence and re-orientating production patterns, private expenses and behaviour across the European Union, in accordance with a common set of priorities within the Lisbon strategy and the climate- change and energy package, such as: investing in education, skills and lifelong learning, energy efficiency and green technologies, broadband networks, urban transport, creative industries and services, health services, and services for children and older people;
2009/01/29
Committee: ECON
Amendment 179 #

2008/2334(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
29. calls for European Union initiatives in the field of education and training, and access to risk capital, credit and microcredit facilities in order to boost qualitative growth and convergence throughout the European Union;
2009/01/29
Committee: ECON
Amendment 201 #

2008/2334(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35
35. considers that involvement of the European Investment Bank (EIB) is crucial and that a large share of lending referred to in the Recovery Plan is within its competence; welcomes the Member States' agreement on a capital increase for the EIB; recallsinsists that the Lisbon-Göteborg Strategy remain the guideline for the selection of priorities regarding the distribution of EIB funding for a knowledge-based and climate-friendly competitive economy; recalls, in this respect, that there is a need to develop environmentally friendly funding criteria, in line with the EU's strategic goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions; recalls also that some of the EIB interventions also require support from the EU budget, but that this is not currently provided for in the Recovery Plan;
2009/01/29
Committee: ECON
Amendment 203 #

2008/2334(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35 a (new)
35a. considers that since banks appear reluctant to finance the real economy, despite the support granted to them by Member States and the ECB, the most straightforward tool at the disposal of the EU recovery plan is the EIB, whether to meet the Kyoto goals, in particular as regards SME activities, or the Millennium goals; considers that those objectives can be achieved both by State Guaranties permitting refinancing by the ECB at a low interest rate, and through subsidies reducing the interest rate to the firms when financing Kyoto-linked investments;
2009/01/29
Committee: ECON
Amendment 214 #

2008/2334(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38
38. recommends a flexible approach to the European budget spending structure, reinforcing its internal social and cohesion dimensions; strongly supports the mobilisation of unspent EU fustresses that the current crisis should not be used as a pretext to delay a much- needed reorientation of spending towards 'green' investments, but should rather be used as an additional incentive to press ahead with such reorientation; reiterates, in this context, the importance of the budgetary review planned for 2009, which should not be limited to a theoretical vision what the budget could look like after 2013, but which should include bold proposals for a shift in programming at the time of the mid-term review of the multi-annual programmes to responds to priorities identified under a cohesion framework; the current crisis, promoting sustainable development and taking into account the challenges posed by climate change;
2009/01/29
Committee: ECON
Amendment 221 #

2008/2334(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 41
41. considers that the present crisis must not preclude the European Union's responsibilities as regards promoting international development and combating world poverty; warns that the risk of a fallback to protectionist policies must be avoided; underlines that the worldwide recovery effort could be greatly enhanced by the timely conclusion of the Doha Round of trade negotiaexpresses its deep concern about the effects of the financial crisis on the EU's commitment to meet the objectives of the Millennium Development Goals; urges the Member States and the Commission not to postpone their international obligations related to the fight against climate change and poverty; points out, on the contrary, that their efforts to provide development aid must be substantially increased to tackle the side- effects of the financial crisis on people's living conditions in various international forums and institutions;
2009/01/29
Committee: ECON
Amendment 3 #

2008/2243(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Citation 17 a (new)
- having regard to the application of State aid rules to measures taken in relation to financial institutions in the context of the global financial crisis,
2008/11/12
Committee: ECON
Amendment 4 #

2008/2243(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Citation 18 a (new)
- having regard to Written Declaration 0088/2007 on investigating and remedying the abuse of power by large supermarkets operating in the European Union,
2008/11/12
Committee: ECON
Amendment 5 #

2008/2243(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Highlights in this context that Microsoft's fine for flouting European competition law represents the highest amount ever imposed in 50 years of EC competition law for abuse of dominant position; underlines that this is already the third time in four years that the Commission has had to impose fines or penalty payments for non-compliance with a Commission decision; considers in light of this that Microsoft, on the basis of the EU public procurement rules, should currently not be eligible for future public procurement procedures;
2008/11/12
Committee: ECON
Amendment 8 #

2008/2243(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
7. Expresses its concern to avoid the abuse of market power by major corporations, andespecially by big supermarkets which are abusing their buying power to force down prices paid to suppliers (based both within the EU and overseas); calls upon theDG Commisspetition to undertake an analysis of the effects on competition of unequal relationships between food producers and retailersinvestigate the impacts that concentration of the EU supermarket sector is having on small businesses, suppliers, workers and consumers and, in particular, to assess any abuses of buying power which may follow from such concentration; requests the Commission to propose appropriate measures, including regulation, to protect consumers, workers and producers from any abuse of dominant position or negative impacts identified in the course of this investigation;
2008/11/12
Committee: ECON
Amendment 18 #

2008/2243(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Recalls that Articles 86 and 87 of the EC Treaty explicitly authorise certain exceptions to the ban on State aid where the proposed aid regime has clearly beneficial effects for the population and does not harm the general activities of the Union; stresses, in particular, that State aid may be used to correct market failures, thereby improving the functioning of the market and enhancing European competitiveness, to reduce differences in living standards between regions in the European Union and pursue policy objectives such as R&D, promotion of SMEs, social cohesion and environmental and cultural protection; considers it essential, therefore , when assessing whether State aid is compatible with the Treaty, to find the right balance between the negative effects of State aid on competition and its positive effects in terms of common interests;
2008/11/12
Committee: ECON
Amendment 21 #

2008/2243(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
12. Welcomes a review of the State aid scoreboard but urges the Commission to undertake analyses of the effectiveness of State aid and urges that a revision of the scoreboard identify those Member States that have failed adequately to pursue the recovery of illegal State aid.; underlines in this context that State aid which is not in line with the Lisbon-Göteborg Strategy or which has no other effect but to increase private profits should be targeted and reduced in the future;
2008/11/12
Committee: ECON
Amendment 24 #

2008/2243(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
14. Regrets that, despite two waves of liberalisation directives which too often led to private oligopolies, European energy consumers continue to suffer from disproportionate price increases and an distorted energy market, which was recognised as a result of the Commission's sectoral inquiry as not functioning properly;
2008/11/12
Committee: ECON
Amendment 29 #

2008/2243(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Questions the role played by the Commission in avoiding the growth of large financial institutions with systemic risks; urges the Commission to investigate to what extent financial market consolidation has respected competition law and what role it has played on the contagion of risks; recalls in this respect that credit rating agencies, which bear their share of responsibility for the crisis, are a sector dominated by a handful of companies;
2008/11/12
Committee: ECON
Amendment 36 #

2008/2243(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
17. Urges that the Commission recognise the need to put in place mechanisms which minimise distortions of competition and the potential abuse of the preferential situations of beneficiaries brought about by State guarantees; emphasises in this respect that an appropriate contribution of the private sector is needed, as a counterpart to the introduction of the State guarantee scheme; calls on the Commission to refer back to the European Parliament on the implementation of these principles;
2008/11/12
Committee: ECON
Amendment 40 #

2008/2243(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
18. Urges that the Commission enforce behavioural constraints on financial institutions in receipt of State aid in order to ensure that such institutions do not engage in aggressive expansion, notably against smaller institutions, against the background of the guarantee to the detriment of competitors; stresses the need to change incentives for large financial institutions with potential systemic risks, taking into account that, if they are 'too big to fail', these institutions are encouraged to maximise the risks they take;
2008/11/12
Committee: ECON
Amendment 2 #

2008/2212(INI)

Draft opinion
Recital B (new)
B. whereas higher oil prices and other basically needed commodities have raised the costs of production and put upward pressure on overall prices, because of the strong links across commodities,
2008/11/20
Committee: ECON
Amendment 3 #

2008/2212(INI)

Draft opinion
Recital C (new)
C. whereas the rise of inflation, triggered by basic commodities and hikes in the price of oil has provoked an erosion of purchasing power, which has not been properly addressed,
2008/11/20
Committee: ECON
Amendment 4 #

2008/2212(INI)

Draft opinion
Recital D (new)
D. whereas the fluctuation in the oil price over the last months reflects cyclical and structural factors,
2008/11/20
Committee: ECON
Amendment 5 #

2008/2212(INI)

Draft opinion
Recital E (new)
E. whereas the oil prices fluctuation has highlighted the dual nature of commodities; whereas oil or other commodities are not only used as inputs of production or consumption, but also as a financial asset subject to speculation,
2008/11/20
Committee: ECON
Amendment 6 #

2008/2212(INI)

Draft opinion
Recital F (new)
F. whereas the development of new investment vehicles on the market for oil and other fundamental commodities, as well as the investment of hedge funds into commodities, has amplified the price volatility of those commodities; and whereas there is a need to ensure greater transparency on the energy markets,
2008/11/20
Committee: ECON
Amendment 8 #

2008/2212(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
1. Takes the view that higher oil prices reflect a structural imbalance between supply and demand caused, in the main, by two factors: progressive depletion of the oil reserves and a change in demographic and urbanisation trends, especially in emerging countries, where the rise in average income is causing an increase in demand; stresses also that oil and other commodities have been increasingly used for portfolio diversification as a result of the depreciation of the US dollar;
2008/11/20
Committee: ECON
Amendment 12 #

2008/2212(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
2. Expresses its concerns about the volatility of oil andin commodity prices over the last years and its impaeffects on inflation, and its impact on purchasing power and financial stability; stresses that soaring oil prices have been exacerbated by large trading activities on thatis market, includingamong which hedge funds, which have increased the risk of speculative bubbles being formed; urges the Commission and the Member Statesaggravating speculative bubbles that burst at the end of 2008; urges the Commission and the Member States to examine the recent fluctuations of commodity prices, which are an integral part of the crisis cycle, and to ensure greater transparency on the energy market;
2008/11/20
Committee: ECON
Amendment 16 #

2008/2212(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
3. Believes that oil and other basic commodities should be insulated from speculators and hedge funds, since speculation on basic needs is at the expense of people all over the world; is of the view that speculation in oil and commodities creates a strong case for exploring the introduction of a special tax on financial transactions; calls on the Commission and the Member States to seek to reach an international agreement committing all signatories to impose such a tax on financial transactions;
2008/11/20
Committee: ECON
Amendment 18 #

2008/2212(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Stresses that sustained demand for oil has increasingly pushed supply up against capacity limits; urges for an improvement of data transparency in regard to energy statistics, especially in respect with oil stock levels;
2008/11/20
Committee: ECON
Amendment 19 #

2008/2212(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. Points out that the European Union will have to face even more the challenge of lasting high and volatile oil prices and the economic impacts connected to them, considering that newly-discovered resources have tended to be smaller and more expensive to develop, being increasingly offshore, and the costs of exploration, development and production will become higher, making it more urgent to switch to alternative and renewable energy sources and to develop energy-saving technologies;
2008/11/20
Committee: ECON
Amendment 20 #

2008/2212(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
4. Expresses its concern that with structurally higher energy pricduring oil price increases, there is more of a burden on labour to absorb increased costs through lower real wages; considers that the imported inflation triggered by the increase in the oil price should be addressed, in particular, by distributing purchasing power more evenly; considers, nevertheless, that a regular oil price increase should be made predictable for consumers, as it reflects both the exhaustibility of this resource and the necessity to integrate its negative external effects on climate in its costs;
2008/11/20
Committee: ECON
Amendment 25 #

