42 Amendments of Elisabetta GUALMINI related to 2020/0006(COD)
Amendment 10 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1
Recital 1
(1) The regulatory framework governing the Union’s cohesion policy for the period from 2021 to 2027, in the context of the next multi-annual financial framework, contributes to the fulfilment of the Union’s commitments to implement the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by concentrating Union funding on green objectives as well as the European Pillar of Social Rights. This Regulation implements one of the priorities set out in the Communication on the European Green Deal (‘the European Green Deal’)11 and is part of the Sustainable Europe Investment Plan12 providing dedicated financing under the Just Transition Mechanism in the context of cohesion policy to address the economic and social costs of the transition to a climate-neutral and circular economy, where any remaining greenhouse gas emissions are compensated by equivalent absorptions. _________________ 11 COM(2019) 640 final, 11.12.2019. 12 COM(2020) 21, 14.1.2020.
Amendment 15 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3 a (new)
Recital 3 a (new)
(3a) The Fund must be a mechanism to provide financial support and aid also to sensible countries and regions which, over the past few years, have already made major efforts towards a more sustainable energy transition and EU climate neutrality;
Amendment 38 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) The resources from the JTF should complement those from cohesion policy and under no circumstances should they reduce the resources available under cohesion policy.the latter;
Amendment 68 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12 a (new)
Recital 12 a (new)
(12a) Inclusive policies and strategies are necessary to avoid exacerbating inequalities in a just transition process. The promotion of social cohesion should be a guiding principle for support under the JTF, promoting gender equality, improved conditions for migrants and refugees, young and older workers and low-skilled workers and ensuring no one is left behind.
Amendment 73 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) In order to provide flexibility for the programming of the JTF resources under the Investment for jobs and growth goal, it should be possible to prepare a self- standing JTF programme or to programme JTF resources in one or more dedicated priorities within a programme supported by the European Regional Development Fund (‘ERDF’), the European Social Fund Plus (‘ESF+’) or the Cohesion Fund. In accordance with Article 21a of Regulation (EU) [new CPR], JTF resources should be reinforced with complementary funding from the ERDF and the ESF+. The complementary funding from the ERDF and the ESF+ should under no circumstances reduce the financial allocations provided for the achievement of the objectives of these programmes and of cohesion policy. The respective amounts transferred from the ERDF and the ESF+ should be consistent with the type of operations set out in the territorial just transition plans.
Amendment 81 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) The transition to a climate-neutral and circular economy constitutes one of the most important policy objectives for the Union. On 12 December 2019, the European Council endorsed the objective of achieving a climate-neutral Union by 2050, in line with the objectives of the Paris Agreement. While fighting climate change and environmental degradation will benefit all in the long term and provides opportunities and challenges for all in the medium term, not all regions and Member States start their transition from the same point or have the same capacity to respond. Some are more advanced than others, whereas the transition entails a wider social and economic, labour, economic and cultural impact for those regions that rely heavily on fossil fuels - especially coal, lignite, peat and oil shale - or greenhouse gas intensive industries and other energy intensive sectors such as steel, cement, chemicals, glass and transport, that will require significant support in order to adapt and modernize. Such a situation not only creates the risk of a variable speed transition in the Union as regards climate action, but also of growing disparities between regions, detrimental to the objectives of social, economic and territorial cohesion.
Amendment 93 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15 a (new)
Recital 15 a (new)
(15a) Member States should favour the adoption of bottom-up strategies in the preparation and implementation of the territorial just transition plans, ensuring the active participation of the relevant public authorities, economic and social partners from all sectors of activity, and other relevant civil society stakeholders. For an effective action at local level, the stakeholders at the level of the territories affected should, where feasible, be actively involved in the preparation of the territorial just transition plans.
