129 Amendments of Manuel BOMPARD related to 2021/0206(COD)
Amendment 74 #
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 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 transportgreen transition and rising energy prices and guaranteeing consumer's access to clean and affordable energy.
Amendment 86 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1
Recital 1
(1) The Union and its Member States are Parties to the Paris Agreement, which was signed in December 2015 under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) (‘the Paris Agreement’)28 and entered into force in November 2016. According to that Agreement and in line with the latest scientific advice, they are bound to limit the increase in the global average temperature well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1,5°C above pre- industrial levels. _________________ 28 Paris Agreement (OJ L 282, 19.10.2016, p. 4).
Amendment 87 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) The Commission Communication The European Green Deal29 sets out a new growth strategy that aims to transform the Union into a sustainn equitable, fairer and more prosperous society, with a modern, resource-efficient and competitivsustainable economy, where there are no net emissions of greenhouse gases in 2050 at the latest, and where economic growth is decoupled from resource use. The Commission proposes also to restore, protect, conserve and enhance the Union's natural capital, and protect the health and well-being of citizens from environment-related risks and impacts. Finally, the Commission considers that this transition should be just and inclusive, leaving no one behind. _________________ 29 COM(2019)640 final.
Amendment 91 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 of the European Parliament and of the Council30 enshrines into law the target of economy- wide climate neutrality by 2050 at the latest. That Regulation establishes a binding commitment on the part of the Union to reduce emissions. By 2030, the Union should reduce its greenhouse gas emission, after deduction of removals of greenhouse gas emissions, by at least 55% compared to the level in 1990. All sectors of the economy should contribute to achieving that target. _________________ 30 Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 June 2021 establishing the framework for achieving climate neutrality and amending Regulations (EC) No 401/2009 and (EU) 2018/1999 (‘European Climate Law’) (OJ L 243, 9.7.2021, p. 1).
Amendment 92 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3 a (new)
Recital 3 a (new)
(3a) Buildings in the EU are responsible for 36% of greenhouse gas emissions. Transports are responsible for 27% of greenhouse gas emissions, from which 72% amount to road transport. In parallel, mobility and heating/cooling represent the biggest lines in European household budgets, being close to one third of their annual expenditure. Decarbonising buildings and transports is particularly challenging because households are locked into existing infrastructures, which are costly to change and, therefore, have little options to choose a sustainable alternative. Given this scope, the Commission’s proposal to extend the EU’s carbon trading scheme to buildings and transports would hit households hard, in particular the vulnerable ones. Indeed, energy bills will increase, making low and middle-income households poorer, pushing households at risk of poverty or social exclusion into energy poverty and fatally hitting vulnerable households. Changing transport systems and heating/cooling systems for homes is not only crucial from a climate and environmental perspective but also very important in terms of social justice. Therefore, the ecological transition cannot be achieved by market mechanisms and the price signals that follow from them.
Amendment 98 #
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 should, 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) and they could lead to higher prices for fossil fuels while the decarbonisation of the economy is underway.
Amendment 115 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) However,In this regard, adequate resources are needed to finance those investments in decarbonisation in line with the pathway to climate neutrality. In addition, before they have taken place, the cost supported by households and transport users for heating, cooling and cooking, as well as for road transport, is likely to increase as fuel suppliers subject to the obligations under th. No price increase shall be passed on to vulnerable consumers, to vulnerable households, vulnerable emission trading for buildings and road transport pass on costs on carbon to the consumercro-enterprises and vulnerable transport users. The ecological transition should have a neutral economic and social impact on them and have the objective of reducing climate inequalities.
Amendment 119 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 34 a (new)
Recital 34 a (new)
(34 a) The European Union is already facing a social crisis with an estimated 30 to 50 million energy poor, 700,000 homeless people (an increase of 70% over the last 10 years). According to EU-SILC, the financial inability to maintain an adequate temperature in housing affected 7% of all residents of the EU28 and 18% of poor households. Many countries saw the proportion of poor households facing energy poverty increase significantly over the last decade, which will be compounded by the ongoing rise of energy prices across Europe. Long-term trends also show that house price indices increased by 23% and rental price indices by 16% between 2009 and 2019, across the European Union. In such a context, the implementation of the green deal is necessary but cannot be approximate in its effort to support poor and vulnerable households.
Amendment 120 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 3
Article 1 – paragraph 3
The measures and investments supported by the Fund shall benefitgeneral objective of the Fund is to contribute to the transition towards climate neutrality, which leaves no one behind by contributing to the socially fair reduction of emissions in the transport and buildings sectors by providing support and empowering local communities, vulnerable households, vulnerable micro- enterprises and vulnerable transport users, which are vulnerable and particularly affected by the inclusion of greenhouse gas emissions from buildingespecially those classed as vulnerable or with low capacity to invest. The measures and investments supported by the Fund shall benefit households, micro-enterprises and road transport into the scope of Directive 2003/87/EC,users, including those which are vulnerable and particularly affected by the green transition especially households in energy poverty and citizens without public transport alternative to individual cars (in remote and rural areas); conditions for support from the Fund shall not impose any bureaucratic burden or additional cost on households and occupants of rental buildings.
Amendment 126 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) The increase in the price for fossil fuels maywill disproportionally affect vulnerable households, 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 solutionsaggravating the pre- existing inequalities. Vulnerable households and vulnerable enterprises mostly do not have access to alternative, affordable mobility and transport solutions including in remote, insular areas and carbon intensive regions with high unemployment rates, and who may lack the financial capacity to invest into the reduction of, and ultimately cut, reliance on fossil fuel consumption.
Amendment 140 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 1
(1) ‘building renovation’ means all kinds of energy-related building renovation,terations to a building to improve energy performance and indoor climate including the insulation of the building envelope, that is to say walls, roof, floor, the replacement of windows, the replacement of heating, cooling and cooking appliances, and the installation of on-site production of energy from renewable sources as well as the professional removal of harmful substances such as asbestos;
Amendment 141 #
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 inclusione higher energy prices due to the reliance of fossil fuels, for the transition to be just and inclusive, leaving no one behind.
