53 Amendments of Klemen GROŠELJ related to 2020/0006(COD)
Amendment 52 #
Proposal for a regulation
Citation 1
Citation 1
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular the third paragraph of Article 175, 192 (1), 194 (1) and 194 (2) thereof,
Amendment 63 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) The transition to a climate-neutral and circular economy constitutes one of the most important policy objectives for the Union. On 12 December 2019, the European Council endorsed the objective of achieving a climate-neutral Union by 2050, in line with the objectives of the Paris Agreement. While fighting climate change and environmental degradation will benefit all in the long term and provides opportunities and challenges for all in the medium term, not all regions and Member States start their transition from the same point or have the same capacity to respond. Some are more advanced than others, whereas the transition entails a wider social and economic impact for those regions that rely heavily on fossil fuels - especially coal, lignite, peat and oil shale - or greenhouse gas intensive industries or industries with products that are impacted by the transition to EU climate neutrality. Such a situation not only creates the risk of a variable speed transition in the Union as regards climate action, but also of growing disparities between regions, detrimental to the objectives of social, economic and territorial cohesion.
Amendment 67 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) In order to be successful, the transition has to be fair and socially acceptable for all. Therefore, both the Union and the Member States must take into account its economic, environmental, and social implications from the outset, and deploy all possible instruments to mitigate adverse consequences. TAdditionally, they should ensure that investments are channelled towards economic activities that make the greatest positive environmental impact and provide local economies with a viable long-term vision and future-proof employment prospects. The conditionalities of the Union budget hasve an important role in that regard.
Amendment 77 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) As set out in the European Green Deal and the Sustainable Europe Investment Plan, a Just Transition Mechanism should complement the other actions under the next multi-annual financial framework for the period from 2021 to 2027. It should contribute to addressing the social and economic consequences of transitioning towards Union climate neutrality by 2050 by bringing together the Union budget’s spending on climate and social objectives at regional level.
Amendment 82 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) This Regulation establishes the Just Transition Fund (‘JTF’) which is one of the pillars of the Just Transition Mechanism implemented under cohesion policy. The aim of the JTF is to mitigate the adverse effects of the climate transition by supporting the most affected territories and workers concerned, and by laying down the foundations for the transition towards climate neutrality and creating new employment opportunities for those affected by this transition. In line with the JTF specific objective, actions supported by the JTF should directly contribute to alleviate the impact of the transition by financing the diversification and modernisation of the local economy and by mitigating the negative repercussions on employment. This is reflected in the JTF specific objective, which is established at the same level and listed together with the policy objectives set out in Article [4] of Regulation EU [new CPR].
Amendment 91 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5 a (new)
Recital 5 a (new)
(5a) The JTF cannot aggravate existing inequalities among Member States nor weaken the Single Market.
Amendment 104 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) The resources from the JTF should complement the resources available under cohesion policy without cutting into the ERDF and ESF+ budget.
Amendment 109 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7 a (new)
Recital 7 a (new)
(7a) Only those Member States shall be eligible for support from the JTF that committed to the Union's 2050 climate neutrality target.
Amendment 111 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) Transitioning to a climate-neutral economy is a challenge for all Member States. It will be particularly demanding for those Member States and certain regions within those Member States that rely heavily on fossil fuels or greenhouse gas intensive industrial activities or industries with products that are impacted by the transition to EU climate neutrality, which need to be phased out or which need to adapt due to the transition towards climate neutrality and that lack the financial means to do so. The JTF should therefore cover all Member States, but the distribution of its financial means should reflect the capacity of Member States, at the same time leading to an increased risk of energy poverty. The JTF should therefore cover all Member States committed to the Union's 2050 climate neutrality target, but the distribution of its financial means should reflect the capacity starting position of Member States in the energy transition process as well as their capacity to finance the necessary investments to cope with the transition towards EU climate neutrality by 2050.
Amendment 119 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8 a (new)
Recital 8 a (new)
(8a) With the aim for a fair and sustainable transition that ensures the achievement and effectiveness of the objectives set by this regulation, the allocation of the resources should also take into account the results achieved by Member States with regard to the 2020 targets for GHG emissions reductions, renewable energy and energy efficiency. In this way, the JTF should not penalize Member States that have already invested and are in line with reaching the established objectives.
