Activities of José BLANCO LÓPEZ related to 2015/0009(COD)
Plenary speeches (1)
European Fund for Strategic Investments (A8-0139/2015 - José Manuel Fernandes, Udo Bullmann) ES
Amendments (23)
Amendment 48 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) The EFSI should target projects delivering high societal and economic value, preventing further imbalances between the centre and the periphery of Europe. In particular, the EFSI should target projects that promote job creation, long- term growth and competitiveness. 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 53 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) The EFSI should target projects with a higher risk-return profile than existing EIB and Union instruments to ensure additionality over existing operations. The EFSI should finance projects across the Union, including in the countries and regions most affected by the financial crisis. The EFSI should only be used where financing is not available from other sources on reasonable terms.
Amendment 69 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 25
Recital 25
(25) The EIB and the European Commission should regularly evaluate activities supported by the EFSI with a view to assessing their relevance, performance and impact and to identifying aspects that could improve future activities. Such evaluations should contribute to accountability and analysis of sustainability.
Amendment 76 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) The purpose of the EFSI should be twofold: a) to help resolve the difficulties in financing and implement ingnovation- driven and 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. 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 employee for small and medium enterprises and small mid-caps as well as innovative SMEs and innovative mid-caps. Overcoming Europe's current investment difficulties should contribute to strengthening the Union's competitiveness, innovation potential, economic, social and territorial cohesion and energy and resource efficiency by transitioning into a sustainable and circular economy.
Amendment 82 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 34
Recital 34
(34) To ensure accountability to European citizens, the EIB and the European Commission should regularly report to the European Parliament and the Council on the progress and impact of the EFSI.
Amendment 99 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11 a (new)
Recital 11 a (new)
(11a) The Europe 2020 strategy for jobs and growth underlines that a strong and continued support for research and innovation creates the right springboard for future recovery and growth. In order to maximise the benefits of EFSI in supporting investment in the Union, 10 % of the budget of every project or operation should be devoted to research and innovation activities.
Amendment 127 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point d
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point d
(d) infrastructure projects in the environmental, natural resources, maritime economy, urban development and social fields;
Amendment 129 #
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 instead in a more sustainable and cost- effective way by reducing energy demand, through raising energy efficiency or through demand response; this to ensure that energy efficiency projects are competing on equal terms, including equal cost-benefit analysis terms, with projects that are aimed at increasing energy supply or developing new infrastructures;
Amendment 135 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) The EFSI should target projects with a higher risk-return profile than existing EIB and Union instruments to ensure additionality over existing operations. An even higher risk profile should be accepted for research, development and innovation projects. The EFSI should finance projects across the Union, including in the countries most affected by the financial crisis. The EFSI should only be used where financing is not available from other sources on reasonable terms.
Amendment 273 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – point g
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – point g
(g) requirements governing the use of the EU guarantee, including within specific time frames and key performance indicatorssuch as the compliance with the objectives and eligibility criteria set out in article 5.2 and 5.2 a, as well as specific time frames and key performance indicators, including direct job creation and SME participation;
Amendment 322 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 2
Article 3 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 2
The Investment Committee shall be composed of at least six independent experts and the Managing Director. Independent experts shall have a high level of relevant market experience in project finance andin the areas of investment projects as listed in Article 5(2) and have a high degree of awareness on the research and innovation challenges in those areas. The Investment Committee shall be appointed by the Steering Board for a renewable fixed term of three years.
Amendment 349 #
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 industrial centres; energy, in particular energy interconnections; and digital infrastructure, in particular the deployment of broadband networks;
Amendment 384 #
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 and resource efficiency, with special attention paid to project to improve energy efficiency in buildings for social housing;
Amendment 430 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2 a (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2 a (new)
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 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 points (a) and (b) of this paragraph; (d) Projects and operations have to devote at least 10 % of their budget to research and innovation activities. To that end, different mechanisms can be combined, such as direct execution of research, technological development and innovation activities, sub-contracting services from universities or public research institutions and public procurement of innovative technology.
Amendment 434 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – subparagraphs 2 a and 2 b (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – subparagraphs 2 a and 2 b (new)
Companies in receipt of financial aid through the EFSI shall be required to adhere to the principle of equal pay and pay transparency and to the principle of gender equality as set out in Directive 2006/54/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 June 2006 on the implementation of the principle of equal opportunities and equal treatment of men and women in matters of employment and occupation. Furthermore when deciding which projects to choose, the Investment Committee shall take into account the corporate social responsibility measures taken by candidate companies.
Amendment 469 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 1
Article 9 – paragraph 1
1. The Commission and the EIB, with support from the Member States, shall promote the creation of a transparent pipeline of current and potential future investment projects in the Union. The pipeline is without prejudice to the final projects selected for support according to Article 3(5) but should indicate whether the proposed projects are eligible for the EU guarantee fund in accordance with the objectives and criteria laid down in Article 5.
Amendment 492 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 1
Article 11 – paragraph 1
1. At the request of the European Parliament, the Managing Director shall participate inThe Managing Director shall appear once every six months before a hearing of the European Parliament on the performance of the EFSI and inform it of decisions made by the Investment Committee.
Amendment 496 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 12 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Article 12 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
At the latest [PO insert date: 182 months after the entry into force of this Regulation], the EIB shall evaluate the functioning of the EFSI. The EIB shall submit its evaluation to the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission;
Amendment 499 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 12 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
Article 12 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
At the latest [PO insert date: 182 months after the entry into force of this Regulation] the Commission shall evaluate the use of the EU guarantee and the functioning of the guarantee fund, including the use of endowments according to Article 8(9). The Commission shall submit its evaluation to the European Parliament and the Council.
Amendment 502 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 12 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
Article 12 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
2. By 30 June 2018 and every three years thereafteEach year:
Amendment 503 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 12 – paragraph 2 – point b a (new)
Article 12 – paragraph 2 – point b a (new)
(ba) the Commission shall publish in addition an assessment of the criteria used by the Investment Committee in selecting or rejecting the projects submitted.
Amendment 505 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 1
Article 13 – paragraph 1
In accordance with its own transparency policies on access to documents and information, the EIB shall make publicly available on its website information relating to all EIB financing and investment operations and how they contribute to the general objectives and criteria referred to in Article 5(2).
Amendment 510 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 1 b (new)
Article 13 – paragraph 1 b (new)
The EIB shall publish detailed information on its website on decisions made by the Investment Committee in selecting projects to be funded by the Investment Plan, and especially the reasons why projects were rejected.