Amendment 149 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2
(2) ‘energy poverty’ means energy poverty as defined in point [(49)] of Article 2 of Directive (EU) [yyyy/nnn] of the of the European Parliama household's lack of access to essential and affordability energy services that underpin a decent standard of the Council50 ; _________________ 50[Directive (EU) [yyyy/nnn] of the of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ C […], […], p. […]).] [Proposal for recast of Directive 2012/27/EU on energy efficiency]living and health, including adequate warmth, cooling, lighting and energy to power appliances, in the relevant national context, existing social policy and other relevant policies;
Amendment 149 #
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 heatingthe fundamental right to affordable and adequate housing, or afford essential energy services that are preconditions for a decent standard of living and health, including adequate warmth, cooling and lighting, as well as energy to power cooking and white appliances, taking into consideration the relevant national context, the existing social policy and other relevant policies. 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. However, despite the severity of the problem, the lack of a common definition at Union level has limited the capacity to effectively monitor and assess the level of energy poverty and therefore has hampered joint action to tackle it. Therefore, a common definition at Union level should be established to facilitate monitoring and guide Union actions. 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 152 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2 a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2 a (new)
(2 a) 'mobility poverty' means households unable to afford the necessary travels required to meet their essential socio-economic needs in a given context which can be caused by one, or by the combination, of the following factors, depending on national and local specificities: low income, high fuel expenditures and/or high costs of public transports, availability of public transport or other mobility alternatives, in particular in terms of accessibility and location, scheduled frequency, reliability, travelled distances, transport practises and the poor performance of vehicles;
Amendment 159 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12 a (new)
Recital 12 a (new)
(12a) The European Union is already facing a social crisis with an estimated 30 to 50 million energy poor, 700,000 homeless people (an increase of 70% over the last 10 years). According to EU-SILC, the financial inability to maintain an adequate temperature in housing affected 7% of all residents of the EU28 and 18% of poor households. Many countries saw the proportion of poor households facing energy poverty increase significantly over the last decade, which will be compounded by the ongoing rise of energy prices across Europe. Long-term trends also show that house price indices increased by 23% and rental price indices by 16% between2009 and 2019, across the European Union. In such a context, the implementation of the European Green Deal is necessary but cannot be approximate in its effort to support poor and vulnerable households.
Amendment 161 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 11
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 11
(11) ‘vulnerable households’ means households in energy poverty or households, including lower middle- income ones, or live in inadequate housing as defined by national definition or the ETHOS framework, and that are significantly affected by the price impacts of the inclusion of buildings into the scope of Directive 2003/87/ECrising energy prices and/or the impact of carbon pricing on electricity and heating and lack the means to renovate the building they occupy;
Amendment 164 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12 b (new)
Recital 12 b (new)
(12b) Increasingly, low income, high fuel expenditures, high costs of public transportation, the lack of availability and affordability of alternative modes of transport in particular in terms of accessibility and location, travelled distances, transport practises and the poor performance of vehicles, makes the problem of transport poverty even more relevant and pressing for households, especially in rural, insular, mountainous, remote and less accessible areas or less developed regions or territories, including less developed peri-urban areas. Therefore, a Union-level definition for transport poverty should be established to support Union action.
Amendment 172 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) A Social Climate Fund (‘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 vulnerableenergy and transport poverty of vulnerable and low-income transport households, vulnerable micro-enterprises and vulnerable transport users. This should be achieved notably through temporary income support and measures and investments intended to reduceabandon reliance on fossil fuels through increased 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 to the benefit of vulnerable and low-income households, vulnerable micro-enterprises and vulnerable transport users.
Amendment 190 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2
Article 3 – paragraph 2
2. The Plan may include national measures providing 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 incrising energy prices and/or the impact of emission pricing on electricity, heating and transport, while quickly providing long-term solustion of buildings and road transport into the scope of Directive 2003/87/ECfor reducing energy and transport cost through renovation and other measures under the scope of article 6 of this regulation at no additional cost to the final beneficiary.
Amendment 202 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point a
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point a
(a) finance measures and investments to increase energy efficiency of buildings, to implement energy efficiency improvement measures, to carry out building renovation, and to decarbonise heating and cooling of buildings, including the integration of energy production from renewable energy sources by tenants, cooperatives and renewable energy communities;
Amendment 202 #
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 and low- income households, 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 reducecutting fossil fuels reliance and could envisage other measures, including temporary direct income support to mitigate adverse income effects in the shorter term.
Amendment 209 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point b
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point b
(b) finance measures and investments to increase the availability of public transport and the uptake of zero- and low- emission mobility and transport especially in rural and remote areas.
Amendment 212 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point b a (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point b a (new)
(b a) Plans shall be made public and accessible.
Amendment 213 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 a (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. national policy reforms addressing non-monetary barriers to improvements in transport, building efficiency and renewable energy use including local community led projects to facilitate and to accelerate the socially fair transition towards climate neutrality;
Amendment 217 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14 a (new)
Recital 14 a (new)
(14a) Particular attention should be paid to households living in social housing, low-income tenants and low-income homeowners as these are the categories more vulnerable to energy poverty. Member States in their Social Climate Plans should monitor and evaluate impacts on the housing stock and broader social impacts at local level and ensure that these households are not locked into fossil gas, oil or coal infrastructure. The Commission along with the Energy Poverty Advisory Hub should provide guidance on necessary social safeguards to ensure that there is no risk to housing affordability and the SCPs should robust measures to ensure that renovations do not result in evictions or indirect evictions through rent increases in line with the European Pillar of Social Rights priority 19 which requires that vulnerable people have the right to appropriate assistance and protection against forced eviction.
Amendment 222 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14 a (new)
Recital 14 a (new)
(14a) The plans should include measures for reskilling and upskilling workers to provide good quality jobs with relevant expertise by developing synergies with the Just Transition Fund to ensure workers are supported to transition to green jobs including the renovations and decarbonisation sector with decent wages, working conditions, long term contracts and right to trade union representation and collective bargaining.
Amendment 224 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14 b (new)
Recital 14 b (new)
(14b) Workers in the building and renovation sectors are particularly at risk of exposure to asbestos. Therefore, requirements for the mandatory asbestos screening, registering, and removal of asbestos and other dangerous substances are needed before any renovation works start. Energy renovations shall be the opportunity to safely remove asbestos from buildings.
Amendment 230 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point d
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point d
(d) where the Plan provides for measures referred to in Article 3(2), the criteria for the identification of eligible final recipients, the indication of the envisaged time limit for the measures in question and their justification on the basis of a quantitative estimate and a qualitative explanation of how the long-term measures in the Plan such as renovation measures, investment in public transport infrastructure are expected to reduce energy and transport poverty and the vulnerability of households, micro- enterprises and transport users to an increase of road transport and heating fuel prices;
Amendment 231 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) Member States, in consultation with regional level authorities,national parliaments, regional and local level authorities, social partners, including trade unions, and civil society organisations 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 civil society, social partners, and of local and regional governments, research and innovation and industrial relations and social dialogue structures, as well as national traditions, can best be respected and contribute to the effectiveness and efficiency of the overall support to the vulnerable.
Amendment 237 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15 a (new)
Recital 15 a (new)
(15a) Member States should ensure that the public is given early and effective opportunities to participate in and to be consulted on the preparation of the social climate plans in accordance, where applicable, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters of 25 June 1998 (the ‘Aarhus convention’) and Regulation (EU) 2021/1767 respectively. Member States should also aim to limit administrative complexity when fulfilling their obligations with regard to public consultation.