Amendment 95 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) In order to be successful, the transition has to be fair and socially acceptable for allsocially sustainable and acceptable for all and to improve welfare and living conditions. Therefore, both the Union and the Member States must take into account its economic and social implications from the outset, and deploy all possible instruments to mitigate adverse consequences and enhance the positive ones, such as the creation of new, decent and sustainable jobs. The Union budget has an important role in that regard.
Amendment 111 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
The resources for the JTF under the Investment for jobs and growth goal available for budgetary commitment for the period 2021-2027 shall be EUR 7.5 billion in 2018 prices, which may be increased, as the case may benecessary, by additional resources allocated in the Union budget, and by other resources in accordance with the applicable basic act. The funding of the JTF shall not be to the detriment of resources allocated to the other MFF funds.
Amendment 123 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 4 a (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. The resources from the ERDF and the ESF+ allocated to the JTF shall not reduce the financial allocations provided for the achievement of the objectives of these two programmes and of cohesion policy.
Amendment 124 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5 a (new)
Recital 5 a (new)
(5a) To cope with social imbalances and tensions between tradition and innovation caused by profound structural changes such as the current transition, and because environmental and ecological change requires social and behavioural change and thus must be balanced by an understanding of peoples’ needs and aspirations, the JTF should reflect social sustainability as a precondition to the sustainable development that underpins the European Green Deal. Given that society and nature are deeply interconnected, a successful paradigm shift to a climate-neutral economy that truly leaves no one behind and is socially just in the long term should rest in a dynamic correlation between social, economic and environmental sustainability. In order to contribute to sustainable social development as a way for long-term environmental and economic sustainability, while simultaneously advancing the European social model as a future-oriented asset, the JTF should be a promoter of equity and wellbeing, social cohesion and security, inter- and intra-generational solidarity and redistribution of wealth, equitable access to basic needs, social services and resources, decent livelihoods, quality jobs, socially sustainable businesses, civic engagement and participation in decision-making, as well as a sense of place and community belonging for the present and future generations. To this end, the JTF should rely on valid social sustainability indicators and multidimensional benchmarking for effective guidance and monitoring of its implementation.
Amendment 128 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) In view of the importance of tackling climate change in line with the Union’s commitments to implement the Paris Agreement, the commitment regarding the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the increased ambition of the Union as proposed in the European Green Deal, the JTF should provide a key contribution to mainstream climate actions and should be conditional on the acceptance of the EU objective of climate neutrality by 2050 as well as the intermediate targets. Resources from the JTF own envelope are additional and come on top of the investments needed to achieve the overall target of 25% of the Union budget expenditure contributing to climate objectives. Resources transferred from the ERDF and ESF+ will contribute fully to the achievement of this target.
Amendment 129 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point a
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point a
(a) productive investments in SMEs, including start-ups, leading to job-creation, economic diversification and reconversion;
Amendment 135 #
(ca) investments to promote transport systems which improve urban mobility and make it more sustainable, also through the use of smart technological solutions;
Amendment 141 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point e
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point e
(e) investments in digitalisation and digital connectivity, in particular for the roll-out of broadband in remote and rural regions;
Amendment 143 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) The resources from the JTF should complement and be additional in relation to the resources available under cohesion policy, without in any way reducing the resources available under the latter and therefore undermining its current objectives.
Amendment 146 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point h
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point h
(h) upskilling and reskilling of workers and jobseekers;
Amendment 147 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point j a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point j a (new)
(ja) investments in social infrastructure and development of public services of general interest;
Amendment 178 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) To protect citizensgroups of people who are the most vulnerable tolikely to require support to achieve the climate transition, the JTF should also cover the up-skilling and reskilling of the affected workers, paying particular attention to the most vulnerable people as defined in the [ESF+ Regulation], with the aim of helping them to adapt to new employment opportunities, and achieving gender balance across sectors, as well as providing job-search assistance to jobseekers and their active inclusion into the labour marketactive labour market and skills policies targeted towards future oriented sectors and employment, assistance to those affected by the transition, and personalised job-search assistance to all categories of jobseekers and ensuring equal access to all groups of people without discrimination and their active inclusion into the labour market together with promoting workers’ buyout projects.
