2014/2209(INI) Green growth opportunities for SMEs
Lead committee dossier:
Progress: Procedure completed
| Role | Committee | Rapporteur | Shadows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lead | ITRE |
DE BACKER Philippe ( ALDE)
|
RÜBIG Paul ( PPE),
KOFOD Jeppe ( S&D),
HENKEL Hans-Olaf ( ECR),
BÜTIKOFER Reinhard ( Verts/ALE),
ZULLO Marco ( EFDD)
|
| Committee Opinion | BUDG |
Clare MOODY ( S&D)
|
|
| Committee Opinion | EMPL | ||
| Committee Opinion | ENVI | ||
| Committee Opinion | REGI |
NICA Dan ( S&D)
|
Enrique CALVET CHAMBON ( ALDE),
James NICHOLSON ( ECR),
Davor ŠKRLEC ( Verts/ALE)
|
Lead committee dossier:
Legal Basis:
RoP 54
Legal Basis:
RoP 54Subjects
Events
2015/09/24
EC - Commission response to text adopted in plenary
Documents
2015/05/19
EP - Results of vote in Parliament
Documents
2015/05/19
EP - Decision by Parliament
Details
The European Parliament adopted by 519 votes to 93, with 60 abstentions, a resolution on green growth opportunities for SMEs.
SMEs account for more than 98% of Europe’s businesses and provide more than 67% of total employment in the Union and 58% of gross value added. Employment in the environmental goods and services sector in the years 2007-2011 grew by 20% in spite of the crisis.
Against this background, Parliament supported the concept of green growth and circular economy should be part of a wider strategy of promoting job creation and economic growth among SMEs. It called on the Commission to establish a comprehensive policy framework, including concrete policy objectives and better integrating and streamlining existing policy tools to ensure opportunities and participation of SMEs in the green and circular economy.
The EU needs to drastically change its entrepreneurial culture in order to contribute to economic growth by having more people starting up their own businesses and seeking more business opportunities, especially in green growth, and by accepting failure and risk-taking. Parliament emphasised the importance of putting this issue at the centre of policymaking . Moreover, the Commission should include green services in the ongoing negotiations on the Environmental Goods Agreement, as well as in bilateral trade agreements such as the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).
Financing of green initiatives : Parliament stressed that apart from venture capital, private investment and credit unions should be assessed more clearly as alternative financing to classic bank loans. Potential financing opportunities should be explored through the European Fund for Strategic Investments.
The Commission and the EIB were asked to make sure that in the implementation phase of the ‘ Investment Plan for Europe’ SMEs, including green and innovative ones, would be key beneficiaries of the support provided for under this proposal.
Stressing that there was no one-size-fits-all mode of finance, Parliament called on the Commission to take into account the interests of SMEs in all existing and possible future programmes, instruments and initiatives, especially for new business models in the green economy, ranging across equity, quasi-equity and debt instruments, and partnerships between banks and other operators involved in SME financing in order to support businesses in their start-up, growth and transfer phases. T he Commission should assess the impact of a tax shift from labour to natural resource use.
Furthermore, entrepreneurs, SMEs, business associations and support organisations should be more literate on financing possibilities for more performing technologies, or for contracting services such as consultancy, coaching and training on eco-design, and availability of green technologies, products and services that could be beneficial for their business.
Knowledge management : the resolution stressed the importance of knowledge transfers and multi-stakeholder knowledge sharing, including cross-border, through informal networks, especially for SMEs and microenterprises to raise awareness of existing and new innovative techniques, best practices, ways to acquire proper financing, possible government support schemes and the relevant legislative frameworks entailing the least burdensome administration
Members supported the organisation of a European Resource Efficiency Campaign to inform SMEs about the benefits and opportunities offered by resource efficiency and how industrial synergies on recycling could be created.
Research, development and innovation, and skills : Parliament stressed the need to be more effective in developing basic R&D, to fully involve SMEs in this process and to actively support further transformation of basic R&D outcomes into further technological advances. It also noted the benefits which the unitary European patent confers on SMEs, particularly in the field of green technologies.
Stressing the need for an improved policy framework for the circular economy, Members called for:
a more stable regulatory framework and adequate financial schemes in order to enable economic initiative and entrepreneurship and to limit the time to market of new products, services and business practices, notably in the green economy; including as part of the Circular Economy Package the extension of the eco-design instrument to include the resource efficiency dimension. Eco-design should address durability, reparability and recyclability of products, including standards for guaranteed minimum lifetime and disassembly.
(De)regulation as an engine for growth : Parliament called on Member States to avoid creating barriers to the internal market by gold-plating, to review their current regulatory regimes, to remove any superfluous or ineffective regulations which constitute market barriers, and to ensure consistent transposition into national legislation.
Whilst welcoming the Commission decision for withdrawing obsolete or overly burdensome legislative proposals, Members called on the Commission to come forward with a more ambitious waste legislation proposal .
Miscellaneous support measures : the resolution included several other important challenges:
developing entrepreneurship skills, which should be included in basic and higher education systems, and also be promoted through extra-curricular activities and lifelong learning; helping microenterprises and start-ups in moving towards sustainable green growth; addressing unsustainable consumption patterns and promoting a change in consumer behaviour; speeding up pending trade agreements with our partners so as to facilitate European SMEs’ access to new markets; fostering female entrepreneurship; identifying the sectors of European industry and geographical areas where the conditions are met for the creation of new clusters and hubs.
Lastly, the Commission, under the umbrella of regional policy , is called upon to draw up specific programmes which embody all relevant green growth elements for SMEs.
Documents
2015/05/19
EP - End of procedure in Parliament
2015/05/18
EP - Debate in Parliament
2015/04/28
EP - Committee report tabled for plenary
Details
The Committee on Industry, Research and Energy adopted the own-initiative report by Philippe DE BACKER (ADLE, BE) on green growth opportunities for SMEs the Commission Communication entitled ‘Green Action Plan For SMEs’.
Members supported the concept of green growth and circular economy should be part of a wider strategy of promoting job creation and economic growth among SMEs. They called on the Commission to establish a comprehensive policy framework, including concrete policy objectives and better integrating and streamlining existing policy tools to ensure opportunities and participation of SMEs in the green and circular economy.
Financing of green initiatives : Members stressed that apart from venture capital, private investment and credit unions should be assessed more clearly as alternative financing to classic bank loans. Potential financing opportunities should be explored through the European Fund for Strategic Investments.
Stressing that there was no one-size-fits-all mode of finance, Members called on the Commission to take into account the interests of SMEs in all existing and possible future programmes , instruments and initiatives, especially for new business models in the green economy, ranging across equity, quasi-equity and debt instruments, and partnerships between banks and other operators involved in SME financing in order to support businesses in their start-up, growth and transfer phases.
The Commission and the EIB were asked to make sure that in the implementation phase of the ‘ Investment Plan for Europe’ SMEs, including green and innovative ones, would be key beneficiaries of the support provided for under this proposal.
Furthermore, entrepreneurs, SMEs, business associations and support organisations should be more literate on financing possibilities for more performing technologies, or for contracting services such as consultancy, coaching and training on eco-design, and availability of green technologies, products and services that could be beneficial for their business
Knowledge management : the report stressed the importance of knowledge transfers and multi-stakeholder knowledge sharing, including cross-border, through informal networks, especially for SMEs and microenterprises to raise awareness of existing and new innovative techniques, best practices, ways to acquire proper financing, possible government support schemes and the relevant legislative frameworks entailing the least burdensome administration
Members supported the organisation of a European Resource Efficiency Campaign to inform SMEs about the benefits and opportunities offered by resource efficiency and how industrial synergies on recycling could be created.
Research, development and innovation, and skills : the report stressed the need to be more effective in developing basic R&D, to fully involve SMEs in this process and to actively support further transformation of basic R&D outcomes into further technological advances for an improved policy framework for the circular economy. Members called for:
a more stable regulatory framework and adequate financial schemes in order to enable economic initiative and entrepreneurship and to limit the time to market of new products, services and business practices, notably in the green economy; promoting the use by SMEs of data derived from European space infrastructures in business nurseries and incubators; including as part of the Circular Economy Package the extension of the eco-design instrument to include the resource efficiency dimension. Eco-design should address durability, reparability and recyclability of products, including standards for guaranteed minimum lifetime and disassembly.
(De)regulation as an engine for growth : the report called on Member States to avoid creating barriers to the internal market by gold-plating, to review their current regulatory regimes, to remove any superfluous or ineffective regulations which constitute market barriers, and to ensure consistent transposition into national legislation.
The Commission was asked to:
refrain from legislative proposals that would lead to an unnecessary administrative burden for businesses and SMEs and to continuously review existing legislation with the objective of decreasing the current administrative burden; draw up common guidelines for national public support schemes for green investment projects in order to create a more uniform set of measures.
Miscellaneous support measures : the report several other important challenges, including:
developing entrepreneurship skills, which should be included in basic and higher education systems, and also be promoted through extra-curricular activities and lifelong learning; helping microenterprises and start-ups in moving towards sustainable green growth; addressing unsustainable consumption patterns and promoting a change in consumer behaviour; speeding up pending trade agreements with our partners so as to facilitate European SMEs’ access to new markets; fostering female entrepreneurship; identifying the sectors of European industry and geographical areas where the conditions are met for the creation of new clusters and hubs.
Documents
2015/04/14
EP - Vote in committee
2015/04/01
EP - Committee opinion
Documents
2015/03/30
EP - Committee opinion
Documents
2015/03/02
EP - Amendments tabled in committee
Documents
2015/02/10
EP - Committee draft report
Documents
2014/12/17
EP - Committee referral announced in Parliament
2014/12/03
EP - NICA Dan (S&D) appointed as rapporteur in REGI
2014/10/23
EP - DE BACKER Philippe (ALDE) appointed as rapporteur in ITRE
2014/07/02
EC - Non-legislative basic document published
Details
PURPOSE: to propose a Green Action Plan for SMEs.
