23 Amendments of Cora van NIEUWENHUIZEN 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 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Aa. whereas the European base metals industry, in particular steel and aluminium, plays a key role in the EU economy, forming a backbone of European industry
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 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 40 #
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 ariseEU environment policies can create a challenging business environment for the base metals industry, making it difficult for businesses to stay competitive on a global level; therefore the European emission allowance trading scheme (ETS) is in urgent need of reforms;
Amendment 79 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 1
Subheading 1
The overriding need to act on climate change and high energy prices
Amendment 92 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. UStresses that a redesign of the current ETS system constitutes one of the most pressuring issues in order to ensure the competitiveness of the base metals industry; 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 efficiencyreform to include the issue of carbon leakage and promote efficiency, industrial innovation and optimisingation of yields rather than on limiting production;
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 109 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Believes that, instead of abolishing the compensation for indirect emissions for the base metals industry, increasing the recycling of base metals should be the principal way to ensure environmental progress for the sector, keeping in mind that the process of electrolysis is highly energy intensive; stresses that most base metals can be recycled many times against a fraction of the energy used for primary production; is concerned by the large energy loss for Europe caused by the legal and illegal export of aluminium and copper to countries like China and India, states which have installed aluminium export bans themselves; (Faraday´s law of electrolysis states that the volume of base metal produced by electrolysis is directly equal to the amount of electricity consumed in the process. Achieving much higher levels of energy efficiency is therefore impossible for the base metals industry. Recycling some base metals, on the other hand, consumes much less energy. As an example, recycling aluminium costs around 5% of the electricity used to produce it; in the case of copper this is around 15%. Therefore, aluminium and copper can be seen as 'energy banks'.)
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 149 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
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 156 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7b. Takes into consideration that base metals are traded against prices determined by demand and supply on global markets; understands, therefore, that putting an adjustment mechanism in place would hamper international free trade and price the European base metals industry out of the market;
Amendment 174 #
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 measuresa global verification and monitoring scheme is thus the precursor of an international system to combat CO2 emissions;
Amendment 178 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
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 192 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
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 252 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Suggests a preliminary investigation phase of a maximum of one month for an initial review of anti-dumping and anti- subsidy complaints following which, based on the initial evidence, preventive correction measures may be announced and a thorough investigation conducted; stresses, however, that potential corrective measures may not lead to a scarcity of production resources, qualitatively or quantitatively, for any European sector of industry;
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