10 Amendments of Lorenzo FONTANA related to 2016/0276(COD)
Amendment 38 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1
Recital 1
(1) Since the Investment Plan for Europe was presented in November 20143, the conditions for an uptake in investments have improved and confidence in Europe’s economy and growth areis returning. The Union is now in its fourth year of moderate recoveryupturn, with Gross Domestic Product growing at 2% in 2015. The comprehensive efforts initiated with the Investment Plan are already delivering concrete results, despite the fact that macroeconomic effects of larger investment projects cannot be immediatemeasured only with a time lag. Investment is expected to pick up gradually throughout 2016 and 2017 although it remains below historical levels. __________________ 3 COM(2014) 903 final. COM(2014) 903 final.
Amendment 54 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) The extended EFSI should address remaining market failures and sub- optimal investment situations and continue to mobilise private sector financing in investments crucial for Europe’s future job creation – including for the youth –, growth and competitiveness with strengthened additionality. They include investments in the areas of energy, environment and climate action, social and human capital and related infrastructure, healthcare, research and innovation, cross- border and sustainable transport, as well as the digital transformation. In particular, the contribution of operations supported by the EFSI to achieving the Union’s ambitious targets set at the Paris Climate Conference (COP21) should be reinforced. Energy interconnection priority projects and energy efficiency projects should also be increasingly targeted. In addition, EFSI support to motorways should be avoided, unless it is needed to support private investment in transport in cohesion countries or in cross-border transport projects involving at least one cohesion countryisation. Energy interconnection priority projects and energy efficiency projects should also be increasingly targeted. For reasons of clarity, although they are already eligible, it should be explicitly laid down that projects in the fields of agriculture, fishery and aquaculture come within the general objectives eligible for EFSI support.
Amendment 81 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) In order to reinforce the take-up of the EFSI in less-developed and transition regions, the scope of the general objectives eligible for EFSI support should be enlarged.steps must be taken to also make the EFSI known to a broader public and accessible for investment projects in Member States with less-developed and transition regions;
Amendment 98 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 18
Recital 18
(18) With a view to enhancing the transparency of EFSI operations, the Investment Committee should explain in its decisions, which are made public and accessible, the reasons why it deems that an operation should be granted the EU guarantee, with particular focus on compliance with the additionality criterion. The scoreboard of indicators should be made public on the EIB’s EFSI website once an operation under the EU guarantee is signed.
Amendment 104 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 21
Recital 21
(21) The European Investment Advisory Hub (EIAH) should be enhanced and its activities should focus on needs not covered adequately under current arrangements. It should pay particular attention to supporting the preparation of projects involving two or more Member States and projects that contribute to achieving the objectives of COP21. Notwithstanding its objective to build upon existing advisory services of the EIB and the Commission, so to act as a single technical advisory hub for project financing within the Union, the EIAH should also contribute actively to the objective of sectorial and geographical diversification of the EFSI and support the EIB where needed in originating projects. It should also actively contribute to the establishment of investment platforms and provide advice on the combination of other sources of Union funding with the EFSI. Notes however that the EIAH has already dealt with some 230 requests from 27 Member States and the EIPP has already published more than 100 investment projects since its launch on 1 June 2016.
Amendment 107 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 21
Recital 21
(21) The European Investment Advisory Hub (EIAH) should be enhanced and its activities should focus on needs not covered adequately under current arrangements. It should pay particularalso pay attention to supporting the preparation of projects involving two or more Member States and projects that contribute to achieving the objectives of COP21. Notwithstanding its objective to build upon existing advisory services of the EIB and the Commission, so to act as a single technical advisory hub for project financing within the Union, the EIAH should also contribute actively to the objective of sectorial and geographical diversification of the EFSI and support the EIB where needed in originating projects. It should also actively contribute to the establishment of investment platforms and provide advice on the combination of other sources of Union funding with the EFSI.
Amendment 108 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 21 a (new)
Recital 21 a (new)
(21a) Recalls that the advisory hub has been established to help project promoters to develop their projects so that they fulfil the eligibility criteria according to the EFSI regulation; calls on the EIB, EFSI and advisory hub to prioritise on efficient and effective communication with promoters with a view to maximising the benefits that the latter can bring in overcoming investment barriers;
Amendment 112 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 21 b (new)
Recital 21 b (new)
(21b) Notes that one entity can receive resources from both ESI Funds and EFSI for the same project if the respective conditions are met, underlines that this practice opens the door to confusion, misunderstanding and possibly abuse; instructs the Commission to investigate and report on such projects; calls on the Commission to take the necessary measures against possible abuse of ESI Funds and EFSI resources for political purposes; calls on the Commission to investigate and scrutinise possible ties between projects and politicians and political pressure groups;
Amendment 146 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 5 – point b
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 5 – point b
Regulation (EU) 2015/1017
Article 9 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 a
Article 9 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 a
Amendment 170 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 9 – point a – point ii
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 9 – point a – point ii
Regulation (EU) 2015/1017
Article 14 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
Article 14 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
It shall also support the preparation of climate action and circular economy projects or components thereof, in particular in the context of COP21, the preparation of projects in the digital sector, as well as the preparation of projects referred to in the fifth subparagraph of Article 5(1).