BACKGROUND: in line with the Europe 2020 Strategy, the EU has the priority to become a sustainable economy and set ambitious objectives for climate action and energy efficiency. The Small Business Act (SBA) highlighted that the EU and Member States should enable SMEs to turn environmental challenges into opportunities .
Improving resource efficiency in SMEs offers enormous potential for the reduction of production costs and for productivity gains. A better use of resources is calculated to represent an overall savings potential of €630 billion per year for European industry. Too few SMEs in Europe are aware of this potential.
The Green Action Plan aims to contribute to the re-industrialisation of Europe as advocated by the communication " For a European industrial renaissance "and supported by the European Council.
It focuses on European level actions which are designed to fit in with, and reinforce existing "green" initiatives to support SMEs at national and regional levels.
CONTENT: the Green Action Plan (GAP) gives a clear direction and framework for how the EU, in partnership with Member States and regions , intends to help SMEs exploit the business opportunities that the transition to a green economy offers . This initiative concretely presents a series of new or revised SME-oriented actions proposed at European level.
The Plan pursues four objectives to:
1) Improve resource efficiency of European SMEs :
· by providing European SMEs with practical information, advice and support on how to improve their resource efficiency in a cost-effective manner;
· by supporting efficient technology transfer mechanisms for green technologies;
· by facilitating the access to finance for resource-related improvements and energy efficiency in SMEs.
2) Support green entrepreneurship :
· by facilitating business partnering, skills and knowledge for green entrepreneurship;
· by supporting all forms of innovation that foster green entrepreneurship;
· by aiding SMEs to explore the scientific or technical feasibility and the commercial potential of ecoinnovative;
· by better exploiting the role of clusters in support of eco-innovative SMEs, notably via the Programme COSME .
3) Exploit the opportunities of greener value chains :
· by addressing systemic barriers to cross-sectoral and cross-national value chain collaboration and business creation and cooperation, by facilitating the creation of service business models and the re-use of materials, products and waste;
· by facilitating cross-sectoral collaboration in view of promoting the circular economy which enhances resource and cost savings by maximising the time that resources, products and components are used.
4) Facilitate market access for green SMEs :
· by developing a joint strategy for internationalisation and encouraging the establishment of European Strategic Cluster Partnerships to access foreign markets;
· by facilitating the uptake of resource efficiency technology in partner countries through cooperation with European SMEs.
The Commission underlined the importance of implementing the Action Plan thoroughly. This requires the full political commitment of both the Commission and the Member States.
The actions linked to this Green Action Plan for SMEs will be regularly monitored.
The Small Business Act governance mechanism , and in particular the Network of SME Envoys, will be used to provide a platform to discuss implementation of best practices, results and obstacles.
Documents
Documents
- Commission response to text adopted in plenary: SP(2015)470
- Results of vote in Parliament: Results of vote in Parliament
- Decision by Parliament: T8-0198/2015
- Committee report tabled for plenary: A8-0135/2015
- Committee opinion: PE546.893
- Committee opinion: PE549.130
- Amendments tabled in committee: PE549.392
- Committee draft report: PE546.606
- Non-legislative basic document published: COM(2014)0440
- Non-legislative basic document published: EUR-Lex
- Committee draft report: PE546.606
- Amendments tabled in committee: PE549.392
- Committee opinion: PE549.130
- Committee opinion: PE546.893
- Commission response to text adopted in plenary: SP(2015)470
Activities
- Ildikó GÁLL-PELCZ
- Philippe DE BACKER
Plenary Speeches (2)
- Ivan JAKOVČIĆ
Plenary Speeches (2)
- Notis MARIAS
Plenary Speeches (2)
- Marijana PETIR
Plenary Speeches (2)
- Marina ALBIOL GUZMÁN
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Jean ARTHUIS
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Marie-Christine ARNAUTU
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Jonathan ARNOTT
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Zoltán BALCZÓ
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Zigmantas BALČYTIS
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Bendt BENDTSEN
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Beatriz BECERRA BASTERRECHEA
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Hugues BAYET
Plenary Speeches (1)
- José BLANCO LÓPEZ
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Renata BRIANO
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Steeve BRIOIS
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Gianluca BUONANNO
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Alain CADEC
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Nicola CAPUTO
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Nessa CHILDERS
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Salvatore CICU
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Therese COMODINI CACHIA
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Pál CSÁKY
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Javier COUSO PERMUY
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Michel DANTIN
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Rachida DATI
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Isabella DE MONTE
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Marielle DE SARNEZ
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Ian DUNCAN
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Mireille D'ORNANO
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Georgios EPITIDEIOS
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Lorenzo FONTANA
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Ashley FOX
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Doru-Claudian FRUNZULICĂ
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Francisco de Paula GAMBUS MILLET
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Elisabetta GARDINI
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Enrico GASBARRA
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Elena GENTILE
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Julie GIRLING
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Sylvie GODDYN
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Tania GONZÁLEZ PEÑAS
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Antanas GUOGA
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Brian HAYES
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Marian HARKIN
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Ian HUDGHTON
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Pablo IGLESIAS
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Carlos ITURGAIZ
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Cătălin Sorin IVAN
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Marc JOULAUD
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Krišjānis KARIŅŠ
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Philippe JUVIN
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Barbara KAPPEL
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Afzal KHAN
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Béla KOVÁCS
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Giovanni LA VIA
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Marine LE PEN
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Vladimír MAŇKA
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Ivana MALETIĆ
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Dominique MARTIN
Plenary Speeches (1)
- David MARTIN
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Jean-Luc MÉLENCHON
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Angelika MLINAR
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Louis MICHEL
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Marlene MIZZI
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Sophie MONTEL
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Elisabeth MORIN-CHARTIER
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Alessia Maria MOSCA
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Péter NIEDERMÜLLER
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Norica NICOLAI
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Franz OBERMAYR
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Rolandas PAKSAS
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Emilian PAVEL
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Florian PHILIPPOT
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Andrej PLENKOVIĆ
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Miroslav POCHE
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Salvatore Domenico POGLIESE
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Marcus PRETZELL
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Franck PROUST
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Jens ROHDE
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Robert ROCHEFORT
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Liliana RODRIGUES
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Claude ROLIN
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Paul RÜBIG
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Matteo SALVINI
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Lola SÁNCHEZ CALDENTEY
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Ricardo SERRÃO SANTOS
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Remo SERNAGIOTTO
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Maria Lidia SENRA RODRÍGUEZ
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Siôn SIMON
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Branislav ŠKRIPEK
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Monika SMOLKOVÁ
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Davor ŠKRLEC
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Catherine STIHLER
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Beatrix von STORCH
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Richard SULÍK
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Patricija ŠULIN
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Neoklis SYLIKIOTIS
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Eleftherios SYNADINOS
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Adam SZEJNFELD
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Tibor SZANYI
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Claudia ȚAPARDEL
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Pavel TELIČKA
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Mylène TROSZCZYNSKI
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Ramon TREMOSA i BALCELLS
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Ángela VALLINA
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Derek VAUGHAN
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Marie-Christine VERGIAT
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Miguel VIEGAS
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Flavio ZANONATO
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Damiano ZOFFOLI
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Inês Cristina ZUBER
Plenary Speeches (1)
Votes
A8-0135/2015 - Philippe De Backer - Sous-titre après le § 32 #
2015/05/19 Outcome: +: 365, -: 314, 0: 8
NI
GUE/NGLA8-0135/2015 - Philippe De Backer - § 34/2 #
2015/05/19 Outcome: +: 412, -: 258, 0: 11
A8-0135/2015 - Philippe De Backer - Résolution #
2015/05/19 Outcome: +: 519, -: 93, 0: 60
| Amendments | Dossier |
| 260 |
2014/2209(INI)
2015/03/02
ITRE
183 amendments...
