Activities of Joëlle MÉLIN related to 2021/0206(COD)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a Social Climate Fund
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a Social Climate Fund
Amendments (81)
Amendment 20 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) Those amendments have differing economic and social impacts on the different sectors of the economy, on the citizens, and the Member States. In particular, the inclusion of greenhouse gas emissions from buildings and road transport into the scope of Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and the Council31should provide an additional economic incentive to invest into the reduction of fossil fuel consumption and thereby accelerate the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Combined with other measures, this shcould, in the medium to long term, reduce the costs for buildings and road transport, and provide new opportunities for job creation and investment. _________________ 31Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 October 2003 establishing a system for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading within the Union (OJ L 275, 25.10.2003, p. 32).
Amendment 26 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) However, resources are needed to finance those investments. In addition, before they have taken place, the cost supported by households and transport users for heating, cooling and cooking, as well as for roadfor all daily energy needs and for transport, is likely to increase as fuel suppliers subject to the obligations under the emission trading for buildings and road transport pass on costs on carbon to the consumers.
Amendment 33 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) The increase in the price for fossil fuels may disproportionally affect vulnerable households, vulnerable small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), vulnerable micro- enterprises and vulnerable transport users who spend a larger part of their incomes on energy and transport, who, in certain regions, do not have access to alternative, affordable mobility and transport solutions and who may lack the financial capacity to invest into the reduction of fossil fuel consumption.
Amendment 41 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) Therefore, a part of the revenues generated by the inclusion of building and road transport into the scope of Directive 2003/87/EC should be used to address the social impacts arising from that inclusion, for the transition to be just and inclusive, leaving no one behind.
Amendment 46 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12
Recital 12
(12) This is even more relevant in view of the existing levels of energy poverty. Energy poverty is a situation in which households are unable to access essential energy services such as cooling, as temperatures rise, and heating. About 34 million Europeans reported an inability to keep their homes adequately warm in 2018, and 6.9% of the Union population have said that they cannot afford to heat their home sufficiently in a 2019 EU-wide survey32 . Overall, the Energy Poverty Observatory estimates that more than 50 million households in the European Union experience energy poverty. Energy poverty is therefore a major challenge for the Union. While social tariffs or direct income support can provide immediate relief to households facing energy poverty, only targeted structural measures, in particular energy renovations, can provide lasting solutions. _________________ 32 Data from 2018. Eurostat, SILC [ilc_mdes01]).
Amendment 50 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) A Social Climate (‘the Fund’) should therefore be established to provide funds to the Member States to support their policies to address the social impacts of the emissions trading for buildings and road transportmeasures taken to achieve a 55% reduction in greenhouse gases on vulnerable households, vulnerable SMEs, vulnerable micro-enterprises and vulnerable transport users. This should be achieved notably through temporary income support and measures and investments intended to reduce reliance on fossil fuels through increased energy efficiency of buildings, decarbonisation of heating and cooling of buildings, including the integration of energy from from renewable sourcesor low-carbon sources, depending on the member state's energy mix, and granting improved access to zero- and low-emission mobility and transport to the benefit of vulnerable households, vulnerable SMEs, vulnerable micro- enterprises and vulnerable transport users.
Amendment 66 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) For that purpose, each Member State should submit to the Commission a Social Climate Plan (‘the Plan’). Those Plans should pursue two objectives. Firstly, they should provide vulnerable households, vulnerable SMEs, vulnerable micro- enterprises and vulnerable transport users the necessary resources to finance and carry out investments in energy efficiency, decarbonisation of heating and cooling, in zero- and low-emission vehicles and mobility. Secondly, they should mitigate the impact of the increase in the cost of fossil fuels on the most vulnerable and thereby prevent energy and transport poverty during the transition period until such investments have been implemented. The Plans should have an investment component promoting the long-term solution of reduce fossil fuels reliance and could envisage other measures, including temporary direct income support to mitigate adverse income effects in the shorter term.
Amendment 78 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) Ensuring that the measures and investments are particularly targeted towards energy poor or vulnerable households, vulnerable SMEs and micro- enterprises and vulnerable transport users is key for a just transition towards climate neutrality. Support measures to promote reductions in greenhouse gas emissions should help Member States to address the social impacts arising from the emissions trading for the sectors of buildings and road transport.
