56 Amendments of Reinhard BÜTIKOFER related to 2011/2056(INI)
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 19 a (new)
Citation 19 a (new)
– having regard to the Commission Communication of 15 September 2009 entitled ‘Policy coherence for development - Establishing the policy framework for a whole-of-the-Union approach’ (COM(2009)458),
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 19 b (new)
Citation 19 b (new)
– having regard to its resolution of 18 May 2010 on EU Policy Coherence for Development and the Official Development Assistance plus concept,
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 19 c (new)
Citation 19 c (new)
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 19 d (new)
Citation 19 d (new)
– having regard to the Council Conclusions of 10 March 2011 on tackling the challenges on raw materials and in commodity markets,
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the proposal for EU diplomacy on raw materials and rare earths with the aim of urgently establishing an international regulatory platform and ensurpromoting a smooth functioning openf global markets; underlines the necessity of establishing a strong dialogue in the field of raw materials diplomacy between industrialised, newly industrialising, and resource-rich developing countries;
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A (new)
Recital A (new)
A. whereas the EU requires a strong industrial base and green industry, which are highly dependent upon adequate supplies of raw materials, in order to move towards a low-carbon economy and to persist in competitiveness,
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Stresses the importance of an open and constructive global dialogue on raw materials between resource-rich and resource-poor countries in order to increase understanding and bridge any differences; calls on the Commission to identify an adequate governance structure or forum that can facilitate such a dialogue; believes that the International Energy Forum (IEF) could serve as a template; calls on the Commission to particularly study the intergovernmental forum on mining, minerals, metals and sustainable development and see to what degree major actors such as the EU, US and China could join this forum; notes the important role of the French G20 Presidency in kick-starting such an international raw materials dialogue; calls on the French G20 Presidency in co- operation with the Commission to engage in a robust and consistent diplomatic effort during the G20 Presidency to establish an international forum on raw materials through regular bilateral and multilateral meetings with key G20 players;
Amendment 11 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1b. Calls on the Commission to continue supporting the UNEP International Panel for Sustainable Resource Management;
Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B (new)
Recital B (new)
B. whereas worldwide demand for raw materials has been steadily increasing, especially for ‘technology metals’,
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 c (new)
Paragraph 1 c (new)
1c. Calls on the Commission to promote an expansion of the work of the international metals study groups and the establishment of new metals study groups such as on iron or high-technology metals;
Amendment 13 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 d (new)
Paragraph 1 d (new)
1d. Calls on the Commission to promote Track-II diplomacy on raw materials by financially supporting the exchange of non-governmental organisations, academia and think tanks from the EU with other resource-relevant countries;
Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 e (new)
Paragraph 1 e (new)
1e. Calls on the Commission to organise regular events, such as JOGMEC's 'Metal Saloons', on raw materials with other resource-relevant countries with participation from a wide range of stakeholders (industry, academia, policymakers, NGOs, etc.) at least twice a year;
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C (new)
Recital C (new)
C. whereas advances in new technologies will continue to increase demand for resources central to the development of these industries,
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D (new)
Recital D (new)
D. whereas international supply is partly restricted by export quotas and prices are reaching record heights,
Amendment 16 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E (new)
Recital E (new)
E. whereas in the manufacturing sector, the share of material cost as part of the total production costs is significantly higher than the share related to the pay roll of workers and that, in all sectors, the growing trend of the former is not expected to be reversed in the medium term at least,
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F (new)
Recital F (new)
F. whereas markets benefit from a fair and level playing field,
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G (new)
Recital G (new)
G. whereas increased competition over raw materials can aggravate international relations and lead to resource conflicts,
Amendment 19 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H (new)
Recital H (new)
H. whereas despite long-term improvements, growth in the productivity of materials in the EU has been significantly slower than growth in the productivity of labour,
Amendment 20 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Stresses that as part of the EU’s strategic cooperation with relevant key partners such as the USA, Russia and JapanJapan and others, an early- warning mechanism for market distortion and supply shortagesupply shortages and resource-fuelled conflicts should be established and complemented by a monitoring group at EU level comprising representatives of the EU institutions, the Member States and relevant industry sectors;