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 1 a (new) – having regard to its resolution of November the 26th on the revision of the Commission's impact assessment guidelines and the role of the SME test1a, __________________ 1a Texts adopted, P8_TA(2014)0069
Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution Recital A A. whereas SMEs account for more than 98 % of Europe’s businesses and provide more than 67 % of jobs in the Union; whereas they constitute the backbone of the European Union’s economy
Amendment 100 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 9. Emphasises that entrepreneurs, SMEs, business associations and support organisations should be more literate on financing possibilities for more performant technologies, or for contracting services such as consultancy, coaching and training on eco-design, resource management and green entrepreneurship and availability of
Amendment 101 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 10. Calls on the Commission and the EIB to make sure that
Amendment 102 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 10. Calls on the Commission to make sure that in the implementation phase of the ‘Investment Plan for Europe’ SMEs
Amendment 103 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 10. Calls on the Commission to make sure that in the implementation phase of the ‘Investment Plan for Europe’ SMEs, in
Amendment 104 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 a (new) 10a. Urges to better focus funding of COSME and Horizon 2020 towards the development of eco-innovative solutions by and for SMEs and supports financing for improvement of product design and processes performance, building on the successful experience of the Eco- Innovation programme under the Competitiveness and Innovation Programme in the past MFF; point in particular to the full implementation of the SME instrument under Horizon 2020;
Amendment 105 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 a (new) 10a. Believes that there is a need to mobilize capital markets towards the transition to a green economy, overcoming obstacles to long-term investment optimisation because of short- termism in financial markets; calls on the Commission to actively address, also in the context of the capital markets union, the need for mobilising private capital towards a low-carbon transition through renewables and resource efficiency investments; stresses the need for analysing the role of different policy instruments such as monetary tools, financial regulations, public incentives, and accounting and disclosure policies; asks the Commission to put forward policy proposals for improving financial regulatory regimes; refers to current international initiatives in this field such as the work of the UNEP Inquiry into the Design of a Sustainable Financial Systems and the Capital Markets Climate Initiative;
Amendment 106 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 a (new) 10a. Welcomes the opening of calls under the SME Instrument focusing on eco- innovation and supply of raw materials, eco-innovative food production and processing, and innovation in efficient energy systems; supports enhancing the budget of the SME Instrument in these fields and the opening further eco- innovation calls in all areas of societal challenges and industrial leadership priority areas of Horizon 2020;
Amendment 107 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Highlights the importance of actively pursuing collaboration across
Amendment 108 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 a (new) 11a. Welcomes the establishment of a European Resource Efficiency Excellence Centre to advise and assist SMEs seeking to improve their resource efficiency performance; stresses the need to establish it as a strong network of partners across EU regions and to build on proven experiences in Member States; believes it should guide SMEs to European, national and regional programmes in this field of action, provide access to expertise, networks and infrastructure;
Amendment 109 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 12. Stresses the importance of knowledge transfers and multi-stakeholder knowledge sharing, including cross-border, through informal networks, especially for SMEs and micro enterprises, to raise awareness of existing and new innovative techniques, best practices, ways to acquire proper financing, possible national government, regional and local authorities support schemes and the relevant legislative frameworks entailing the least burdensome administration;
Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution Recital A A. whereas SMEs account for more than 98 % of Europe’s businesses and provide more than 67 % of jobs in the Union; whereas they constitute the backbone of the European Union’s economy and are important drivers of European long-term economic growth and sustainable job creation opportunities within the 28 Member States; whereas they thus play an important role in the industrial ecosystem together with mid-cap and multinational companies; whereas nine out of ten SMEs are small businesses employing 10 people or less;
Amendment 110 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 12. Stresses the importance of knowledge transfers and multi-stakeholder knowledge sharing, including cross-border, through informal networks, especially for SMEs and micro enterprises, to raise awareness of existing and new innovative techniques, best practices, ways to acquire proper financing, possible government support schemes and the relevant legislative frameworks entailing the least burdensome administration and recalls that the existing national contact points for the EU funding programmes and the Enterprise Europe Network have to be fully involved in the support of SMEs and pro-actively inform, coach and support SMEs to identify financing possibilities at EU, national or regional level;
Amendment 111 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 12. Stresses the importance of knowledge transfers and multi-stakeholder knowledge sharing, including cross-border,
Amendment 112 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 13. Notes the important role of sector federations in providing appropriate information and advice on green technologies, funding possibilities and the relevant procedures; calls on the Commission and the Member States to fill the gap where this support is lacking. In cooperation with sector federations and companies further investigate what opportunities exist and accelerate sustainable solutions and invest in environmentally friendly technologies, resource efficiency and the recycling economy;
Amendment 113 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 13.
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 a (new) 13a. Notes the growing gap between the needs of SMEs and the skills of employees; notes that 26% of employers in Europe face difficulties at finding employees who hold the right skills;
Amendment 115 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 a (new) 13a. Points out that besides the horizontal dimension of knowledge sharing (i.e. between SMEs) the horizontal coordination between EU institutions, funds and financing instruments plays a crucial role for overcoming the expectation-implementation gap; emphasises the need to approach SME networks and organisations on the local, regional and national levels timely and proactive, in order to provide information and guidance for making use of available and planned EU funding possibilities; reminds the Commission to use all means on communication and knowledge transmission available (promotional mailings, social media, webinars, etc.) as well as competitions for students and young entrepreneurs;
Amendment 116 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 a (new) 13a. Welcomes the promotion of resource efficiency and awareness raising activities by the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN); supports the organisation of a European Resource Efficiency Campaign to inform SMEs on the benefits and opportunities offered by resource efficiency and asks the Commission to make available to the EEN the appropriate funds to organise this campaign; calls on the European Commission and the EEN to cooperate on resource efficiency with industry associations, trade unions, SMEs, NGOs, academia as well as regional initiatives;
Amendment 117 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 a (new) 13a. Stresses the importance of creating industrial synergies on recycling and helping companies discovery how their energy, waste and by-products can serve as resources for others; calls of the Commission and Member States to promote approaches such as those taken in the UK with the National Industrial Symbiosis Programme; calls on the establishment of a pan-European network of industrial symbiosis initiatives;
Amendment 118 #
Motion for a resolution Subheading 4 Research, development
Amendment 119 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14. Stresses the need to further develop basic R&D necessary for further technological developments; highlights the importance of the reindustrialisation of Europe given the importance of the manufacturing industry for R&D&I and thus the EU’s future competitive advantage; believes that non- technological, organisational, systems innovation and public sector innovation must be given as much attention as technology driven solutions;
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution Recital A a (new) Aa. Whereas 90% of SMEs are micro- enterprises (enterprises with less than 10 employees) and these micro-enterprises account for 53% of all jobs in Europe;
Amendment 120 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14. Stresses the need to further develop basic R&D necessary for further technological developments
Amendment 121 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14. Stresses the need to further develop basic R&D
Amendment 122 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14. Stresses the need to
Amendment 123 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 a (new) 14a. Highlights the importance of the reindustrialisation of Europe given the importance of the manufacturing industry for R&D&I and thus the EU's future competitive advantage;
Amendment 124 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 15. Highlights the importance of the commercialisation and valorisation by European companies of R&D output; calls on the Commission and the Member States to provide for a stable regulatory framework and adequate financial schemes in order to enable economic initiative and entrepreneurship and to limit the time to market of new products, services and business practices
Amendment 125 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 15. Highlights the importance of the commercialisation and valorisation by European companies of R&D output; calls on the Commission and the Member States to provide for a more stable regulatory framework and adequate financial schemes in order to enable economic initiative and entrepreneurship and to limit the time to market of new products, services and business practices, notably in the green economy;
Amendment 126 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 a (new) 15a. Stresses the potential which lies in new European space infrastructure for innovation and green growth; calls on the Commission to promote the use by SMEs of data derived from these infrastructures in business nurseries and incubators; calls on the Commission to institute a regime for SMEs which affords ready access to data from these infrastructures at the research, development and commercialisation stages;
Amendment 127 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 a (new) 16a. Notes the benefits which the unitary European patent confers on SMEs, particularly in the field of green technologies; calls on all Member States to join the unitary European patent system; calls on Member States to ratify without delay the Agreement on a Unified Patent Court, which is necessary for the application of the unitary European patent; calls on the Commission to propose a simplified procedure for use by SMEs in bringing an action for infringement before the Unified Patent Court;
Amendment 128 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 a (new) 16a. Calls on Member States and regions to address green skills shortages and support the development of green skills at all education levels and throughout lifelong learning; believes that educational and training curricula should be revised to meet existing and anticipated labour markets in the field of resource efficiency and circular economy; calls on social partners to further support workers involvement, life-long learning and training strategies in the fields of environmental management, energy and resource efficiency , and support the development of sector-wide resource efficiency roadmaps covering skills and training requirements;
Amendment 129 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 a (new) 16a. Calls for an improved policy framework for the circular economy including adopting and implementing smart regulation, standards and codes of conduct that aim at internalisation of externalities, tackling resource intensive products, creating a level playing-field, rewarding front-runners and accelerating the transition towards a resource efficient and sustainable economy;
Amendment 13 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B B. whereas at the moment, the global market for environmental goods and services is estimated at 1 000 billion per year, and it is estimated that this amount will double or even triple by 2020, creating tremendous opportunities for Europe’s SMEs and economic growth in general in the EU; whereas the market for environmental goods and services presents an opportunity for SMEs based in areas affected by depopulation and ageing to generate economic activity and jobs;
Amendment 130 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 a (new) 16a. Believes that this policy framework should ensure that products placed on the Union market are 'eco-designed' with a view to optimising resource and material efficiency. This includes addressing, inter alia, product durability, reparability, reusability, recyclability, recycled content and product lifespan;
Amendment 131 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 a (new) 16a. Calls on the Commission to include as part of the Circular Economy Package the extension of the eco-design instrument to include the resource efficiency dimension; believes that eco-design should address durability, reparability and recyclability of products, including standards for guaranteed minimum life- time and disassembly;
Amendment 132 #
Motion for a resolution Subheading 5 Amendment 134 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 Amendment 135 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17. Calls on Member States to avoid creating barriers to the internal market by
Amendment 136 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17. Calls on Member States to avoid creating barriers to the internal market by gold-plating, to review their current regulatory regimes and remove any superfluous or ineffective regulations which constitute market barriers, and to ensure consistent transposition into national legislation; invites the Commission to step up its efforts in addressing gold-plating with individual Member States; stresses the need for a clear and uniform EU-wide interpretation by national regulators and open public procurement rules, including green procurement and e-procurement, which at the moment represents a substantial barrier for SMEs wishing to internationalise and at the same time a tremendous opportunity for Member States to be early adaptors;