Amendment 191 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11 a (new)
Recital 11 a (new)
(11a) The Member States and the Commission should ensure that the implementation of the priorities financed by the JTF contributes to the respect and the promotion of equality between women and men in accordance with Article 8 TFEU. Evaluations have shown the importance of taking the gender equality objectives into account in all dimensions and in all stages of the preparation, monitoring, implementation and evaluation of operational programmes, in a timely and consistent manner while ensuring that specific actions are taken to promote gender equality and the principle of equal pay for equal work of equal value, the economic independence of women, education and skills upgrading and the reintegration of female victims of violence into the labour market and into society.
Amendment 198 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12
Recital 12
(12) In order to enhance the economic diversification of territories impacted by the transition, the JTF should provide support to productive investment in SMEs. Productive investment should be understood as investment in fixed capital or immaterial assets of enterprises in view of producing goods and services thereby contributing to gross-capital formation and employmentto social sustainability. For enterprises other than SMEs, productive investments should only be supported if they are necessary for mitigating job losses resulting from the transition, by creating or protecting a significant number of jobs and they do not lead to or result from relocation. Investments in existing industrial facilities, including those covered by the Union Emissions Trading System, should be allowed if they contribute to the transition to a climate- neutral economy by 2050 and go substantially below the relevant benchmarks established for free allocation under Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council14 and if they result in the protection of a significant number of decent and sustainable jobs. Any such investment should be justified accordingly in the relevant territorial just transition plan. In order to protect the integrity of the internal market and cohesion policy, support to undertakings should comply with Union State aid rules as set out in Articles 107 and 108 TFEU and, in particular, support to productive investments by enterprises other than SMEs should be limited to enterprises located in areas designated as assisted areas for the purposes of points (a) and (c) of Article 107(3) TFEU. __________________ 14Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 October 2003 establishing a scheme for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading within the Community and amending Council Directive 96/61/EC (OJ L 275, 25.10.2003, p. 32).
Amendment 202 #
3. The preparation and implementation of territorial just transition plans shall involve the relevant partners in accordance with Article [6] of Regulation (EU) [new CPR] and the relevant stakeholders at the geographical level of the affected territories referred in paragraph 1 of this article, in a bottom-up approach.
Amendment 207 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) In order to provide flexibility for the programming of the JTF resources under the Investment for jobs and growth goal, it should be possiblerequired to prepare a self- standing JTF programme or to programme JTF resources in one or more dedicated priorities within a programme supported by the European Regional Development Fund (‘ERDF’), the European Social Fund Plus (‘ESF+’) or the Cohesion Fund. In accordance with Article 21a of Regulation (EU) [new CPR], JTF resources should be reinforced with complementary funding from the ERDF and the ESF+, which should be given additional resources for this purpose. The respective amounts transferred from the ERDF and the ESF+ should be consistent with the type of operations set out in the territorial just transition plans.
Amendment 209 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) In order to provide flexibility for the programming of the JTF resources under the Investment for jobs and growth goal, it should be possible to prepare a self- standing JTF programme or to programme JTF resources in one or more dedicated priorities within a programme supported by the European Regional Development Fund (‘ERDF’), the European Social Fund Plus (‘ESF+’) or the Cohesion Fund with additional resources. In accordance with Article 21a of Regulation (EU) [new CPR], JTF resources should be reinforced with complementary funding from the ERDF and the ESF+, which should be given additional resources for this purpose. The respective amounts transferred from the ERDF and the ESF+ should be consistent with the type of operations set out in the territorial just transition plans.
