18 Amendments of Martina WERNER related to 2015/0009(COD)
Amendment 75 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) The purpose of the EFSI should be: a) to help resolve the difficulties in financing and implementing productive investments in the Union and b) to ensure increased access to financing. It is intended that increased access to financing should be of particular benefit to small and medium enterprises and small mid-cap companies and innovative SMEs and innovative mid- cap companies. It is also appropriate to extend the benefit of such increased access to financing to mid- cap companies, which are companies having up to 3000 employees. Overcoming Europe's current investment difficulties should contribute to strengthening the Union's competitiveness, innovation potential, economic, social and territorial cohesion. and, through the transition to a sustainable economy, to greater energy and resource efficiency. Moreover, the emphasis on small and innovative companies should contribute to a sustainable re-industrialisation - particularly by enhancing the global competitiveness of European SMEs through investment in the digitisation of the industrial value added chain.
Amendment 98 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11 a (new)
Recital 11 a (new)
(11a) The investments supported under EFSI should contribute to the aim of Article 194 (1) of the Treaty in particular promoting energy efficiency and energy savings and the development of new and renewable forms of energy and promoting the interconnection of energy networks, and to the Union's strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth adopted in the conclusions of the European Council of 17 June 2010; in order to improve coordination of the Unions investment policies, Regulation 1303/2013 was established with a Common Strategic Framework ('CSF') in order to promote the harmonious, balanced and sustainable development of the Union. This integrated approach should accordingly be applied to operations and projects supported by the EFSI;
Amendment 103 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11 b (new)
Recital 11 b (new)
(11b) The Commission Communication (COM(2015/80)) on the Energy Union has stressed the importance of energy efficiency as an energy source in its own right and states clearly that EFSI "provides an opportunity to leverage major investments in renovating buildings". In order to grasp that opportunity, a special focus on energy efficiency is needed by means of earmarking a share of the granted guarantees for energy efficiency; by providing technical assistance for the establishment of dedicated investment platforms for aggregated energy efficiency projects; and by broadening the "investment clause" for energy efficiency investments.
Amendment 119 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) The EFSI should target projects delivering high societal, sustainable and economic added value. In particular, the EFSI should target projects that promote sustainable, on site job creation, sustainable long- term growth and competitiveness and contribute to the attainment of the EU’s climate and energy targets. Experience from the implementation of tried and tested projects and initiatives may be taken into account in the selection of projects, such as from the energy efficiency projects ELENA (European Local Energy Assistance) and EEIF (European Energy Efficiency Fund) or from the public- private partnership ‘Factories of the Future’ in the area of the digitisation of manufacturing industry. The EFSI should support a wide range of financial products, including equity, debt or guarantees, to best accommodate the needs of the individual project. This wide range of products should allow the EFSI to adapt to market needs whilst encouraging private investment in the projects. The EFSI should not be a substitute for private market finance but should instead catalyse private finance by addressing market failures so as to ensure the most effective and strategic use of public money. The requirement for consistency with State aid principles should contribute to such effective and strategic use.
Amendment 130 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14 a (new)
Recital 14 a (new)
(14a) When selecting the projects eligible under EFSI support, specific attention should be given to energy efficiency; when deciding on projects for energy generation or energy transport, it should be assessed whether the goals in terms of security of supply cannot be reached in a more sustainable and cost-effective way by reducing energy demand or raising energy efficiency instead; this to ensure that energy efficiency projects are competing on equal terms with projects that are aimed at increasing energy supply or developing new infrastructures;
Amendment 174 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 20
Recital 20
(20) At the level of projects, third parties may co-finance together with EFSI on a project-by-project basis or in investment platforms related to specific geographic or thematic sectors. Special attention should be given to investment platforms that focus on transformative sectors with high economic and societal added value, and investment platforms that aggregate small scale sustainable and innovative projects, notably driven by regions, cities and SMEs; for example energy efficiency projects such as the refurbishment of building stock.