Amendment 137 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17. Calls on Member States to avoid creating barriers to the internal market by gold-plating and to ensure consistent transposition into national legislation; invites the Commission to step up its efforts in addressing gold-plating with individual Member States; stresses the need for a clear and uniform EU-wide interpretation by national regulators and open public procurement rules, including green procurement and e-procurement, which at the moment represents a substantial barrier for SMEs and micro enterprises wishing to internationalise and at the same time a tremendous opportunity for Member States to be early adaptors;
Amendment 138 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 a (new) 17a. Calls on the Commission and Member States to take into account that no environmental legislation should be adopted or implemented in a way that might burden Small and Medium Sized Enterprises technically and economically unnecessarily; raises the example of the Energy Efficiency Directive (2012/27/EU);
Amendment 139 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 18. Welcomes the Commission decision for withdrawing obsolete
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B Amendment 140 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 18. Welcomes the Commission decision for withdrawing obsolete or overly burdensome legislative proposals; calls on the Commission to refrain from legislative proposals that would lead to an unnecessary administrative burden for businesses and SMEs and to continuously review existing legislation with the objective of
Amendment 141 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 18. Welcomes the Commission decision for withdrawing obsolete or overly burdensome legislative proposals; calls on the Commission to refrain from legislative proposals that would lead to an unnecessary administrative burden for businesses and SMEs and to continuously review existing legislation with the objective of decreasing the current
Amendment 142 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 18. Welcomes the Commission decision for withdrawing obsolete or overly burdensome legislative proposals; calls on the Commission to refrain from legislative proposals that would lead to an unnecessary administrative burden for large businesses and SMEs and to continuously review existing legislation with the objective of decreasing the current administrative burden and adapting this to new business models; stresses, nonetheless, the need for ambitious actions that are technically and economically feasible but equally for an adequate and timely implementation of already existing legislation in order to reach the EU’s environmental targets;
Amendment 143 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 18. Welcomes the Commission decision for withdrawing obsolete
Amendment 144 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 18. Welcomes the Commission decision for withdrawing obsolete or overly burdensome legislative proposals; calls on the Commission to refrain from legislative proposals that would lead to an unnecessary administrative burden for businesses
Amendment 145 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 a (new) 18a. Calls on the Commission to pursue better and therefore not necessarily more legislation and to consequently involve stakeholders from the relevant industries and SMEs to share their insights and knowledge at each stage of the legislative process, including the impact assessment;
Amendment 146 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 a (new) 18a. Calls on the Commission to ensure that the SME Test is fully applied in all impact assessments;
Amendment 147 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 19 19. Recalls the importance of technology-
Amendment 148 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 19 19. Recalls the importance of technology- neutral and green-innovation-friendly legislation, which allows different new technologies geared to more sustainable resource use to be tested and valued by the market; calls on Member States to
Amendment 149 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 19 a (new) 19a. Stresses the importance of standards for enabling development and market uptake of greener technologies, products and processes; calls on the Commission to mandate the European Standardisation Organisations to take into account circular economy objectives and to actively work with SMEs representatives, consumers and civil society organisations towards this aim;
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B B. whereas at the moment, the global market for environmental goods and services is estimated at EUR 1 000 billion per year, and it is estimated that this amount will double or even triple by 2020, creating tremendous opportunities for Europe’s SMEs and economic growth in general in the EU;
Amendment 150 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 Amendment 151 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 Amendment 152 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 Amendment 153 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 20. Notes that public funding needs to go to both mature technologies
Amendment 154 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 20. Notes that
Amendment 155 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 Amendment 156 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 21. Notes that disruptive industries and technologies
Amendment 157 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 21. Notes that disruptive industries and technologies often indicate flaws in existing legislation; stresses the need for continuous monitoring of existing legislation
Amendment 158 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 21. Notes that disruptive industries and technologies often indicate flaws in existing legislation; stresses the need for continuous monitoring of existing legislation and its implementation as well as the use of exemption clauses for certain innovative technologies to ensure that this does not hinder market entry for new technological developments;
Amendment 159 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 a (new) 21a. Calls on the Commission to develop and promote an SME toolbox for sustainable company policy, including corporate social and environmental responsibility, sustainable accounting and reporting, and tools for implementing low-waste production models;
Amendment 16 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B a (new) Ba. Whereas the European Union is a world leader in both the import and export of environmental goods; whereas services are inextricably linked to these goods, yet there are many non-tariff barriers that remain for the environmental service providers;
Amendment 160 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 a (new) 21a. Calls on the Member States to assess and monitor the gender-specific impact of legislation, e. g. consult with communities, in particular women and women's organisations, about their needs and the impact of policies and programmes;
Amendment 161 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 Amendment 162 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 22. Believes that developing entrepreneurship skills and programmes to learn how the market, the economy and the financial system operate, function and interact, along with environmental awareness, should be included in basic education systems, and also in higher education and then in lifelong learning; believes that a well prepared business plan is the first step towards better access to finance and viability; calls on the Commission and the Member States to include financial education in their education programmes without delay; supports in this connection the ‘Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs’ programme, designed to promote an entrepreneurial culture and develop the single market and competitiveness;
Amendment 163 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 22. Believes that developing entrepreneurship skills and programmes to learn how natural systems, the market, the economy and the financial system operate, function and interact, along with environmental awareness, should be included in basic education systems; believes that a well prepared business plan is the first step towards better access to finance and viability; calls on the Commission and the
Amendment 164 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 22. Believes that developing entrepreneurship skills and programmes to learn how the market, the economy and the financial system operate, function and interact, along with environmental awareness, should be included in basic education systems, and youth entrepreneurship should be promoted at schools, taught already in primary schools and also through extra-curriculum activities; believes that a well prepared business plan is the first step towards better access to finance and viability; calls on the Commission and the Member States to include financial education in their education programmes without delay; supports in this connection the ‘Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs’ programme, designed to promote an entrepreneurial culture and develop the single market and competitiveness;
Amendment 165 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 22. Believes that developing entrepreneurship skills and programmes to learn how the market, the economy and the financial system operate, function and interact
Amendment 166 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 22. Believes that developing entrepreneurship skills and programmes to learn how the market, the economy and the financial system operate, function and interact, along with environmental awareness, should be included in basic education systems; believes that a well prepared business plan is the first step towards better access to finance and viability; calls on the Commission and the
Amendment 167 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 22. Believes that developing entrepreneurship skills and programmes to learn how the market, the economy and the financial system operate, function and interact, along with environmental awareness, should be included in basic education systems; believes that a well prepared business plan is the first step towards better access to finance and viability; calls on the Commission and the Member States to include financial education and entrepreneurship courses in their education programmes without delay; supports in this connection the ‘Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs’ programme, designed to promote an entrepreneurial culture and develop the single market and competitiveness;
Amendment 168 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 22. Believes that developing entrepreneurship skills and programmes to learn how the market, the economy and the financial system operate, function and interact and how new technologies can boost effective, innovative and green opportunities, along with environmental awareness, should be included in basic education systems; believes that a well prepared business plan is the first step towards better access to finance and viability; calls on the Commission and the Member States to include financial education in their education programmes without delay; supports in this connection the ‘Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs’ programme, designed to promote an entrepreneurial culture and develop the single market and competitiveness;
Amendment 169 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 a (new) 22a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to collect, analyse and disseminate sex-disaggregated labour data, including emerging new green sectors and skills areas as a basis for gender-responsive planning, monitoring and evaluation and skills assessments, and to disseminate gender specific information on green jobs and how to get involved;
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C Amendment 170 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 a (new) 22a. Stresses that also micro-enterprises and start-ups should be afforded help and guidance in moving towards sustainable green growth; calls on the Commission to ensure that these businesses will be adequately covered by new initiatives focused on green growth opportunities for SMEs;
Amendment 171 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 a (new) 22a. Notes that the Erasmus+ programme makes it possible for students and young people to develop entrepreneurship through, amongst others, the funding for internships, and believes that the first priority of the programme in the coming years must stay on the support for fostering young and ambitious entrepreneurs and supports the 'Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs' programme, designed to promote an entrepreneurial culture and develop the single market and competitiveness;
Amendment 172 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 a (new) 22a. Believes that the principles of environmental awareness, sustainable growth, circular economy, green energy and similar principles should be included in educational systems;
Amendment 173 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 23 Amendment 174 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 23 Amendment 175 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 23 23. Notes the importance of addressing unsustainable consumption patterns and promoting a change in consumer behaviour; stresses the need for adequate consumer education and the need to encourage measures for greener consumption; calls on the commission and the Member States to reinforce demand side measure such as making use of public procurement in order to enhance uptake of resource and energy-efficient products and solutions; stresses the value of including resource use in product information and eco-labels in order to empower consumers;
Amendment 176 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 23 23. Notes the importance of addressing unsustainable consumption patterns and
Amendment 177 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 23 23. Notes the importance of addressing unsustainable consumption patterns and promoting a change in consumer behaviour; stresses the need for adequate consumer education and the need to encourage
Amendment 178 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 23 a (new) 23a. Points to the concept, and successful development of the "benefit corporations" and the growing community worldwide, whereby enterprises are by legal status committed to meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. Calls on the Commission to further analyse the initiative and promote the development of appropriate legal framework for company law and governance in the Member States that would embed those principles;
Amendment 179 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 24 24. Stresses the importance of facilitating start-ups and spin-offs through collaboration with research and technological institutes