2008/2212(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
5. Underlines that green taxation or an effective cap on emissions and the adoption of a wide range of energy and transport-related measures are important tools for smoothing out oil price volatility and for stimulating the development of a wide-ranging, cutting-edge market for energy-efficient technologies and products; also underlines the importance of the application of the ‘polluter-pays’ principle; considers that there is scope for expanding the use of environmentally related taxes if the European Union and the Member States are serious about achieving their climate change objectives; recalls that the greater the number of countries that put similar policies in place, the more limited the impact on sectoral competitiveness of those policies, in particular where ecotaxes substitute taxes on activity;
2008/11/20
Committee: ECON
Amendment Amendment1 #

2008/2212(INI)

Draft opinion
Recital A (new)
A. whereas the price of oil increased from less than USD 50 per barrel in early 2000, to more than USD 140 in August 2008, and then sharply fell to less than USD 60 dollars per barrel,
2008/11/20
Committee: ECON
Amendment 5 #

2008/2156(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Da. Whereas concerns about the fairness of income and wealth distribution have grown in the last ten years; and whereas those concerns are an important challenge for the EMU,
2008/09/03
Committee: ECON
Amendment 10 #

2008/2156(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)
Fa. Whereas the rapidly growing demand for scarce energy and other commodities by emerging economies has progressively pushed supply up to capacity limits; and whereas the upward pressure on price has been exacerbated by the fact that commodities are increasingly considered to be financial assets, to the extent that they can be used as a store of value,
2008/09/03
Committee: ECON
Amendment 13 #

2008/2156(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital G a (new)
Ga. Whereas the turbulence in financial markets has led to tighter credit conditions for households and businesses,
2008/09/03
Committee: ECON
Amendment 14 #

2008/2156(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital G b (new)
Gb. Whereas the appreciation of the euro exchange rate vis-à-vis other key currencies is a growing concern; and whereas the Treaty entrusts responsibility to the Council for exchange rate policy, in order to address global imbalances,
2008/09/03
Committee: ECON
Amendment 17 #

2008/2156(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital H a (new)
Ha. Whereas globalisation compels the euro area to play an effective role in global economic and financial governance,
2008/09/03
Committee: ECON
Amendment 18 #

2008/2156(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital I
I. whereas the euro has rapidly emerged as the second most important international currency alongside the US dollar and plays an important role as a reference currency for many countries worldwide; but whereas the potential of the euro is insufficiently exploited at a global level as the euro area has neither a properly defined international strategy nor effective international representation,
2008/09/03
Committee: ECON
Amendment 46 #

2008/2156(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
11. Considers that a sustainable and stable macro-economic environment requires improving the quality of public finances including further budgetary consolidation, and developing an intelligent private and public investment policy that delivers forward-looking infrastructure which will open up tomorrow’s markets; and which address major society concerns, such as climate change, in line with the objectives of the climate-energy package;
2008/09/03
Committee: ECON
Amendment 50 #

2008/2156(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Warns against focusing essentially on wage moderation as a way to achieve price stability; recalls, in this context, that increased competition resulting from globalisation has already led to downward pressure on wages, while the imported inflation triggered off by the increase of oil price and other commodities have already caused a loss of consumer purchasing power; reiterates its conviction, once again, that this issue should, in particular, be addressed by a fairer distribution of wealth;
2008/09/03
Committee: ECON
Amendment 58 #

2008/2156(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
16. Recalls its strong commitment to the independence of the ECBAcknowledges the fact that central banking should not be subject to political change over majority cycles; recalls in this respect its strong commitment to the independence of the ECB; stresses that strong accountability for its actions is complementary to the ECB's independence;
2008/09/03
Committee: ECON
Amendment 63 #

2008/2156(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
17. NTakes the view that the accountability of the actions of the ECB still needs to be improved; notes that the regular reports of the ECB to Parliament, in particular to its Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs, contribute to the transparency of monetary policy and welcomes the possibility for Members of the European Parliament to put written questions to the ECB on monetary policy, thus improving the accountability of the ECB vis-à-vis the citizens of the Union; supports the demand for a stronger public debate on the future common monetary and currency policies in the euro area as part of the convergence process;
2008/09/03
Committee: ECON
Amendment 71 #

2008/2156(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
19. Notes that although the primary objective of the ECB’s monetary policy is to maintain price stability, andArticle 105 of the EC Treaty also explicitly mandates the ECB to support the general economic policies of the European Union; regrets that the ECB has always considered those two objectives to be substitutable; notes that the ECB aims at inflation rates of below, but close to, 2 % over the medium term; considers that this definition of price stability should be examined in the context of a new age of globalisation characterised by rising energy and food prices; points out that the objective of price stability can be achieved effectively only if the root causes of inflation are properly addressed;
2008/09/03
Committee: ECON
Amendment 102 #

2008/2156(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37 a (new)
37a. Takes the view that the EMU policy agenda for the next decade will be marked, inter alia, by the challenges presented by emerging Asian economies; regrets that in spite of the growing global role of the euro, attempts to improve the external representation of the euro area on financial and monetary matters have not made much progress; stresses that the euro area must build an international strategy commensurate with the international status of its currency;
2008/09/03
Committee: ECON
Amendment 103 #

2008/2156(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37 b (new)
37b. Recalls that the most effective way for the euro area to align its influence with its economic weight is by developing common positions and consolidating its representation, ultimately obtaining a single seat in the relevant international financial institutions and fora; urges the euro area, inter alia, to speak with a single voice on exchange rate policies;
2008/09/03
Committee: ECON
Amendment 6 #

2008/2155(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas EIB's financing strategy should contribute to the general objective of developing and consolidating democracy and the rule of law, the objective of respecting human rights and fundamental freedoms and the observance of international environmental agreements to which the European Community or its Member States are parties,
2009/01/15
Committee: ECON
Amendment 18 #

2008/2155(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Welcomes the EIB's objective to address among others climate change challenge in its financing operations inside the EU; in order to do so, recalls that there is a need to develop environmentally friendly funding criteria, in line with the EU's strategic goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions; urges the EIB to stop financing fossil fuel projects like oil and gas pipelines, but instead focus its energy lending exclusively on energy efficiency, renewable energy and research and development investments to those two areas; additionally, calls on the EIB to establish and make public a methodology to assess climate impact of the financed projects as well as the set of appraisal criteria enabling the Bank to refuse projects for their negative impact on climate;
2009/01/15
Committee: ECON
Amendment 21 #

2008/2155(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1b. Believes that the EIB has the potential to be a key player in environmentally transforming European transport, but considers that there is an urgent need to address several elements of its portfolio: halting EIB in the already heavily subsidised aviation sector; requiring an increased proportion of EIB support for rail, urban public transport inter-modal transport and transport management; restricting EIB loans to the road sector and car industry to maintenance or safety improvements and R&D for more efficient, cleaner and safer technologies;
2009/01/15
Committee: ECON
Amendment 22 #

2008/2155(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 c (new)
1c. Notes that the EU asked the EIB to accelerate support for Public and Private Partnership (PPP) projects as a response to the financial crisis; urges the EIB and the EBRD to carry out such projects only where they are affordable and bring real benefits; considers in this respect that improvements in information disclosure, value for money and affordability assessment practices are needed;
2009/01/15
Committee: ECON
Amendment 23 #

2008/2155(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that, in its operations in third countries, the EIB implements the policy objectives as set by the Council; notes the need for the EIB to ensure that its actions under the Community Guarantee are consistent with the achievement of the Millennium Goals, fostering sustainable development and enhancing environmental protection;
2009/01/15
Committee: ECON
Amendment 27 #

2008/2155(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Takes the view that EIB's activities should reflect as well objectives and commitments taken by the EU in the context of the United Nations (such as the Kyoto Protocol); therefore, calls on the EIB to report annually to the European Parliament on the implementation of EU and UN goals in its operations in developing countries;
2009/01/15
Committee: ECON
Amendment 28 #

2008/2155(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2b. Underlines that monitoring mechanisms of the EIB's lending operations to all projects still need to be improved, especially regarding EU environmental and social standards; stresses that individual projects financed by the EIB in third countries should be subject to independent Sustainability Impact Assessments to identify the economic, social and environmental effects of the project; insists that such projects be made available to the public at least 60 days prior to any loan decision by the Bank and that residents in the area concerned receive adequate and timely information so that they have the possibility of playing a full part in the decision making process;
2009/01/15
Committee: ECON
Amendment 29 #

2008/2155(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
3. Notes with satisfaction the systematic follow-up undertaken by the EIB on Parliament's recommendations in recent years; Welcomes the positive spirit of cooperation between the EIB and the European Parliament; considers however that greater openness and transparency is still needed regarding the way Parliament's recommendations are implemented by the EIB in recent years; and calls on the EIB to provide annual feedback regarding the progress in addressing the recommendations in the annual EP resolutions; more specifically, reiterates its call to the EIB to better monitor and make transparent the nature and final destination of its global loans in support of SMEs, and to phase out fossil fuels investment;
2009/01/15
Committee: ECON
Amendment 32 #

2008/2155(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Welcomes the development and publication of the EIB sectoral operational policies in energy, transport, water sectors made in 2007 as an important step towards increasing the transparency of the EIB lending operations; highly recommends that the EIB applies requirements of the EC Directive 1367/2006 for timely and adequate public consultations in occasion of further changes in the existing sectoral policies and development of the new ones;
2009/01/15
Committee: ECON
Amendment 34 #

2008/2155(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. Welcomes the review of the EIB Statement on Environmental and Social Standards and Principles made in 2008, especially the two-rounds-public consultation process; encourages the Bank’s Management and Board to take proper consideration of the stakeholders input to the consultation; calls on the EIB to allocate sufficient resource for the implementation of the new Statement and to produce a report relevant to that matter one year later;
2009/01/15
Committee: ECON
Amendment 37 #

2008/2155(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 c (new)
3c. Welcomes the announced review of the EIB Transparency, Public Disclosure and Complaint mechanisms policies in 2009; encourages the EIB to make further improvements in the involvement of different stakeholders and to better communicate with the EP during this process;
2009/01/15
Committee: ECON
Amendment 53 #

2008/2155(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 – point e
(e) the two banks come up with aexternal, participative review and global proposal on more consistent cooperation, including a reflection on common standards, particularly on safeguards and public consultations, to the benefit of their shareholders, stakeholders and beneficiary countries is promoted;
2009/01/15
Committee: ECON
Amendment 61 #

2008/2155(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
13. Recognises that the EIB and the EBRD need to work together with other international or regional financial institutions, such as the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and the African Development Bank, in order to make greater effects in regions further away from Europe; considers however that the EIB should play a predominant role regarding the promotion of the EU Environmental, Social and Development objectives among Multinational Development Banks;
2009/01/15
Committee: ECON
Amendment 63 #

2008/2155(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Calls on the EIB and EBRD to adopt clear guidance for project sponsors to keep records of the public consultations and related outreach activities in order to allow the international creditors to track back retroactively the appropriate character of the consultations;
2009/01/15
Committee: ECON
Amendment 68 #

2008/2155(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Welcomes the outstanding role given by the Council to the EIB within its recovery plan against the current crisis; insists that the Lisbon-Göteborg Strategy remains the guideline for the selection of priorities regarding the distribution of EIB fundings for a knowledge based and climate-friendly competitive economy;
2009/01/15
Committee: ECON
Amendment 71 #

2008/2155(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 b (new)
15b. Welcomes the EUR 30 billion in increased lending in 2009 and 2010 by the EIB on SMEs, renewable energy and clean transport in response to the financial crisis; considers however that the use of these additional resources must be conditioned with increased transparency and accountability of the Bank and especially in relation to final benefits and beneficiaries of the global loans used for support for SMEs and climate impact of its energy, transport, automotive and other industry investments;
2009/01/15
Committee: ECON
Amendment 86 #

