19 Amendments of Katalin CSEH related to 2020/0100(COD)
Amendment 4 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1
Recital 1
(1) The Commission adopted a Communication on the European Green Deal on 11 December 20199 , drawing its roadmap towards a new growth policy for Europe and setting ambitious objectives to counter climate change and for environmental protection. In line with the objective to achieve the Union's 2030 climate and energy targets, and climate neutrality in the Union by 2050 in an effective and fair manner, the European Green Deal announced a Just Transition Mechanism to provide means for facing the climate challenge while leaving no one behind. The most vulnerable regions and people are the most exposed to the harmful effects of climate change and environmental degradation. At the same time, managing the transition requires significant structural changes. _________________ 9 COM(2019) 640 final.
Amendment 10 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) The proposal for establishing the Just Transition Fund was adopted by the Commission on 14 January 202011 . For the better programming and implementation of the Fund, territorial just transition plans are to be adopted, setting out the key steps and timeline of the transition process and identifying the territories most negatively affected by the transition towards a climate neutral economy by 2050 and with less capacity to deal with the transition challenges. _________________ 11 COM(2020) 22 final
Amendment 16 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) In order to enhance the economic diversification of territoriesand modernisation of territories most negatively impacted by the climate transition, the Facility should cover a wide range of investments, on condition that they contribute to meet the development needs in the transition towards the Union’s 2030 climate and energy targets, and a climate neutral economy by 2050, as described in the territorial just transition plans. The investments supported may cover energy and transport infrastructure, district heating networks, green mobility, smart waste managementtechnology and infrastructures for clean, affordable and renewable energy and environmentally-friendly and decarbonised transport, district heating networks, green, smart and sustainable mobility, investments in research and innovation activities, including in universities and public research institutions, fostering the transfer of advanced and market-ready technologies, investments in digitalisation, digital innovation and digital connectivity, including digital and precision farming, smart waste management, greenhouse gas emission reduction, clean energy and energy efficiency measures including renovations and conversions of buildings, support to transition to a circular economy, land restoration and decontamination when the “polluters pays” principle cannot be applied, as well as up- and re-skilling, training and social infrastructure, including social housing. Infrastructure developments may also include solutions leading to their enhanced resilience to withstand disasters. Comprehensive investment approach should be favoured in particular for territories with important transition needs. Investments in other sectors could also be supported if they are consistent with the adopted territorial just transition plans. By supporting investments that do not generate sufficient revenues, the Facility aims at providing public sector entities with additional resources necessary to address the social, economic and environmental challenges resulting from the adjustment to climate transition. Relevant local and regional authorities, economic and social partners and civil society of the territories concerned should be involved in the process of identification of the investments supported by the Facility in accordance with the partnership principle laid down in Article 6 of Regulation (EU) … /… [new CPR]. In order to help identify investments with a high positive environmental impact eligible under the Facility, the EU taxonomy on environmentally sustainable economic activities mayshould be used.
Amendment 24 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5 a (new)
Recital 5 a (new)
(5 a) In the context of its effort to increase economic, territorial and social cohesion, the Facility should also contribute to eliminating inequalities and promoting gender equality and integrating the gender perspective, as well as combating discrimination based on sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation as set out in Article 2 of the Treaty on the European Union (TEU), Article 10 TFEU and Article 21 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. All stakeholders involved at all stages of implementation of the Facility should commit to promote gender equality and should ensure that the impact on women is taken into account, given that they are disproportionately impacted by climate change and transition process.
Amendment 25 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) Horizontal financial rules adopted by the European Parliament and the Council on the basis of Article 322 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union apply to this Regulation. These rules are laid down in the Financial Regulation and determine in particular the procedure for establishing and implementing the budget through grants, procurement, prizes, indirect implementation, and provide for checks on the responsibility of financial actors. Rules adopted on the basis of Article 322 TFEU also concern the protection of the Union's budget in case of generalised deficiencies as regards the rule of law in the Member States, as the respect for the rule of law is an essential precondition for sound financial management and effective EU funding. However, the protection of final beneficiaries is crucial to ensure the effectiveness of the investments supported by the Facility. Local and regional authorities cannot lose their funding as a consequence of generalised deficiencies as regards the rule of law in the Member States. If necessary, the Commission, in agreement with the European Parliament and the Council, should temporarily manage funds with the recipients without the involvement of national governments violating the rule of law.