Amendment 95 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6 a (new)
Recital 6 a (new)
(6a) having regard to the informal joint declaration by Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, the Netherlands and Sweden, submitted during the Porto Social Summit in May 2021, calling for respect for ‘national autonomy in social policies’,
Amendment 109 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 23
Recital 23
(23) The financial envelope of the Fund should, in principle, be commensurate to amounts corresponding to 25% of the total expected revenues from the inclusion of buildings and road transport into the scope of Directive 2003/87/EC in the period 2026- 2032. Pursuant to Council Decision (EU, Euratom) 2020/205341, Member States should make those revenues available to the Union budget as own resources. Member States are to finance 50% of the total costs of their Plan themselves. For this purpose, as well as for investment and measures to accelerate and alleviate the required transition for citizens negatively affected, Member States should inter alia use their expected revenues from emissions trading for buildings and road transport under Directive 2003/87/EC for that purpose. _________________ 41Council Decision (EU, Euratom) 2020/2053 of 14 December 2020 on the system of own resources of the European Union and repealing Decision 2014/335/EU, Euratom (OJ L 424, 15.12.2020, p. 1).
Amendment 109 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) Those amendments have differing economic and social impacts on the different sectors of the economy, on the citizens, and the Member States. In particular, the inclusion of greenhouse gas emissions from buildings and road transport into the scope of Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and the Council31 should provide an additional economic incentive to invest into the reduction of fossil fuel consumption and thereby accelerate the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Combined with other measures, this shcould, in the medium to long term, reduce the costs for buildings and road transport, and provide new opportunities for job creation and investment. _________________ 31 Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 October 2003 establishing a system for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading within the Union (OJ L 275, 25.10.2003, p. 32).
Amendment 111 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 24
Recital 24
(24) The Fund should support measures that respect the principle of additionality of Union funding. The Fund should not, under any circumstances, be a substitute for recurring national expenditures, except in duly justified cases.
Amendment 115 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 27
Recital 27
(27) In order to ensure transparent rules for monitoring and evaluation, the power to adopt acts in accordance with Article 290 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union should be delegated to the Commission in respect of setting the common indicators for reporting on the progress and for the purpose of monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the Plans. Iit is of particular importance that the Commission carry out appropriate consultations during its preparatory work, including at expert level, and that those consultations be conducted in accordance with the principles laid down in the Interinstitutional Agreement of 13 April 2016 on Better Law-Making of 13 April 2016. In particular, to ensure equal participation in the preparation of delegated acts, the European Parliament and the Council receive all documents at the same time as Member States'’ experts, and their experts systematically have access to meetings of Commission expert groups dealing with the preparation of delegated acts.
Amendment 117 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 29
Recital 29
(29) For the purpose of sound financial management, while respecting the performance-based nature of the Fund, specific rules should be laid down for budget commitments, payments, suspension, and recovery of funds as well as for the termination of agreements related to financial support. The Member States should take appropriate measures to ensure that the use of funds in relation to measures supported by the Fund complies with applicable Union and national law. Member States must ensure that such support is granted in compliance with the EU State aid rules, where applicable. In particular, they should ensure that fraud, corruption and conflicts of interests are prevented, detected and corrected, and do everything possible to make certain that double funding from the Fund and other Union programmes is avoided. Suspension and the termination of agreements related to financial support as well as reduction and recovery of the financial allocation should be possible when the Plan has not been implemented in a satisfactory manner by the Member State concerned, or in the case of serious irregularities, meaning fraud, corruption and conflicts of interest in relation to the measures supported by the Fund, or a serious breach of an obligation under the agreements related to financial support. Appropriate contradictory procedures should be established to ensure that the decision by the Commission in relation to suspension and recovery of amounts paid as well as the termination of agreements related to financial support respects the right of Member States to submit observations.
Amendment 118 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) However, resources are needed to finance those investments. In addition, before they have taken place, the cost supported by households and transport users for heating, cooling and cookingall daily needs requiring energy, as well as for road transporttravel, is likely to increase as fuel suppliers subject to the obligations under the emission trading for buildings and road transport pass on costs on carbon to the consumers.