Amendment 208 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 29
Recital 29
(29) To partially finance the contribution from the Union budget, the available envelopes of the Horizon 2020 – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation 2014-2020, provided by Regulation (EU) No 1291/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council2, and the Connecting Europe Facility, provided by Regulation (EU) No 1316/2013 ofo the EU budget Guarantee Fund will be progressively authorised by the European Parliament and of the Council3, should be reduced. Those programmes serve purposes that are not replicated by the EFSI. However, the reduction of both prog in the frammes to finance the guarantee fund is expected to ensure a greater investment in certain areas of their respective mandates than is possible through the existing programmes. The EFSI should be able to leverage the EU guarantee to multiply the financial effect within those areas of research, development and innovation and transport, telecommunications and energy infrastructure compared to if the resources had been spent via grants within the planned Horizon 2020 and Connecting Europe Facility programmes. It iswork of the annual budgetary procedures up to 2020. For this purpose, the budgetary authority should make use, twherefore, appropriate to redirect part of the funding presently envisaged for those programmes to the benefit of EFSI. __________________ 2 Regulation (EU) No 1291/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 establishing Horizon 2020 - the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2014-2020) and repealing Decision No 1982/2006/EC (OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 104). 3Regulation (EU) No 1316/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 establishing the Connecting Europe Facility, amending Regulation (EU) No 913/, of all available mechanisms of flexibility and relevant provisions under the 2014-20120 and repealing Regulations (EC) No 680/2007 and (EC) No 67/2010 (OJ L 348, 20.12.2013, p. 129).MFF Regulation;
Amendment 314 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 1
Article 3 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 1
The EFSI Agreement shall provide that the EFSI shall have an Investment Committee, which shall be responsible for examining potential operations in line with the EFSI investment policies and approving the support of the EU guarantee for operations: (a) in line with Article 5,; (b) in line with the EU climate and energy objectives for 2020, 2030 and 2050; as to avoid jeopardizing these objectives or creating lock-in effects into technologies, production processes or infrastructures that are at the risk of stranding; (c) with a demonstrable economic, societal and sustainable added value promoting EU innovations, skills, jobs and competitiveness; and (d) irrespective of their geographic location.
Amendment 351 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point a
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point a
(a) development of infrastructure, including in the areas of transport, (particularly in the industrial centres; energy, in particular energy interconnections; and digital infrastructure);
Amendment 361 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point a a (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point a a (new)
(aa) development of digital infrastructure – particularly in rural areas – information and telecommunications technology and innovation, particularly with regard to the digitisation of the industrial value added chain;
Amendment 362 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point a a (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point a a (new)
(aa) development of sustainable energy infrastructure, in particular in electricity interconnections, smart grids at distribution level and energy storage;
Amendment 367 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point a b (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point a b (new)
(ab) development of sustainable energy infrastructure, particularly in terms of interconnectors, smart networks for the distribution of energy and energy storage;
Amendment 371 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point b
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point b
(b) investment in education and training, health, research and development, information and communications technology and innovation;
Amendment 386 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point c
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point c
(c) expansion of renewable energy and, energy efficiency and resource efficiency, with a particular focus on reducing energy demand through demand-side management and buildings refurbishments;
Amendment 428 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2 a (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2 a (new)
At least 20 % of the granted guarantees shall be reserved for energy efficiency investments, in particular via the establishment of dedicated investment platforms for the refurbishment of the building stock.
Amendment 436 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. The EU guarantee shall only be granted for projects and operations which fulfil the following eligibility criteria: (a) Projects and operations have to contribute to the Union’s strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth; they shall comply with the objectives of Article 9 and be in line with Article 10 and Annex I of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013; (b) Projects and operations have to foster the transition towards a smart, sustainable, decarbonized economy and shall be consistent with the agreed EU climate and energy objectives for 2020, 2030 and 2050; (c) Projects and operations have to contribute to the aim of Article 194(1) of the Treaty in particular promoting energy efficiency and energy savings and the development of new and renewable forms of energy; (d) Projects and operations supported by dedicated investment platforms and national promotional banks and institutions, have to comply with the policies and eligibility criteria of the Steering Board in accordance with the second paragraph of Article 5(2); the policies and eligibility criteria of the Steering Board may not be in deviation of the criteria under (a) and (b) of this paragraph;
Amendment 480 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – point b
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – point b
(b) an assessment of the economic and societal added value, the mobilisation of private sector resources, the estimated and actual outputs, outcomes and impact of EIB financing and investment operations at an aggregated basis, this includes the impact on the creation of future oriented, sustainable and local jobs, the sustainable transition and decarbonisation of the EU’s economy, the preservation and increase of the viability of ecosystem services, the diminishing of EU’s dependency on energy and natural resources, the increase of the competiveness and the innovation potential of the Union’s economy;
Amendment 513 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 16 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 16 – paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. In its financing and investment operations, the EIB shall not support activities that hamper the Union on its path towards sustainable progress; in that regard, the EIB shall not participate in any projects that create a lock-in into technologies, production processes or infrastructures that are at the risk of stranding as they are not in line with the EU’s energy and climate objectives for 2020, 2030 and 2050;