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C C. whereas the European Union committed itself to reindustrialising Europe by investing in and supporting the principles of sustainability, competitiveness and innovation, in order to achieve a share of at least 20% in industrial production as part of the European Member States´ GDP until 2020;
Amendment 180 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 24 24. Stresses the importance of facilitating start-ups and spin-offs through collaboration with
Amendment 181 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 24 a (new) 24a. Highlights the importance of exports for the creation of jobs and growth in Europe. Calls on the Commission to speed up pending trade agreements with our partners so as to facilitate European SMEs' access to new market;
Amendment 182 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 25 25. Believes that female entrepreneurship is an
Amendment 183 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 26 26. Calls on the Commission to study and identify the sectors of European industry
Amendment 19 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C C. whereas the European Union committed itself to reindustrialising Europe by investing in and supporting the principles of sustainability, competitiveness
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 4 a (new) – having regard to the Commission Communication entitled 'Resource Efficiency Opportunities in the Building Sector' (COM(2014)0445),
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C a (new) Ca. whereas the European Council has committed itself to reducing domestic greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40 %, increasing the share of renewable energy to at least 27 % and increasing energy efficiency by at least 27 % by 2030, with a view to raising this target to 30 %; whereas SMEs must play their role in fulfilling these targets;
Amendment 21 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C a (new) Ca. whereas better eco-design, waste prevention, recycling and reuse could bring net savings for EU businesses, estimated to represent up to EUR 600 billion, or 8% of annual turnover, while also reducing total greenhouse gas emissions by 2 to 4% 2a ; __________________ 2aCOM (2014)398 "Towards a circular economy: a zero waste programme for Europe"
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D D. whereas enabling SMEs to transform environmental challenges into economic opportunities while acting sustainably is one of the principles of the Small Business Act, but whereas there
Amendment 23 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D a (new) Da. whereas regular collection of harmonised statistics would facilitate more evidence-based policy making and monitoring; whereas there is a need to shed more light on the gender dimension of green growth, especially in the context of private sector development and thus fill a knowledge gap in the green growth discourse;
Amendment 24 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E E. whereas the
Amendment 25 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E E. whereas the pressure for SMEs to comply with environmental standards will increase both from the market and from legislation; whereas this increase should be reevacuated to alleviate the burden on operational efficiency within these enterprises;
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E E. whereas the
Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E E. whereas
Amendment 28 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E E. whereas the pressure for SMEs to comply with growing environmental standards will increase both from the market and from legislation;
Amendment 29 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E a (new) Ea. Whereas the administrative burden of EU regulation forms a substantial cost for enterprises to comply with;
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 5 – having regard to the Eurobarometer Survey on SMEs, resource efficiency and green markets (Flash Eurobarometer 3
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E a (new) Ea. Whereas new initiatives to reduce regulatory burdens on SMEs and other sectors have been proposed;
Amendment 31 #
Motion for a resolution Recital F F. whereas despite recent efforts, SMEs continue to have difficulties with access to finance, skills and information and whereas EU programmes still fall short of significantly contributing to eco- innovation and the circular economy;
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution Recital F F. whereas despite recent efforts, SMEs continue to have difficulties with access to finance as a sufficiently diversified choice of equity instruments needed along the growth path of a company is not yet available throughout Member States and whereas EU programmes still fall short of significantly contributing to innovation;
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution Recital F F. whereas despite recent efforts, SMEs and micro enterprises continue to have difficulties with access to finance and whereas EU programmes still fall short of significantly contributing to innovation;
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution Recital F a (new) Fa. whereas labour productivity has developed much faster in recent decades than resource productivity, while estimates show that labour represents less than 20 % of production costs, with resources representing 40 %; whereas increasing resource productivity by 30% by 2030 could boost GDP by nearly 1%, while creating 2 million additional jobs;
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution Recital F a (new) Fa. Whereas application procedures for EU funding for SMEs are still too bureaucratic and therefore prohibitive for most SMEs;
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution Recital G Amendment 37 #
Motion for a resolution Recital G a (new) Ga. whereas digital technologies are both an important tool for use by SMEs in reaping the benefits expected from optimal use of resources and a sector where new SMEs can readily emerge and develop;
Amendment 38 #
Motion for a resolution Recital H H. whereas the focus is primarily on high- tech SMEs that directly deliver green innovations, but there is a need to support other companies which wish to comply with environmental regulations and to implement green innovation measures; whereas eco-innovation might be an idea for a new company, but also a measure to improve existing businesses within the framework of the green economy;
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution Recital H H. whereas the focus is primarily on high- tech SMEs that directly deliver green innovations, but there is a need to support other companies which wish to
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 6 a (new) – having regard to the Commission Communication entitled 'Green Action Plan For SMEs' COM(2014) 440 final,
Amendment 40 #
Motion for a resolution Recital H a (new) Ha. whereas the role of women in the green economy continues to be underestimated and ignored; whereas the skills and professions identified as particularly relevant for the green economy tend to be male-dominated;
Amendment 41 #
Motion for a resolution Recital H a (new) Ha. whereas specific and gender-sensitive policies and interventions are necessary to ensure that women and men can equally benefit from a green economy;
Amendment 42 #
Motion for a resolution Recital I I. whereas although there is no
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution Recital I a (new) Ia. whereas green growth needs to pair concerns such as energy efficiency and low emissions with traditional labour concerns; whereas women often suffer from lower wages and unfavourable working conditions;
Amendment 44 #
Motion for a resolution Recital I a (new) Ia. Whereas enhancing skills and training is a key challenge for SMEs, which should receive particular attention, especially with regards to innovation and resource efficiency;
Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution Recital I a (new) Ia. whereas inadequate access to risk capital, in particular at the start-up stages, continues to be one of the main obstacles to the creation and development of growth-oriented businesses;
Amendment 46 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1. Notes that the concept of green growth and the opportunities arising from it relate to various sectors such as the circular economy, energy efficiency, resource efficiency, renewable energy, waste management, cradle to cradle; points out the considerable economic potential of these sectors; notes that green growth should be only one part of a wider strategy of promoting job creation and economic growth among SMEs;
Amendment 47 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1. Notes that the concept of green growth and the opportunities arising from it relate to various sectors such as renewable energy sources and in particular the economically-viable exploitation of wind, solar and geothermal energy, the circular economy, energy efficiency, resource efficiency, renewable energy, waste management, cradle to cradle; points out the considerable economic potential of these sectors;
Amendment 48 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1. Notes that the concept of green growth and the opportunities arising from it relate to various sectors such as the circular economy, energy efficiency, resource efficiency, renewable energy, waste management, cradle to cradle; points out the considerable economic potential of these sectors, which is especially relevant in areas affected by depopulation and ageing, where they can help slow down these processes and create new opportunities to generate economic activity and jobs;
Amendment 49 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1.
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 6 b (new) – having regard to the European Resource Efficiency Platform Manifesto and Policy Recommendations - March 2014,
Amendment 50 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1. Notes that the concept of green growth and the opportunities arising from it relate to various sectors of significant importance such as the circular economy, energy efficiency, resource efficiency, renewable energy, waste management, emission reduction, electrification, cradle to cradle; points out the considerable economic potential of these sectors;
Amendment 51 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1. Notes that the concept of green growth and the opportunities arising from it relate to various
Amendment 52 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Points out that the potential for the recycling, composting and reuse of waste is not exploited sufficiently, which results in SMEs, which can use and sell environmentally-friendly products, services and solutions, missing out on very substantial business opportunities;
Amendment 53 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2. Stresses that green growth should be put in a broad perspective, and should include efforts deployed throughout the whole value chain and across the entrepreneurial ecosystem
Amendment 54 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2. Stresses that green growth should be put in a broad perspective, and should include efforts deployed throughout the whole value chain and across the entrepreneurial ecosystem, including efforts by industrial manufacturing players to reduce the ecological footprint of their products, production processes, ancillary activities connected with production, business practices and services;
Amendment 55 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Recalls the recommendations of the European Resources Efficiency Platform2b highlighting that resource efficiency requires a dynamic fiscal and regulatory framework that gives appropriate signals to producers and consumers to supply and demand products with better environmental performance throughout their life-cycle; __________________ 2bThe EREP Manifesto and Policy Recommendations - March 2014
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Calls on the Commission to establish within the Circular Economy Package initiative a comprehensive policy framework including concrete policy objectives and better integrating and streamlining existing policy tools; insist that tools and measure must ensure real opportunities and active participation of SME in the circular economy;
Amendment 57 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Supports the objectives of the Green Action Plan for SMEs and its SMEs- oriented actions to improve resource efficiency, support green entrepreneurship, exploiting opportunities for greener value chains and facilitating market access for green SMEs; calls for its full implementation and for strong synergies, coordination with and reinforcement of the relevant actions and instruments foreseen under the Eco- Innovation Action Plan;
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3. Highlights the fact that our economy will need to provide for an ever growing population – 9 billion people by 2050 – and that our natural resources are limited and therefore should be used in a very efficient way; points out that taking advantage of new innovative solutions to these challenges
Amendment 59 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3. Highlights the fact that our economy will need to provide for an ever growing population – 9 billion people by 2050 – and that our natural resources are limited and therefore should be used in a very efficient way; points out new innovative solutions to these challenges such as new products, production processes, business practices and services, and a new supporting legal framework; takes the view that this legal framework should be technically and economically applicable and enforceable in all the Member States;
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 6 c (new) – having regards to the Commission Communication "Towards a circular economy: a zero waste programme for Europe" COM (2014)398,
Amendment 60 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3. Highlights the fact that our economy will need to provide for an ever growing population – 9 billion people by 2050 – and that our natural resources are limited and therefore should be used in a very efficient way; points out
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3. Highlights the fact that our economy will need to provide for an ever growing population – 9 billion people by 2050 – and that our natural resources are limited and therefore should be used in a sustainable and very efficient way; points out new innovative solutions to these challenges such as new products, production processes, business practices and services, and a new supporting legal framework and financial support;
Amendment 62 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3. Highlights the fact that our economy will need to provide for an ever growing population – 9 billion people by 2050 – and that our natural resources are limited and therefore should be used in a very efficient way; points out new innovative and sustainable solutions to these challenges such as new products, production processes, business practices and services, and a new supporting legal framework;
Amendment 63 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3. Highlights the fact that