Amendment 125 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article premier – paragraph 3
Article premier – paragraph 3
The measures and investments supported by the Fund shall benefit households, SMEs, micro-enterprises and transport users, which are vulnerable and particularly affected by the inclusion of greenhouse gas emissions from buildings and road transport into the scope of Directive 2003/87/EC, especially households in energy poverty and citizens without public transport alternative to individual cars (in remote and rural areas).
Amendment 133 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) The increase in the price for fossil fuels may disproportionally affect vulnerable households, vulnerable small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), vulnerable micro- enterprises and vulnerable transport users who spend a larger part of their incomes on energy and transport, who, in certain regions, do not have access to alternative, affordable mobility and transport solutions and who may lack the financial capacity to invest into the reduction of fossil fuel consumption.
Amendment 136 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10 a (new)
Recital 10 a (new)
(10a) Stresses that the dependence of our economies on the price of fossil fuels could be reduced through nuclear power, and that the green labelling given to this energy source as part of the energy transition absolutely must be maintained.
Amendment 147 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) Therefore, a part of the revenues generated by the inclusion of building and road transport into the scope of Directive 2003/87/EC should be used to address the social impacts arising from that inclusion, for the transition to be just and inclusive, and for purchasing power to be preserved, leaving no one behind.
Amendment 150 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12
Recital 12
(12) This is even more relevant in view of the existing levels of energy poverty. Energy poverty is a situation in which households are unable to access essential energy services such as cooling, as temperatures rise, and heating. About 34 million Europeans reported an inability to keep their homes adequately warm in 2018, and 6.9% of the Union population have said that they cannot afford to heat their home sufficiently in a 2019 EU-wide survey32. Overall, the Energy Poverty Observatory estimates that more than 50 million households in the European Union experience energy poverty. Energy poverty is therefore a major challenge for the Union. While social tariffs or direct income support can provide immediate relief to households facing energy poverty, only targeted structural measures, in particular energy renovations, can provide lasting solutions. _________________ 32 Data from 2018. Eurostat, SILC [ilc_mdes01]).
Amendment 153 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 8 a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 8 a (new)
(8a) 'Energy from low carbon sources' means energy generated using processes that are not considered renewable but have a limited carbon impact, comply with the principle of 'no significant harm' and fall within the scope of Regulation (EU) 2020/852 of the European Parliament and of the Council1a and the delegated act approved on 2 February 20221b _________________ 1aRegulation (EU) 2020/852 of the European Parliament and the Council of 18 June 2020 on the establishment of a framework to facilitate sustainable investment, and amending Regulation (EU) 2019/2088 (OJ L 198, 22.06.2020, p. 13). 1bCommission delegated regulation (…/.. of XXX) amending Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/2139 as regards economic activities in certain energy sectors and Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/2178 as regards specific public disclosures for those economic activities (JO L XX du XX.XX.XX) https://ec.europa.eu/finance/docs/level-2- measures/taxonomy-regulation-delegated- act-2022-631_en.pdf
Amendment 156 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 9 a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 9 a (new)
(9a) ‘Small or medium-sized enterprise’ means a small or medium-sized enterprise as defined in Article 2 of the Annex to Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC1c; _________________ 1cCommission Recommendation of 6 May 2003 concerning the definition of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (OJ L 124, 20.05.2003, p. 36).
Amendment 164 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 12
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 12
(12) ‘vulnerable micro-enterprises’ means micro-enterprises that are significantly affected by the price impacts of the inclusion of buildings into the scope of Directive 2003/87/EC and lack the means to renovate the building they occupy or support initiatives to encourage car- pooling or use of public transport by their employees;
Amendment 168 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) A Social Climate (‘the Fund’) should therefore be established to provide funds to the Member States to support their policies to address the social impacts of the emissions trading for buildings and road transport on vulnerable households, vulnerable micro-enterprisemeasures taken within the context of seeking to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55% on vulnerable households, vulnerable SMEs, vulnerable micro-enterprises, vulnerable SMEs and vulnerable transport users. This should be achieved notably through temporary income support and measures and investments intended to reduce reliance on fossil fuels through increased energy efficiency of buildings, decarbonisation of heating and cooling of buildings, including the integration of energy from renewable sourcesor low-carbon emission sources, in line with the Member State’s energy mix, and granting improved access to zero- and low- emission mobility and transport to the benefit of vulnerable households, vulnerable SMEs, vulnerable micro- enterprises and vulnerable transport users.