Amendment 240 #
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 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 transporof the transition, notably from the higher energy prices. The Fund should promote energy renovations planned to achieve substantial energy savings after works are completed. Such deep renovations should be entirely taken over by the Fund and Member States when it aims to support vulnerable households. Vulnerable households should also be accompanied throughout the process of the renovation and during its assessment.
Amendment 242 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point h
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point h
(h) an explanation of how the Plan ensures that no investment or measure, included in the Plan does significant harm to environmental objectives within the meaning of Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852, does not finance projects linked to fossil fuel and should promote high quality employment and decent working conditions; the Commission shall provide technical guidance to the Member States targeted to the scope of the Fund to that effect; no explanation is required for the measures referred to in Article 3(2);
Amendment 247 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point i a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point i a (new)
(i a) Member states shall provide information to final beneficiaries about eligibility and how to access funding and make arrangements for personal assistance and guidance. Member Sattes shall lay down a detailed communication strategy that they will use to reach out and communicate to people who are energy poor and/or mobility poor or at risk thereof respectively.
Amendment 248 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point j
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point j
(j) for the preparation and, where available, for the implementation of the Plan, a summary of the consultation process, conducted in accordance with Article 10 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 and with the national legal framework, of local and regional and local authorities, social partnertrade unions, civil society organisations, youth organisations and other relevant stakeholders, and how the input of the stakeholders is reflected in the Plan, households affected by energy poverty or mobility poverty and other relevant stakeholders, and how stakeholders are involved in the development and decision making of the Plan and its individual projects;
Amendment 252 #
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 in force until investments have allowed for affordable and accessible low-carbon alternatives, aiming to 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 timeHowever, the European Union is facing, and is likely to continue to face in the short and medium term, a sharp spike in energy prices. Vulnerable households, vulnerable micro-enterprises and vulnerable transport users are facing higher energy bills while they have been hardly hit by the social crisis of the Covid- 19, exacerbating energy poverty. Therefore, direct income support could be devoted to cover the first kW/h enabling the heating/cooling of vulnerable households’ housings. It could also enable vulnerable households to make the necessary trips to meet their basic socio- economic needs. In both cases, this support would cover all means of heating/cooling, carbon-based and decarbon-based, as well as all means of transport, individual and collective, carbon-based and decarbon-based, until it allows people to meet their basic needs.
Amendment 260 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point c
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point c
(c) public transport, zero- and low- emission mobility and transport;
Amendment 265 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 17 a (new)
Recital 17 a (new)
(17a) Vulnerable households, vulnerable transport users and vulnerable micro enterprises should be sufficiently informed about the existence of the Fund and about the means to benefit from direct income support and from investments, otherwise the Fund will fail to achieve its objectives. Therefore, targeted, accessible and affordable information, education, awareness and advice on cost-effective measures and investments shall be accessible to households and citizens. Support for building renovations and energy efficiency, including through energy audits of buildings and one-stop-shops shall also be provided.
Amendment 268 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point e a (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point e a (new)
(e a) phase out of fossil fuels;
Amendment 269 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point e b (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point e b (new)
(e b) enterprises benefiting from the Social Climate Fund shall be conditional on the respect of applicable working conditions and employers’ obligations resulting from labour law and/or collective agreements and for the full application of the European Pillar of Social Rights.
Amendment 274 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 3 a (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. The Fund shall not support: a. the decommissioning or the construction of nuclear power stations; b. an undertaking in difficulty, as defined in point (18) of Article 2 of Commission Regulation (EU) No 651/2014 (18); c. investment related to the production, processing, transport, distribution, storage or combustion of fossil fuels; d. investment related to the use of forest biomass for energy purposes or to the use for energy purposes of cereal and other starch-rich crops, sugars and oil crops and crops grown as main crops primarily for energy purposes on agricultural land; e. any investment in companies which are linked to [violations of fundamental and human rights, as set out inter alia, under the International Bill of Human Rights, ILO Conventions, the European Convention on Human Rights, the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU and the European Pillar of Social Rights.This includes, amongst others, freedom of association, the right to collective bargaining and collective action, and the right to decent working conditions; f. Any investment that would lead to direct increase in housing prices for population below the poverty line and therefore be equivalent to deliberate “renoviction”.
Amendment 277 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1
Article 6 – paragraph 1
1. Member States may include the costs of measures providing temporary direct income support to vulnerable households and vulnerable households that are transport users to absorb the increase in road transport and heating fuel prices. Such support shall decrease over time and be limited to the direct impact of the emission trading for buildings and road transportinversely decrease after long- term solutions such as renovations have been completed and ensuring that the impact of the transition is economically and socially neutral for households and reduce gender and climate inequalities. Eligibility for such direct income support shall cease within the time limits identified under Article 4(1) point (d).
Amendment 277 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 18
Recital 18
(18) Taking into account the importance of tackling climate change in line with Paris Agreement commitments, and the commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the actions under this Regulation should contribute to the achievement of the target that 30% of all expenditure under the 2021- 2027 multiannual financial framework should be spent on mainstreaming climate objectives and should contribute to the ambition of providing 10% of annual spending to biodiversity objectives in 2026 and 2027, while considering the existing overlaps between climate and biodiversity goals. For this purpose, the methodology set out in Annex II of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 of the European Parliament and of the Council33 should be used to tag the expenditures of the Fund. The Fund should support activities that fully respect the climate and environmental standards and priorities of the Union and comply with the principle of ‘do no significant harm’ within the meaning of Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852 of the European Parliament and of the Council34 . Therefore, the Fund should not be used to finance projects linked to fossil fuel. Moreover, the Fund should promote high quality employment and decent working conditions. Only such measures and investments should be included in the Plans. Direct income support measures should as a rule be considered as having an insignificant foreseeable impact on environmental objectives, and as such be considered compliant with the principle of ‘do no significant harm’. The Commission intends to issue technical guidance to the Member States well ahead of the preparation of the Plans. The guidance will explain how the measures and investments must comply with the principle of ‘do no significant harm’ within the meaning of Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852. The Commission intends to present in 2021 a proposal for a Council Recommendation on how to address the social aspects of the green transition. _________________ 33 Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2021 laying down common provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund Plus, the Cohesion Fund, the Just Transition Fund and the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund and financial rules for those and for the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, the Internal Security Fund and the Instrument for Financial Support for Border Management and Visa Policy (OJ L 231, 30.6.2021, p. 159). 34 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 280 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 19
Recital 19
(19) Women are particularly affected by carbon pricing as theynot only disproportionately affected by climate change but they are also bearing the cost of the ecological transition in full force. The Commission’s Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025 stresses that women and men are not equally affected by the clean transition as there are more women in energy poverty, and more women use public transport. Furthermore, the cost increase linked to the transition particularly affected women because, among other things, of pay and pension gaps. Moreover, they are more likely to live under the poverty line and represent 85% of single parent families. Single parent families have a particularly high risk of child poverty. Gender equality and equal opportunities for all, the fight against discrimination and the mainstreaming of those objectives, as well as questions of accessibility for persons with disabilities should be taken into account and promoted throughout thpromoted and should guide the whole preparation and implementation of Plans to ensure no one is left behind.