Amendment 64 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Considering that micro enterprises generate thousands of jobs across Europe and as such require a different framework to work within, a clear definition of micro enterprises is urgently required;
Amendment 65 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Calls on the Member States to revise the regulatory and legal framework to include incentives and structures and/or programmes to support the start-up, formalisation and growth of women- owned (green) enterprises;
Amendment 66 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1 (new) 4a. Encourages the Commission to submit without delay a new ambitious plan for the development of a European circular economy which will improve the return on investments by SMEs in recycling and efficient use of resources;
Amendment 67 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 Amendment 68 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Believes that the EU needs to drastically change its entrepreneurial culture in order to contribute to environmentally sustainable economic growth by having more people starting up their own businesses and seeking more businesses opportunities,
Amendment 69 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Believes that the EU needs to drastically change its entrepreneurial culture in order to contribute to economic growth by having more people starting up their own businesses and seeking more businesses opportunities, including in green growth, and by accepting failure and risk-taking; emphasises the importance of putting this issue at the centre of policy making; calls on Member States to cater for a softer landing after business failure,
Amendment 7 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 6 d (new) – having regard the Communication from the Commission 'Innovation for a sustainable Future - The Eco-innovation Action Plan (Eco-AP)' COM (2011)899,
Amendment 70 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Believes that the EU needs to drastically change its entrepreneurial culture in order to contribute to economic growth by having more people starting up their own businesses and seeking more businesses opportunities, including in green growth, and by accepting failure and risk-taking; emphasises the importance of putting this issue at the centre of policy making; calls on Member States to cater for a softer landing after business failure, for instance by modifying and simplifying bankruptcy laws to allow people to start up a new business soon after failure of a previous venture, especially in new and innovative sectors; calls on the Commission to alleviate the fear of failure through awareness campaigns and education;
Amendment 71 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Believes that the EU needs to drastically change its entrepreneurial culture in order to contribute to economic growth by having more people starting up their own businesses and seeking more businesses opportunities, including in green growth, and by accepting failure and risk-taking; emphasises the importance of putting this issue at the centre of policy making; calls on the Member States to bring the taxation of work and capital into balance and introduce a clear, simple system of corporate taxation which will encourage the payment rather than the evasion of taxes; calls on Member States to cater for a softer landing after business failure, for instance by modifying bankruptcy laws to allow people to start up a new business soon after failure of a previous venture, especially in new and innovative sectors;
Amendment 72 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Believes that the EU needs to drastically change its entrepreneurial culture in order
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Believes that the EU needs to drastically change its entrepreneurial culture in order to contribute to economic growth by having more people starting up their own businesses and seeking more businesses opportunities, including in green growth, and by accepting failure and risk-taking; emphasises the importance of putting this issue at the centre of policy making; calls on Member States to cater for a softer landing after business failure, for instance by modifying bankruptcy laws to allow people to start up a new business soon after failure of a previous venture, especially in new and innovative sectors, without, however, this enabling payment obligations to be avoided;
Amendment 74 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Notes, that many European SMEs today compete internationally on solutions that both includes products and so-called "green services", such as construction, installation, repairs and management; notes that these services are central for the development sale and export of green products; Calls on the Commission to include green services in the ongoing negotiations on the Environmental Goods Agreement, as well as in bilateral trade agreements such as the TTIP, in order to reduce barriers for European SMEs and service providers that want to go international;
Amendment 75 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Emphasises the importance of good governance, independent judiciary, transparency and the rule of law across EU for the creation of a business friendly climate and a market with a level playing field for SMEs;
Amendment 77 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Points out that concrete initiatives to strengthen resource efficiency and resource management within SMEs are crucial in order to both save costs and generate new resource streams; welcomes the fact that 93 % of EU SMEs are already taking steps to become more resource efficient2c; reminds the Commission however, that more than half of SMEs report meeting difficulties in implementing these measures due to complex legal or administrative procedures2d; calls therefore on the Commission and member states to address this issue through better regulation and guidance for SMEs; __________________ 2c Flash Eurobarometer 381 2d Flash Eurobarometer 381
Amendment 78 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Is of the opinion that industrial symbioses should be promoted, especially with a view to enhancing resource efficiency on the basis that a waste product in one sector can be a valuable resource in another; welcomes in this regard the Commission's focus on symbioses and clusters and encourages the Commission to come forward with concrete initiatives to facilitate cross- sectoral cooperation and resource management; stresses that micro- enterprises and start-ups should be afforded access to such clusters and industrial symbioses;
Amendment 79 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Reminds the Commission of the need to focus on resource efficiency and waste management especially within the construction and demolition sectors; believes that an environmentally and public health conscious approach to recycling construction and demolition waste should be the target of particular attention from the Commission; points out the huge discrepancies in recycling rates for construction and demolition waste within the European Union, with some member states reporting recycling rates of more than 90 % whilst the EU average lies at just below 50 %;
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution Recital A A. whereas SMEs account for more than 98 % of Europe’s businesses and provide more than 67 % of jobs in the Union; whereas they constitute the backbone of
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Reminds the Commission that SMEs within all business sectors may benefit from resource efficiency and management initiatives; calls on the Commission to establish a framework for knowledge management and information sharing between SMEs across sectors and across member state borders;
Amendment 81 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 Amendment 82 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Points out that in the current circumstances where insufficient access to appropriate sources of risk capital, particularly in the early stages, continues to be one of the most significant constraints on the creation and development of growth-oriented firms, the Commission’s Action Plan on improving access to finance for SMEs places a lot of emphasis on venture capital as a possible mode of growth finance; underlines, nonetheless, that this kind of funding is adequate only for a small number of SMEs and that bank loans remain the main source of funding, and that all alternatives should be developed by the private sector; notes in this context the importance of promoting alternative forms of lending to SMEs, such as credit unions; points out the potential financing opportunities that should be explored through the European Fund for Strategic Investments;
Amendment 83 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Points out that in the current circumstances where insufficient access to appropriate sources of risk capital, particularly in the early stages, continues to be one of the most significant constraints on the creation and development of growth-oriented firms, the Commission’s Action Plan on improving access to finance for SMEs places a lot of emphasis on venture capital as a possible mode of growth finance; underlines, nonetheless, that this kind of funding is adequate only for a small number of SMEs and that bank loans remain the main source of funding, and that all alternatives should be developed by the private sector; points out the potential financing opportunities that should be explored through the European Fund for Strategic Investments and the possibility of establishing an independent EU fund for providing SMEs with risk capital;
Amendment 84 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Points out that in the current circumstances where insufficient access to appropriate sources of risk capital, particularly in the early stages, continues to be one of the most significant constraints
Amendment 85 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Points out that in the current circumstances where insufficient access to appropriate sources of risk capital, particularly in the early stages, continues to be one of the most significant constraints on the creation and development of growth-oriented firms, the Commission’s Action Plan on improving access to finance for SMEs places a lot of emphasis on venture capital as a possible mode of growth finance; underlines, nonetheless, that this kind of funding is adequate only for a small number of SMEs and that bank loans remain the main source of funding, and that
Amendment 86 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Encourages the Member States to incentivise foreign investors by removing language barriers; notes that accepting applications and providing data in English, in addition to the official language(s) of a Member State, is a step towards that end;
Amendment 87 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Considers it essential to provide greater support to micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and worker cooperatives in order to boost their competitiveness within a stable business environment, minimise the effect of dominant market positions occupied by large companies and conglomerates, encourage the culture of entrepreneurship, and help SMEs to be set up and to grow;.
Amendment 88 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Calls on the Commission, in view of the fact that potential micro-credit customers are usually unable to provide security and banks are generally unwilling to lend them money, to establish a 'European guarantee' for micro-loan;.
Amendment 89 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Points out that 90% of EU enterprises are micro-enterprises (enterprises with less than 10 employees) and that the greatest barrier to more innovation for those enterprises results from restricted access to credit, especially small loans (under EUR 25.000); believes therefore, that the Commission's proposal should include also for micro-credits initiatives to enhance employment in micro- enterprises, to enable those excluded from the conventional credit system to start up new activities, and to boost innovation in the EU;
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution Recital A A. whereas SMEs account for more than 98 % of Europe’s businesses and provide more than 67 % of
Amendment 90 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Stresses that there is no one-size-fits-all mode of finance and calls on the Commission to
Amendment 91 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Stresses that there is no one-size-fits-all mode of finance and calls on the
Amendment 92 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Stresses that there is no one-size-fits-all mode of finance and calls on the Commission to support the development of a broad range of tailored programmes, instruments and initiatives, especially for new business models in the green economy, ranging across equity (such as business angels, crowd funding and multilateral trading facilities), quasi-equity (such as mezzanine finance) and debt
Amendment 93 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Stresses that there is no one-size-fits-all mode of business finance and calls on the Commission to support the development of a broad range of tailored programmes, instruments and initiatives
Amendment 94 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 a (new) 7a. Underlines that the "one-size-fits-all" common currency is a major inhibiting factor for the growth of SME's and has directly led to de-industrialization, particularly in Southern Europe; notes that the euro has been far too strong for southern Eurozone countries and much too weak for others, i.e. Germany; underlines that such one-size-fits-all modes of finance results in a mode which fits none, while the euro has clearly become a one-size-fits-none currency whose effects will be even more detrimental for green growth;
Amendment 95 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 a (new) 7a. Urges local authorities to use the indirect funding available to them to support green innovation measures taken by SMEs, where appropriate introducing arrangements for combining such funding with direct funding (for example through smart specialisation strategies), with a view to identifying or establishing clusters of excellence and quality hubs;
Amendment 96 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 a (new) 7a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to monitor the results achieved by SMEs that have accessed green innovation funding, in order to gauge the effectiveness of such funding; urges the Commission to lose no time in making the changes required for the funding to be more effective, should the results prove to be unsatisfactory;
Amendment 97 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 a (new) 8a. SMEs can be expected to play an important role in the circular economy, providing sustainable, yet labour- intensive services such as repair, refurbishing and recycling. A tax shift from labour to natural resource use is a prerequisite for the long-term success of SMEs. The European Commission, the OECD, the IMF, the ILO, the European Parliament and the Eurogroup broadly support the principle of a tax shift from labour to natural resource use and consumption. Requests the Commission to assess the impact of a tax shift from labour to natural resource use, and come forward with initiatives for such a tax shift.