Amendment 31 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) Specific eligibility conditions and award criteria should be set out in the work programme and the call for proposals. Those eligibility conditions and award criteria should take into account the relevance of the project in the context of the development needs described in the territorial just transition plans, the overall objective of promoting regional and territorial convergence and the significance of the grant component for the viability of the projectt criteria established by Regulation (EU) … /... of the European Parliament and the Council [Regulation on establishment of a framework to facilitate sustainable investment], the ability of the project to meet the objectives and development needs described in the territorial just transition plans, the contribution to the achievement of the Union’s 2030 climate and energy targets, and climate neutrality by 2050, the overall objective of promoting regional and territorial convergence and the significance of the grant component for the viability of the project. The Commission should ensure that gender equality and the integration of gender perspective are taken into account and promoted in the work programme. Union Support established by this Regulation should thus only be made available to Member States with at least one territorial just transition plan adopted. The work programme and calls for proposals will also take into account the territorial just transition plans submitted by Member States to ensure that coherence and consistency across the different pillars of the mechanism is ensured.
Amendment 36 #
(16) Since the grant component should reflect the divergent development needs of regions across Member States, such support should be modulated. Taking into account that public sector entities in less developed regions, as defined in Article 102(2) of Regulation [new CPR], in the outermost regions, as defined in Article 349 TFEU, and in rural, sparsely populated and depopulated areas generally experience lower public investment capacity, the grant rates applied to loans provided to such entities should be comparatively higher.
Amendment 37 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 18
Recital 18
(18) In order to speed up implementation and ensure that resources are used in a timely fashion, this Regulation should lay down specific safeguards to be included in the grant agreements. In view of that objective, the Commission, in line with the principle of proportionality, should be able to reduce or terminate any Union support in case of serious lack of progress in the implementation of the project. The Commission, after notifying the Member State of the reduction or termination of Union support, should communicate to the Council and the European Parliament the reasons for the reduction or termination. The Financial Regulation lays down rules on the implementation of the Union budget. In order to ensure coherence in the implementation of Union funding programmes, the Financial Regulation should apply to the grant component and to resources for advisory support provided under this Facility.
Amendment 40 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 19
Recital 19
(19) In accordance with the Financial Regulation and Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 883/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council Regulations (Euratom, EC) No 2988/95, (Euratom, EC) No 2185/96 and (EU) 2017/1939, the financial interests of the Union are to be protected through proportionate measures, including the prevention, detection, correction and investigation of irregularities, including fraud, the recovery of funds lost, wrongly paid or incorrectly used, and, where appropriate, the imposition of administrative penalties. Any irregularities identified should be communicated to the Council and the European Parliament. In particular, in accordance with Regulations (Euratom, EC) No 2185/96 and (EU, Euratom) No 883/2013, the European Anti- Fraud Office (OLAF) may carry out administrative investigations, including on- the-spot checks and inspections, with a view to establishing whether there has been fraud, corruption or any other illegal activity affecting the financial interests of the Union. In accordance with Regulation (EU) 2017/1939, the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) may investigate and prosecute offences against the financial interests of the Union, as provided for in Directive (EU) 2017/1371 of the European Parliament and of the Council. In accordance with the Financial Regulation, any person or entity receiving Union funds is to fully cooperate in the protection of the financial interests of the Union, grant the necessary rights and access to the Commission, OLAF, the EPPO in respect of those Member States participating in enhanced cooperation pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2017/1939, and the European Court of Auditors (ECA), and ensure that any third parties involved in the implementation of Union funds grant equivalent rights.
Amendment 48 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 2
Article 1 – paragraph 2
The Facility shall provide support benefitting Union territories facing serious social, environmental and economic challenges deriving from the transition process towards the Union's 2030 climate and energy targets, and a climate-neutral economy of the Union by 2050.