Amendment 171 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 12 a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 12 a (new)
(12a) ‘Vulnerable small and medium- sized enterprises' means small and medium-sized enterprises that are significantly affected by the cost of including buildings in the scope of Directive 2003/87/EC and lack the means to renovate the building they occupy or to support initiatives to encourage car- pooling or use of public transport by their employees;
Amendment 185 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1
Article 3 – paragraph 1
1. Each Member State shall submit to the Commission a Social Climate Plan (‘the Plan’) together with the update to the integrated national energy and climate plan referred to in Article 14(2) of Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 in accordance with the procedure and timeline laid down in that Article. The Plan shall contain a coherent set of measures and investments to address the impact of carbon pricing on vulnerable households, vulnerable small and medium- sized undertakings (SMEs), vulnerable micro-enterprises and vulnerable transport users in order to ensure affordable heating, cooling and mobility while accompanying and accelerating necessary measures to meet the climate targets of the Union.
Amendment 194 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2
Article 3 – paragraph 2
2. The Plan may include national measures providing properly managed temporary direct income support to vulnerable households and households that are vulnerable transport users to reduce the impact of the increase in the price of fossil fuels resulting from the inclusion of buildings and road transport into the scope of Directive 2003/87/EC.
Amendment 213 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) For that purpose, each Member State should submit to the Commission a Social Climate Plan (‘the Plan’). Those Plans should pursue two objectives. Firstly, they should provide vulnerable households, vulnerable SMEs, vulnerable micro- enterprises, vulnerable SMEs and vulnerable transport users the necessary resources to finance and carry out investments in energy efficiency, decarbonisation of heating and cooling, in zero- and low-emission vehicles and mobility. Secondly, they should mitigate the impact of the increase in the cost of fossil fuels on the most vulnerable and thereby prevent energy and transport poverty during the transition period until such investments have been implemented. The Plans should have an investment component promoting the long-term solution of reduce fossil fuels reliance and could envisage other measures, including temporary direct income support to mitigate adverse income effects in the shorter term.
Amendment 222 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point b a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point b a (new)
(ba) according priority to measures in accordance with their feasibility, speed of implementation and efficacy;
Amendment 225 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) Member States, in consultation with regional level authorities, are best placed to design and to implement Plans that are adapted and targeted to their local, regional and national circumstances as their existing policies in the relevant areas and planned use of other relevant EU funds. In that manner, the broad diversity of situations, the specific knowledge of local and regional governments, research and innovation and industrial relations and social dialogue structures, as well as national traditions, canmust best be respected and contribute to the effectiveness and efficiency of the overall support to the vulnerable.
Amendment 239 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point f a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point f a (new)
(fa) the estimated amount of advance funding needed to launch the measures;
Amendment 248 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) Ensuring that the measures and investments are particularly targeted towards energy poor or vulnerable households, vulnerable SMEs and micro- enterprises and vulnerable transport users is key for a just transition towards climate neutrality. Support measures to promote reductions in greenhouse gas emissions should help Member States to address the social impacts arising from the emissions trading for the sectors of buildings and road transport.
Amendment 260 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 17
Recital 17
(17) Pending the impact of those investments on reducing costs and emissions, well targeted direct income support for the most vulnerable would help the just transition. Such support should be understood to be a temporary measure accompanying the decarbonisation of the housing and transport sectors. It would not be permanent as it does not address the root causes of energy and transport poverty. Such support should only concern direct impacts of the inclusion of building and road transport into the scope of Directive 2003/87/EC, not electricity or heating costs related to the inclusion of power and heat production in the scope of that Directive. Eligibility for such direct income support should be limited in time and arrangements for its implementation must be laid down solely by Member States.
Amendment 262 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point e
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point e
(e) reductions in the number of vulnerable households, especially households in energy poverty, of vulnerable SMEs, of vulnerable micro- enterprises and of vulnerable transport users, including in rural and remote areas.