Amendment 127 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) This Regulation identifies types of investments for which expenditure may be supported by the JTF. All supported activities should be pursued in full respect of the climate and environmental prioriobjectives of the Union, including the Paris Agreement and should be in line with the EU Taxonomy for Sustainable Finance. The list of investments should include those that support local economies and are sustainable in the long- term, taking into account all the objectives of the Green Deal. The projects financed should contribute to aprimarily focus on mitigating negative economic, environmental, and social impacts of the transition to a climate- neutral and circular economy, while taking into account economic, social, and energy characteristics of each Member State. For declining sectors, such as energy production based on coal, lignite, peat and oil shale or extraction activities for these solid fossil fuels, support should be linked to the phasing out of the activity and the corresponding reduction in the employment level. As regards transforming sectors with high greenhouse gas emission levels, support should promote new activities through the deployment of new technologies, new processes or products, leading to significant emission reduction, in line with the EU 2030 climate objectives and EU climate neutrality by 205013 as well as with the Paris Agreement, while maintaining and enhancing employment and avoiding environmental degradation. Particular attention should also be given to activities enhancing innovation and research in advanced and sustainable technologies, as well as in the fields of digitalisation and, connectivity, and smart mobility, provided that such measures help mitigate the negative side effects of a transition towards, and contribute to, a climate- neutral and circular economy. __________________ 13 As set out in “A Clean Planet for all European strategic long-term vision for a prosperous, modern, competitive and climate neutral economy”, Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the European Council, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions and the European Investment Bank - COM(2018) 773 final.
Amendment 137 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10 a (new)
Recital 10 a (new)
(10a) Many sectors other than the energy sector will undergo serious transformation with significant implications to their labour force. The automotive and vehicle production industries will be one of those hit hardest by the transition. In order to avoid significant work loss as a result of decreased or disrupted production, regions which depend heavily on the automotive industry should be eligible for JTF resources. While Europe is stepping up efforts to manufacture batteries locally as well as manufacturing low-pollution vehicles, the re-skilling and upskilling of automotive industry workers should go hand-in-hand with investment into transforming the automotive sector. As the share of automotive employment in the manufacturing sector is above 20%, in more than 14 regions across the EU, this would ensure that regions that are overdependent on the automotive industry are safeguarded in the increasingly likely event of a decline in the sector.
Amendment 142 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) To protect citizens who are most vulnerable to the climate transition, the JTF should also cover the up-skilling and reskilling of the affected workers, focusing on skills and qualifications that are compatible with the transition to a sustainable and digital economy, with the aim of helping them to adapt to new employment opportunities, as well as providing job-search assistance to jobseekers and their active inclusion into the labour market.
Amendment 150 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12
Recital 12
(12) In order to enhance the economic diversification and modernisation of territories impacted by the transition, the JTF should provide support to productive investment in SMEs. Productive investment should be understood as investment in fixed capital or immaterial assets of enterprises in view of producing goods and services thereby contributing to gross-capital formation and employment. In this regard, particular attention should be paid to SMEs operating in regions with higher unemployment rates. For enterprises other than SMEs, productive investments should only be supported if they are necessary for mitigating job losses resulting from the transition, by creating or protecting a significant number of jobs and they do not lead to or result from relocation. Investments in existing industrial facilities, including those covered by the Union Emissions Trading System, should be allowed if they contribute to the transition to a climate- neutral economy by 2050 and go substantially below the relevant benchmarks established for free allocation under Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council14 and if they result in the protection of a significant number of jobs. Any such investment should be justified accordingly in the relevant territorial just transition plan. In order to protect the integrity of the internal market and cohesion policy, support to undertakings should comply with Union State aid rules as set out in Articles 107 and 108 TFEU and, in particular, support to productive investments by enterprises other than SMEs should be limited to enterprises located in areas designated as assisted areas for the purposes of points (a) and (c) of Article 107(3) TFEU. All investments shall be made without prejudice to the energy efficiency first and polluter pays principles. __________________ 14Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 October 2003 establishing a scheme for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading within the Community and amending Council Directive 96/61/EC (OJ L 275, 25.10.2003, p. 32).
Amendment 172 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) The JTF support should be conditional on the effective implementation of a transition process in a specific territory in order to achieve a climate-neutral economy. In that regard, Member States should prepare, in cooperation with the relevant stakeholders and supported by the Commission, territorial just transition plans, detailing the transition process, and its implementation, monitoring, and evaluation, consistently with their National Energy and Climate Plans. To this end, the Commission should set up a Just Transition Platform, which would build on the existing platform for coal regions in transition to enable bilateral and multilateral exchanges of experience on lessons learnt and best practices across all affected sectors.
Amendment 177 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) The territorial just transition plans should, after a thorough consultation process with local authorities and representatives, identify the territories most negatively affected, where JTF support should be concentrated and describe specific actions to be undertaken to reach aminimise the negative social impact while contributing to EU climate-neutral economy by 2050, notably as regards the conversion, modernisation, or closure of facilities involving fossil fuel production or other greenhouse gas intensive activities. or industries with products that are impacted by the transition to EU climate neutrality. Those territories should be precisely defined and correspond to NUTS level 3 regions or should be parts thereof. The plans should detail the challenges and needs of those territories and identify the type of operations needed in a manner that ensures the coherent development of climate-resilient economic activities that are also consistent with the transition to climate-neutrality and the objectives of the Green Deal. Only investments in accordance with the transition plans should receive financial support from the JTF. The territorial just transition plans should be part of the programmes (supported by the ERDF, the ESF+, the Cohesion Fund or the JTF, as the case may be) which are approved and monitored by the Commission.