2008/2155(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
20. Recommends the rapid establishment of an inter-institutional group between the Parliament, the Council and the Commission to discuss how to proceed after the judgment so as to guarantee on the one hand that Parliament's position is fully taken into account in a new decision and without endangering the continuity of the external financial operations of the EIB on the other hand; recommends that the EIB take part in those discussions as an observer;
2009/01/15
Committee: ECON
Amendment 95 #

2008/2155(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22a. Could imagine in the light of the above, 2009 being an election year in which, moreover, a new Commission will take office, that a two step solution is found, replacing the annulled decision with a new but content-wise similar fast- track decision, which is clearly limited in time by including a precise end-date, followed by a new full proposal of the Commission in due time for the expiry of the fast track decision, preserving the right of the Parliament to propose and negotiate the incorporation of its amendments of substance.
2009/01/15
Committee: ECON
Amendment 2 #

2008/2154(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital B
B. whereas the Court of Justice of the European Communities has ruled that individuals and undertakings, with a view to guaranteeing the unrestricted effectiveness of Article 81 of the Treaty, may seek compensation for the damage done to them by a competition violation, 1 Texts Adopted, P6_TA(2007)0152. 2 Case C-295/04 Vincenzo Manfredi v Lloyd Adriatico Assicurazioni SpA, Case C-296/04 Antonio Cannito v Fondiaria Sai SpA, Case C-29704 Nicolò Tricarico v Assitalia SpA and Case C-298/04 Pasqualina Murgolo v Assitalia SpA [2006] ECR I-06619.confirmed in its judgement of 13 July 2006 in joined Cases C 295/04 to 298/042 that "any individual" who has suffered harm caused by an antitrust infringement must be allowed to claim damages before national courts; and whereas this principle also applies to indirect purchasers, i.e. purchasers who had no direct dealings with the infringer, but who nonetheless may have suffered considerable harm because an illegal overcharge was passed on to them through the distribution chain, Or. en
2008/11/18
Committee: ECON
Amendment 5 #

2008/2154(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas the study undertaken for the Commission in 2004 on damage actions indicated that damages for breaches of EU competition law had been awarded in very few cases by national courts; and whereas the fact that damage actions for breach of competition law are underdeveloped in Europe makes a strong case for the development of an effective private enforcement system to ensure that business victims of competition breaches are fully compensated for damage suffered,
2008/11/18
Committee: ECON
Amendment 6 #

2008/2154(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital B b (new)
Bb. whereas the issues addressed in the White Paper concern all categories of victim, all types of breach of Articles 81 and 82 of the EC Treaty and all sectors of the economy,
2008/11/18
Committee: ECON
Amendment 13 #

2008/2154(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the abovementioned White Paper and stresses that victims of competition law infringements must be able to claimwhose primary objective is to improve the legal conditions for victims to exercise their right under the Treaty to damages as a result of a breach of the EC antitrust rules; stresses that all victims of competition law infringements must have access to effective redress mechanisms so that they can be fully compensationed for the damage suffered;
2008/11/18
Committee: ECON
Amendment 16 #

2008/2154(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that the Commission has not so far stated what legal base ist will be invoking for its proposed measures, and doubts that the Treaty offers a basis for the planned interventions into national damages and procedural law;
2008/11/18
Committee: ECON
Amendment 21 #

2008/2154(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Recalls that individual consumers but also small businesses, especially those who have suffered scattered and relatively low-value damage, are often deterred from bringing individual actions for damages by the costs, delays, uncertainties, risks and burdens involved; stresses in this context that collective redress, which allows aggregation of the individual claims of victims of antitrust infringements and enhances their ability to obtain access to justice, is an important tool for deterring breaches of the antitrust rules; welcomes in this respect the Commission’s proposals on mechanisms to be set up to improve collective redress while avoiding excessive litigation;
2008/11/18
Committee: ECON
Amendment 24 #

2008/2154(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
4. Points out that at the end of 2008 the Commission’s DG ‘Health and Consumers’ will be publishing the results of two studies on collective law enforcement instruments in the Member States and possible barriers to the single market resulting from the differing legislation in the Member States; points out also that the Commission has announced a Communication for late 2008 on the Community’s possible options for action; stresses that measures at European level must not lead to any fragmentation of procedural law, and asks that we wait for the results of the studies and for the Communication before considering whether, and to what extent, a horizrbitrary and unnecessary fragmentation of nationtal approach should be chosen to facilitate the prosecution of damage compensation claims; calls on the Commission in consequence to undertake an examination of the legal base and the need for a horizontal instrument, and to refrain in the meantime from presenting any collective law enforcement mechanisms for private individuals in the area of EC competition lawcedural law, while securing a level playing-field throughout the EU;
2008/11/18
Committee: ECON
Amendment 59 #

2008/2154(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
12. BelievesShares the views of the Commission that a national court may notshould be bound by a final decision of the national competition authority of another Member State finding a breach of Articles 81 or 82 of the EC Treaty; deems that such a rule would ensure a more consistent application of Articles 81 and 82 by different national bodies and significantly increase the effectiveness and procedural efficiency of actions for antitrust damages;
2008/11/18
Committee: ECON
Amendment 3 #

2008/2107(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Ea. whereas financial stability and supervision in the world in general and in the European Union in particular is becoming increasingly complex and difficult to achieve, one reason being that financial institutions are becoming increasingly international, having affiliates in many different countries under different regulators and supervisors, another being that financial institutions are increasingly becoming financial conglomerates which engage in banking, insurance and capital markets acting on a multinational or even global basis,
2008/05/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 4 #

2008/2107(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital E b (new)
Eb. whereas the present structure and systems of supervision in the European Union, on the basis of which it is increasingly difficulty to meet those new challenges, make a strong case for enhancing the supervisory role of the European Central Bank, while ensuring political accountability, given the lack of a single EU supervisor, its responsibility for financial stability in general and its function of lender of last resort in particular,
2008/05/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 9 #

2008/2107(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
2. ERecalls that the EC Treaty explicitly distinguishes between the European Central Bank’s goals of price stability on the one hand and support for general economic policies on the other and that, therefore, those two goals cannot simply be treated as substitutable, emphasises the importance of the independence of the ECB in its fulfilment of this double mandate, and welcomes the fact that by means of the Treaty on Lisbon, the ECB will become an EU institution with legal personality and a clearly established independent political and financial status;
2008/05/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 12 #

2008/2107(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Recalls that effective regulation and strong financial supervision are needed as the function of lender of last resort of the ECB can lead to moral hazard;
2008/05/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 13 #

2008/2107(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
4. Recognises the excellent work of the ECB in managing the financial turmoil triggered by the US sub-prime mortgage crises, in particularat the operation launched by the ECB on 9 August 2007, which provided liquidity in the amount of EUR 95 billion to the markets as a fixed-rate tender at 4,00 %, following the same procedure as normal ECB market operations was necessary to manage the financial turmoil triggered by the US sub- prime mortgage crisis; notes that the operation, together with fine-tuning operations and the following abundant weekly refinancing operations, succeeded in stabilising the very short-term interest rates; considers this, once again, to show the value of a common monetary policy as provided for by the ECB, stabilising the economy in periods of instability; takes the view, however, that the issue of "moral hazard" in the management of crises, in the context of the current EU framework for regulation and supervision, needs to be addressed thoroughly;
2008/05/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 14 #

2008/2107(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Shares the views of the ECB that the growing complexity of financial instruments and the opacity of exposures of financial institutions can give rise to increased uncertainty regarding the degree of risk involved, the ultimate bearer of the risk, and the extent of potential losses; agrees that this complexity and opacity may prompt a further propagation of initial shocks and a more generalised contagion; reasserts, in this context, the need to reinforce substantially the EU framework for regulation and supervision in order to preserve financial stability;
2008/05/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 15 #

2008/2107(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4b. Shares also the concerns of the European Central Bank, expressed on various occasions, about the risks of activities of hedge funds in times of financial tension; agrees that the lack of transparency causes difficulties for the proper analysis of financial stability; stresses, inter alia, the need to improve investors' credit risk assessment on hedge funds as a way to tackle the systemic risk associated with hedge funds, i.e. the risk of overall destabilisation of financial markets stemming from the failure of larger hedge funds or a chain of failures involving several smaller hedge funds;
2008/05/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 16 #

2008/2107(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 c (new)
4c. Emphasises the need to set up a EU framework for financial supervision, stresses that although the Treaty does not entrust the European Central Bank with any direct responsibility related to the prudential supervision of credit institutions and the stability of the financial system, there is a need to involve closely the ECB in supervision, while ensuring clear conditions of political accountability, given its role of lender of last resort;
2008/05/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 20 #

2008/2107(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Recalls that increased competition resulting from globalisation has led to downward pressure on wages; regrets, however, that the ECB mainly clings to the idea that it is up to the social partners to avoid second-round inflationary effects, by means of wage restraint; underlines that inflation is currently mainly caused by the price increase of assets such as derivatives, housing and commodities; expresses its concerns about the effects of speculation with food commodities on hunger, poverty and purchasing power;
2008/05/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 21 #

2008/2107(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6b. Considers, therefore, that workers should not be primarily responsible for making efforts to prevent inflation through wage restraint, but that inflation and the loss of purchasing power triggered by the increase of the price of oil price and other commodities should be addressed, in particular, by distributing purchasing power more evenly; urges the European Central Bank to add its voice to those advocating a fairer distribution of wealth in line with its objective of price stability;
2008/05/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 27 #

2008/2107(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Recalls that the Treaty entrusts responsibility for exchange rate policy to the Council to address global imbalances; urges, therefore, for better coordination of exchange rate policy between the Eurogroup, the Commission and the European Central Bank;
2008/05/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 3 #

2008/2104(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph -1 (new)
-1. Recalls its recurrent demand to the Council to systematically apply the Human Rights and Democracy Clause in its contractual relations with all third countries; asks the Council to explain how it intends to apply this clause to the negotiations of a new Agreement with Russia;
2008/06/27
Committee: INTA
Amendment 5 #

2008/2104(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the conclusion of a negotiating mandate, and considers the conclusion of a new agreement as a high priority ; recalls that the European Union and the Russian Federation should seek a strategic, longstanding partnership relationship that should strengthen the cooperation notably in the areas of energy and trade since the European Union is Russia's largest trading partner and Russia is the European Union 's third biggest partnerbased on shared common values, democracy and human rights;
2008/06/27
Committee: INTA
Amendment 8 #

2008/2104(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
2. Reiterates the importance for the European Union to speak with one voice with Russia, notably in the sensitive issue of energy, on the basis of a common EU energy policy, avoiding any unilateral and privileged approach;
2008/06/27
Committee: INTA
Amendment 9 #

2008/2104(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Considers, in light of the need to combat climate change also through more sustainable trade patterns, that access to energy resources is a matter of multilateral rule setting that must not be undermined by bilateral trade agreements that compete for the most favourable access conditions;
2008/06/27
Committee: INTA
Amendment 13 #

2008/2104(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
3. Considers that the new agreement should review the goals, means and policies which define EU relations with Russia in a pragmatic manner which neverthelessso that it better promotes the rule of law, dialogue and mutual interests;
2008/06/27
Committee: INTA
Amendment 15 #

2008/2104(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
4. Believes that in parallel to negotiations for a new EU-Russia Agreement, Russian accession to the WTO should also be a priority for the European Union; calls on the Commission to uncouple its bilateral negotiations on Russia's WTO membership conditions from burdensome concessions which are not required by existing WTO rules, especially the phase- out of export duties;
2008/06/27
Committee: INTA
Amendment 19 #