Amendment 272 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 3
Article 5 – paragraph 3
3. The Fund shall only support measures and investments respecting the principle of ‘do no significant harm’ referred to in Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852. and recognised by Regulation (EU) 2020/852 of the European Parliament and of the Council1d and the delegated act approved on 2 February 2022. _________________ 1dRegulation (EU) 2020/852 of the European Parliament and the Council of 18 June 2020 on the establishment of a framework to facilitate sustainable investment, and amending Regulation (EU) 2019/2088 (OJ L 198, 22.06.2020, p. 13).
Amendment 285 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
2. Member States may include the costs of the following measures and investments in the estimated total costs of the Plans, provided they principally benefit vulnerable households, vulnerable SMEs, vulnerable micro- enterprises or vulnerable transport users and intend to:
Amendment 290 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) support building renovations, especially for those occupying worst- performing buildings, including in the form of financial support or fiscal incentives such as deductibility of renovation costs from the rent, independently of the ownership of the buildings concerned, while ensuring that the aid is properly channelled towards those actually responsible for the renovations, in line with the national legislation in force;
Amendment 293 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point a a (new)
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point a a (new)
(aa) encourage ownership of energy- rated housing, through financial support or tax incentives;
Amendment 313 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point d
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point d
(d) provide access to zero- and low- emission vehicles and bikeselectric or hybrid modes of transport, including financial support or fiscal incentives for their purchase as well as for appropriate public and private infrastructure, including for recharging and refuelling; for support concerning low- emission vehicles, a timetable for gradually reducing the support shall be provided;
Amendment 314 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point d a (new)
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point d a (new)
(da) support vulnerable SMEs and micro-enterprises when renewing their vehicle fleets, in particular by offering bespoke advice on possible alternative vehicles and targeted assistance for the purchase of new zero- or low-emission electric or hybrid vehicles;
Amendment 320 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point f
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point f
(f) support public and private entities in developing, maintaining and providing affordable zero- and low-emission mobility and transport services and the uptake of attractive active mobility options for rural, insular, mountainous, remote and less accessible areas or for less developed regions or territories, including less developed peri-urban areas.
Amendment 324 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point f a (new)
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point f a (new)
(fa) support SMEs and micro- enterprises keen to offer their employees help with mobility by covering public transport season tickets in part or in full or encouraging car-sharing;
Amendment 327 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point f b (new)
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point f b (new)
(fb) fund training or retraining programmes for workers wishing to reskill in the fields of zero or low energy emissions, research or new technologies;
Amendment 335 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 1
Article 8 – paragraph 1
Member States may include into the estimated total costs financial support provided to public or private entities other than vulnerable households, vulnerable SMEs, vulnerable micro-enterprises and vulnerable transport users, if those entities carry out measures and investments ultimately benefitting vulnerable households, vulnerable micro- enterprises and vulnerable transport users.
Amendment 336 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 23
Recital 23
(23) The financial envelope of the Fund should, in principle, be commensurate to amounts corresponding to 25% ofall the expected revenues from the inclusion of buildings and road transport into the scope of Directive 2003/87/EC in the period 2026- 2032. Pursuant to Council Decision (EU, Euratom) 2020/205341, Member States should make those revenues available to the Union budget as own resources. Member States are to finance 50% of the total costs of their Plan themselves. Given that the States are in fact financing the whole of their plans since they contribute the whole of the European Union’s budget, they must benefit from more autonomy enabling them to make their Plan correspond to their respective national interests. For this purpose, as well as for investment and measures to accelerate and alleviate the required transition for citizens negatively affected, Member States should inter alia use their expected revenues from emissions trading for buildings and road transport under Directive 2003/87/EC for that purpose. _________________ 41 Council Decision (EU, Euratom) 2020/2053 of 14 December 2020 on the system of own resources of the European Union and repealing Decision 2014/335/EU, Euratom (OJ L 424, 15.12.2020, p. 1).
Amendment 347 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 24
Recital 24
Amendment 353 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 24 a (new)
Recital 24 a (new)
(24a) Member States shall be free to determine the targets and milestones of their Plans by including in them, where applicable, national policies which have proved their effectiveness, in order to support their efforts.
