33 Amendments of Philippe DE BACKER related to 2014/2211(INI)
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 8 a (new)
Citation 8 a (new)
- having regard to the Commission communication of 28 May 2015 entitled 'European Energy Security Strategy (COM 2014/0330),
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas the steel sector, which hasEuropean steel industry, which is the second largest steenl producer in the world and accounts for 328 000 direct jobs and millions of dependent jobs, has experienced a loss of over 40 MT of steel production capacity close since 2008 and hasa losts of more than 60 000 jobs directly and over 100 000 jobs indirectly, is experiencing its most serious peacetim since 2008; this severe crisis ever, resultings in dependency and losseson imports from third countries and drain of industrial know- how;
Amendment 23 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A b (new)
Recital A b (new)
Ab. whereas the base metals industry is facing a significant drop in demand as well as strong global competition, mainly from third countries without the same high standards and strict regulations as in Europe;
Amendment 24 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A c (new)
Recital A c (new)
Ac. whereas energy prices in Europe are higher than in a number of other economies, mainly due to insufficient energy market integration, rising taxes, levies and network costs and significantly restrict the competitiveness of the European base metals industry in the global market;
Amendment 25 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A d (new)
Recital A d (new)
Ad. whereas investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency are an important driver for investments in industrial products, including copper, aluminium and steel;
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A e (new)
Recital A e (new)
Ae. whereas production innovation has a positive effect on employment growth in all phases of the business cycle of industries;
Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A f (new)
Recital A f (new)
Af. whereas the European base metals industry faces serious investment leakage to third countries, mainly driven by comparably high energy prices and carbon cost;
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the successive closures of European aluminium electrolysis plants show that Europe is facing rapidly deindustrialising when it comes to this metalation in this sector;
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas when the emissions permits under the European emission allowance trading scheme (ETS) become more expensive, a full-blown competition crisis is liable to arise; nd as long as no comparable efforts are undertaken in other major economies, a number of industrial sectors in the EU will lose international competitiveness which may lead to carbon leakage, unless specific measures to prevent this risk are taken;
Amendment 49 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the EU base metals industry is locked facing a race against time to meet the social and environmental challenges it faces and which it must address while remaining a reference for the world in terms of the social and environmental responsibility of its operations;
Amendment 72 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)
Recital F a (new)
Fa. whereas 65% of business spending on R&D is done by the manufacturing industry, and hence the strengthening of our industrial base is essential to keep expertise and know-how in the EU;
Amendment 79 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 1
Subheading 1
The overriding need to act on climate change and high energy prices
Amendment 88 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Understands that the European Commission has launched discussions which will culminate in the reform of the ETS for the fourth period 2021-2028 and calls, in this connection, for the fight against climate change to focus on efficiency and op30 should ensure that the system is robust and delivers the EU's long-term climate goals in a cost-efficient way, while incentimvising yields rather than on limiting productioninvestments in low-carbon technologies; recalls, in this connection, the importance of energy efficiency;
Amendment 98 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Calls on the Commission, therefore, to amend the system for allocating emissions allowances via extensive application of the assessment used for the reference values applicable to industry, which are based on greenhouse gas emissions per tonne produced and not per facility, as it is the cleanest plants which are needed to produce moreso that sectors at risk of carbon leakage will be provided with 100% free allocation at the level of the 10% best performing installations, based on technically and economically achievable benchmarks; calls in this regard for the allocation of allowances to be based on greenhouse gas emissions per tonne produced and not per facility in order to incentivise production and promote growth for carbon-efficient installations;
Amendment 105 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls also for abolition of the applicain this context for the abolition of the cross-sectoral correction factor to the industries concerned in order to promote the virtuous practices of industrialists and workers who have made the necessary efforts to achieve minimum emissions by adopting the best available techniquesfor carbon-leakage industries as this imposes additional costs on even the most efficient installations in the EU;
Amendment 112 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Highlights that international climate action is the best recipe to prevent carbon leakage; looks forward in this regard to COP21 climate conference in Paris;
Amendment 115 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Stresses that the two dimensions of competitiveness and emissions cutsreduction are becoming complementary since, ifas the European production becomes carbon- virtuous, preservation of its share of the European andis transforming into a truly low-carbon economy, preservation of its strong world markets share is an effective means of contributing to an overalthe global limitation of greenhouse gas emissions of industrial origin; adds that the same applies to the production of imported goods, for which the same approach should be followed;
Amendment 119 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Notes that energy prices in Europe are considerably higher than in third countries, especially the US, making energy-intensive industries such as the base metal sector less competitive on the global market; welcomes the Commission proposal on the European Energy Union; believes that a well-functioning internal energy market that delivers secure and sustainable energy and ensures adequate interconnections of Member States will help to lower energy prices for European industry and consumers; emphasises in this connection that an ambitious energy chapter in TTIP could contribute to increased energy security and affordable energy prices in Europe;