Amendment 52 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 5
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 5
5. 'territorial just transition plan' means a plan established in accordance with Article 7 of Regulation [JTF Regulation], together with the relevant local and regional authorities of the territories concerned and in accordance with the partnership principle laid down in Article 6 of Regulation (EU) … /… [new CPR], and approved by the Commission;
Amendment 54 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1
Article 3 – paragraph 1
1. The general objective of the Facility is to address serious socio- economic challenges deriving from the transition process towards a climate-neutral economy for the benefit of the Union territories identified in the territorial just transition plans prepared by the Member States in accordance with Article 7 of Regulation [JTF Regulation] and to contribute to achieve the Union’s 2030 climate and energy targets, and climate neutrality by 2050, in line with Paris Agreement objectives.
Amendment 66 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 a (new)
Article 4 a (new)
Article 4 a Access to the resources 1. Access to the Facility shall be conditional on the adoption of a national objective towards the achievement of climate neutrality by 2050. For those Member States, which have not yet committed to a national target for climate neutrality, only 50% of their national allocation shall be released, while the remaining 50% shall be made available once they have adopted that target. 2. Access to the Facility shall be conditional to the respect for the rule of law, which is an essential precondition for sound financial management and effective EU funding, as well as the respect for human rights, including the rights of the minorities such as LGBTI rights, which are undermined in several Member States as a consequence of the creation of LGBTI free zones. The Commission shall reject applications from local authorities that have adopted "LGBT-free" declarations.
Amendment 76 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 4
Article 6 – paragraph 4
4. The Commission shall adopt a decision by means of an implementing actbe empowered to adopt a delegated act in accordance with Article 17 setting out the respective shares for each Member State resulting from the application of the methodology set out in Annex I of Regulation [JTF Regulation] in the form of percentages of the total available resources.
Amendment 79 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) the projects achieve measurable impact in addressing serious social, economic or environmental challenges deriving from the transition process towards a climate-neutral economy, contribute to achieve the Union’s 2030 climate and energy targets, and climate neutrality by 2050, and benefit territories identified in a territorial just transition plan, even if they are not located in those territories;
Amendment 91 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 8 – paragraph 1 a (new)
The Facility shall not support activities excluded under Article [5] of Regulation (EU) … /... [JTF Regulation].
Amendment 94 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 2
Article 10 – paragraph 2
2. The amount of the grant shall not exceed 15% of the amount of the loan provided by the finance partner under this Facility. For projects located in territories in NUTS level 2 regions with a GDP per capita not exceeding 75% of the average GDP of the EU-27 as referred to in Article [102(2)] of Regulation [new CPR], the amount of the grant shall not exceed 20% of the amount of the loan provided by the finance partner. For projects located in the outermost regions, as defined in Article 349 TFEU, the amount of the grant shall not exceed 25% of the amount of the loan provided by the finance partner.
Amendment 102 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 1
Article 13 – paragraph 1
The Facility shall be implemented by work programmes established in accordance with Article 110 of the Financial Regulation. The Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 17 adopting such work programmes. The work programmes shall specify the eligibility conditions and award criteria, taking into account the relevant criteria established by Regulation (EU) … /... of the European Parliament and the Council [Regulation on establishment of a framework to facilitate sustainable investment], the ability of the project to meet the objectives and development needs described in the territorial just transition plans, the contribution to the achievement of the Union’s 2030 climate and energy targets, and climate neutrality by 2050, the overall objective of promoting regional and territorial convergence and the significance of the grant component for the viability of the project. The Commission shall ensure that gender equality and the integration of gender perspective are taken into account and promoted in the work programme. The work programmes shall set out the national shares of resources, including any additional resources, for each Member State in accordance with Articles 4(1) and 6(2) of this Regulation.
Amendment 108 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 3 a (new)
Article 15 – paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Both the interim and final evaluation shall also assess the contribution to the achievement of the Union’s 2030 climate and energy targets, and climate neutrality by 2050, as well as the social and economic impact of the support provided under the Facility, including the impact on gender equality.