BETA

Activities of Verónica LOPE FONTAGNÉ related to 2010/0220(NLE)

Plenary speeches (1)

State aid to facilitate the closure of uncompetitive coal mines (debate)
2016/11/22
Dossiers: 2010/0220(NLE)

Amendments (17)

Amendment 16 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2
(2) TheAlthough coal only makes a small contribution of subsidised coal to the overall energy mix no longer justifies the maintenance of such subsidies with a view of securing the supply of energy on a Union levelof the Union, provision should be made for the granting of aid to access indigenous coal reserves on the grounds of energy security.
2010/10/12
Committee: ECON
Amendment 24 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
(3) The Union's policies of encouraging renewable and lower carbon fossil fuels for power generation do not justify the indefinite support for uncompetitive coal mines. The categories of aid permitted by Regulation (EC) No 1407/2002 should therefore not be continued indefinitely. Nonetheless, it should be recognised that replacing subsidised coal with unsubsidised coal will not greatly benefit the environment.
2010/10/12
Committee: ECON
Amendment 33 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6
(6) This Regulation marks the transition of the coal sector from sector-specific rules to the general State aid rules applicable to all sectors, save in respect of aid to cover exceptional costs, aid for access to reserves and aid for research and development projects.
2010/10/12
Committee: ECON
Amendment 34 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6 a (new)
(6a) The Community guidelines on State aid for environmental protection1 reaffirm clearly the European Commission’s positive attitude towards State aid for CO2 capture, transport and storage. This regulation upholds this view, stating that aid for coal mining to provide raw materials for said projects is compatible with the internal market. _____ 1 OJ C 37, 3.2.2001, p. 3.
2010/10/12
Committee: ECON
Amendment 43 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8 a (new)
(8a) As the European Union is committed to developing CO2 capture and storage technology under the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007-2013)1 maintaining access to reserves until this technology has been proven and made available is only reasonable. _____ 1 OJ L 412, 30.12.2006, p. 1.
2010/10/12
Committee: ECON
Amendment 50 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9 a (new)
(9a) Given that in some regions of the European Union the opening of coal mines has had a huge impact on the landscape in areas that are part of the Natura 2000 network, remediation must be included into this regulation as an obligation.
2010/10/12
Committee: ECON
Amendment 53 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10 a (new)
(10a) The Commission needs to ensure that the Member States make effective and selective use of the aid for regeneration of mining basins so as to encourage their economic diversification and overcome their dependence on economic activities linked to coal, especially in the regions most affected by the closures. Future regional policy after 2013 should provide the framework for setting objectives and establishing the necessary control mechanisms to help improve competitiveness in these regions.
2010/10/12
Committee: ECON
Amendment 54 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – point a a (new)
aa) ‘plan for accessing coal reserves’ means a plan drawn up by a Member State, providing for the production of the minimum quantity of indigenous coal necessary to guarantee access to coal reserves;
2010/10/12
Committee: ECON
Amendment 55 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1
1. In the context ofAs far as definite closure of uncompetitive mines, coverage of exceptional costs, access to reserves and support for research and development projects are concerned, aid to the coal industry may be considered compatible with the proper functioning of the internal market if it complies with the provisions of this Regulation.
2010/10/12
Committee: ECON
Amendment 57 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point a
a) the operation of the production units concerned must form part of a closure plan the deadline of which does not extend beyond 31 OctoDecember 201422;
2010/10/12
Committee: ECON
Amendment 76 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Aid may not be granted for costs arising from the remediation of mining areas if, under the legislation in force at the time mining began, setting up a bond to cover remediation costs was compulsory.
2010/10/12
Committee: ECON
Amendment 77 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 a (new)
Article 4a Aid for accessing reserves 1. Aid to coal production units to access reserves is intended specifically to cover current production losses and may be considered compatible with the internal market provided it satisfies the following conditions: a) operation of these coal production units must form part of a plan for accessing coal reserves; b) the aid notified must not exceed the difference between the foreseeable production costs and the foreseeable revenue for a coal year; the aid actually paid must be subject to annual correction, based on the actual costs and revenue, at the latest by the end of the coal production year following the year for which the aid was granted; c) the amount of aid per tonne of coal equivalent must not cause prices for Union coal at delivery point to be lower than those for coal of a similar quality from third countries; d) the production units concerned must have been in activity on 31 December 2009; e) the overall amount of aid for accessing reserves granted by a Member State to any particular undertaking must follow a downward trend; f) the overall amount of closure aid to the coal industry of a Member State must not exceed, for any year after 2010, the amount of aid granted by that Member State and authorised by the Commission in accordance with Articles 4 and 5 of Regulation (EC) No 1407/2002 for the year 2010. Aid for accessing reserves constitutes an operating subsidy intended to cover the current production losses of coal production units forming part of a plan for accessing reserves.
2010/10/12
Committee: ECON
Amendment 78 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point d a (new)
da) the status of remediation work at closed or abandoned production units and, where applicable, the estimated period of time required for complete remediation of the mines.
2010/10/12
Committee: ECON
Amendment 79 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Member States which intend to grant aid for accessing reserves as referred to in Article 2a shall advise the Commission of the plan for accessing reserves at the production units concerned. The plan shall contain at least the following: a) identification of the production units; b) the real or estimated production costs for each production unit per coal year; c) estimated coal production, per coal year, of production units forming the subject of a plan for accessing reserves; d) the estimated amount of aid for accessing reserves per coal year.
2010/10/12
Committee: ECON
Amendment 80 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 3
3. Member States shall notify the Commission of any amendments to the closure plan toand the Commissionplan for accessing reserves.
2010/10/12
Committee: ECON
Amendment 81 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 6
6. When notifying aid as referred to in Articles 4 and 5 and when informing the Commission on aid actually paid, Member States shall supply all the information necessary for the Commission to verify that the provisions of this Regulation are complied with.
2010/10/12
Committee: ECON
Amendment 83 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 2
2. This Regulation shall expire on 31 December 2026.deleted
2010/10/12
Committee: ECON