Amendment 217 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) The JTF support should be conditional on the effective and measurable implementation of a transition process in a specific territory in order to achieve a climate-neutral economy by 2050. In that regard, Member States should prepare, in cooperationtogether with the relevant stakeholders, including social partners, civil society and local actors, and supported by the Commission, territorial just transition plans, detailing the transition process, consistently with their National Energy and Climate Planincluding job creation measures, upskilling and reskilling and investments in local social and public infrastructures, consistently with their National Energy and Climate Plans, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the European Pillar of Social Rights. To this end, the Commission should set up a Just Transition Platform, which would build on the existing platform for coal regions in transition to enable bilateral and multilateral exchanges of experience on lessons learnt and best practices across all affected sectors.
Amendment 223 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14 a (new)
Recital 14 a (new)
(14a) In order to ensure the long-term effectiveness and positive impacts of the transition and the JTF, data gathering by the Commission will be required to better forecast skills needed across sectors and industry to adapt to the change required by a new green economy and in particular to provide models for the employment effects of decarbonising scenarios, as well as monitoring through adequate social sustainability indicators.
Amendment 227 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) The territorial just transition plans should identify the actors and territories most negatively affected, where JTF support should be concentrated and describe specific actions to be undertaken to reach a climate-neutral economy, notably as regards the conversion or closure of facilities involving fossil fuel production or other greenhouse gas intensive activities, as well as a detailed plan on the social and public infrastructure investments, with the involvement of social partners at all stages of the process to input the specific needs to be targeted. Those territories should be precisely defined and correspond to NUTS level 3 regions or should be parts thereof. The plans should detail the challenges and needs of those territories and identify the type of operations needed in a manner that ensures the coherent development of climate-resilient economic activities that are also consistent with the transition to climate-neutrality and the objectives of the European Green Deal. Only investments in accordance with the transition plans should receive financial support from the JTF. The territorial just transition plans should be part of the programmes (supported by the ERDF, the ESF+, the Cohesion Fund or the JTF, as the case may be) which are national JTF programme which is to be approved by the Commission.
Amendment 245 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1
1. This Regulation establishes the Just Transition Fund (‘JTF’) to provide support to territories facing serious socio-economic challenges deriving from the transition process towards a climate-neutral economy of the Union by 2050, while simultaneously contributing to advance Europe’s social model for present and future generations.
Amendment 252 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1
Article 2 – paragraph 1
In accordance with the second subparagraph of Article [4(1)] of Regulation (EU) [new CPR], the JTF shall contribute to the single specific objective ‘enabling regions and people to address the social, labour market, economic and environmental impacts of the transition towards a climate- neutral economy’ and society consistent with the goal of limiting global temperature increase to well below 2 degrees Celsius, while pursuing efforts to limit the increase to 1.5 degrees.
Amendment 256 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1
Article 3 – paragraph 1
1. The JTF shall support the Investment for jobs and growth goal in all Member States, in line with the European Pillar of Social Rights and the European Green Deal and access shall be conditional on the acceptance of the EU’s climate objectives.
Amendment 263 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
The resources for the JTF under the Investment for jobs and growth goal available for budgetary commitment for the period 2021-2027 shall be EUR 18.7.5 billion in 2018 prices, which may be increased, as the case may benecessary, by additional resources allocated in the Union budget, and by other resources in accordance with the applicable basic act. The funding of the JTF shall not be to the detriment of resources allocated to the other MFF funds.
Amendment 284 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point a
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point a
(a) productive investments in SMEs, including start-ups, energy community entities and workers buyout cooperatives, leading to economic diversification and reconversion;
Amendment 328 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point i
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point i
(i) job-search assistance and skilling to jobseekers;
Amendment 342 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. In accordance with paragraph 1, the JTF shall support the following investments for the economic transition: (a) investments in socially sustainable SMEs, including start-ups, energy community entities and workers buyout cooperatives, leading to decent and sustainable job creation, economic diversification and reconversion; (b) investments in the creation of socially sustainable businesses in future-oriented sustainable sectors, including through business incubators and consulting services; (d) investments in the deployment of technology and infrastructures for affordable renewable energy, in greenhouse gas emission reduction and energy efficiency and renewable energy, if demand side measures are clearly shown to be insufficient and when those investments are socially sustainable and lead to the creation or maintenance of quality jobs ; (e) targeted energy efficiency retrofit measures to address energy poverty and poor housing conditions; (h) socially sustainable investments in fostering a non-toxic circular economy, including through prevention, reduction, resource efficiency, reuse, repair and recycling.