Amendment 289 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) support quality 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; ensuring the costs of the renovation do not impact households, in particular tenants, and micro enterprises financial support can be granted energy poor households to cover the full cost of renovation;
Amendment 291 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 19 a (new)
Recital 19 a (new)
(19a) Citizen participation and empowerment are essential to increase public acceptance and accelerate the green transition. In this regard, renewable energy communities and citizen energy communities can act as an effective intermediary in helping advance energy efficiency in households and therefore fighting energy poverty, inter alia because of their non-commercial purpose, the concern for community as well as their inclusive decision-making model. To unlock the socially innovative potential of energy communities, Member States should be able to leverage the fund to create enabling conditions to support renewable energy communities and citizen energy communities to set up initiatives towards energy poverty alleviation and promote participation of vulnerable households, households affected by energy poverty, low-income households, vulnerable microenterprises and vulnerable transport users.
Amendment 299 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point b a (new)
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point b a (new)
(b a) support for energy poor and vulnerable households own on-site renewable energy generation and participation in renewable energy cooperatives and energy community projects;
Amendment 301 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 20
Recital 20
(20) Member States should submit their Plans together with the update of their integrated national energy and climate plans in accordance with Article 14 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council35 . The Plans should include the measures to be financed, their estimated costs and the national contribution. They should also include key milestones and targets to monitor and assess the effective implementation of the measures. The Plans should be easily accessible to the public, including through the European Commission website. _________________ 35 Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2018 on the Governance of the Energy Union and Climate Action, amending Regulations (EC) No 663/2009 and (EC) No 715/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Directives 94/22/EC, 98/70/EC, 2009/31/EC, 2009/73/EC, 2010/31/EU, 2012/27/EU and 2013/30/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council, Council Directives 2009/119/EC and (EU) 2015/652 and repealing Regulation (EU) No 525/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 328, 21.12.2018, p. 1).
Amendment 303 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point c
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point c
(c) support public and private entities in developing andnon-for profit entities providing affordable energy efficiency renovation solutions and appropriate funding instrumentcovering the full cost of renovation for energy poor households in line with the social goals of the Fund;
Amendment 311 #
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 bikes, including covering cost, 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 along with the implementation of long- term solutions at no additional cost to household beneficiaries;
Amendment 340 #
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 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. Fwith stable and sufficient resources matching with the financial needs to reduce fossil fuel consumption and should aim to reduce climate inequalities. The European Commission1a estimates that EUR 350bn of investments in the energy system are necessary every year to reach the EU’s 55% greenhouse gas target emission reduction by 2030. The European Court of Auditors1b estimates that, each year between 2021 and 2030, EUR 736 bn are needed in the transport sector and EUR 282 bn are needed in the residential and service sectors 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 ofo reach the targets. Out of these global investment needs, it is estimated1c 1d that new public expenditure is required every year to the amount of EUR 90 bn for building renovations and of EUR 31,4 bn for transports. Thus, the financial envelope of the Fund should correspond to at least EUR 48 500 000 000 in current prices in the period 2023- 2027, and to at least EUR 270 625 000 000 in current prices in the period 2028- 2032. Member States are to finance 50% of the total costs of their Plan themselves. _________________ 1a State of the Union: Questions & Answers on the 2030 Climate Target Plan, 17 September 2020, European Commission, https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscor ner/detail/en/qanda_20_1598 1b EU action own resources of the European Union and repealing Decision 2014/335/EU, Euratom (OJ L 424, 15.12.2020, p. 1).energy and climate change, 2017, European Court of Auditors, https://op.europa.eu/webpub/eca/lr- energy-and-climate/en/ 1c Covid-19 recovery : investment opportunities in deep renovation in Europe, May 2020, Buildings Performance Institute Europe, https://www.bpie.eu/wp- content/uploads/2020/05/Recovery- investments-in-deep- renovation_BPIE_2020.pdf 1d Financing the Social Climate Fund, February 2022, WWF
Amendment 343 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 23 a (new)
Recital 23 a (new)
(23a) Given the urgency to implement the Fund and in order to facilitate investments and direct income support for vulnerable households, vulnerable micro- enterprises and vulnerable transport users, an amount of up to 20 % of the financial contribution to Member States can be paid in the form of a pre- financing.
Amendment 352 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 24 a (new)
Recital 24 a (new)
(24a) Underlining that in case of money raised through the implementation of a Fund related to climate, the revenues shall entirely be directed to measures aiming to achieve climate neutrality, and in particular, should target citizens with the objective of reducing climate inequalities.
Amendment 366 #
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. The efficient implementation of the Union budget and the principle of sound financial management are directly linked to the respect of the rule of law. The Commission should therefore ensure the effective implementation of the horizontal rules for the protection of the Union budget in the case of breaches of the principles of the rule of law in the Member States in accordance with Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2092 of the European Parliament and of the Council. Where it is established that breaches of the principles of the rule of law in a Member State affect or seriously risk affecting the sound financial management of the Social Climate Fund or the protection of the financial interests of the Union, the Commission should take the necessary measures, which may include, among others, a suspension of payments, termination of the legal commitment within the meaning of the Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council, a prohibition on entering into such legal commitments, or a suspension of the disbursement of instalments. When the Commission decides, in accordance with Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2092, on a repayment, reduction or termination of the legal commitment or financial allocation, these amounts should be proportionally allocated to all other Member States.
Amendment 370 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 1 b (new)
Article 15 – paragraph 1 b (new)
1 b. whether the Plan has been developed with the meaningful participation of reginal and local authorities, trade unions, civil society organisations, youth organisations, households affected by energy poverty or mobility poverty and other relevant stakeholders, in accordance with the principles and processes outlined in the European Code of Conduct on Partnership;
Amendment 380 #
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 and sufficient supporting evidence 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, and accordingly retrieve misused funds. 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 388 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – point b – point ii
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – point b – point ii
(ii) whether the arrangements proposed by the Member State concerned are expected to ensure the effective monitoring and implementation of the Plan, including the involvement of all relevant stakeholders according to the Partnership Principle, envisaged timetable, milestones and targets, and the related indicators;
Amendment 392 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – point c – point i
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – point c – point i
(i) whether the justification provided by the Member State for the amount of the estimated total costs of the Plan is reasonable, plausible, in line with the principle of cost efficiency and commensurate to the expected national environmental and social impact; and ensures that the impact of the green transition is economically and socially neutral for energy poor, mobility poor, vulnerable households, vulnerable transport users and vulnerable micro- enterprises and meets the objective of reducing climate inequalities taking into consideration gender inequalities as women and single parent households are more likely to be affected by energy and transport poverty;
Amendment 393 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 3
Article 1 – paragraph 3
The measures and investments supported by the Fund shall benefit households, micro-enterprises and transport users, which are vulnerable and particularly affected by the incluscost implications of greenhouse gas emissions from buildings and road transport into the scope of Directive 2003/87/ECthe transition to climate neutrality and the soaring energy prices due to reliance on fossil fuels, especially households in energy poverty and citizens without public transport alternative to individual cars (in remote, insular, and rural areas) and carbon intensive regions with high unemployment.