Amendment 357 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 2
Article 10 – paragraph 2
2. Member States shall be free, depending on their national structure, to choose which authorities are to be entrusted with the implementation of measures and investments benefiting from this Fund. If they wish, Member States may entrust the managing authorities of the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) established by Regulation (EU) 2021/1057 and of the cohesion policy operational programmes under Regulation (EU) 2021/1058 with the implementation of measures and investments benefitting from this Fund, where applicable in view of the synergies with those Union funds and in conformity with the objectives of the Fund. In their Plans Member States shall state their intention to entrust those authorities in their Plansindicate to which authorities they wish to entrust that responsibility, and specify the structure that will be brought about as a result.
Amendment 361 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 12 – paragraph 1
Article 12 – paragraph 1
1. Support under the Fund shall be additional tocompatible with the support provided under other Union funds, programmes and instruments. Measures and investments supported under the Fund may receive support from other Union funds, programmes and instruments provided that such support does not cover the same cost.
Amendment 361 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 27
Recital 27
(27) In order to ensure transparent rules for monitoring and evaluation, the power to adopt acts in accordance with Article 290 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union should be delegated to the Commission in respect of setting the common indicators for reporting on the progress and for the purpose of monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the Plans. Iit is of particular importance that the Commission carry out appropriate consultations during its preparatory work, including at expert level, and that those consultations be conducted in accordance with the principles laid down in the Interinstitutional Agreement of 13 April 2016 on Better Law-Making. In particular, to ensure equal participation in the preparation of delegated acts, the European Parliament and the Council receive all documents at the same time as Member States' experts, and their experts systematically have access to meetings of Commission expert groups dealing with the preparation of delegated acts.
Amendment 367 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 28
Recital 28
(28) The implementation of the Fund should be carried out in line with the principle of sound financial management, including the effective prevention and prosecution of fraud, tax fraud, tax evasion, corruption and conflicts of interest, and must under no circumstances represent an additional administrative burden adding to the procedures already weighing upon the actors concerned.
Amendment 373 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 29
Recital 29
(29) For the purpose of sound financial management, while respecting the performance-based nature of the Fund, specific rules should be laid down for budget commitments, payments, suspension, and recovery of funds as well as for the termination of agreements related to financial support. The Member States should take appropriate measures to ensure that the use of funds in relation to measures supported by the Fund complies with applicable Union and national law. Member States must ensure that such support is granted in compliance with the EU State aid rules, where applicable. In particular, they should ensure that fraud, corruption and conflicts of interests are prevented, detected and corrected, and do their best to ensure that double funding from the Fund and other Union programmes is avoided. Suspension and the termination of agreements related to financial support as well as reduction and recovery of the financial allocation should be possible when the Plan has not been implemented in a satisfactory manner by the Member State concerned, or in the case of serious irregularities, meaning fraud, corruption and conflicts of interest in relation to the measures supported by the Fund, or a serious breach of an obligation under the agreements related to financial support. Appropriate contradictory procedures should be established to ensure that the decision by the Commission in relation to suspension and recovery of amounts paid as well as the termination of agreements related to financial support respects the right of Member States to submit observations.
Amendment 377 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 30
Recital 30
(30) The Commission should ensure that the financial interests of the Union are effectively protected. While it is primarily the responsibility of the Member State itself to ensure that the Fund is implemented in compliance with relevant Union and national law, the Commission should be able to receive sufficient assurance from Member States in that regard. To that end, in implementing the Fund, the Member States should ensure the functioning of an effective and efficient internal control system and recover amounts unduly paid or misused. In that regard, Member States should be able to rely on their regular national budget management systems. Member States should collect, record and store in an electronic system standardised categories of data and information allowing the prevention, detection and correction of serious irregularities, meaning fraud, corruption and conflicts of interests, in relation to the measures supported by the Fund. The Commission should make available an information and monitoring system, including a single data- mining and risk-scoring tool, to access and analyse this data and information, with a view to a mandatory application by the Member States.