Amendment 130 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4b. Understands that the Commission has launched discussions for a proposal on the promotion of the circular economy; stresses the importance of a life cycle approach in the EUs climate and energy policies; highlights in this context the positive impact of secondary metals, which help to significantly reduce energy and raw material input; calls therefore on the Commission to facilitate the development and functioning of secondary metal markets;
Amendment 133 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 2
Subheading 2
Amendment 134 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Emphasises firmly that, ever since the crethat the negotiations of the In an international Negotiating Committee that prepared the Rio Convention in 1992, the EU has been seeking to negotiate with third countries an international agreement aimed at protecting against climate change, but so far without successagreement against climate change, to be completed in Paris in December 2015, must lead to a legally binding agreement with economy-wide targets for all parties, respecting the agreed objective of limiting global warming to below 2°C; underlines that a comprehensive international agreement will level the playing field for industry and reduce the risk of carbon leakage from the EU;
Amendment 146 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Highlights the fact that an international agreement on combating climate change that creates circumstances of fair competition for all base metal producers would render considerations of a border adjustment unnecessary;
Amendment 155 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Notes that base metals are traded against prices determined by global demand and supply, mostly set by the London Metal Exchange; understands, therefore, that base metal producers are 'price-takers', which are unable to pass cost increases on to their customers; reaches the conclusion that it is imperative to keep compensations on indirect emissions in place;
Amendment 159 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. MUnderlines that any measures affecting trade must respect international trade agreements; maintains that the climate policy objectives of protecting the life and health of humans, animals and plants, and of the conservation of finite natural resources, are consonant with the exceptions set out in Article XX of the WTO Agreement; specifies that the global nature of the climate issue, and the fact that an atmosphere with a low carbon content (clean air) is a global public good, means that it is already viewed as a natural resource that can be exhausted;
Amendment 170 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Notes that knowing the carbon content, which is assessed on an industry- wide basis, is essential for building an international system for combating greenhouse gas emissions; points out that the establishing of border adjustment measures is thus the precursor of an international system to combat CO2 emissionsagreed standards on the calculation of the carbon content and the life-cycle emissions of products increases transparency and can facilitate the promotion of sustainable production and consumption, including in the metals industry;
Amendment 177 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 4
Subheading 4
Compensation for indirect emissions: unfair competition among European countries
Amendment 183 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Regrets that compensation for indirect costs has created a new factor in competitive inequality in Europe among producers in electricity-intensive sectors, who can receive financial support from the authorities in their countries; adds that this compensation, which was devised as a transitional measure, should swiftly be reduced and, especially, be grantshould be harmonised at European level in order not to distort competition among European producers;
Amendment 206 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Urges that free allowances be allocated strictly on the basis of programmes for investment in new equipment, R&Dfor the most-efficient installations in the carbon- leakage sectors should promote further investment in clean, low-carbon technologies and the training of workers, as soon as possible and at all events during the fourth stage, covering the period 2021-2028;
Amendment 220 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Suggests that the revenue obtained from the sale of emissions allowances should be traceable so that the public can see how it isUnderlines the importance of transparency in the use of allocation revenues by Member States; refers in this regard to the obligation of Member States to inform the Commission as to the use of ETS revenues; underlines that increased transparency would help citizens see how ETS revenues are being used by the national authorities;
Amendment 224 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Suggests that any facility classified as subject to the ETS should make comprehensive information available every year, including in respect of combating climate change and compliance with EU environmental directives, and that this be accessible to workers' representatives and to the representatives of civil society from local communitiesUnderlines the necessity of transparency for the ETS system and emphasizes, in this respect, the importance of the annual publication of emission performance and allocations of CO2 rights; stresses that any additional reporting obligations should not lead to higher administrative burden for the base metals industry;
Amendment 235 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Notes that it remains possible to conclude long-term contracts, under certain conditions, which must be compatible with a return on investment, the duration of which must be no less than 15 years in the case of highly capital-intensive industries;there is today no single market for energy in Europe and that a more integrated single market in energy could result in efficiency gains of some 50 billion euros1 a; urges to remove barriers to a well-functioning European energy market, so that energy costs for energy intensive sectors will be reduced; __________________ 1aStudy of the European Parliamentary Research Centre entitled 'Mapping the costs of non-Europe, 2014-19'
Amendment 253 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21a. Notes that the European base metals industry is exposed to tariff and non-tariff barriers to export markets in third countries as well as restrictive measures that protect domestic production of base metals; urges the Commission to continuously reduce trade barriers and improve market access to third countries for the European base metals industry; points out that an ambitious Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) can help to improve market access and lower trade barriers
Amendment 258 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 b (new)
Paragraph 21 b (new)
21b. Calls on the Commission to make use of all measures available to fight unfair trading practices from third countries and in this regard improve the reactivity and effectiveness of the EU trade defence instruments;