Amendment 405 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 4
Article 1 – paragraph 4
The general objective of the Fund is to contribute to the transition towards climate neutrality by addressing the social impacts of the inclusion of greenhouse gas emissions from buildings and road transport into the scope of Directive 2003/87/ECsocially fair alleviation of energy and transport poverty by having the objective of reducing climate inequalities and by providing support and empowering local communities, vulnerable households, vulnerable micro- enterprises and vulnerable transport users, especially those classed as vulnerable or with low capacity to invest. The specific objective of the Fund is to support vulnerable households, vulnerable micro- enterprises and vulnerable transport users through temporary direct income support until investments have allowed for affordable and accessible low-carbon alternatives to be created, and through targeted measures and investments intended to phase-out fossil fuels, increase energy efficiency and energy performance 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 425 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 4 a (new)
Article 1 – paragraph 4 a (new)
In line with those objectives, the Fund shall not provide support to activities that may prolong the reliance on or the use of fossil fuels.
Amendment 429 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 1
(1) ‘building renovation’ means all kinds of energy-related building renovationterations to a building with the aim to improve energy performance and indoor climate, including the insulation of the building envelope, that is to say walls, roof, floor, the replacement of windows, the replacement ofinstallation or replacement of ventilation, the replacement of lighting, heating, cooling and cooking hot water, and white appliances, and the installation of on-site production of energy from renewable sources or the connection to energy from renewable sources produced nearby, as well as the professional removal of harmful substances such as asbestos;
Amendment 441 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2
(2) ‘energy poverty’ means energy poverty as defined in point [(49)] of Article 2 of Directive (EU) [yyyy/nnn] of the of the European Parliama household’s lack of access and affordability of essential energy services that underpin a decent standard of the Council50 ; _________________ 50 [Directive (EU) [yyyy/nnn] of the of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ C […], […], p. […]).] [Proposal for recast of Directive 2012/27/EU on energy efficiency]living and health, including adequate warmth, cooling, lighting, and energy to power appliances, in the relevant national context, existing social policy and other relevant policies;
Amendment 449 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2 a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2 a (new)
(2a) "Mobility poverty” means the inability for households to afford the necessary travels required to meet their essential socio-economic needs in a given context which can be caused by one, or by the combination, of the following factors, depending on national and local specificities: low income, high fuel expenditures and/or high costs of public transports, lack of other mobility affordable and adequate alternatives, in particular in terms of accessibility and location, travelled distances, transport practices and the poor performance of vehicles.
Amendment 466 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 11
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 11
(11) ‘vulnerable households’ means households in energy poverty orand households, including lower middle- income ones, at risk of energy poverty, that lack the means to renovate the building they occupy that are significantly affected by the price impacts of the incluscost implications of buildings into the scope of Directive 2003/87/EC and lack the means to renovate the building they occuptransition toward a climate neutrality;
Amendment 476 #
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/ECenergy or mobility poverty and lack the means to renovate the building they occupy or to shift to more sustainable ways of transport;
Amendment 501 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 13
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 13
(13) ‘vulnerable transport users’ means transport users, including from lower middle-income households, that are significantly affected by the price impacts of the inclusion of road transport into the scope of Directive 2003/87/ECmobility poverty and lack the means to purchase zero- and low- emission vehicles or to switch to alternative sustainable modes of transport, including public transport, particularly in rural, insular and remote areas and carbon-intensive region with high unemployment.
Amendment 510 #
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, following the consultation process set in Article 3a. The Plan shall contain a coherent set of measures and investments to address the impact of carbon pricingccelerate the decarbonisation of transport and buildings and to pre- emptively and concurrently address the impact of energy and transport poverty on vulnerable households, 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 while having the objective of reducing climate inequalities. The plan should also focus on the creation of sustainable quality jobs in the mobility and construction sectors.
Amendment 528 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2
Article 3 – paragraph 2
2. The Plan may include national measures providing 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/ECuntil investments have allowed for affordable and accessible low- carbon alternatives to be created, to vulnerable households and households that are vulnerable transport users to reduce the impact of energy and transport poverty, while quickly providing long-term solution for reducing energy and transport cost through building renovations and other measures under Article 6 at no additional cost for the final beneficiary.
Amendment 530 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2
Article 3 – paragraph 2
2. The Plan may include national measures providing 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/ECenergy and transport poverty, while quickly providing long-term solution for reducing energy and transport cost through building renovations and other measures under Article 6 at no additional cost to the final beneficiary.
Amendment 543 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – introductory part
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – introductory part
3. The Plan shall include national, regional and local projects to:
Amendment 561 #
(b) finance measures and investments to increase the accessibility and availability of public transports, its affordability, the infrastructure development the uptake of zero- and low- emission mobility and transport.
Amendment 568 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point b a (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point b a (new)
(ba) support policy reforms addressing non-monetary barriers to improvements in transport and buildings efficiency and renewable energy use to facilitate and to accelerate the socially fair decarbonisation of transport and buildings;
Amendment 573 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 a (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. The Plan shall be made public and accessible.
