Activities of Gaston FRANCO related to 2011/2297(INI)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on the implementation of EU water legislation, ahead of a necessary overall approach to European water challenges
Amendments (20)
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Calls on the European Commission to put forward specific proposals for saving water, such as implementing measures on water efficiency in buildings or introducing water consumption labels for water-using appliances (washing machines, etc.);
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1b. Insists on the urgent need to conduct an audit on the state of the European water network to assess quality, degeneration and interconnectivity because it is possible that as much as 70 % of the water in European cities is lost as a result of leaks in the water system, and to encourage infrastructure investments;
Amendment 13 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Encourages a hierarchical approach to water management, depending on the end use of water between consumption and its use, noting that it is important to decouple the use of water (consumption or industry) and to treat it appropriately;
Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2b. Observes that water is the only resource for which there is no replacement;
Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 c (new)
Paragraph 2 c (new)
2c. Observes that pricing should be consistent with water-saving, and that prices should be transparent and incremental, and should reflect the true cost of the services provided;
Amendment 16 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 d (new)
Paragraph 2 d (new)
2d. Observes that manufacturers wish to receive clear and accessible information about the quality of water, and that it is therefore up to operators to publish data on water quality and to warn manufacturers of any substantial changes to water composition;
Amendment 17 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 e (new)
Paragraph 2 e (new)
2e. Notes that the quality of bathing water has an impact on tourism; calls for the Blue Flag to be extended to all bathing areas in Europe including rivers, lakes and pools;
Amendment 18 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 f (new)
Paragraph 2 f (new)
2f. Stresses that sustainable tourism encourages the conservation of water; calls for the provision of training in connection with saving water and the sustainable use thereof for tourism professionals, particularly in coastal areas and in thermal belts;
Amendment 19 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 g (new)
Paragraph 2 g (new)
2g. Insists that for a water management policy to be effective, it needs to be implemented close to the resource; calls for the European Commission to take into account areas with natural handicaps, such as mountain or island territories;
Amendment 20 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 h (new)
Paragraph 2 h (new)
2h. Observes that agri-food industries distributing water need to take account of health and safety during heatwaves or in other exceptional circumstances, and that their presence in the territory should therefore be assessed, and their development and access to the entire territory encouraged;
Amendment 21 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 i (new)
Paragraph 2 i (new)
2i. Calls on the European Commission to encourage businesses to use materials that require less water through support for R&D and through structural funds in areas where the resource is at its most scarce;
Amendment 26 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Notes that it is important to encourage research and innovation in connection with water and that the development of European clusters in this area must be supported;
Amendment 30 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Observes that waste water can be used as a source of energy by recovering the heat or energy from the organic matter it carries, and that this opportunity should be exploited;
Amendment 38 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Calls on the European Commission to encourage optimisation of the successive uses of water extracted from the water cycle, including recycling water used for agricultural and industrial purposes where appropriate;
Amendment 39 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7b. Calls on the European Commission to facilitate access to solutions to water shortages, such as artificially recharging groundwater reservoirs, water harvesting and developing alternative irrigation techniques;
Amendment 40 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 c (new)
Paragraph 7 c (new)
7c. Insists that water pollution be primarily controlled and managed at source;
Amendment 41 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 d (new)
Paragraph 7 d (new)
7d. Observes that the majority of water is used by the agricultural sector, and that the most effective practices and techniques for saving water must be encouraged through the common agricultural policy where possible;
Amendment 42 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 e (new)
Paragraph 7 e (new)
7e. Observes that the standards that apply to farmers are already high and closely monitored; calls for the strengthening of eco-conditionality for the common agricultural policy on the basis of existing obligations;
Amendment 43 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 f (new)
Paragraph 7 f (new)
7f. Believes that the contribution for financing the system must be no less than that of the permanent residence in cases where secondary residences benefit from the same resource availability;
Amendment 44 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 g (new)
Paragraph 7 g (new)
7g. Recognises the Mediterranean as a common heritage of both banks, and calls for the permanent exchange of information on industrial policies that may affect the Sea.