Amendment 98 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 9. Emphasises that entrepreneurs, SMEs, business associations and support organisations should be more literate on financing possibilities for more performant technologies, or for contracting services such as consultancy, coaching and training on eco-design, resource management and green entrepreneurship and availability of green technologies, products and services that could be beneficial for their business; Emphasises also the need for simple and accessible sources of information and databases for these products and services;
Amendment 99 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 9. Emphasises that entrepreneurs, SMEs, business associations and support organisations should be more literate on financing possibilities for more performant technologies, or for contracting services such as consultancy, coaching and training on eco-design, resource management and green entrepreneurship and availability of green technologies, products and services that could be beneficial for their business; calls on the Member States and the EU for the enhancement of provision of SMEs services in those area, in particular at the regional and local level and the increased dedication of European Structural and Investment Funds to those objectives;
source: 549.392
2015/03/09
REGI
57 amendments...
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Underlines the importance of each European Structural and Investment Fund (ESIF)
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Calls on the Commission to continue identifying the main obstacles
Amendment 11 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Calls on the Commission to continue identifying and removing the main obstacles
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Calls on the Commission to continue identifying the main obstacles and to initiate policies
Amendment 13 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Calls on the Commission to continue identifying the main obstacles and to
Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Calls on the Commission to continue identifying the main obstacles preventing the available funds from being fully utilised and to
Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Calls on the Commission to continue identifying the main obstacles and to initiate policies which would encourage SMEs to invest in green growth and eco- innovation, in order to promote opportunities for employment and the enhancement of sustainable growth; calls on the Commission, the Member States and local authorities to remove these barriers and facilitate access to credit for SMEs without this entailing an additional administrative burden which is difficult for SMEs to assume;
Amendment 16 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Calls on the Commission to continue identifying the main obstacles and to initiate policies which would encourage
Amendment 17 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Calls on the Commission to continue identifying the main obstacles and to initiate policies which would encourage SMEs to invest in green growth and eco- innovation, in order to promote opportunities for employment and the enhancement of sustainable growth; recognises that sustainable development has a significant growth potential and accordingly urges the Commission to make financing instruments as accessible as possible;
Amendment 18 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Calls on the Commission to continue identifying the main obstacles and to
Amendment 19 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to find a swift, responsible solution to the enormous backlog of payments related to regional policy and as regards the handling of ESIF assistance for the previous funding period, so as to ensure that SMEs as project partners will not, on account of payment delays, be deterred from taking part in support programmes;
Amendment 2 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Underlines the importance of each European Structural and Investment Fund (ESIF)
Amendment 20 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Calls for constraints on economic performance to be reduced and for the undesirable consequences for household budgets entailed in ‘green’ tax reform to be mitigated; calls for an ‘eco-bonus’ to be established in order to compensate households for possible losses by lowering the taxes that they pay (on property or income);
Amendment 21 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3.
Amendment 22 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Recommends to the Member States that they include, when drafting the selection criteria for E
Amendment 23 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Recommends to the Member States that they include, when drafting the selection criteria for EU-funded projects, elements that should incentivise projects geared towards sustainable and smart growth, and ensure a balanced representation of environmental stakeholders when establishing the monitoring committees; recommends Member States to take into account the specific characteristics of sustainable development in establishing these selection criteria;
Amendment 24 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Recommends to the Member States that they include, when drafting the selection criteria for EU-funded projects, elements that should incentivise projects geared towards sustainable and smart growth, and ensure a balanced representation of environmental stakeholders, local and regional authorities and business groups when establishing the monitoring committees;
Amendment 25 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Recommends to the Member States that they include, when drafting the selection criteria for EU-funded projects, elements that should incentivise projects geared towards sustainable and smart growth, and ensure a balanced representation, together with the social partners, of environmental stakeholders when establishing the monitoring committees;
Amendment 26 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Recommends to the Member States that they include, when drafting the selection criteria for EU-funded projects, elements that should incentivise projects geared towards sustainable and smart growth, and ensure a balanced representation of environmental stakeholders when establishing the monitoring and evaluation committees;
Amendment 27 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Considers that monitoring and reporting systems should be based on indicators that allow drawing conclusions about the contribution of SMEs to green growth and the impact of funding for SMEs on green jobs and carbon footprint;
Amendment 28 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4.
Amendment 29 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Encourages the Member States to address – within their operational programmes – their national and regional needs when making use of ‘green’ public procurement, in order to promote green growth opportunities for SMEs (such as recycling, green energy production, energy efficiency and energy saving schemes); calls on the Commission to inform Parliament on the percentage/number of SMEs that are financed through the operational programmes in each Member State; calls on the Commission to provide SMEs with technical assistance for developing sustainable projects; urges the Commission to facilitate financial instruments for sustainable investment in order to attract private capital;
Amendment 3 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Underlines the importance of each European Structural and Investment Fund (ESIF) and of the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) in enhancing the competitiveness of SMEs and in supporting the shift towards a low
Amendment 30 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Encourages the Member States to address – within their operational programmes – their national and regional needs when making use of ‘green’ public procurement, in order to promote green growth opportunities for SMEs (such as recycling, green energy production, energy efficiency and energy saving schemes); calls on the Commission to inform
Amendment 31 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Encourages the Member States to address – within their operational programmes – their national and regional needs when making use of ‘green’ public procurement, in order to promote green growth opportunities for SMEs (such as recycling, green energy production, energy efficiency and energy saving schemes); calls on the Commission to inform Parliament on the percentage/number of SMEs investing in green growth and ecological innovation that are financed through the operational programmes in each Member State;
Amendment 32 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Encourages the Member States to address – within their operational
Amendment 33 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Encourages the Member States to address – within their operational programmes – their national and regional needs when making use of ‘green’ public procurement, in order to promote new green employment and growth opportunities for SMEs (such as recycling, green energy production, energy efficiency and energy saving schemes); calls on the Commission to inform Parliament on the percentage/number of SMEs that are financed through the operational programmes in each Member State;
Amendment 34 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1 (new) Stresses that, in order to create opportunities for green growth, it is necessary to provide SMEs with practical information, advice and support through targeted actions that could be coordinated by regional and local authorities;
Amendment 35 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5.
Amendment 36 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Encourages the extension of innovative support schemes, such as green innovation vouchers, which can promote the introduction of sustainable technologies and environmentally friendly solutions into the market; maintains, as regards applications for support, that the rules need to be simple and clear and only a modest administrative effort should be required;
Amendment 37 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Encourages the extension of innovative support schemes, such as green innovation vouchers, which can promote the introduction of sustainable technologies and environmentally friendly solutions into the market; urges the Member States to support the activities of firms involved in the decontamination of polluted sites and in research into new decontamination technologies and sustainable methodological approaches;
Amendment 38 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Encourages the extension of innovative support schemes, such as green innovation vouchers, which can promote the introduction of sustainable technologies and environmentally friendly solutions into the market; urges the Member States to promote structural reforms proceeding from the now proven fact that economic growth and environmental sustainability are mutually compatible;
Amendment 39 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Encourages the extension of innovative support schemes, such as green innovation vouchers, and research and development which can promote the introduction of sustainable technologies and environmentally friendly and climate resilient solutions into the market;
Amendment 4 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Underlines the importance of each European Structural and Investment Fund (ESIF) and of the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) in enhancing the competitiveness of SMEs
Amendment 40 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Encourages the extension of innovative support schemes, such as green innovation vouchers, if Member States characteristics allows, which can promote the introduction of sustainable technologies and environmentally friendly solutions into the market;
Amendment 41 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Calls on the Commission and Member States to find innovative financing solutions for supporting SMEs within European Structural and Investment Funds Operational Programmes in the sector of renewable energy which encountered a high bankruptcy rate, due to external dumping practices as well as the fats changing regulatory frameworks.
Amendment 42 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Urges the Member States and regional authorities to step up awareness-raising among SMEs and entrepreneurs of the scale and implications of the transition to a low-carbon economy; invites the public authorities to address the lack of knowledge, resources and skills as regards green technologies which exists in the EU, and therefore stresses the need to inform SMEs of the growth and employment opportunities that these new business models and practices can bring. The task of educating and training to be accomplished by the local and regional authorities is a crucial one;
Amendment 43 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6.
Amendment 44 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to support and promote the creation of thematic and geographic/regional platforms, through which incremental or breakthrough eco- innovative projects would attract private investments, and to encourage stakeholder cooperation in order to enrich the European value chain; welcomes the environmental initiatives proposed by the Commission for 2015 and stresses the positive impact of circular economy measures and the local and regional air quality package;
Amendment 45 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to support and promote the creation of thematic and geographic/regional platforms, through which incremental or breakthrough eco- innovative projects would attract private investments, and to encourage stakeholder cooperation in order to enrich the European value chain; calls on the Member-State authorities, together with the business sector and civil society, to set up sustainable growth innovation partnerships;
Amendment 46 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to support and promote the creation of thematic and geographic/regional platforms, clusters and regional associations of SMEs through which incremental or breakthrough eco-
Amendment 47 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to support and promote the creation of thematic and geographic/regional platforms, where appropriate, through which incremental or breakthrough eco-
Amendment 48 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to support and promote the creation of thematic and geographic/regional platforms, through which incremental or breakthrough eco- innovative projects would attract private and public investments, and to encourage stakeholder cooperation in order to enrich the European value chain;
Amendment 49 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to take particular notice of and respond to the opportunities and challenges presented by rural areas in respect of SMEs, green growth and eco-innovation.