Amendment 574 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 a (new)
Article 3 a (new)
Amendment 580 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point a a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point a a (new)
(aa) the proportion of the fund set aside for community-led local development, planned use and arrangements to encourage and deliver Integrated territorial development and community led local development as defined and detailed under chapter 2 of the European Code of Conduct on Partnership, as well as the arrangements for engaging and building capacity at the local and regional levels to engage and empower local communities, civil society and households affected by energy and transport poverty or at risk thereof, in the project development and decision making;
Amendment 597 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point c
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point c
(c) an estimate of the likely effects of that increase in prices on households, and in particular on incidence of energy poverty, on micro-enterprises and on transport users, comprising in particular an estimate and the identification of vulnerable households, vulnerable micro- enterprises and vulnerable transport users; these impacts are to be analysed with a sufficient level of regional disaggregation, taking into account elements such as access to public transport and basic services and identifying the areas mostly affected, particularly territories which are remote, insular and rural and carbon-intensive regions with high unemployment;
Amendment 611 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point d
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point d
(d) where the Plan provides for measures referred to in Article 3(2), the criteria for the identification of eligible final recipients, the indication of the envisaged time limit for the measures in question and their justification on the basis of a quantitative estimate and a qualitative explanation of how the long-term measures in the Plan such as renovation measures and investment in public transport infrastructure are expected to reduce energy and transport poverty and the vulnerability of households, micro- enterprises and transport users to an increase of road transport and heating fuel prices;
Amendment 629 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point h
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point h
(h) an explanation of how the Plan ensures that no investment or measure, included in the Plan does significant harm to environmental objectives within the meaning of Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852, does not finance projects linked to fossil fuel and promotes high quality employment and decent working conditions; the Commission shall provide technical guidance to the Member States targeted to the scope of the Fund to that effect; no explanation is required for the measures referred to in Article 3(2);
Amendment 633 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point i
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point i
(i) the arrangements for the effective monitoring and implementation of the Plan by the Member State concerned, to be undertaken in close consultation and meaningful participation of all relevant social stakeholders in accordance with the European Code of Conduct on Partnership, in particular of the proposed milestones and targets, including indicators for the implementation of measures and investments, which, where relevant, shall be those available with the Statistical office of the European Union European Statistical Office and the European Energy Poverty Observatory as identified by Commission Recommendation 2020/156354 on energy poverty; _________________ 54 OJ L 357, 27.10.2020, p. 35.
Amendment 641 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point j
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point j
(j) for the preparation and, where available, for the implementation of the Plan, a summary of the consultation process, conducted in accordance with Article 10 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 and with the national legal framework, of local and regional authorities, social partners, civil society organisations, youth organisations and other relevant stakeholders, and how the input of the stakeholders is reflected in the Planthe way they were involved in the drafting of the Plan and its individual projects;
Amendment 655 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point a a (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point a a (new)
(aa) renewable energy generation on- site or as part of an energy cooperative or energy community project or provision of energy from renewable sources produced nearby within the meaning of Directive [Proposal for a DIRECTIVE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on the energy performance of buildings (recast)];
Amendment 656 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point b
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point b
(b) building renovation with substantial energy cost saving for occupants;
Amendment 677 #
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 micro-enterprises and of vulnerable transport users, including in rural, insular, and remote areas. and carbon-intensive regions with high- unemployment;
Amendment 681 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point e a (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point e a (new)
(ea) creation of sustainable quality jobs.
Amendment 682 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point e a (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point e a (new)
(ea) phase-out of fossil fuels.
Amendment 692 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 3 a (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. The activities financed by the Fund shall be subject to a social conditionality. Any activity financed by the Fund and necessitating the hiring of workers should be conditional to decent wages, decent working conditions - including for health and safety aspects- and direct employment contracts, adequate trade union representation, social dialogue and collective bargaining rights. Any activity financed by the fund shall therefore respect applicable collective agreements as well as social and labour law at national and EU and ILO conventions.
Amendment 700 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 a (new)
Article 5 a (new)
Article 5a Exclusion from the support 1. The Social Climate Fund shall not support: (a) the decommissioning or the construction of nuclear power stations; (b) an undertaking in difficulty, as defined in point (18) of Article 2 of Commission Regulation (EU) No 651/2014 (18); (c) investment related to the production, processing, transport, distribution, storage or combustion of fossil fuels; (d) investments related to the use of forest biomass for energy purposes or to the use for energy purposes of cereal and other starch-rich crops, sugars and oil crops and crops grown as main crops primarily for energy purposes on agricultural land; (e) any investment in companies which are linked to violations of fundamental and human rights, as set out inter alia, under the International Bill of Human Rights, ILO Conventions, the European Convention on Human Rights, the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU and the European Pillar of Social Rights; (f) companies without commitment to safeguard or increase quality employment and salaries in current sites of economic activity; (g) companies that are proceeding to share buybacks or distributing shareholder dividends or executive bonuses; (h) companies which are registered in, or are part of a group having subsidiaries without real economic activity, in tax havens or other non-cooperative jurisdictions; (i) companies that have been involved, investigated or prosecuted for money laundering, terrorism financing, tax avoidance, tax fraud or tax evasion;
Amendment 708 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1
Article 6 – paragraph 1
1. Member States mayshall include the costs of measures providing temporary direct income support including through lump-sum payments or a reduction of electricity taxes and levies to vulnerable households and vulnerable households that are transport users to absorb the increase in road transport and heating fuel prices. Such support shall decrease over time and be limited to the direct impact of the emission trading for buildings and road transport. Eligibility for such direct income support shall cease within the time limits identified under Article 4(1) point (d).
Amendment 723 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) support quality building renovations, especially for those occupying worst- performing buildings, including in the form of financial support or fiscal incentives, including on-bill such as deductibility of renovation costs from the rentemes or specific support for the renovation of social housing, independently of the ownership of the buildings concerned;
Amendment 737 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point b
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point b
(b) contribute to the decarbonisation, including the electrification, of heating and cooling of, and cooking in, buildings and the integration of energy from renewable sources that contribute to the achievements of energy savings; including but not limited to grants and incentives for energy from renewable sources produced on-site or nearby and the development and functioning of urban renewable energy communities; such as vouchers, subsidies, third-party payment, to invest in products and services to increase the energy performance of buildings or to integrate renewable energy sources in buildings;
Amendment 748 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point b a (new)
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point b a (new)
(ba) support for energy poor and vulnerable households own on-site renewable energy generation and participation in renewable energy cooperatives and energy community projects;
Amendment 752 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point c
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point c
(c) support public and private entities in developing and providing affordable energy efficiency renovation solutions and appropriate funding instruments covering the full cost of renovation for energy poor households in line with the social goals of the Fund;
Amendment 765 #
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 bikes, including financial support covering the cost, 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 along with the implementation of long- term solutions at no additional cost to household beneficiaries;
Amendment 775 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point e
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point e
(e) grant preferably free access to public transport or at least social and adapted tariffs adapted tariffs for access to public transport, as well as fostering sustainable mobility on demand and shared mobility services;
Amendment 790 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point f a (new)
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point f a (new)
(fa) support training, upskilling and reskilling of the labour force for jobs in sectors concerned, in particular in jobs related to building renovation and alternative fuel infrastructure deployment.
Amendment 811 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2
Article 7 – paragraph 2
2. Where it is proven by the Member State concerned in its Plan that the public interventions referred to in paragraph 1 do not fully off-set the price increase resulting from the inclusion of the sectors of buildings and road transport into the scope of Directive 2003/87/ECin energy and transport, direct income support may be included in the estimated total costs in the limits of the price increase not fully off-set.