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I (new)
Recital I (new)
I. whereas these challenges can be an opportunity for new innovative partnerships of mutually beneficial cooperation between the EU and third countries,
Amendment 21 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J (new)
Recital J (new)
J. whereas the actions proposed by the Commission to boost resource efficiency and recycling are mostly limited to assessments of what could be done, instead of concrete measures to be taken, and are therefore insufficient to reach the stated goals,
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K (new)
Recital K (new)
K. whereas the Commission states that better implementation and enforcement of existing waste legislation is essential for promoting a more resource-efficient Europe but fails to propose the establishment of a waste implementation agency and a specific European body to carry out direct inspections,
Amendment 23 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital L (new)
Recital L (new)
L. whereas the increase of recycling of valuable materials, especially rare earths, requires intensive dismantling,
Amendment 24 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital M (new)
Recital M (new)
M. whereas profitable recycling lies in reliable and efficient classification and separation technology as the value of recycled materials depends on the fraction purity;
Amendment 25 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital N (new)
Recital N (new)
N. whereas an industrial innovation strategy focused on increasing efficiencies and recycling promotes sustainability, competitiveness and security of supply,
Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital O (new)
Recital O (new)
O. whereas it is paramount to take timely and decisive steps in implementing an efficient strategy and delivering results on the European Raw Materials Initiative;
Amendment 28 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls for international regulatory standards on recycling, sustainable mining and good governance which should be promoted through relevant fora, such as the G8 and the G20, the WTO, the OECD, UNCTAD, UNEP, the UNEP International Panel for Sustainable Resource Management, the international metals study groups, and the intergovernmental forum on mining, minerals, metals and sustainable development; stresses the importance of advancing corporate social responsibility and regulatory standards among the industry through the International Council on Mining and Metals;
Amendment 28 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the fact that the Commission spearheaded the issue of non-energy, non- agricultural raw materials (RM) with its Raw Materials Initiative (RMI) in 2008; believes that resource policy and resource diplomacy are of high importance for the EU not only with regard to industrial policy and international trade, but also as a transversal issue concerning different fields of domestic policy as well as foreign and security policy; asks the Commission to pay as much attention to this issue as to the energy issue; sees this also as a task for the EEAS;
Amendment 32 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls on the WTO to monitor closely the impact ofpromote the smoothing of global raw material markets and calls on DG Trade to continue monitoring export restrictions and other barriers on the price of raw materials; supports the creation in the WTO of a ‘Raw Materials and Rare Earths Stability Board’;
Amendment 36 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. WelcomNotes the inclusion of explicit guarantees on market access to raw materials in EU trade agreements and as a prerequisite for membership of the WTO; calls for the access to and, but believes that trade agreements should also provide flexibility and ensure that linkages between the extractive and local industry can be achieved; stresses therefore the importance of having a differentiated raw materials diplomacy that takes into account the respective countries' situations and development status and respects the notion of 'resource sovereignty'; calls for sustainable governance of raw materials to be included in all EU agreements with relevant third countries;
Amendment 43 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Outlines the importance of bilateral cooperation on raw materials, as demonstrated by the EU and the African Union in June 2010, and encourages further efforts in the context of the Joint Africa-EU Action Plan for 2011-2013; calls for similar cooperation to be developed with other countries that are major producers of critical raw materials; stresses the importance of good governance and transparency; in this context, supports the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and Publish What You Pay (PWYP); calls on the Commission to follow the US Dodd- Frank bill on conflict minerals;
Amendment 44 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Welcomes the Commission’s work on identifying critical raw materials (CRM), which are all ‘technology metals’; calls on the Commission to follow this up by analysing the supply chains depending on CRM, the refining capacity and the interaction between CRM and their associated base metals; further efforts should be undertaken on establishing a risk radar for CRM; puts emphasis on tackling problems concerning supply of Rare Earth Elements (REE); underlines, however, that all CRM must be taken into account;
