Activities of Julie GIRLING related to 2015/0009(COD)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European Fund for Strategic Investments and amending Regulations (EU) No 1291/2013 and (EU) No 1316/2013
Amendments (14)
Amendment 34 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9 a (new)
Recital 9 a (new)
(9a) EFSI shall be in accordance with Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union which states that the following shall be prohibited as incompatible with the single market: all agreements between undertakings, decisions by associations of undertakings and concerted practices which may affect trade between Member States and which have as their object or effect the prevention, restriction or distortion of competition within the single market.
Amendment 36 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9 b (new)
Recital 9 b (new)
(9b) The EFSI should be considered as a temporary and one-off instrument aimed at addressing the current investment gap.
Amendment 48 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) The EFSI should support strategic investments with high economic value added contributing to achieving Union policy objectives, in particular the Europe 2020 strategy, the 2030 Framework for climate and energy policies, and the Innovation Union.
Amendment 121 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 29
Recital 29
(29) To partially finance the contribution from the Union budget, the available envelopes of the Horizon 2020 – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation 2014-2020, provided by Regulation (EU) No 1291/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council2 , and the Connecting Europe Facility, provided by Regulation (EU) No 1316/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council3 , should be reducedmay be reduced under strict conditions that such redeployment of funds does not adversely affect programmes which are not set to benefit from EFSI funding. Those programmes serve purposes that are not replicated by the EFSI. However,, and the reduction of both programmes to finance the guarantee fund is expected to ensure a their respective envelopes may only be pursued with the aim of generating greater investment in certain areas of their respective mandates than is possible through the existing programmes. The EFSI should be able toCommission should therefore ensure that any funds taken under Annex II of Regulation 1291/2013 (establishing Horizon 2020 - the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2014-2020)) are only withdrawn from those programmes that fund close to market activities, in order to protect basic and early-stage research activities that do not stand to benefit directly from this Regulation. Furthermore, the EFSI must leverage the EU guarantee to multiply the financial effect within those areas of research, development and innovation and transport, telecommunications and energy infrastructure compared to if the resources had been spent via grants within the planned Horizon 2020 and Connecting Europe Facility programmes. It is, therefore, appropriate to redirect part of the funding presently envisaged for those programmes to the benefit of EFSI. __________________ 2 Regulation (EU) No 1291/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 establishing Horizon 2020 - the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2014-2020) and repealing Decision No 1982/2006/EC (OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 104). 3 Regulation (EU) No 1316/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 establishing the Connecting Europe Facility, amending Regulation (EU) No 913/2010 and repealing Regulations (EC) No 680/2007 and (EC) No 67/2010 (OJ L 348, 20.12.2013, p. 129).
Amendment 142 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 36 a (new)
Recital 36 a (new)
(36a) Since the EFSI will be composed of significant reallocations from the EU budget, Parliament shall have the right to call the EU Budget Commissioner before Parliament in order to exercise scrutiny over the use of the EU budget, especially with regard to performance and spending outcomes.
Amendment 194 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 2
Article 3 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 2
The Investment Committee shall be composed of six independent experts and the Managing Director. Independent experts shall have a high level of relevant market experience in project finance and, where possible, in the general objectives referred to in Article 5(2). They shall be appointed by the Steering Board for a renewable fixed term of three years, renewable only once.
Amendment 205 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part
The EU guarantee shall be granted for EIB financing and investment operations approved by the Investment Committee referred to in Article 3(5) or funding to the EIF in order to conduct EIB financing and investment operations in accordance with Article 7(2). The operations concerned shall be econsistent with Union policiesomically viable and compliant with Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and Union policies, in particular the Europe 2020 growth strategy, the 2030 Framework for climate and energy policies, and the Innovation Union, and support any of the following general objectives:
Amendment 212 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point a
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point a
(a) development of sustainable infrastructure, including in the areas of transport, particularly in industrial centres; energy, in particular energy interconnections; and digital infrastructure;
Amendment 221 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point b
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point b
(b) investment in research and development, innovation, education and training, health, research and development,and information and communications technology and innovation;
Amendment 227 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point c
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point c
(c) development and expansion of renewable energy technologies and energy and resource efficiency;
Amendment 235 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point d
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point d
(d) sustainable infrastructure projects in the environmental, natural resources, resource efficiency, urban development and social fields;
Amendment 244 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2
In addition, the EU guarantee shall be granted for support of dedicated investment platforms and national promotional banks, via the EIB, that invest in operations meeting the requirements of this Regulation. In that case, the Steering Board shall specify policies regarding eligible investment platforms. The Commission shall ensure that any funds taken under Annex II of Regulation 1291/2013 (establishing Horizon 2020 - the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2014-2020)) are only withdrawn from those programmes that fund close to market activities, in order to protect basic and early-stage research activities that do not stand to benefit directly from this Regulation. Furthermore, the EFSI must leverage the EU guarantee to multiply the financial effect within those areas of research, development and innovation and transport, telecommunications and energy infrastructure compared to if the resources had been spent via grants within the planned Horizon 2020 and Connecting Europe Facility programmes.
Amendment 284 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 11 – paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. At the request of the European Parliament, the EU Budget Commissioner shall take part in a hearing at the European Parliament on the use of EU funds in the EFSI.
Amendment 300 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 18 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Article 18 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Regulation (EU) No 1291/2013
Article 6 – paragraph 3 a (new)
Article 6 – paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Given that the aim of EFSI is to help businesses by overcoming capital shortages, it is likely that basic or early- stage scientific research will not benefit from this Regulation. Therefore the Commission shall ensure that any funds redeployed from the EU budget are not withdrawn from such programmes that fund such activities. Furthermore, the EFSI must leverage the EU guarantee to multiply the financial effect within those areas of research, development and innovation and transport, telecommunications and energy infrastructure compared to if the resources had been spent via grants within the planned Horizon 2020 and Connecting Europe Facility programmes. It is, under these conditions, possible to redirect part of the funding presently envisaged for those programmes to the benefit of EFSI.