2008/2104(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
5. Believes that the future Russian accession to the WTO will significantly influence EU-Russia economic relations and should lead to deeper economic integration between them, within the framework of the Common Economic Space; calls on the Commission to consider the negotiation of a possible free trade agreement following Russia's accession to the WTO;
2008/06/27
Committee: INTA
Amendment 21 #

2008/2104(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
6. Urges Russia to not only to work towards concluding the outstanding WTO bilateral Market Access Agreements, but also to fulfil and implement its commitments pursuant to the agreements it has already signed, such as the agreement with the EC;
2008/06/27
Committee: INTA
Amendment 25 #

2008/2104(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
7. Urges the Russian Government and the relevant institutions to improve the investment climate, ensure and increase competition in the economy, eliminate technical barriers, and promote law enforcement; stresses the importance of implementing trademark protection, copyright and patent laws to secure intellectual property rights as well as to prepare rules for their applicby investing politically in the democratisation of industrial relations and in improved transparency and accountability of industrial decision- making; calls on Russia to swiftly incorporate international best practice on transparency and public accountability into national legislation;
2008/06/27
Committee: INTA
Amendment 27 #

2008/2104(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Takes the view that Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs) of EU Member States with Russia have failed to promote human rights standards by exempting EU investors from responsible corporate behaviour; calls on the Commission to correct this failure by making EU-based companies liable for human rights violations of their subsidiaries in Russia, in the event of the Commission negotiating a new Investment Treaty with Russia;
2008/06/27
Committee: INTA
Amendment 6 #

2008/2031(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Regards the ratification by trade partners of the core ILO Conventions, the UN Conventions on non-discrimination, and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) as essential elements of the human rights clause and as a condition for the conclusion of trade agreements with third countries;
2008/05/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 17 #

2008/2031(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Takes the view that Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs) by EU Member States failed to promote human rights standards by exempting EU investors from responsible corporate behaviour in host countries and calls on the Commission to redeem this lack by making EU-based companies liable for human rights violations committed by their subsidiaries in host countries, whenever Member States' existing BITs are renegotiated under Community competence due to ratification of the Lisbon Treaty or whenever new Investment Treaties are negotiated by the Commission;
2008/05/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 7 #

2008/0215(CNS)

Proposal for a directive – amending act
Recital 9 a (new)
(9a) In accordance with the ECOFIN Council conclusions of May 1999 and November 2000, the original choice to exclude all innovative financial products from the scope of the Directive was accompanied by an express statement that this issue should be re-examined on the occasion of the first review of the Directive, with the aim to find a definition covering all securities that are equivalent to debt claims so as to ensure the effectiveness of the Directive in a changing environment and to preventing market distortions. It is therefore appropriate to include all innovative financial products within the scope of the Directive. Accordingly the definition of interest payment should cover any revenue arising from the investment of capital where the return is fixed ex ante and the substance of the return arising from a transaction is similar to any interest income; in order to ensure a consistent interpretation of this provision throughout the Member States, this provision should be complemented with a positive list of the financial products concerned. The Commission should adopt this list in accordance with the regulatory procedure laid down in Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission.
2009/02/19
Committee: ECON
Amendment 8 #

2008/0215(CNS)

Proposal for a directive – amending act
Recital 10 a (new)
(10a) Recalls that European Community should promote global tax governance, in line with the ECOFIN conclusions of October 2006, in which the Council has officially authorised the Commission to explore the possibility of negotiating specific agreements with Hong Kong, Macao and Singapore on savings tax with a view to concluding an international agreement on the application of applying equivalent measures to those applied by EU Member States under directive 2003/48/EC.
2009/02/19
Committee: ECON
Amendment 31 #

2008/0215(CNS)

Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 4
Directive 2003/48/EC
Article 6 – paragraph -1 (new)
-1. Without prejudice to the provisions laid down in the following paragraphs, the general principle under this Directive is that "interest payment" means any revenue arising from the investment of capital where the return is fixed ex ante and the substance of the return arising from a transaction is similar to any interest income. In order to ensure a consistent interpretation of this provision throughout the Member States, it should be complemented with a positive list of the financial products concerned. The Commission shall adopt this list before the end of the period specified in article 2(1) of this Directive, in accordance with the regulatory procedure laid down in Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission.
2009/02/19
Committee: ECON
Amendment 41 #

2008/0215(CNS)

Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 5 a (new)
Directive 2003/48/EC
Article 10 – paragraph 2
(5a) Article 10, paragraph 2 is amended as follows: 2. The transitional period shall end no later than 31 December 2012. Meanwhile, the European Community shall endeavour : - to conclude an agreement with the Swiss Confederation, the Principality of Liechtenstein, the Republic of San Marino, the Principality of Monaco and the Principality of Andorra, providing for the exchange of information upon request as defined in the OECD Model Agreement on Exchange of Information on Tax Matters released on 18 April 2002 (hereinafter the ‘OECD Model Agreement’) with respect to interest payments, as defined in this Directive, made by paying agents established within their respective territories to beneficial owners resident in the territory to which the Directive applies, in addition to the simultaneous application by those same countries of a withholding tax on such payments at the rate defined for the corresponding periods referred to in Article 11(1), — The European Community seeks to ensure that the United States of America is committed to exchange of information upon request as defined in the OECD Model Agreement with respect to interest payments, as defined in this directive, made by paying agents established within its territory to beneficial owners resident in the territory to which the Directive applies.
2009/02/19
Committee: ECON
Amendment 146 #

2008/0191(COD)

Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 27
Directive 2006/48/EC
Article 122a – paragraph 1 – after point b
have issued an explicit commitment to the credit institution to maintain, on an ongoing basis, a material net economic interest and in any event not less than 5 per cent15% in positions having the same risk profile as the one that the credit institution is exposed to.
2009/01/19
Committee: ECON
Amendment 5 #

2008/0143(CNS)

Proposal for a directive – amending act
Recital 3
(3) While this debate is yet to be concluded, tThere is a need to already address some urgent and important issues in order to ensure equal opportunities for Member States as well as more transparency, and consistency and a smooth functioning of the internal market. To avoid prejudging the outcome of the ongoing debate, the action taken should however be limited in scopein the way Member States use reduced VAT rates and to meet the Community's objectives linked to the EU's commitment under the Kyoto Protocol.
2008/12/18
Committee: ECON
Amendment 6 #

2008/0143(CNS)

Proposal for a directive – amending act
Recital 6 a (new)
(6a) Likewise, it is necessary to include in Annex III to Directive 2006/112/EC the use of energy-saving materials and energy-efficient appliances and equipment in such a way as to meet the EU's energy and environmental objectives linked to the climate change and energy package.
2008/12/18
Committee: ECON
Amendment 12 #

2008/0143(CNS)

Proposal for a directive – amending act
Annex - point 3 a (new)
Directive 2006/112/EC
Annex III - point 7 a (new)
(3a) The following point (7a) is inserted: "(7a) energy-saving materials and energy-efficient appliances and equipment;"
2008/12/18
Committee: ECON
Amendment 22 #

2008/0143(CNS)

Proposal for a directive – amending act
Annex - point 7
Directive 2006/112/EC
Annex III - point 18
(18) supply of services provided in connection with street cleaning, purification and recycling of waste water, sewage, refuse collection and waste treatment, or waste recycling and services leading to reuse, other than the supply of such services by bodies referred to in Article 13;"
2008/12/18
Committee: ECON
Amendment 13 #

2008/0016(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Recital 2
(2) In particular, increased use of biofuels for transport is one of the most effective tools by which the Community can reduce its dependence on imported oil – where the security of supply problem is most acute - and influence the fuel market for transport order to save the earth's climate, a transport policy to reduce greenhouse gases emissions effectively as well as alternative modes of transport must be developed and implemented before an end-of-the-pipe technology such as biomass for transport fuels can hope to deliver the reduction needed.
2008/05/16
Committee: ECON
Amendment 14 #

2008/0016(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Recital 2 a (new)
(2a) As the latest scientific evidence has shown that a binding target of 10 % for transport fuel from biomass cannot be achieved in a sustainable way, there should be a moratorium on agrofuels from food crops, the scrapping of the 10 % target for biofuels and a global food security impact assessment of current domestic crops, meat and energy production on food security within a revision of the common Agricultural, Energy and Trade Policy.
2008/05/16
Committee: ECON
Amendment 15 #

2008/0016(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Recital 2 b (new)
(If adopted, the term "biofuels" will be changed by "transport fuels from biomass" throughout(2b) It is therefore appropriate to clarify the concept of biofuels and to define biofuels for transport as "transport fuels from biomass", which describes them more clearly. Or. en the Directive.)
2008/05/16
Committee: ECON
Amendment 16 #

2008/0016(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Recital 8
(8) In the light of the positions taken by the CommissionEuropean Parliament, the Council and the European ParliamentCommission, it is appropriate to establish mandatory targets for an overall 20% share of renewable energy and a 1minimum interim and an overall 20% share of renewable energy in transport in the European Union's final consumption in 2020.
2008/05/16
Committee: ECON
Amendment 18 #

2008/0016(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Recital 10
(10) By contrast, it is appropriate for the 10% target for renewable energy in transport to be set at the same level for each Member State in order to ensure consistency in transport fuel specifications and availability. Because transport fuels are traded easily, Member States with low endowments of the relevant resources will easily be able to obtain renewable transport fuels from elsewhere. While it would technically be possible for the Community to meet its biofuel target solely from domestic production, it is both likely and desirable that theWhile it is likely that the renewable energy targets will in fact be met through a combination of domestic production and imports. To this end, the Commission should monitor the supply of the Community market for biofuels, and should, as appropriate, propose relevant measures to achieve a balanced approach between domestic production and importsrenewable energies, including biomass for energy, taking into account the development of multilateral and bilateral trade negotiations as well as environmental, social, food-supply, cost, energy security and other considerations.
2008/05/16
Committee: ECON
Amendment 19 #

2008/0016(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Recital 11
(11) To ensure that the overall targets are achieved, Member States should work towards a an indicative trajectory tracing a pathcomply with mandatory interim targets towards the achievement of their 2020 targets, and should establish a national renewable energy action plan (RAP) including sectoral targets, while having in mind that there are different uses of biomass and therefore it is essential to mobilise new biomass resources.
2008/05/16
Committee: ECON
Amendment 22 #

2008/0016(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Recital 30
(30) The costs of connecting new producers of electricity from renewable energy sources to the electricity grid should be objective, transparent and non- discriminatory and due account should be taken of the benefit embedded generators bring to the grid. The costs should be borne by the requesting producer, who may benefit from national or EU incentive measures.
2008/05/16
Committee: ECON
Amendment 23 #

2008/0016(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Recital 31
(31) In certain circumstances it is not possible to fully ensure transmission and distribution of electricity produced from renewable energy sources without affecting the reliability and safety of the grid system. In these circumstances it may be appropriate for financial compensation to be given to those producers, to ensure the safety of their instruments even when there is a temporary excess of production, pending the decline of non-renewable energy sources harmful to the environment.
2008/05/16
Committee: ECON
Amendment 24 #

2008/0016(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Recital 33
(33) IAlongside the search for short cuts from the production of electricity to its consumption, interconnection among countries eases integration of electricity from renewable energy sources. Besides smoothing variability, interconnection can reduce balancing costs, encourage true competition bringing about lower prices, and support the development of networks. Also, the sharing and optimal use of transmission capacity could help avoid excessive new build.
2008/05/16
Committee: ECON
Amendment 25 #

2008/0016(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Recital 34
(34) Biofuelmass production for energy should be environmentally and socially sustainable. Biofuelsmass for energy used for compliance with the targets laid down in this Directive, and those that benefit from national support systems, should therefore be required to fulfil criteria for environmental sustainability.
2008/05/16
Committee: ECON
Amendment 31 #