Amendment 52 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Points out that effective governance of RM policy is key to an effective RM strategy; notes that an effective strategy must include a continuous dialogue with stakeholders concerned; emphasises the need for close co- ordination within the Commission and between Member States; recommends the establishment of an high level inter-departmental RM task force, as is the case in France and the United States, in 2011, encompassing the relevant DGs, the Joint Research Centre (JRC), European Environment Agency and the External Action Service, to elaborate, monitor and review policies, to ensure strategic coherence and promote the establishment of an early-warning system; calls on the Commission to foster co-ordinationencourage MS to develop their own raw materials strategies and to foster co-ordination and the exchange of best-practice between the Member States including on the external dimension; believessuggests that the upcoming communication on the external dimension of energy could serve as a template;
Amendment 55 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Believes that the responsibility for a coherent and effective EU diplomacy must lie with the EEAS, which will activate all and the relevant Commission services, in close coordination with taking into account the positions of the Council and Parliament; believes furthermore that the strategic relevance of raw materials should be reflected in the organisation of the EEAS and in the staffing of relevant EU delegations. ; stresses the importance of co- ordinating foreign policy in the field of raw materials between Member States, which should be promoted by the Commission.
Amendment 71 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 2
Subheading 2
An opportunity for European industry: resource efficiency, re-use, recycling and substitution
Amendment 81 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Notes that the RM challenges are also an opportunity to invigorate the EU’s industrial base and increase competitiveness via an ambitious industrial innovation strategy; notes that in the medium to long term increasing efficiencies, re-use, energy-efficient recycling and lowering resource use will be key to competitiveness, sustainability and supply security; remarks that social innovation, lifestyle changes and new concepts such as eco-leasing, chemical leasing and sharing should be supported by the Commission;
Amendment 88 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Welcomes the Commission’s plan to launch a flagship initiative on resource efficiency; calls on the Commission to incorporate a resource efficiency improvement target of 3% per year net of GDP evolution; calls on the Commission to develop a reliable methodology for measuring resource efficiency taking into account the work of Eurostat in this field; calls on the EC to identify a long-term visionary goal, such as achieving a 6-10 ton resource-use per year per person by 2050;
Amendment 104 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Calls on the Commission to extend the ecodesign instruments to RM, to work with standardisation bodies, to evaluate the feasibility of a top-runner programme for products with regard to resource efficiency, to strengthen advisory services on resource efficiency, particularly for SMEs, ande.g. by . strengthening such programmes in the European Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation (EACI) ; calls on the Commission to support SMEs in this field also via inter alia launching information awareness campaigns, promoting the sharing of best practices between Member States, providing access to relevant research under FP7 and future research programs of the EU; calls on companies to make use of either the Eco- Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) or ISO standards; calls on the Commission and the Member States to leverage public procurement in order to enhance resource- efficient products and products utilizing secondary RM as well as securing sound and transparent recycling at their respective end-of-life; notes that in recycling it is not only quantity but also quality that matters; therefore stresses the importance of product design that is recycling-friendly; stresses the value of including resource use in product information and eco-labels in order to empower consumers; calls on the European standardisation bodies to streamline the issue of resource efficiency in the setting of standards;
Amendment 109 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Calls on the Commission to review how the Eco-Design Directive, the Directive on End-of-Life Vehicles, the Directive on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment and the Battery Waste Directive could be modified so as to increase recycling not just in general, but also for valuable raw materials including rare earths, e.g. by more specific requirements on dismantling, and to propose amendments to these acts accordingly;
Amendment 111 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Notes the contribution of re-use and recycling to reducing greenhouse gases; calls on the Commission to launch an in- depth EU material flow analysis particularly to identify waste streams; calls on the Commission to propose a roadmap for the establishment of a waste implementation agency and a specific European body to carry out direct inspections; calls on the Commission to harmonise recycling standards and legislation; calls on the Member States’ industry associations to actively promote recycling among their members and to facilitate co-operation with research institutions and other sectors; notes the importance of decoupling the amount of manufactured waste from the increase of manufacturing production;