Amendment 201 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1
1. This Regulation establishes the Just Transition Fund (‘JTF’) to provide support to territories or economic activities facing serious socio-economic challenges deriving from the transition process towards a climate-neutral economy of the Union by 2050 and the Union's 2030 target.
Amendment 214 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1
Article 2 – paragraph 1
In accordance with the second subparagraph of Article [4(1)] of Regulation (EU) [new CPR], the JTF shall contribute to the single specific objective ‘enabling regions, economic operators and people to address the social, economic and environmental impacts of the transition towards an EU climate- neutral economyand circular economy by 2050’.
Amendment 219 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1
Article 3 – paragraph 1
1. The JTF shall support the Investment for jobs and growth goal in all Member States that are committed to the Union's 2050 climate neutrality target. The JTF should prioritise regions heavily dependent on solid fossil fuels, with greenhouse gas intensive industrial activities or industries with products that are impacted by the transition to EU climate neutrality.
Amendment 229 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
The resources for the JTF under the Investment for jobs and growth goal available for budgetary commitment for the period 2021-2027 shall be EUR 17.588 billion in 2018 prices, which may be increased, as the case may be, by additional resources allocated in the Union budget, and by other resources in accordance with the applicable basic act.
Amendment 243 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part
In accordance with paragraph 1, the JTF shall exclusively support the following activities:
Amendment 260 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point b
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point b
(b) investments in the creation of new firms, including through business incubators and consulting services;
Amendment 266 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point d
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point d
(d) investments in the deployment of technology and infrastructures for affordable clean energy, in greenhouse gas emission reduction, energy efficiency and renewable energy;charging infrastructure for electric vehicles, energy efficiency and renewable energy, including storage technologies to enable alternatives such as sustainable mobility, including freight transport in urban areas, or building renovation, among others.
Amendment 288 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point d a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point d a (new)
(da) investments in district heating;
Amendment 294 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point d b (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point d b (new)
(db) ensuring security of energy supply;
Amendment 295 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point d c (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point d c (new)
(dc) investments in the deployment of technology and infrastructure for affordable clean and smart mobility contributing to greenhouse gas emission reduction and to the diversification of mobility solutions;
Amendment 302 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point e
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point e
(e) investments in digitalisation and digital connectivity; in particular investments facilitating the transition towards a circular economy and climate neutrality, including using digital technologies and data in agriculture, farming, forestry and food industries, in particular for the upgrade of broadband in rural and remote areas.
Amendment 317 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point f a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point f a (new)
(fa) investments in nature-based climate mitigation and adaptation projects;
Amendment 321 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point g
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point g
(g) investments in enhancing the circular economy, including through waste prevention, reduction, resource efficiency, reuse, repair and recycling;
Amendment 327 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point h
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point h
(h) upskilling and reskilling of workers, focusing on skills and qualifications that are compatible with the transition to a sustainable and digital economy, and green economy;
Amendment 339 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point j
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point j
(j) active inclusion of jobseekers, particularly women and vulnerable groups;
Amendment 353 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 3
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 3
The JTF may also support investments to achieve the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from activities listed in Annex I to Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council provided that such investments have been approved as part of the territorial just transition plan based on the information required under point (i) of Article 7(2). Such investments shall only be eligible where they are necessary for the implementation of the territorial just transition plan, and do not, by virtue of windfall effects, merely add to the profits, which industrial facilities can obtain under the ETS.
Amendment 362 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point a a (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point a a (new)
(aa) investments which hamper the development and deployment of low- carbon alternatives or which result in activities and operations that will later rely on subsidies to run in a stable and sustainable manner.
Amendment 363 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point b a (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point b a (new)
(ba) activities or investments which are not in line with the EU Taxonomy for Sustainable Finance
Amendment 371 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point d
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point d
(d) investment related to the production, processing, transport, distribution, storage or combustion of fossil fuels;
Amendment 375 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point e a (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point e a (new)
(ea) activities or investments which lead to the lock-in in assets harmful to the climate and environment objectives of the Union considering their lifetime.
Amendment 379 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point e b (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point e b (new)
(eb) productive investments in enterprises other than SMEs that imply the transfer of jobs, capital and production processes from one Member State to another.
Amendment 380 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point e c (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point e c (new)
(ec) investments which would lead to unsustainable use of biomass from all sources;
Amendment 389 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
The Commission shall only approve a programme where the identification of the territories most negatively affected by the transition process, contained within the relevant territorial just transition plan, is duly justified and the relevant territorial just transition plan is consistent with the National Energy and Climate Plan and the long term strategy of the Member State concerned and with the EU Climate Law [2020/…].