2008/0016(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 3
3. Each Member State shall ensure that the share of energy from renewable sources in transport in 2020 is at least 10% of final consumption of energy in transport in that Member State. In calculating total energy consumed in transport for the purposes of the first subparagraph, petroleum products other than petrol and diesel shall not be taken into account.deleted
2008/05/16
Committee: ECON
Amendment 44 #

2008/0016(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 14 – paragraph 1
1. Member States and EU funds shall take the necessary steps, including incentives, to develop grid infrastructure to accommodate the further development of electricity production from renewable energy sources, including interconnectors between Member States.
2008/05/16
Committee: ECON
Amendment 45 #

2008/0016(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 14 – paragraph 2
2. Without prejudice to the maintenance of the reliability and safety of the grid, Member States shall ensure that transmission system operators and distribution system operators in their territory guarantee the transmissionare required to transport and distribution ofe electricity produced from renewable energy sources. They shall also provide for priority access to the grid system of electricity produced from renewable energy sources. When dispatching electricity generating installations, transmission system operators shall give priority to generating installations using renewable energy sources or cogeneration plants insofar as the security of the national electricity system permits. In the event of a critical situation, such as a power surge, the Member States may enforce rules requiring a reduction in supply from production plants using non-renewable energy sources.
2008/05/16
Committee: ECON
Amendment 47 #

2008/0016(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 14 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1
3. Member States shall require transmission system operators and distribution system operators to set up and publish their standard rules relating to the bearing and sharing of costs of technical adaptations, such as grid connections and grid reinforcements, which are necessary in order to integrate new producers feeding electricity produced from renewable energy sources into the interconnected grid. The cost of connection to the network shall be borne by the producer, who may benefit from national or EU incentives.
2008/05/16
Committee: ECON
Amendment 48 #

2008/0016(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 14 – paragraph 6
6. The sharing of costs referred in paragraphs 3 and 4 shall be enforced by a mechanism based on objective, transparent and non-discriminatory criteria taking into account the benefits which initially and subsequently connected producers as well as transmission system operators and distribution system operators derive from the connections, and the contribution made by the new plants to achieving the EU’s objectives in fighting climate change.
2008/05/16
Committee: ECON
Amendment 6 #

2008/0014(COD)

Proposal for a decision
Recital 8 a (new)
(8a) The greenhouse gas emissions from sectors not covered under Directive 2003/87/EC should continue to decrease annually in a linear manner beyond 2020, leading to an 80 % reduction of such emissions, compared to 1990 levels, by 2050, with the ultimate objective of eliminating greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel use within the European Union. The Commission should examine, by 2012, the appropriateness of this target, based on international commitments made by the European Union and the latest climate science regarding climate sensitivity and the scope for making the greenhouse gas emission reductions necessary to avert dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system and, if appropriate, present proposals to differentiate the target between Member States.
2008/06/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 8 #

2008/0014(COD)

Proposal for a decision
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2 a (new)
The Commission shall assess the impact of EU sectoral policies on the Community's greenhouse gas emissions and the emissions reduction potential relating to these policies. The Commission shall make proposals, as appropriate, to ensure that such policies contribute adequately to achieving the 2020 and 2050 reduction targets.
2008/06/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 9 #

2008/0014(COD)

Proposal for a decision
Article 5 a (new)
Article 5a Compliance mechanism 1. Where the greenhouse gas emissions of a Member State from sources not covered under Directive 2003/87/EC exceed the annual greenhouse gas emission limit pursuant to Article 3 of this Decision, that Member State shall pay an excess emissions penalty equivalent to the amount determined in Article 16 of Directive 2003/87/EC. That excess emissions penalty shall be paid to a Community fund dedicated to financing climate change mitigation measures. 2. The Commission shall adopt measures to establish the Community fund referred to in paragraph 1. Those measures, designed to amend non-essential elements of this Decision by supplementing it, shall be adopted in accordance with the regulatory procedure with scrutiny referred to in Article 9(2). 3. In addition to paragraph 1 the total by which the limit in tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent is exceeded shall be deducted from the subsequent quantity of allowances auctioned by the Member State pursuant to Article 10[(2)] of Directive 2003/87/EC.
2008/06/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 29 #

2008/0013(COD)

Proposal for a directive – amending act
Recital 3
(3) The European Council has made a firm commitment to reduce the overall greenhouse gas emissions of the Community by at least 20% below 1990 levels by 2020, and by 30% provided that other developed countries commit themselves to comparable emission reductions and economically more advanced developing countries contribute adequately according to their responsibilities and respective capabilities. By 2050, global greenhouse gas emissions should be reduced by at least 50% below their 1990 levels. All sectors of the economy should contribute to achieving these emission reductions, including international aviation and maritime transport. International maritime transport emissions should be incorporated in EU emissions trading system by 2015 or otherwise be included in the Commission Proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the effort of Member States to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to meet the Community’s greenhouse gas emission reduction commitments up to 2020 (COM(2008)0017).
2008/06/27
Committee: INTA
Amendment 36 #

2008/0013(COD)

Proposal for a directive – amending act
Recital 3
(3) The European Council has made a firm commitment to reduce the overall greenhouse gas emissions of the Community by at least 20% below 1990 levels by 2020, and by 30% provided that other developed countries commit themselves to comparable emission reductions and economically more advanced developing countries contribute adequately according to their responsibilities and respective capabilities. By 2050, global greenhouse gas emissions should be reduced by at least 50% below their 1990 levels. All sectors of the economy should contribute to achieving these emission reductions, including international aviation, maritime transport and the cement industry. International maritime transport emissions should be incorporated in EU emissions trading system by 2015 or otherwise be included in the Decision on the effort of Member States to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to meet the Community’s greenhouse gas emission reduction commitments up to 2020.
2008/06/30
Committee: ECON
Amendment 39 #

2008/0013(COD)

Proposal for a directive – amending act
Recital 16
(16) Consequently, full auctioning should be the rule from 2013 onwards for the powerall sectors, taking into account their ability to pass on the increased cost of CO2, and no free allocation should be given for carbon capture and storage as the incentive for this arises from allowances not being required to be surrendered in respect of emissions which are stored. Electricity generators may receive free allowances for heat produced through high efficiency cogeneration as defined by Directive 2004/8/EC in the event that such heat produced by installations in other sectors were to be given free allocations, in order to avoid distortions of competitioncombined with an allowance import requirement (AIR) taking into account inter alia their ability to pass on the increased cost of CO2 in the event that a comprehensive post-2012 international agreement is delayed.
2008/06/27
Committee: INTA
Amendment 43 #

2008/0013(COD)

Proposal for a directive – amending act
Recital 15
(15) Given the considerable efforts of combating climate change and of adapting to its inevitable effects, it is appropriate that at least 20% of the proceeds from the auctioning of allowances should be used to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, to adapt to the impacts of climate change, to fund research and development for reducing emissions and adaptation, to develop renewable energies to meet the EU’s commitment to using 20% renewable energies by 2020, to meet the commitment of the Community to increase energy efficiency by 20% by 2020, for the capture and geological storage of greenhouse gases, to contribute to the Global Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Fund , for measures to avoid deforestation and facilitate adaptation in developing countries, and for addressing social aspects such as possible increases in electricity prices in lower and middle income households. This proportion is significantly below the expected net revenues for public authorities from auctioning, taking into account potentially reduced income from corporate taxAt least 50% of the revenues should be used to contribute to the necessary climate efforts in developing countries. In addition, proceeds from auctioning of allowances should be used to cover administrative expenses of the management of the Community scheme. Provisions should be included on monitoring the use of funds from auctioning for these purposes. Such notification does not release Member States from the obligation laid down in Article 88(3) of the Treaty, to notify certain national measures. The Directive does not prejudice the outcome of any future State aid procedures that may be undertaken in accordance with Articles 87 and 88 of the Treaty.
2008/06/30
Committee: ECON
Amendment 46 #

2008/0013(COD)

Proposal for a directive – amending act
Recital 19
(19) The Community will continue to take the lead in the negotiation of an ambitious international agreement that will achieve the objective of limiting global temperature increase to 2°C and is encouraged by the progress made in Bali towards this objective. In the event that other developed countries and other major emitters of greenhouse gases do not participate in this international agreement, this could lead to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions in third countries where industry would not be subject to comparable carbon constraints (“carbon leakage”), and at the same time could put certain energy- intensive sectors and sub-sectors in the Community which are subject to international competition at an economic disadvantage. This could undermine the environmental integrity andIn the event that an international agreement on climate change leading to mandatory reductions of greenhouse gas emissions, comparable to those of the EU, in countries representing a critical mass of production in a sector covered by the EU emissions trading system receiving no free allocation, has not yet been concluded, it will be nefit of actions by the Community. To address the risk of carbon leakage, the Community will allocate allowances free of charge up to 100% to sectors or sub-sectors meeting the relevant criteriacessary to avoid that greenhouse gas emissions occurring outside the Community undermine the Community’s action by leading to ‘carbon leakage’. Provisions to that effect should be adopted and apply to the imports of goods which would otherwise undermine this action. These provisions should be neutral in their effect. In order to be prepared for such an eventuality which could undermine the environmental integrity and benefit of actions by the Community, an effective carbon equalization in the form of allowance import requirement should be established for imports of energy intensive goods into the Community. The definition of these sectors and sub-sectors and the measures required will be subject to re- assessment to ensure that action is taken where necessary and to avoid overcompensation. For those specific sectors or sub-sectors wThese provisions should apply similar requirements on importers of goods to the re it can be duly substantiated that the risk of carbon leakage cannot be prevented otherwise, where electricity constitutes a high proportion of production costs and is produced efficiently, the action taken may take into account the electricity consumption in the production process, without changing the total quantity of allowances. quirements applicable to those installations within the EU which receive no free allocation and have been shown to be exposed to significant risk of carbon leakage or to international competition in third countries that are not subject to binding and verifiable action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the context of the international post-2012 climate policy framework.
2008/06/27
Committee: INTA
Amendment 49 #

2008/0013(COD)

Proposal for a directive – amending act
Recital 20
(20) The Commission should therefore review the situation by June 2011 at the latest, consult with all relevant social partners, and, in the light of the outcome of the international negotiations, submit a report accompanied by any appropriate proposals. In this context, the Commission should identify which energy intensive industry sectors or sub-sectors are likely to be subject to carbon leakage not later than 30 June 2010. It should base its analysis on the assessment of the inability to pass on the cost of required allowances in product prices without significant loss of market share to installations outside the Community not taking comparable action to reduce emissions. Energy-intensive industries which are determined to be exposed to a significant risk of carbon leakage could receive a higher amount of free allocation or an effective carbon equalisation system could be introduced with a view to putting installations from the Community which are at significant risk of carbon leakage and those from third countries on a comparable footing. Such a system cThe allowance import requirement should apply requirements to importers that would be no less favourable than those applicable to installations within the EU, for example by requiringin terms of the surrender of allowances. Any action takenThe system would need to be in conformity with the principles of the UNFCCC, in particular the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, taking into account the particular situation of Least Developed Countries. It would also need to be in conformity with the international obligations of the Community including the WTO agreement.
2008/06/27
Committee: INTA
Amendment 53 #

2008/0013(COD)