Amendment 401 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article premier – paragraph 3
Article premier – paragraph 3
The measures and investments supported by the Fund shall benefit households, SMEs, micro-enterprises and transport users, which are vulnerable and particularly affected by the inclusion of greenhouse gas emissions from buildings and road transport into the scope of Directive 2003/87/EC, especially households in energy poverty and citizens without public transport alternative to individual cars (in remote and rural areas).
Amendment 416 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article premier – paragraph 4
Article premier – paragraph 4
The general objective of the Fund is to contribute to the transition towards climate neutrality by addressingvoiding, as a priority, the social impacts of the inclusion of greenhouse gas emissions from buildings and road transport into the scope of Directive 2003/87/EC. The specific objective of the Fund is to support vulnerable households, vulnerable micro- enterprises and vulnerable transport users through temporary direct income support and through measures and investments intended to increase energy efficiency of buildings, decarbonisation of heating and cooling of buildings, including the integration of energy from renewable sources, and granting improved access to zero- and low-emission mobility and transport.
Amendment 453 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 8 a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 8 a (new)
Amendment 457 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 9 a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 9 a (new)
(9a) ‘small or medium-sized enterprise’ means a small or medium-sized enterprise as defined in Article 2 of the Annex to Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC1c; _________________ 1c Commission Recommendation of 6 May 2003 concerning the definition of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (OJ L 124, 20.5.2003, p. 36)
Amendment 481 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 12
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 12
(12) ‘vulnerable micro-enterprises’ means micro-enterprises that are significantly affected by the price impacts of the inclusion of buildings into the scope of Directive 2003/87/EC and lack the means to renovate the building they occupy or to support their workers within the context of initiatives to encourage the use of car-sharing or public transport;
Amendment 487 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 12 a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 12 a (new)
(12a) ‘vulnerable small and medium- sized enterprises’ means small and medium-sized enterprises that are significantly affected by the price impacts of the inclusion of buildings within the scope of Directive 2003/87/EC and lack the means to renovate the building they occupy or to support their workers within the context of initiatives to encourage the use of car-sharing or public transport;
Amendment 518 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1
Article 3 – paragraph 1
1. Each Member State shall submit to the Commission a Social Climate Plan (‘the Plan’) together with the update to the integrated national energy and climate plan referred to in Article 14(2) of Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 in accordance with the procedure and timeline laid down in that Article. The Plan shall contain a coherent set of measures and investments to address the impact of carbon pricing on vulnerable households, vulnerable micro-enterprisesmall and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), vulnerable micro-enterprises, vulnerable SMEs and vulnerable transport users in order to ensure affordable heating, cooling and mobility while accompanying and accelerating necessary measures to meet the climate targets of the Union.
Amendment 536 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2
Article 3 – paragraph 2
2. The Plan may include national measures providing temporary managed direct income support to vulnerable households and households that are vulnerable transport users to reduce the impact of the increase in the price of fossil fuels resulting from the inclusion of buildings and road transport into the scope of Directive 2003/87/EC.
Amendment 589 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point b a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point b a (new)
(ba) a prioritisation of measures in line with their feasibility, speed of implementation and efficiency;
Amendment 621 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point f a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point f a (new)
(fa) the estimated amount of pre- financing needed to launch the measures;
Amendment 674 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point e
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point e
(e) reductions in the number of vulnerable households, especially households in energy poverty, of vulnerable SMEs, of vulnerable micro- enterprises and of vulnerable transport users, including in rural and remote areas.
Amendment 687 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 3
Article 5 – paragraph 3
3. The Fund shall only support measures and investments respecting the principle of ‘do no significant harm’ referred to in Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852. and as recognised by Regulation (EU) 2020/852 of the European Parliament and of the Council 1d and by the delegated act approved on 2 February 2022. _________________ 1d Regulation (EU) 2020/852 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 June 2020 on the establishment of a framework to facilitate sustainable investment, and amending Regulation (EU) 2019/2088 (OJ L 198, 22.6.2020, p. 13).
Amendment 696 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 3 a (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. The Social Climate Fund must not permit the European Union to interfere indirectly in the social policies falling within the competence of Member States.