Amendment 122 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Notes the importance of creating industrial synergies on recycling and helping companies discover how their energy, waste and by-products can serve as resources for others; calls on the Commission and Member States to promote approaches such as that taken by the UK with its National Industrial Symbiosis Programme;
Amendment 141 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Emphasises the need to combat the illegal shipment of waste anby improving legislation and enhancing implementation and calls on the Member States to give urgent attention to this task; highlights the need to establish a global certification scheme for recycling facilities; notes the importance of co- operation between national customs officials; calls on the Commission to examine whether a collective mechanism informing authorities on illegal shipment flows is necessary; asks the Commission to study illegal waste streams and to report regularly on the successes in fighting illegal waste exports; asks the Commission to promote an effective distinction in customs declarations between new and second-hand goods by addressing this in the Implementing Provisions of the Modernised Community Customs Code (MCCC-IP);
Amendment 144 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Calls on the Commission to take into account the critical remarks from some Member States on the Council Regulation establishing criteria determining when certain types of scrap metal cease to be waste under Directive 2008/98/EC and requests the Commission to strengthen the requirements on product quality and improve the possibilities to check and ensure that scrap declared as end-of- waste scrap has the required quality;
Amendment 145 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Calls on the Commission to identify priorities and allocate budgets for research into lifecycle recycling (cradle-to-cradle), substitution and resource efficiency using FP7 and FP8 funding, particularly for CRM such as REEsubsequent funding; attention should be given to different recycling strategies for mass metals as well as particularly for CRM such as REE; calls on the Commission to couple research funding on CRM such as REE with clear goals, such as the Japanese target to reduce REE consumption by one-third; calls on the Commission to integrate the experience from third countries that have already achieved high recollection levels such as Norway, where around 80% of electronic waste is recollected, and to set corresponding recollection targets of its own; stresses the importance of public- private partnerships in this field involving industry, academia and government as exemplified by the Materials Innovation Institute (M2i); acknowledges the valuable service such institutions also deliver to SMEs; insists on the importance of a European Innovation Partnership on RM; calls on the Commission to launch such a partnership in 2011;
Amendment 154 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. RegretBelieves that substitution is not includof REE has an even greater relevance than outlined in the Communication; therefore, calls on the Commission to ramp up its work in this field, particularly for REE, by leveraging research funding and encouraging Member States to set their own substitution targets; calls on the Commission to make full use of the existing REE competency within the EU;
Amendment 170 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Reaffirms that the NATURA 2000 guidelines provide a sound basis under which non-energy extraction activities must take place taking into account the principle of subsidiarity; notes that codes of practice to achieve technical, social and environmental excellence are important instruments; underlines that all domestic mining must be sustainable mining; calls on the Commission to support Member States in promoting national minerals policies and streamlining authorisation procedures with the view to establishing a one-stop shop; notes the important role also played by upstream service companies in this context; stresses the importance of industrial clusters bringing together geological services, upstream service providers, equipment manufacturers, mining and refining companies as well as the transport industry, in sustainable mining in Europe; calls on the Commission to pay adequate attention to the impact of domestic mining on transport policy in the context of TEN-T; calls on the Commission to protect environmentally sensitive areas that might hold RM, such as the Arctic, Barents Sea and Greenland;
Amendment 197 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Stresses the importance of skills and training and the role played by geologists and engineers; calls on the Commission to engage in a close dialogue with social partners in this context; calls on the Commission, in co-operation with social partners, the Member States and industry, to identify the need for and availability of trained personnel in the field of critical raw material research and development, extraction, refining, processing and recycling by 2012 and to share the findings with the European Parliament; in this context, calls on the Commission and Member States to support, in collaboration with industry and academia, education on critical minerals via the establishment of special programmes and courses at university and supporting undergraduates, graduates, post- doctorates and fellowships in this field via scholarships; supports, in this context, Erasmus programmes in this field such as the Erasmus Mundus Minerals and Environmental Programme;