Proposal for a directive – amending act
Recital 19
(19) The Community will continue to take the lead in the negotiation of an ambitious international agreement that will achieve the objective of limiting global temperature increase to 2°C and is encouraged by the progress made in Bali towards this objective. In the event that other developed countries and other major emitters of greenhouse gases do not participate in this international agreement, this could lead to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions in third countries where industry would not be subject to comparable carbon constraints (“carbon leakage”), and at the same time could put certain energy- intensive sectors and sub-sectors in the Community which are subject to international competition at an economic disadvantage. This could undermine the environmental integrity and benefit of actions by the Community. To address the risk of carbon leakage, the Community will allocate allowances free of charge up to 100% to sectors or sub-sectors meeting the relevant criteriaIn the event that international agreement on climate change has not yet been concluded leading to mandatory reductions of greenhouse gas emissions in countries representing a critical mass of production in a sector covered by the EU emissions trading system receiving no free allocation, comparable to those of the EU, it will be necessary to avoid that greenhouse gas emissions occurring outside the Community undermine the Community’s action by leading to ‘carbon leakage’. Provisions to that effect should be adopted and apply to the imports of goods which would otherwise undermine this action. These provisions should be neutral in their effect. In order to be prepared for such an eventuality which could undermine the environmental integrity and benefit of actions by the Community, an effective carbon equalization in the form of allowance import requirement should be established for imports of energy intensive goods into the Community. The definition of these sectors and sub-sectors and the measures required will be subject to re- assessment to ensure that action is taken where necessary and to avoid overcompensation. For those specific sectors or sub-sectors wThese provisions should apply similar requirements on importers of goods to the re it can be duly substantiated that the risk of carbon leakage cannot be prevented otherwise, where electricity constitutes a high proportion of production costs and is produced efficiently, the action taken may take into account the electricity consumption in the production process, without changing the total quantity of allowances. quirements applicable to those installations within the EU which receive no free allocation and have been shown to be exposed to significant risk of carbon leakage or to international competition in third countries that are not subject to binding and verifiable action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the context of the international post-2012 climate policy framework.
2008/06/30
Committee: ECON
Amendment 64 #

2008/0013(COD)

Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 7
Directive 2003/87/EC
Article 10 – paragraph 1
1. From 2013 onwards, Member States shall auction all allowances which are not allocated free of charge in accordance with Article 10a.
2008/06/30
Committee: ECON
Amendment 65 #

2008/0013(COD)

Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 7
Directive 2003/87/EC
Article 10 – paragraph 3 – introductory part
3. At least 20% of tThe revenues generated from the auctioning of allowances referred to in paragraph 2, including all revenues from the auctioning referred to in point (b) thereof, shouldall be used for the following:
2008/06/30
Committee: ECON
Amendment 67 #

2008/0013(COD)

Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 - point 8
Directive 2003/87/EC
Article 10a
Transitional Community-wide rules for harmonised free allocation 1. The Commission shall, by 30 June 2011, adopt Community wide and fully- harmonised implementing measures for allocating the allowances referred to in paragraphs 2 to 6 and 8 in a harmonised manner. Those measures, designed to amend non- essential elements of this Directive by supplementing it, shall be adopted in accordance with the regulatory procedure with scrutiny referred to in Article [23(3)]. The measures referred to in the first subparagraph shall, to the extent feasible, ensure that allocation takes place in a manner that gives incentives for greenhouse gas and energy efficient techniques and for reductions in emissions, by taking account of the most efficient techniques, substitutes, alternative production processes, use of biomass and greenhouse gas capture and storage, and shall not give incentives to increase emissions. No free allocation shall be made in respect of any electricity production. The Commission shall, upon the conclusion by the Community of an international agreement on climate change leading to mandatory reductions of greenhouse gas emissions comparable to those of the Community, review those measures to provide that free allocation only takes place where this is fully justified in the light of that agreement. 2. Subject to paragraph 3, no free allocation shall be given to electricity generators, to installations for the capture, pipelines for the transport or to storage sites for greenhouse gas emissions. 3. Free allocation may be given to electricity generators in respect of the production of heat through high efficiency cogeneration as defined by Directive 2004/8/EC for economically justifiable demand to ensure equal treatment with regard to other producers of heat. In each year subsequent to 2013, the total allocation to such installations in respect of the production of that heat shall be adjusted by the linear factor referred to in Article 9. 4. The maximum amount of allowances that is the basis for calculating allocations to installations which carry out activities in 2013 and received a free allocation in the period 2008 to 2012 shall not exceed, as a proportion of the annual Community-wide total quantity, the percentage of the corresponding emissions in the period 2005 to 2007 that those installations emitted. A correction factor shall be applied where necessary. 5. The maximum amount of allowances that is the basis for calculating allocations to installations which are only included in the Community scheme from 2013 onwards shall not exceed, in 2013, the total verified emissions of those installations in 2005 to 2007. In each subsequent year, the total allocation to such installations shall be adjusted by the linear factor referred to in Article 9. 6. Five percent of the Community-wide quantity of allowances determined in accordance with Articles 9 and 9a over the period 2013 to 2020 shall be set aside for new entrants, as the maximum that may be allocated to new entrants in accordance with the rules adopted pursuant to paragraph 1 of this Article. Allocations shall be adjusted by the linear factor referred to in Article 9. No free allocation shall be made in respect of any electricity production by new entrants. 7. Subject to Article 10b, the amount of allowances allocated free of charge under paragraphs 3 to 6 of this Article [and paragraph 2 of Article 3c] in 2013 shall be 80% of the quantity determined in accordance with the measures referred to in paragraph 1 and thereafter the free allocation shall decrease each year by equal amounts resulting in no free allocation in 2020. 8. In 2013 and in each subsequent year up to 2020, installations in sectors which are exposed to a significant risk of carbon leakage shall be allocated allowances free of charge up to 100 percent of the quantity determined in accordance with paragraphs 2 to 6. 9. At the latest by 30 June 2010 and every 3 years thereafter the Commission shall determine the sectors referred to in paragraph 8. That measure, designed to amend non- essential elements of this Directive by supplementing it, shall be adopted in accordance with the regulatory procedure with scrutiny referred to in Article [23(3)]. In the determination referred to in the first subparagraph the Commission shall take into account the extent to which it is possible for the sector or sub-sector concerned to pass on the cost of the required allowances in product prices without significant loss of market share to less carbon efficient installations outside the Community, taking into account the following: (a) the extent to which auctioning wouldAllowance Import Requirement 1. The Commission shall, by 30 June 2011, adopt Community wide and fully- harmonised implementing measures for requiring importers to surrender allowances in respect of imported energy intensive goods in a harmonised manner where those sectors receive no free allocation within the Community system. Those measures, designed to amend non- essential elements of this Directive by supplementing it, shall be adopted in accordance with the regulatory procedure with scrutiny referred to in Article [23(3)]. The measures referred to in the first subparagraph shall, to the extent feasible, ensure that installations from the Community that receive no free allocation and are at significant risk of carbon leakage and those from third countries are on a comparable footing. The Commission shall, upon the conclusion by the Community of an international agreement on climate change leading to mandatory reductions of greenhouse gas emissions comparable to those of the Community, review those measures to provide that an allowance import requirement (AIR) is imposed only where this is fully justified in the light of that agreement. 2. From 2013, the AIR shall apply in respect of goods which are determined, in accordance with paragraph 5, to be subject to significant risk of carbon leakage or to international competition until other countries and administrative entities are subject to binding and verifiable action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Importers shall be required to surrender allowances where: (a) The country or administrative entity where goods were produced is determined by the Commission, acting in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 23(2), not to be undertaking binding and verifiable action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and (b) A methodology for such goods has been established under paragraph 3. The AIR shall not apply to imports of goods produced in countries or administrative entities which are linked with the EU emissions trading system pursuant to Article 25. 3. The Commission shall calculate the average level of greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the production of individual goods or categories of goods across the Community taking into account information from independently verified reports under Article 14 and all relevant emissions covered by the EU emissions trading system. The Commission shall establish, in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 23(2), methodologies for calculating an AIR applicable to goods or categories of goods subject to significant risk of carbon leakage or to international competition, equivalent to the average level of greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the production of individual goods across the Community multiplied by the tonnage of goods imported. 4. To facilitate the establishment of methodologies in accordance with paragraph 3, the Commission may specify requirements for operators to report on the production of goods, and for the reporting of this information to be independently verified, in its Regulations adopted under Articles 14 and 15. 5. Importers of goods for which paragraph 1 applies shall be required to make a written declaration in respect of these imports. The written declaration shall confirm that a sufficient number of allowances, as determined in accordance with paragraph 3, have been surrendered in the Community registry in respect of the goods subject to entry, in accordance with specific administrative procedures to be established by the Commission Regulations. 6. The AIR may be met by EU allowances or by allowances from a third country emissions trading system which is recognised as equivalent in stringency to the Community system. 7. All AIR relevant provisions and implementing measures shall be adopted and implemented no later than 1 January 2012. deleted 9. At the latest by 30 June 2010 and every year thereafter the Commission shall determine, taking into consideration evidence submitted by stakeholders, the sectors and goods referred to in paragraph 2. That measure, designed to amend non- essential elements of this Directive by supplementing it, shall be adopted in accordance with the regulatory procedure with scrutiny referred to in Article [23(3)]. In the determination referred to in the first subparagraph the Commission shall take into account the extent to which it is possible for the sector or sub-sector concerned to pass on the cost of the required allowances in product prices without significant loss of market share to less carbon efficient installations outside the Community, taking into account the following: (a) the extent to which auctioning has lead to a substantial increase in production cost; (b) the extent to which it is possible for individual installations in the sector concerned to reduce emission levels for instance on the basis of the most efficient techniques; (c) market structure, relevant geographic and product market, the exposure of the sectors to international competition; (d) the effect of climate change and energy policies implemented, or expected to be implemented outside the EU in the sectors concerned. For the purposes of evaluating whether the cost increase resulting from the Community scheme can be passed on, estimates of lost sales resulting from the increased carbon price or the impact on the profitability of the installations concerned may inter alia be used.
2008/06/27
Committee: INTA
Amendment 68 #

2008/0013(COD)

Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 7
Directive 2003/87/EC
Article 10 – paragraph 3 – point c
(c) for the capture and geological storage of greenhouse gases, in particular from coal power stations;deleted
2008/06/30
Committee: ECON
Amendment 73 #

2008/0013(COD)

Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 7
Directive 2003/87/EC
Article 10 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 a (new)
At least 50% of the revenues shall be used to finance greenhouse gas reductions, avoided deforestation and degradation, and adaptation to climate change.
2008/06/30
Committee: ECON
Amendment 74 #

2008/0013(COD)

Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 8
Directive 2003/87/EC
Article 10a
1. The Commission shall, by 30 June 2011, adopt Community wide and fully- harmonised implementing measures for allocating the allowances referred to in paragraphs 2 to 6 and 8 in a harmonised manner. Those measures, designed to amend non- essential elements of this Directive by supplementing it, shall be adopted in accordance with the regulatory procedure with scrutiny referred to in Article [23(3)]. The measures referred to in the first subparagraph shall, to the extent feasible, ensure that allocation takes place in a manner that gives incentives for greenhouse gas and energy efficient techniques and for reductions in emissions, by taking account of the most efficient techniques, substitutes, alternative production processes, use of biomass and greenhouse gas capture and storage, and shall not give incentives to increase emissions. No free allocation shall be made in respect of any electricity production. The Commission shall, upon the conclusion by the Community of an international agreement on climate change leading to mandatory reductions of greenhouse gas emissions comparable to those of the Community, review those measures to provide that free allocation only takes place where this is fully justified in the light of that agreement. 2. Subject to paragraph 3, no free allocation shall be given to electricity generators, to installations for the capture, pipelines for the transport or to storage sites for greenhouse gas emissions. 3. Free allocation may be given to electricity generators in respect of the production of heat through high efficiency cogeneration as defined by Directive 2004/8/EC for economically justifiable demand to ensure equal treatment with regard to other producers of heat. In each year subsequent to 2013, the total allocation to such installations in respect of the production of that heat shall be adjusted by the linear factor referred to in Article 9. 4. The maximum amount of allowances that is the basis for calculating allocations to installations which carry out activities in 2013 and received a free allocation in the period 2008 to 2012 shall not exceed, as a proportion of the annual Community-wide total quantity, the percentage of the corresponding emissions in the period 2005 to 2007 that those installations emitted. A correction factor shall be applied where necessary. 5. The maximum amount of allowances that is the basis for calculating allocations to installations which are only included in the Community scheme from 2013 onwards shall not exceed, in 2013, the total verified emissions of those installations in 2005 to 2007. In each subsequent year, the total allocation to such installations shall be adjusted by the linear factor referred to in Article 9. 6. Five percent of the Community-wide quantity of allowances determined in accordance with Articles 9 and 9a over the period 2013 to 2020 shall be set aside for new entrants, as the maximum that may be allocated to new entrants in accordance with the rules adopted pursuant to paragraph 1 of this Article. Allocations shall be adjusted by the linear factor referred to in Article 9. No free allocation shall be made in respect of any electricity production by new entrants. 7. Subject to Article 10b, the amount of allowances allocated free of charge under paragraphs 3 to 6 of this Article [and paragraph 2 of Article 3c] in 2013 shall be 80% of the quantity determined in accordance with the measures referred to in paragraph 1 and thereafter the free allocation shall decrease each year by equal amounts resulting in no free allocation in 2020. 8. In 2013 and in each subsequent year up to 2020, installations in sectors which are exposed to a significant risk of carbon leakage shall be allocated allowances free of charge up to 100 percent of the quantity determined in accordance with paragraphs 2 to 6. 9. At the latest by 30 June 2010 and every 3 years thereafter the Commission shall determine the sectors referred to in paragraph 8. That measure, designed to amend non- essential elements of this Directive by supplementing it, shall be adopted in accordance with the regulatory procedure with scrutiny referred to in Article [23(3)]. In the determination referred to in the first subparagraph the Commission shall take into account the extent to which it is possible for the sector or sub-sector concerned to pass on the cost of the required allowances in product prices without significant loss of market share to less carbon efficient installations outside the Community, taking into account the following: (a) the extent to which auctioning wouldharmonised implementing measures for requiring importers to surrender allowances in respect of imported energy intensive goods referred to in paragraphs 2 to 6 and 8 in a harmonised manner where those sectors receive no free allocation within the Community system. Those measures, designed to amend non- essential elements of this Directive by supplementing it, shall be adopted in accordance with the regulatory procedure with scrutiny referred to in Article [23(3)]. The measures referred to in the first subparagraph shall, to the extent feasible, ensure that installations from the Community that receive no free allocation and are at significant risk of carbon leakage and those from third countries are on a comparable footing. The Commission shall, upon the conclusion by the Community of an international agreement on climate change leading to mandatory reductions of greenhouse gas emissions comparable to those of the Community, review those measures to provide that allowance import requirement (AIR) only takes place where this is fully justified in the light of that agreement. 2. From 2013 an allowance the AIR shall apply in respect of goods which are determined, in accordance with paragraph 5, to be subject to significant risk of carbon leakage or to international competition until other countries and administrative entities are subject to binding and verifiable action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Importers or exporters of goods shall be respectively required and entitled to surrender or receive allowances where: (a) The country or administrative entity where goods were produced is determined by the Commission, acting in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 23(2), not to be subject under international post-2012 climate policy framework to binding and verifiable action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and (b) A methodology for such goods has been established under paragraph 3. The AIR shall not apply to imports of goods produced in countries or administrative entities which are linked with the EU emissions trading system pursuant to Article 26. 3. The Commission shall calculate the average level of greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the production of individual goods or categories of goods across the Community taking into account information from independently verified reports under Article 14 and all relevant emissions covered by the EU emissions trading system. The Commission shall establish, in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 23(2), methodologies for calculating an AIR applicable to goods or categories of goods subject to significant risk of carbon leakage or to international competition, equivalent to the average level of greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the production of individual goods across the Community multiplied by the tonnage of goods imported. 4. To facilitate the establishment of methodologies in accordance with paragraph 3, the Commission may specify requirements for operators to report on the production of goods, and for the reporting of this information to be independently verified, in its Regulations adopted under Articles 14 and 15. 5. Importers of goods which meet the conditions set out in paragraph 1 shall be required to make a written declaration in respect of these imports. The written declaration shall confirm that a sufficient number of allowances, as determined in accordance with paragraph 3, have been surrendered in the Community registry in respect of the goods subject to entry, in accordance with specific administrative procedures to be established by the Commission Regulations. 6. The AIR may be met by EU allowances or by allowances from a third country emissions trading system which is recognised as equivalent in stringency to the Community system. 7. All AIR relevant provisions and implementing measures shall be adopted and implemented no later than 1 January 2012. 9. At the latest by 30 June 2010 and every year thereafter the Commission shall determine, taking into consideration evidence submitted by stakeholders, the sectors and goods referred to in paragraph 2. That measure, designed to amend non- essential elements of this Directive by supplementing it, shall be adopted in accordance with the regulatory procedure with scrutiny referred to in Article [23(3)]. In the determination referred to in the first subparagraph the Commission shall take into account the extent to which it is possible for the sector or sub-sector concerned to pass on the cost of the required allowances in product prices without significant loss of market share to less carbon efficient installations outside the Community, taking into account the following: (a) the extent to which auctioning has lead to a substantial increase in production cost; (b) the extent to which it is possible for individual installations in the sector concerned to reduce emission levels for instance on the basis of the most efficient techniques; (c) market structure, relevant geographic and product market, the exposure of the sectors to international competition; (d) the effect of climate change and energy policies implemented, or expected to be implemented outside the EU in the sectors concerned. For the purposes of evaluating whether the cost increase resulting from the Community scheme can be passed on, estimates of lost sales resulting from the increased carbon price or the impact on the profitability of the installations concerned may inter alia be used.
2008/06/30
Committee: ECON
Amendment 96 #

2008/0013(COD)

Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 9
Directive 2003/87/EC
Article 11
1. Each Member State shall publish and submit to the Commission, by 30 September 2011, the list of installations covered by this Directive in its territory and any free allocation to each installation in its territory calculated in accordance with the rules referred to in Article 10a(1). 2. By 28 February of each year, the competent authorities shall issue the quantity of allowances that are to be distributed for that year, calculated in accordance with Articles 10 and 10a. An installation which ceases to operate shall receive no further free allowances.
2008/06/30
Committee: ECON
Amendment 54 #

2008/0000(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Regards it as legitimate, if countries that as yet have not achieved an advanced stage of diversification of their economies, make use of the instrument of export taxes on certain raw materials in order to control their outflow; calls on the Commission to not challenge the use of export taxes by poor and commodity dependent countries as Non-Tariff Barriers to Trade (NTBs);
2008/02/28
Committee: INTA
Amendment 56 #

2008/0000(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2b. In light of the need for more sustainable trade patterns in order to combat climate change, regards access to energy and mineral resources as a matter of multilateral rule-setting which must not be undermined by bilateral trade agreements that compete for the most favourable access conditions;
2008/02/28
Committee: INTA
Amendment 76 #

2008/0000(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Notes the development of a leveraged securities market for certain commodities which produces risk mitigation more for upstream traders than for prime producers, while opening the field to speculation; calls on UNCTAD to study novel price volatility mitigation schemes that can be made readily available to prime producers and are backed up by public funds;
2008/02/28
Committee: INTA
Amendment 79 #

2008/0000(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Applauds the enormously positive effects of the "Publish What You Pay" campaign and the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) ; calls for the mandatory disclosure of the payments made by oil, gas and mining companies to all governments for the extraction of natural resources; calls also on resource- rich developing country governments to publish full details on revenues from the oil, gas and mining industries;
2008/02/28
Committee: INTA
Amendment 80 #

2008/0000(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 b (new)
9b. Recalls the continuous importance of the findings and recommendations of the 2004 Extractive Industries Report of the World Bank and urges all public lenders involving European tax payers' money to not provide any loans to extractive projects that do not fully apply these recommendations;
2008/02/28
Committee: INTA
Amendment 11 #

2007/0238(CNS)

Proposal for a directive – amending act
Recital 6
(6) Experience gained during the recent implementation of the current procedure, whereby the Commission is charged with deciding whether a risk of distortion of competition exists as a result of the application of a reduced VAT rate to natural gas, electricity and district heating, has demonstrated that the procedure is obsolete and superfluous. The rules for determining the place of taxation ensure that VAT is levied at the place where the natural gas, electricity, heat and refrigeration are actually consumed by the customer. They thus prevent any distortion of competition between Member States. Nevertheless, it is still important that the Commission and the other Member States be properly informed whenever a Member State introduces a lower rate in this very sensitive sector. Those reduced VAT rates must be designed to achieve other Community objectives, such as energy or environmental objectives linked to the European Union's commitment under the Kyoto Protocol. Consequently, a prior consultation procedure involving the VAT Committee is needed.
2008/04/10
Committee: ECON
Amendment 8 #

2007/0196(COD)

Proposal for a directive – amending act
Recital 1 a (new)
(1a) In order to ensure efficient and non- discriminatory network access it is appropriate that the transmission and distribution systems are operated through legally separate entities where vertically integrated undertakings exist. The Commission should assess measures of equivalent effect, developed by Member States to achieve this requirement, and, where appropriate, submit proposals to amend this Directive. Different approaches need to be taken for transmission and distribution and therefore the Commission should resolve the persisting difficulties - notably network connections for new entrants, in particular for biogas and gas from biomass producers - by strengthening the powers of the regulators.
2008/03/11
Committee: ECON
Amendment 11 #

2007/0196(COD)

Proposal for a directive – amending act
Recital 10 a (new)
(10a) To facilitate efficient market integration, the process of unbundling should enable several transmission systems to be operated together, for example by a Regional Independent System Operator.
2008/03/11
Committee: ECON
Amendment 15 #

2007/0196(COD)

Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point -1 (new)
Directive 2003/55/EC
Article 1 – paragraph 2
(-1) Article 1(2) shall be replaced by the following: 2. The rules established by this Directive for natural gas, including liquefied natural gas (LNG), shall also apply in a non-discriminatory way to biogas and gas from biomass or other types of gas in so far as such gases can technically and safely be injected into, and transported through, the natural gas system.
2008/03/11
Committee: ECON
Amendment 17 #

2007/0196(COD)

Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 1 a
Directive 2003/55/EC
Article 3 – paragraph 2
(1a) Article 3(2) shall be replaced by the following: 2. Having full regard to the relevant provisions of the Treaty, in particular Article 86 thereof, Member States may impose on undertakings operating in the gas sector, in the general economic interest, public service obligations which may relate to security, including security of supply, regularity, quality and price of supplies, and environmental protection, including energy efficiency and Community targets for the use of renewable energy and climate protection. Such obligations shall be clearly defined, transparent, non discriminatory, verifiable and shall guarantee equality of access for EU gas companies to national consumers. In relation to security of supply, energy efficiency/demand-side management and for the fulfilment of environmental goals, as referred to in this paragraph, Member States may introduce the implementation of long term planning, taking into account the possibility of third parties seeking access to the system.
2008/03/11
Committee: ECON
Amendment 19 #

2007/0196(COD)

Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 2 a (new)
Directive 2003/55/EC
Article 5
(2a) Article 5 shall be replaced by the following: Member States shall ensure the monitoring of security of supply issues. Where Member States consider it appropriate, they may delegate this task to the regulatory authorities referred to in Article 25(1). This monitoring shall, in particular, cover the supply/demand balance on the national market, the level of expected future demand and available supplies, envisaged additional capacity being planned or under construction, and the quality and level of maintenance of the networks, the use of biogas and gas from biomass, as well as measures to cover peak demand and to deal with shortfalls of one or more suppliers. The competent authorities shall publish, by 31 July each year at the latest a report outlining the findings resulting from the monitoring of these issues, as well as any measures taken or envisaged to address them and shall forward this report to the Commission forthwith.
2008/03/11
Committee: ECON
Amendment 28 #

2007/0196(COD)

Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 6 a (new)
Directive 2003/55/EC
Article 8 – paragraph 4 a (new)
(6a) In Article 8 the following paragraph shall be added: "4a. Transmission system operators shall build sufficient interconnection capacity between their transmission infrastructure in order to meet all reasonable demands for capacity, facilitate an efficient overall market, and fulfil gas security of supply criteria."
2008/03/11
Committee: ECON
Amendment 29 #

2007/0196(COD)

Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 6 b (new)
Directive 2003/55/EC
Article 8 – paragraph 4 b (new)
(6b) In Article 8, the following paragraph shall be added: "4b. Transmission system operators shall maximise the transmission capacity offered to the market and in the allocation and interruption of capacity on both sides of a border do not discriminate between suppliers inside and outside their home country."
2008/03/11
Committee: ECON
Amendment 30 #

2007/0196(COD)

Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 8
Directive 2003/55/EC
Article 9
Article deleted
2008/03/11
Committee: ECON
Amendment 32 #

2007/0196(COD)

Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 8
Directive 2003/55/EC
Article 9a
Article deleted
2008/03/11
Committee: ECON
Amendment 45 #

2007/0196(COD)

Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 14
Directive 2003/55/EC
Article 24c – paragraph 1 – point b
(b) cooperating on cross-border issues with the regulatory authority or authorities of those Member States including to ensure that transmission system operators jointly and severally build sufficient interconnection capacity between their transmission infrastructure in order to satisfy an efficient overall market assessment and gas security of supply criteria without discriminating between suppliers in different Member States;
2008/03/11
Committee: ECON
Amendment 20 #

2007/0195(COD)

Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 1 a (new)
Directive 2003/54/EC
Article 3 – paragraph 2 (new)
(1a) Article 3(2) shall be replaced by the following: 2. Having full regard to the relevant provisions of the Treaty, in particular Article 86 thereof, Member States may impose on undertakings operating in the electricity sector, in the general economic interest, public service obligations which may relate to security, including security of supply, regularity, quality and price of supplies and environmental protection, including energy efficiency, community targets for the use of renewable energy, and climate protection. Such obligations shall be clearly defined, transparent, non discriminatory, verifiable and shall guarantee equality of access for EU electricity companies to national consumers. In relation to security of supply, energy efficiency/demand-side management and for the fulfilment of environmental and renewable energy goals, as referred to in this paragraph, Member States may introduce the implementation of long term planning, taking into account the possibility of third parties seeking access to the system.
2008/03/11
Committee: ECON
Amendment 24 #

2007/0195(COD)

Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 2
Directive 2003/54/EC
Article 3 – paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. In order to balance the negative impact of liberalisation against the efficient use of electricity, Member States shall ensure that a minimum of 2 % of all electricity revenues from domestic consumers is spent to fund energy efficiency and demand-side measurement programmes for domestic consumers. Private and public electricity undertakings, energy service companies, regional and local bodies and non- governmental organisations may apply for such funding to (co)finance the promotion of efficient energy programmes for domestic consumers with a special emphasis on vulnerable consumers. The management and details of the attributions of the funding shall be decided in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity.
2008/03/11
Committee: ECON
Amendment 29 #

2007/0195(COD)

Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 3 a (new)
Directive 2003/54/EC
Article 7a (new)
(3a) The following Article 7a shall be inserted: Article 7a Prohibition of new capacity emitting high levels of carbon dioxide In fulfilling the requirements of Articles 6 and 7, Member States shall not authorise any new generating capacity where such capacity would, during its operation, lead to atmospheric carbon dioxide emissions in excess of [XXX] grams per kilowatt hour of electricity produced.
2008/03/11
Committee: ECON
Amendment 54 #

2007/0195(COD)

Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 6 a (new)
Directive 2003/54/EC
Article 9 – paragraphs 1 a and 1 b (new)
(6a) In Article 9, the following paragraphs shall be added: "(1a) Transmission system operators shall build sufficient interconnection capacity between their transmission infrastructure in order to meet all reasonable demands for capacity, facilitate an efficient overall market, and fulfil security of supply criteria. (1b) Transmission system operators shall maximise the transmission capacity offered to the market and in the allocation and interruption of capacity on both sides of a border do not discriminate between suppliers inside and outside their home country."
2008/03/11
Committee: ECON
Amendment 60 #

2007/0195(COD)

Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 8 a (new)
Directive 2003/54/EC
Article 11 – paragraph 7 a (new)
(8a) In Article 11, the following paragraph shall be added: "7a. Priority shall be given to electricity from renewable energy sources, combined heat and power and other embedded generation and the costs of connecting new producers of electricity from renewable energy sources and combined heat and power should be objective, transparent and non-discriminatory. A European benchmarking system shall ensure that there are no obstacles to the stimulation of dispersed generation."
2008/03/11
Committee: ECON
Amendment 61 #

2007/0195(COD)

Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 9 a (new)
Directive 2003/54/EC
Article 14 – paragraph 4
(9a) Article 14(4) shall be replaced by the following: "4. A Member State shall require the distribution system operator, when dispatching generating installations, to give priority to generating installations using renewable energy sources or waste or producing combined heat and power."
2008/03/11
Committee: ECON
Amendment 74 #

2007/0195(COD)

Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 12
Directive 2003/54/EC
Article 22c – paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Member States shall establish a Gas and Electricity Consumer Council to act as a consumer protection body, operating independently of the regulatory body. Providing a single point of contact for consumers, the Gas and Electricity Consumer Council shall: (a) investigate complaints against utility companies; (b) provide advice on consumer needs to the regulator, government and companies; and (c) have clearly stated rights of access to information and the power to publish that information with the aim of promoting high standards of energy supply and physical energy services for consumers.
2008/03/11
Committee: ECON
Amendment 94 #

2007/0143(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Recital 36
(36) The Solvency Capital Requirement should reflect a level of eligible own funds that enables insurance and reinsurance undertakings to absorb significant losses and that gives reasonable assurance to policyholders and beneficiaries that payments will be made as they fall due. In this respect, an appropriate balance should be struck between the average maturity of risk-covering commitments and the volatility of assets.
2008/06/30
Committee: ECON
Amendment 103 #

2007/0143(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Recital 57 a (new)
(57a) Subject to Community and national law, mutual companies, mutual associations and provident societies are able to come together by forming concentrations or groups. Groups are not constituted with capital ties but through formalised long-lasting financial relationships that guarantee a financial solidarity between the affiliated companies. In the event that a significant or dominant influence is exercised through such a group, however, it shall be supervised according to the same rules as those provided for groups constituted through capital ties in order to achieve an adequate level of protection for policyholders and a level playing field between groups.
2008/06/30
Committee: ECON
Amendment 122 #

2007/0143(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Recital 93 a (new)
(93a) In accordance with this Directive (Solvency II), which repeals Directive 2002/83/EC, pension activities that were previously subject to certain provisions of Directive 2002/83/EC are subject to the corresponding provisions of Solvency II. The economics- based provisions of Solvency II address the specificities of the pension activities. Together with the review of Directive 2003/41/EC this Directive should therefore enhance the convergence of supervisory practices as regards insurance undertakings and pension funds. The review of Directive 2003/41/EC, which was due in 2007, should be carried out by the Commission with the view of enhancing the level- playing field for all operators in the pensions market, namely insurance undertakings or pension funds.
2008/06/30
Committee: ECON
Amendment 216 #

2007/0143(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 70 – paragraph -1 (new)
Member States shall ensure that in the exercise of the supervisory authorities’ responsibilities, their national mandate refers to the following objectives: (a) convergent implementation in the Community of this Directive and its implementing measures, and, insofar as possible, convergent application of guidelines and recommendations adopted by the Committee of European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Supervisors; (b) financial stability in other Member States.
2008/06/30
Committee: ECON
Amendment 220 #

2007/0143(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 70 – paragraph 1 a (new)
The Committee of European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Supervisors shall, where necessary, provide for non-legally binding guidances to enhance the convergence of supervisory practices pursuant to this Directive. The Committee shall report regularly on the progress of the supervisory convergence in the Community.
2008/06/30
Committee: ECON
Amendment 357 #

2007/0143(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 105 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1
4. Where health insurance is pursued on a similar technical basis to that of life insurance as referred to in Article 213, the specialThe health underwriting risk module shall reflect the risk arising from the underwriting of health insurance contracts, following from both the perils covered and the processes used in the conduct of business.
2008/06/30
Committee: ECON
Amendment 361 #

2007/0143(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 105 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 2 – points a to c
(a) the risk of loss, or of adverse changehealth long term sub-module, covering underwriting risk in the value ofalth insurance liabilities, resulting from changes in the level, trend, or volatility of the expenses incurred in servicing inthat is practised on a similar technical basis to that of life assurance oras reinsurance contracts (health expense risk); (b) the risk of loss, or of adverse change in the value of insurance liabilities, resulting from fluctuations in the timing, frequency and severity of insured events, and in the timing and amount of claim settlements at the time of provisioning (health premium and reserve risk); (c) the risk of loss, or of advferred to in Article 213; (b) the accident and health short-term sub-module, covering underwriting risk of short-term health and accident lines of business; (c) the workerse change in the value of insurance liabilities, resulting from the significantompensation sub-module, covering uncdertainty of pricing and provisioning assumptions related to outbreaks of major epidemics, as well as the unusual accumulation of risks under such extreme circumstances (health epidemic risk)writing risk in workers’ compensation lines of business.
2008/06/30
Committee: ECON
Amendment 371 #

2007/0143(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 105 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 2 a (new)
The equity (respectively property) risk sub-module shall be calculated using the Value-at-Risk based on the annualised return on equities (respectively annualised return on property) subject to a confidence level of 99.5% taking duly into account the holding period of equities (respectively property), consistently with the duration of liabilities, the amount of own funds in excess of technical provisions and Solvency Capital Requirement and the long-term nature of the investment in the case of participations.
2008/06/30
Committee: ECON
Amendment 376 #

2007/0143(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 105 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 2 b (new)
Notwithstanding subparagraph 2a, insurance and reinsurance undertakings may assess the impact of the changes of market prices of equity (or property) by simulating a fixed shock in equity (or property) prices.
2008/06/30
Committee: ECON
Amendment 504 #

2007/0143(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 210 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. For the purposes of this Title, any undertakings that have set up long-lasting financial relationships through a legal entity shall be deemed to be related undertaking and the legal entity shall be deemed to be a participating undertaking, in the event that the following conditions are met: (a) the setting up and dissolution of such financial relationships are subject to prior approval of the supervisory authority of the Member State where the legal entity is situated; (b) in the opinion of the supervisory authority of the Member State where the legal entity is situated, the legal entity effectively exercises, through such financial relationships a significant influence over the undertakings concerned. In addition, where, in the opinion of the supervisory authority referred to in the first subparagraph, the legal entity effectively exercises a dominant influence over any of the undertakings in respect of which long-lasting financial relationships have been set up, those undertakings shall be considered to be subsidiaries and the legal entity shall be deemed to be their parent undertaking.
2008/06/30
Committee: ECON