Amendment 719 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
2. Member States may include the costs of the following measures and investments in the estimated total costs of the Plans, provided they principally benefit vulnerable households, vulnerable SMEs, vulnerable micro- enterprises, vulnerable SMEs or vulnerable transport users and intend to:
Amendment 727 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) support building renovations, especially for those occupying worst- performing buildings, including in the form of financial support or fiscal incentives such as deductibility of renovation costs from the rent, independently of the ownership of the buildings concerned; but while ensuring that the aid is correctly signposted towards the operator responsible for such renovations, in accordance with the national legislation in force;
Amendment 734 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point a a (new)
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point a a (new)
(aa) promote ownership of housing with good energy scores, in the form of financial support or fiscal incentives;
Amendment 761 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point d
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point d
(d) provide access to zero- and low- emission vehicles and bikeselectric or hybrid means of transport, including financial support or fiscal incentives for their purchase as well as for appropriate public and private infrastructure, including for recharging and refuelling; for support concerning low- emission vehicles, a timetable for gradually reducing the support shall be provided;
Amendment 769 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point d a (new)
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point d a (new)
(da) support vulnerable SMEs and micro-enterprises when changing their vehicle fleets, particularly in the form of tailored advice on the alternative vehicles possible and through targeted aid for the purchase of new zero- or low-emission electric or hybrid vehicles;
Amendment 783 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point f
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point f
(f) support public and private entities in developing, maintaining and providing affordable zero- and low-emission mobility and transport services and the uptake of attractive active mobility options for rural, insular, mountainous, remote and less accessible areas or for less developed regions or territories, including less developed peri-urban areas.
Amendment 786 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point f a (new)
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point f a (new)
(fa) support SMEs and micro- enterprises wishing to offer their employees mobility assistance in the form of covering the cost of public transport passes, in part or in full, or incentives for car-sharing.
Amendment 793 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point f b (new)
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point f b (new)
(fb) finance training or retraining programmes for workers wishing to train in the areas of zero- or low-emission energy, research or new technologies.
Amendment 798 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7
Article 7
Amendment 821 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 1
Article 8 – paragraph 1
Member States may include into the estimated total costs financial support provided to public or private entities other than vulnerable households, vulnerable SMEs, vulnerable micro-enterprises and vulnerable transport uses, if those entities carry out measures and investments ultimately benefitting vulnerable households, vulnerable SMEs, vulnerable micro- enterprises and vulnerable transport users.
Amendment 868 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 2
Article 10 – paragraph 2
2. Member States may entrustare free, in accordance with their national systems, to choose to which authorities they entrust the implementation of measures and investments benefitting from this Fund. Member States wishing to do so may entrust the task to the managing authorities of the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) established by Regulation (EU) 2021/1057 and of the cohesion policy operational programmes under Regulation (EU) 2021/1058 with the implementation of measures and investments benefitting from this Fund, where applicable in view of the synergies with those Union funds and in conformity with the objectives of the Fund. Member States shall stindicate in their intention to entrust those authorities in their PlansPlans to which authorities they wish to entrust that responsibility, as well as the concomitant structure.
Amendment 885 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 12 – paragraph 1
Article 12 – paragraph 1
1. Support under the Fund shall be additional tocompatible with the support provided under other Union funds, programmes and instruments. Measures and investments supported under the Fund may receive support from other Union funds, programmes and instruments provided that such support does not cover the same cost.
Amendment 887 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 12 – paragraph 2
Article 12 – paragraph 2
2. Support from the Fund shall be additional and shall not substituteto recurring national budgetary expenditure.
Amendment 923 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 1
Article 15 – paragraph 1
1. The Commission shall assess the Plan and, where applicable, any amendment to that Plan submitted by a Member State in accordance with Article 17, for compliance with the provisions of this Regulation. When carrying out that assessment, the Commission shall act in close cooperation with the Member State concerned. The Commission may make observations or seek additional information. The Member State concerned shall provide the requested additional information and may revise the Plan if neededit so desires, including after the submission of the Plan. The Member State concerned and the Commission may agree to extend the deadline for assessment by a reasonable period if necessary.
Amendment 970 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – point d
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – point d
(d) For the purpose of assessing coherence, the Commission shallmay take into account, on an indicative basis, whether the Plan contains measures and investments that represent coherent actions.