Amendment 216 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Welcomes the EU'’s intention to pursue an active RM diplomacy, particularly for CRM; believes that priority actions for REE need to be developed in the very short term; calls on the Commission to involve European REE stakeholders in identifying such actions;
Amendment 230 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Considers it the responsibility of companies to procure resources; nevertheless, asks the Commission to consider how concepts such as a European RM Holding could be supported non- financially; asks the Commission and the Member States to study Japan´s JOGMEC closely;
Amendment 241 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Notes the importance of Africa-EU relations and the Addis Ababa agreement of June 2010; insists that this partnership be based on mutual interests; points out that the African Union stated in the African Mining Vision that African countries have not been able to benefit thus far from their competitive advantage in natural resources; therefore, measures need to be considered to ensure natural resource wealth benefits the population of resource rich countries;
Amendment 248 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Regrets that the Communication fails to name other regions or countries; calls on the Commission to establishpromote other mutually beneficial partnerships with resource-rich countries in Asia and Latin America; believes that the EU should offer ‘infrastructure-resource’ partnerships; calls on the EU to support resource-rich developing countries in developing their geological, mining and mineral processing knowledge; proposes in this context the establishment of co-operatively financed chairs at geological faculties;
Amendment 250 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Is concerned that a strategy for co- operation with China is not identified; stresses the need for a technology dialogue with China; calls on the Commission to examine how pilot projects on sustainable mining, substitution or recycling of CRM can be established with China and mineral processing, substitution, resource efficiency or recycling of CRM can be established with China for mutual benefit; also strongly supports similar bilateral dialogues with threshold economies like Brazil on pertinent RM issues; calls on the Commission to similarly treat the issue of RM in its European Neighbourhood Policy;
Amendment 263 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Concurs that development policy plays a role in helping countries turn their resource wealth into sustainable and inclusive growth, inter alia by enhancing governance and transparency; does not consider development policy an RM diplomacy tool; agrees that trade agreements should provide the necessary flexibility to support developing countries in creating linkages from the extractive industry towards local industry; believes that countries' resource sovereignty must be respected in this context; calls on the Commission to ensure coherence between development policy and raw materials policy;
Amendment 267 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Calls on the Commission to help developing countries to overcome information asymmetry in negotiating RM and mining contracts through capacity- building, both at national level and among local communities;
Amendment 270 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Stresses the role that corporate social responsibility plays by adhering to high environmental and social and labour standards abroad and applying best available technologies; applauds in this context positive contributions through the UN´s Global Compact; calls on EU companies to develop an appropriate code of conduct for those operating in third countries; calls on the Commission to follow the US Dodd-Frank bill concerning conflict mineralstake measures, which ensure the respect of social, environmental and labour standards by European companies mining natural resources in third countries; calls on the Commission to come forward with a proposal of its own on country-by- country reporting concerning conflict minerals following the example of the US Dodd-Frank bill; supports the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and the global network Publish What You Pay (PWYP); believes that these standards should particularly be applied for projects receiving EU funding, such as from the EIB; calls on the Commission to strengthen the use of ‘fingerprinting’ technology in this context and to promote pilot projects based on the experiences of the ‘coltan fingerprint’; calls on the EIB to regularly undertake an analysis of the expected impacts of its lending in the extractive industry;
Amendment 278 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Welcomes the work on RM and sustainability in the OECD, G8 and G20; supports the inclusion of non-OECD members in these discussions; calls for the creation of strategic co-operation between the EU, US and Japan on CRM in sharing demand and supply data, common forecasting, exchanging best practice, analysing supply chains, investigating the possibility for joint strategic stocks, and the establishment of joint R&D projects; asks the Commission to investigate the feasibility of an international statistics initiative on CRM based on the example of the Joint Organisations Data Initiative (JODI) as well as whether an international covenant for metals might be a useful tool;