Amendment 399 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1
Article 7 – paragraph 1
1. Member States shall prepare, together with the relevant authorities of the territories concerned, one or more territorial just transition plans covering one or more affected territories corresponding towhich can be part of or correspond to larger levels such as level 3 of the common classification of territorial units for statistics (‘NUTS level 3 regions’) as established by Regulation (EC) No 1059/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council as amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 868/201417 or parts thereof, in accordance with the template set out in Annex II. Those territories shall be those most negatively affected based on the economic and social impacts resulting from the transition, in particular with regard to expected job losses in fossil fuel production and use and the transformation needs of the production processes of industrial facilities with the highest greenhouse gas intensity or conversion to alternative industries in sectors with products that are impacted by the transition to EU climate neutrality. __________________ 17 Regulation (EC) No 1059/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 May 2003 on the establishment of a common classification of territorial units for statistics (NUTS) (OJ L 154 21.6.2003, p. 1).
Amendment 409 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) a detailed description of the transition process at national level towards a climate- neutral economy by 2050, including a timeline for fossil fuel phase- out and other key transition steps which are consistent with the latest version of the National Energy and Climate Plan (‘NECP’) and with the EU Climate Law [2020/…];
Amendment 415 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point b
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point b
(b) a justification for identifying the territories or economic activities as most negatively affected by the transition process referred to in point (a) and to be supported by the JTF, in accordance with paragraph 1;
Amendment 419 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point c
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point c
(c) an assessment of the transition challenges faced by the most negatively affected territories, including the social, economic, and environmental impact of the transition to an EU-level climate-neutral economy by 2050, identifying the potential number of affected jobs and job losses, the number of enterprises disrupted, the development needs and objectives, to be reached by 2030 linked to the transformation or closure of greenhouse gas-intensive activities and industrial activities with products that are impacted by the transition to EU climate neutrality in those territories;
Amendment 428 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point d
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point d
(d) a description of the expected contribution of the JTF support to addressing the social, economic and environmental impacts of the transition to a climate-neutral economy by 2050;
Amendment 431 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point f
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point f
(f) a description of the governance mechanisms consisting of the partnership arrangements, the monitoring and evaluation measures planned and the responsible bodies, including the possibility of evaluation by non- governmental bodies and institutions as well;
Amendment 434 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point g
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point g
(g) a description of the type and timeline of operations envisaged and their expected contribution to alleviate the impact of the transitioneconomic, social, and environmental impact of the transition at local, regional, and (where relevant) national level;
Amendment 440 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point i
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point i
(i) where support is provided to investments to achieve the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from activities listed in Annex I to Directive 2003/87/EC, an exhaustive list of operations to be supported and a justification that they contribute to a transition to an EU-level climate neutral economy by 2050 and lead to a substantial reduction in greenhouse- gas emissions going substantially below the relevant benchmarks established for free allocation under Directive 2003/87/EC and provided that they are necessary for the protection of a significant number of jobs;
Amendment 459 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 4 a (new)
Article 7 – paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Territorial just transition plans shall be publicly available.
Amendment 462 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 3
Article 8 – paragraph 3
3. Where a JTF priority supports the activities referred to in points (h), (i) or (j) of Article 4(2), data on the indicators for participants shall only be transmitted where all the data relating to that participant, required in accordance with Annex III are available, while ensuring strict data protection rules.
Amendment 467 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 1
Article 9 – paragraph 1
Where the Commission concludes, based on the examination of the final performance report of the programme, that there is a failure to achieve at least 675% of the target established for one or more output or result indicators for the JTF resources, it may make financial corrections pursuant to Article [98] of Regulation (EU) [new CPR] by reducing the support from the JTF to the priority concerned in proportion to the achievements.
Amendment 472 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 4
Article 10 – paragraph 4
4. Before adopting a delegated act, the Commission shall consult experts designated by each Member State and conduct stakeholder consultation in accordance with the principles laid down in the Interinstitutional Agreement of 13 April 2016 on Better Law-Making.
Amendment 499 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point b
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point b
(b) the allocations resulting from the application of point (a) are adjusted to ensure that no Member State receives an amount exceeding EUR 2 billion. The amounts exceeding EUR 2 billion per Member State are redistributed proportionally to the allocations of all other Member States. The Member States shares are recalculated accordingly; taking into account the achievements regarding the 2020 targets for energy efficiency and renewable energy sources, as referred respectively to in Article 1(1) of Directive 2012/27/EU and in Annex I of Directive 2009/28/EC;;
Amendment 514 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex II – point 3 – point 3.1 a (new)
Annex II – point 3 – point 3.1 a (new)
3.1a. description of how community representatives and civil society actors are consulted and engaged in the programming process, both before and after programming documents are developed.