Amendment 820 #
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 micro-enterprises and vulnerable transport uses, if those entities carry out measures and investments ultimately benefitting vulnerable households, vulnerable micro- enterprises and vulnerable transport users provided that these entities comply with the social and environmental safeguards outlined in Article 5 of this Regulation.
Amendment 829 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 1
Article 9 – paragraph 1
1. The financial envelope for the implementation of the Fund for the period 20253-2027 shall be EUR 23 7at least EUR 48 500 000 000 in current prices.
Amendment 842 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 2
Article 9 – paragraph 2
2. The financial envelope for the implementation of the Fund for the period 2028-2032 shall be EUR 48 500at least EUR 270 625 000 000 in current prices, subject to the availability of the amounts under the annual ceilings of the applicable multiannual financial framework referred to in Article 312 TFEU.
Amendment 856 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 3
Article 9 – paragraph 3
3. The amounts referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 may also cover expenses pertaining to preparatory, monitoring, control, audit and evaluation activities which are required for the management of the Fund and the achievement of its objectives, in particular studies, meetings of experts, consultation of stakeholders, information and communication actions, including inclusive outreach actions, and corporate communication of the political priorities of the Union, insofar as they are related to the objectives of this Regulation, expenses linked to IT networks focusing on information processing and exchange, corporate information technology tools, and all other technical and administrative assistance expenses incurred by the Commissioof this Article shall be made available for budgetary commitment under Social Climate Fund for the years 2023 to 2032, from the following sources: – 25% of national revenues from the Directive 2003/87/EC; – EU own resources as the financial transactions tax and the digital services tax – Excess profits tax : an exceptional tax which shall apply to multinationals having sales revenues higher than EUR 750 million and having made profits thanks to the Covid-19 crisis. This superprofit, corresponding to the profits made in 2020 that exceed those made in 2019, shall be taxed at 50%. All multinationals operating in the European Union shall be concerned, wherever they are European for the management of the Fund. Expenses may also cover the costs of other supporting activities such as quality control and monitoring of projects on the ground and the costs of peer counselling and experts for the assessment and implementation of the eligible actions. not; – Tax on large construction companies benefiting from the Renovation Wave: this should apply to companies with annual revenue of more than EUR 750 million and with operations in more than one country that have seen substantially increased profits thanks to the implementation of the Green Deal. The differential profit between 2022 and 2023 onwards shall be taxed at 50%.
Amendment 860 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 3 a (new)
Article 9 – paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. The amounts referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 shall be revised upwards if there is an increase in: (a) the cost of energy, (b) the cost of raw materials necessary for the green transition, or (c) revenues generated by Directive2003/87/EC.
Amendment 861 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 3 a (new)
Article 9 – paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. 2% of the Funds shall be devoted for capacity building of local and regional authorities. Trade unions and civil society organisations should also be eligible.
Amendment 896 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 a (new)
Article 13 a (new)
Article 13 a Pre-financing 1. Subject to the adoption by the Commission of the implementing decision referred to in Article 16(1), when a Member State requests pre-financing together with the submission of the Plan, the Commission shall make a pre- financing payment of an amount of up to 20% of the financial contribution. By derogation from Article 116(1) of the Financial Regulation, the Commission shall make the corresponding payment within, to the extent possible, two months after the adoption by the Commission of the legal commitment referred to in Article 18. 2. In cases of pre-financing under paragraph 1, the financial contributions shall be adjusted proportionally.
Amendment 913 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 14 – paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Pre-financing, up to 20%, shall be available at Member States request together with the submission of the Plan. The European Commission shall make pre-financing available in order to facilitate investments aiming to better address the transition.
Amendment 919 #
Amendment 925 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – point a – point i
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – point a – point i
(i) whether the Plan represents a response to the social impact on and challenges faced by vulnerable households, vulnerable micro- as well as enterprises and vulnerable transport users in the Member State concerned from establishing thgy and transport poverty challenges faced by vulnerable households, vulnerable emission trading system for buildings and road transport established pursuant to Chapter IVa of Directive 2003/87/EC,cro-enterprises and vulnerable transport users especially households in energy poverty, duly taking into account the challenges identified in the assessments of the Commission of the update of the concerned Member State’s integrated national energy and climate plan and of its progress pursuant to Article 9(3), and Articles 13 and 29 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1999, as well as in the Commission recommendations to Member States issued pursuant to Article 34 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 in view of the long-term objective of climate neutrality in the Union by 2050. This shall take into account the specific challenges and the financial allocation of the Member State concerned;
Amendment 935 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – point a – point i a (new)
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – point a – point i a (new)
(ia) whether the Plan complies with the conditionalities and exclusions set out in Article 5, including the exclusion of fossil fuel investments;
Amendment 936 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – point a – point i b (new)
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – point a – point i b (new)
(ib) whether the Plan has been developed with the meaningful participation of regional and local authorities, social partners, civil society organisations, youth organisations, households affected by energy poverty or mobility poverty and other relevant stakeholders, in accordance with the principles and processes outlined in the European Code of Conduct on Partnership;
Amendment 947 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – point a – point iii a (new)
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – point a – point iii a (new)
(iiia) whether the Plan is expected to ensure that no measure or investments included in the plan benefits to companies that do not respect applicable working and employment conditions resulting from relevant collective agreements and social and labour law at national, Union and international levels (International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions), inter alia in the field of awareness of conditions of employment, remuneration, working time, health and safety, housing, gender equality, free movement of workers, equal treatment, posting of workers, conditions of stay of third- country nationals, protection in the event of termination of employment, temporary agency work, social protection, social security coordination.
Amendment 950 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – point a – point iii b (new)
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – point a – point iii b (new)
(iiib) whether the Plan is expected to have a lasting positive impact regarding the creation of sustainable quality jobs.
Amendment 951 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – point a – point iii c (new)
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – point a – point iii c (new)
(iiic) whether the Plan has been developed through an adequate consultation process in accordance with the European code of conduct on partnership (Commission Delegated Regulation No 240/2014);
Amendment 958 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – point b – point ii
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – point b – point ii
(ii) whether the arrangements proposed by the Member State concerned are expected to ensure the effective monitoring and implementation of the Plan, including involvement of all relevant stakeholders according to the Partnership Principle, the envisaged timetable, milestones and targets, and the related indicators;
Amendment 961 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – point b – point iii a (new)
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – point b – point iii a (new)
(iiia) whether the measures and investments included in the plan deliver adequately on the potential synergies between climate, environment and social targets to meet the EU's 2030 targets and commitments to achieve the sustainable development goals.
Amendment 986 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 17 – paragraph 1
Article 17 – paragraph 1
1. Where a Social Climate Plan, including relevant milestones and targets, is no longer achievable, either in whole or in part, by the Member State concerned because of objective circumstances, in particular because of the actual direct effects of the emission trading system for buildings and road transport established pursuant to Chapter IVa of Directive 2003/87/EC, the Member State concerned maythe Member State concerned may, where relevant following the consultation of social partners and regional and local authorities, and in the framework of the Partnership Principle, submit to the Commission an amendment of its Plan to include the necessary and duly justified changes. Member States may request technical support for the preparation of such request.