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Underlines the importance of each European Structural and Investment Fund
Amendment 50 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 7. Calls on the Member States (at the level of national and regional policy-makers and managing authorities) to continuously promote sustainable growth under the smart specialisation strategies with the engagement of key stakeholders; asks the Commission to report to Parliament on the implementation of smart specialisation strategies at national and/or regional level, where appropriate, and especially as regards the various patterns of ‘downstream actions’ used at EU and Member State level; calls on the Commission and the Member States to
Amendment 51 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 7. Calls on the Member States (at the level of national
Amendment 52 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 7. Calls on the Member States (at the level of national and regional policy-makers and managing authorities) to continuously promote sustainable growth under the smart specialisation strategies with the engagement of key stakeholders (research centres, universities and enterprises) which will promote groupings, synergies and networks centring on green economy activities; asks the Commission to report to Parliament on the implementation of smart specialisation strategies at national and/or regional level, where appropriate, and especially as regards the various patterns of ‘downstream actions’ used at EU and Member State level; calls on the Commission and the Member States to provide information on the practical measures taken in order to develop competencies for eco-innovative SMEs through interconnecting regional innovation centres and the key support networks.
Amendment 53 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 a (new) 7a. Maintains that SMEs frequently do not recognise the possibilities available to them, for instance for enhancing their energy and material efficiency; calls on the Member States and regions to devise measures to make SMEs more aware of green growth opportunities, not just by supplying them with information, but by approaching them directly and advising them and by supporting exchanges of tried and tested practice in order to help them understand more clearly that resource efficiency both contributes to environmental protection and increases their competitiveness and is consequently an area in which they should invest.
Amendment 54 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 a (new) 7a. Stresses the necessity for higher exploitation of youth entrepreneurship' potentials in the context of green growth of SMEs, taking into account situations in which youth unemployment is a big problem for EU countries. In this sense it calls the Commission to prepare measures which would connect educational institutions, European programmes, measures to support green economy and youth;
Amendment 55 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 a (new) 7a. Urges the Member States to develop consistent and reliable rules that generate the confidence needed to ensure investment in sustainable and eco-innovative business models, including via financial incentives, which would ideally be applied at local and regional level for new enterprises, without distorting competition rules;
Amendment 56 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 a (new) 7a. Stresses the importance to maintain the right balance in the legislative framework in order to allow SMEs to maintain its competitiveness in the current European context;
Amendment 57 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 b (new) 7b. Calls on the Commission to prepare measures which would, in the post 2020 period and through regional policy, create specific programmes that would include all elements of green growth for SMEs;
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Points out that the green sector is a vector for entrepreneurship and youth employment and that concrete steps need to be taken in this area to help achieve the aims being sought; believes that the potential of SMEs in the area of the environment and sustainability will only be realised by improving workers’ green skills, and therefore calls on the Commission and Member States to use all the means at their disposal to provide advice to workers and raise their awareness, through environmental days, seminars, conferences, networks, study courses and guides, and by arranging for training on a range of environmental topics in order to improve workers’ knowledge and skills, and calls for the support for training to be focussed on the young and the most disadvantaged groups;
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 b (new) 1b. Stresses the need to complement the use that Member States make of financial instruments for SMEs at national and regional level, and points out that it is essential, in order to ensure complementarity, to coordinate the measures taken under the Cohesion Policy and the Horizon 2020 Programme, both nationally and regionally;
Amendment 8 #
Draft opinion Paragraph -1 (new) -1. Urges the local and regional authorities to define production sectors and productive structures in which SMEs can move ahead with green growth and, having identified them, support them in this dynamic;
Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Calls on the Commission to continue identifying the main obstacles and to
source: 551.769
2015/03/19
BUDG
20 amendments...
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion Recital -A (new) -A. Whereas it is essential that energy and resource efficiency be at the basis of the European industrial renewal if European industry intends to maintain its competitiveness in the future;
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 b (new) 1b. Notes that the Commission is putting a lot of emphasis on venture capital in order to access finance for SMEs; this is certainly necessary, but will only benefit a small number of SMEs;
Amendment 11 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 c (new) 1c. Believes that bank loans will remain the main source of funding for SMEs; sees possibilities here for the European Fund for Strategic Investments;
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 Amendment 13 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Urges the Member States and the EU to provide greater support
Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Stresses the need to incentivise research and investments in new and advanced technology that enables development towards sustainable growth and the creation of green jobs, through policy frameworks on both Member State and EU level. Coherence between EU legislation needs to be improved in order to strengthen synergies and legal certainty.
Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Highlights the need to ensure coordination and complementarity
Amendment 16 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Encourages Member States to support green SMEs, micro-enterprises, social enterprises and cooperatives, which allows for sustainable job creation, in particular by better regulation and excessive administrative burden, providing tax benefits and adopting specific social welfare measures for small entrepreneurs, and to facilitate their increased access to funding via the EU programmes;
Amendment 17 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Encourages Member States to support green SMEs, micro-enterprises, social enterprises and cooperatives, which allows for sustainable job creation, including youth employment, in particular by providing tax benefits and adopting specific social welfare measures for small entrepreneurs
Amendment 18 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5.
Amendment 19 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5.
Amendment 2 #
Draft opinion Recital -A a (new) -Aa. Whereas SMEs that comply with environmental standards will increase their business opportunities and will be more able to resist the cost pressure arising from increased costs for resources;
Amendment 20 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Takes note of the new European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI); pledges that the project selection process will take into account green SMEs, micro- enterprises, social enterprises and cooperatives
Amendment 3 #
Draft opinion Recital -A b (new) -Ab. Whereas SMEs are Europe’s economic backbone, greatly contributing to economic and social cohesion in the Member States, making up around 99% of all European businesses and providing around 75 million jobs;
Amendment 4 #
Draft opinion Recital A A. whereas access to finance continues to be one of the most significant challenges facing the creation, survival and growth of SMEs, micro-enterprises, social enterprises and cooperatives; whereas
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion Recital B B. whereas account must be taken of the potential of the EU budget, as an investment-driven budget, to facilitate the access to funding of European SMEs through dedicated financial tools
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion Recital B B. whereas account must be taken of the potential of the EU budget, as an investment-driven budget, to facilitate the access to funding of European SMEs through the reduction of bureaucracy and through dedicated financial tools and the increase of funding for pro
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion Recital C (new) C. Whereas the new European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) could be a major source of funding for SMEs using opportunities already provided under the EU budget;
Amendment 8 #
1. Stresses the added value of the EU budget in helping SMEs, micro-enterprises, social enterprises and cooperatives to gain access to funding and international markets, in particular through the COSME programme and under Horizon 2020 and the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF); stresses the need for a clear and uniform EU wide interpretation by national regulators and open public procurement rules, including green procurement and e-procurement, which at the moment represents a substantial barrier for SMEs wishing to internationalise;
Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Notes that EU programmes still fall short of significantly contributing to eco- innovation and the circular economy and that the Commission, therefore, needs to focus better funding from COSME and Horizon 2020 towards the development of eco-innovative solutions by and for SMEs and to support financing for improvement of product design and processes performance, building on the successful experience of the Eco-Innovation programme under the Competitiveness and Innovation Programme in the past MFF; considers, in particular, that the SME instrument under Horizon 2020 needs to be fully implemented.
source: 552.011
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| committees/3 |
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| committees/4 |
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| committees/4 |
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| docs |
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| events |
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| links |
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| other |
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| procedure/Modified legal basis |
Old
Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 150New
Rules of Procedure EP 159 |
| procedure/dossier_of_the_committee |
Old
ITRE/8/02100New
|
| procedure/legal_basis/0 |
Rules of Procedure EP 54
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| procedure/legal_basis/0 |
Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 052
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| procedure/subject |
Old
New
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2015-11-04Show (1) Changes | Timetravel
| activities/0/docs/0/celexid |
CELEX:52014DC0440:EN
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2015-11-04Show (4) Changes | Timetravel
| activities/0/docs/0/celexid |
CELEX:52014DC0440:EN
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| activities/5/docs/0 |
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| activities/5/docs/1/text |
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| activities/5/type |
Old
Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single readingNew
Results of vote in Parliament |
2015-05-21Show (4) Changes | Timetravel
| activities/4/docs |
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| activities/5/docs |
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| activities/5/type |
Old
Vote in plenary scheduledNew
Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading |
| procedure/stage_reached |
Old
Awaiting Parliament 1st reading / single reading / budget 1st stageNew
Procedure completed |
2015-05-20Show (1) Changes | Timetravel
| activities/4/type |
Old
Debate in plenary scheduledNew
Debate in Parliament |
2015-05-14Show (1) Changes | Timetravel
| activities/3/docs/0/text |
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2015-05-09Show (1) Changes | Timetravel
| activities/3/docs |
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2015-05-01Show (2) Changes | Timetravel
| activities/4/type |
Old
Indicative plenary sitting date, 1st reading/single readingNew
Debate in plenary scheduled |
| activities/5 |
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2015-04-29Show (1) Changes | Timetravel
| activities/3/date |
Old
2015-04-21T00:00:00New
2015-04-28T00:00:00 |
2015-04-22Show (2) Changes | Timetravel
| activities/3 |
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| procedure/stage_reached |
Old
Awaiting committee decisionNew
Awaiting Parliament 1st reading / single reading / budget 1st stage |
2015-04-15Show (3) Changes | Timetravel
| activities/2/committees |
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| activities/2/type |
Old
Vote scheduled in committee, 1st reading/single readingNew
Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading |
| procedure/Modified legal basis |
Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 150
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2015-03-12Show (8) Changes | Timetravel
| activities/0/docs/0/text |
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| activities/1 |
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| activities/3/committees |
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| activities/3/date |
Old
2014-12-17T00:00:00New
2015-05-18T00:00:00 |
| activities/3/type |
Old
Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single readingNew
Indicative plenary sitting date, 1st reading/single reading |
| committees/0/date |
2015-01-14T00:00:00
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| committees/0/rapporteur |
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| committees/3/shadows/5 |
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2015-01-07Show (3) Changes | Timetravel
| activities/1 |
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| procedure/dossier_of_the_committee |
ITRE/8/02100
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| procedure/stage_reached |
Old
Preparatory phase in ParliamentNew
Awaiting committee decision |
2014-12-23Show (5) Changes
| activities |
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| committees |
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| links |
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| other |
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| procedure |
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