Amendment 346 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 c (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 2 c (new)
2c. In accordance with paragraph 1, the JTF shall support the following investments geared towards workers and job seekers: (a) upskilling and reskilling not only of workers but also persons outside the labour market, particularly young people not in employment, education or training (NEETs) and long-term unemployed and those with under-exploited or low educational levels, with the aim of overcoming workforce imbalances and bridging the skills gap necessary for the just transition to a green and resource- efficient society; (b) active labour market and skills policies targeted towards future-oriented sectors and sustainable employment as well as job-search assistance to jobseekers, including reskilling and upskilling and/or mediation towards other jobs or industries; (c) income support measures and social protection for workers in transition between work, training, self-employment or retirement with particular focus on in- work poverty and workers at risk of poverty; (d) active inclusion of job seekers; ensuring equal access and gender equality including equal pay for equal work.
Amendment 363 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point e a (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point e a (new)
(ea) investments in projects that do not respect occupational health and safety standards for workers.
Amendment 386 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1
Article 7 – paragraph 1
1. Member States shall prepare, in full compliance with the partnership principle, together with the relevant authorities of the territories concerned and social partners, as well as local communities, one or more territorial just transition plans covering one or more affected territories corresponding to level 3 of the common classification of territorial units for statistics (‘NUTS level 3 regions’) as established by Regulation (EC) No 1059/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council as amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 868/201417 or parts thereof, in accordance with the template set out in Annex II. Those territories shall be those most negatively affected based on the economic, labour market and social impacts resulting from the transition, in particular with regard to expected job losses in fossil fuel production and use and the transformation needs of the production processes of industrial facilities with the highest greenhouse gas intensity. __________________ 17 Regulation (EC) No 1059/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 May 2003 on the establishment of a common classification of territorial units for statistics (NUTS) (OJ L 154 21.6.2003, p. 1).
Amendment 396 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point b
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point b
(b) a justification for identifying the territories and sectors as most negatively affected by the transition process referred to in point (a) and to be supported by the JTF, in accordance with paragraph 1;
Amendment 402 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point c
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point c
(c) an assessment of the transition challenges faced by the most negatively affected territories and sectors, including the social, economic, and environmental impact of the transition to a climate-neutral economy, identifying the potential number of affected jobs and job losses, the development needs and objectives, to be reached by 2030 linked to the transformation or closure of greenhouse gas-intensive activities in those territories and challenges in terms of energy poverty;
Amendment 414 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point f
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point f
(f) a description of the governance mechanisms consisting of the partnership arrangements, the monitoring and evaluation measures planned and the responsible bodies in conformity with the European code of conduct on partnership in the framework of the European Structural and Investment Funds (CDR 240/2014);
Amendment 425 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point i
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point i
(i) where support is provided to investments to achieve the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from activities listed in Annex I to Directive 2003/87/EC, an exhaustive list of operations to be supported and a justification that they contribute to a transition to a climate neutral economy and lead to a substantial reduction in greenhouse-gas emissions going substantially below the relevant benchmarks established for free allocation under Directive 2003/87/EC and provided that they are necessary for the protection of a significant number of jobs; and are committed to social sustainability;
Amendment 483 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex II – point 2 – point 2.1 – introductory part
Annex II – point 2 – point 2.1 – introductory part
2.1. Assessment of the economic, social and, territorial and sectoral impact of the transition to a climate-neutral economy