Amendment 987 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 17 – paragraph 1
Article 17 – paragraph 1
1. Where a Social Climate Plan, including relevant milestones and targets, is no longer achievable, either in whole or in part, by the Member State concerned because of objective circumstances, in particular because of the actual direct effects of the emission trading system for buildings and road transport established pursuant to Chapter IVa of Directive 2003/87/EC, the Member State concerned may submit to the Commission an amendment of its Plan to include the necessary and duly justified changes. Member States may request technical support for the preparation of such request.
Amendment 999 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 17 – paragraph 5
Article 17 – paragraph 5
5. By 15 March 2027 each Member State concerned shall assess the appropriateness of its Plans in view of the actual direct effects of the emission trading system for buildings and road transport established pursuant to Chapter IVa of Directive 2003/087/EC. Those assessments shall be submitted to the Commission as part of the biennial progress reporting pursuant to Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1999.
Amendment 1003 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 18 – paragraph 1
Article 18 – paragraph 1
1. After the Commission has adopted a decision as referred to in Article 16, it shall in due time conclude an agreement with the Member State concerned constituting an individual legal commitment within the meaning of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 covering the period 20253-2027. That agreement may be concluded at the earliest one year before the year of the start of the auctions under Chapter IVa of Directive 2003/87/EC.
Amendment 1017 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 19 – paragraph 2
Article 19 – paragraph 2
2. The Commission shall assess without undue delay, and at the latest within two months of receiving the request, whether the relevant milestones and targets set out in the Commission decision referred to in Article 16 have been satisfactorily fulfilled. The assessment shall include an evaluation of the involvement of regional and local stakeholders according to the Partnership Principle. The satisfactory fulfilment of milestones and targets shall presuppose that measures related to previously satisfactorily fulfilled milestones and targets have not been reversed by the Member State concerned. The Commission may be assisted by experts.
Amendment 1027 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 20 – paragraph 1
Article 20 – paragraph 1
1. In implementing the Fund, the Member States, as beneficiaries of funds under the Fund, shall take all the appropriate measures to protect the financial interests of the Union and to ensure that the use of funds in relation to measures and investments supported by the Fund complies with the applicable Union and national law, in particular regarding the protection of the Union budget in the case of breaches of the principles of the rule of law in accordance with Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2092, the prevention, detection and correction of fraud, corruption and conflicts of interests. To this effect, the Member States shall provide an effective and efficient internal control system as further detailed in Annex III and the recovery of amounts wrongly paid or incorrectly used. Member States may rely on their regular national budget management systems.
Amendment 1042 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 21 – paragraph 1 – point a a (new)
Article 21 – paragraph 1 – point a a (new)
(aa) ensure the Partnership Principle as a guiding principle, both in the drafting and implementation phase of the Funds. National Parliaments, local and regional authorities, civil society and trade unions must be involved in the drafting, approval and monitoring processes.
Amendment 1046 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 2
Article 22 – paragraph 2
Amendment 1050 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 a (new)
Article 22 a (new)
Article 22 a Visibility of support from the Fund 1. Each Member State shall ensure: (a) the visibility for intermediaries and final beneficiaries of Union support in all activities relating to operations supported by the Fund; (b) communication to Union citizens of the role and achievements of the Fund through a single website portal providing access to all programmes involving that Member State. 2. Member States shall acknowledge, and where applicable shall ensure that intermediary entities acknowledge, support from the Fund and the origin of those funds by: (a) ensuring the visibility of the Union funding to the final beneficiaries and the public, including by displaying the emblem of the Union in accordance with Annex IX of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060; (b) providing, where applicable, on their official website and social media sites, a short description of the operation, proportionate to the level of support, including its aims and results, and highlighting the financial support from the Union; (c) displaying for operations involving physical investment or equipment durable plaques or billboards clearly visible to the final beneficiaries and the public, that present the emblem of the Union, as soon as the physical implementation of operations involving physical investment starts or purchased equipment is installed; (d) communicating for operations involving financial instruments, including for temporary direct income support in accordance with Article 6(1), the amount of support from the Fund to the final recipients. 3. Where a Member State does not comply with the obligations under paragraphs 1 and 2, and where remedial actions have not been put into place, the Commission shall apply measures, taking into account the principle of proportionality, by cancelling up to 5% per year of the support from the Fund to the Member State concerned.
Amendment 1070 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 1 – point g a (new)
Article 23 – paragraph 1 – point g a (new)
(ga) information on the involvement of trade union organisations and employers' organisations, local and regional authorities, civil society organisations, youth organisations and other relevant stakeholders in the implementation of the Plan.
Amendment 1071 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 1 – point g b (new)
Article 23 – paragraph 1 – point g b (new)
(gb) when applicable, detailed information on the number of sustainable quality jobs created through measures and investments supported by the Social Climate Fund.
Amendment 1075 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 23 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. The European Parliament shall be involved in the monitoring process of the Fund.
Amendment 1093 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 24 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. The European Parliament shall be involved in the monitoring process of the Fund
Amendment 1097 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph 3
Article 24 – paragraph 3
3. The evaluation report shall, in particular, assess to which extent the objectives of the Fund laid down in Article 1 have been achieved, the efficiency of the use of the resources and the Union added value. It shall consider the continued relevance of all objectives and actions set out in Article 6 in light of the impact on greenhouse gas emissions from the emission trading system for buildings and road transport pursuant to Chapter IVa of Directive 2003/87/EC and from the national measures taken to meet the binding annual greenhouse gas emission reductions by Member States pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2018/842 of the European Parliament and of the Council63 . It shall also consider the continued relevance of the financial envelope of the Fund in relation to possible developments concerning the auctioning of allowances under the emission trading system for buildings and road transport pursuant to Chapter IVa of Directive 2003/87/EC and other relevant considerations. _________________ 63 Regulation (EU) 2018/842 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2018 on binding annual greenhouse gas emission reductions by Member States from 2021 to 2030 contributing to climate action to meet commitments under the Paris Agreement and amending Regulation (EU) No 525/2013 (OJ L 156, 19.6.2018, p. 26-42).
Amendment 1106 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 26 – paragraph 2
Article 26 – paragraph 2
It shall apply from the date by which the Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with Directive (EU) [yyyy/nnn] of the European Parliament and the Council64 amending Directive 2003/87/EC as regards Chapter IVa of Directive 2003/87/EC. _________________ 64 [Directive (EU) yyyy/nnn of the European Parliament and of the Council…. (OJ …..).] [Directive amending Directive 2003/87/EC]1st of January 2023.