23 Amendments of Maria-Manuel LEITÃO-MARQUES related to 2020/0006(COD)
Amendment 56 #
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 and requires substantial additional allocation from the Union Budget. 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. However, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 has had a profound impact on the European and global economies and it is necessary to increase the investments planned to achieve the climate neutrality objectives. While fighting climate change and environmental degradation will benefit all in the long term and provides opportunities and challenges for all in the medium to long term, not all regions and Member States start their transition from the same point or, have the same capacity to respond. Some are more advanced than others, whereas the transition entails a wider social and economic impact for those regions that rely heavily on fossil fuels - especially coal, lignite, peat and oil shale - or greenhouse gas intensive industries. 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. Such misbalance should be reflected in fair allocation of resources to affected Member states and regions requiring adequate financial support to ensure real just transition and avoid negative socio-economic impacts on industries and workers. JTF should address the most vulnerable regions and workers affected by the socio-economic transition and prevent deepening of energy poverty.
Amendment 75 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) As set out in the European Green Deal and the Sustainable Europe Investment Plan, a Just Transition Mechanism should complement the other actions under the next multi-annual financial framework for the period from 2021 to 2027. It should contribute to addressing the social and economic consequences of transitioning towards Union climate neutrality by 2050 by bringing together the Union budget’s spending on climate, economic and social objectives at both national and regional level.
Amendment 78 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4 a (new)
Recital 4 a (new)
(4a) The green recovery should play an important role in mitigating the negative impacts of the COVID-19 crisis by creating opportunities for affected regions, industries, SMEs, and can therefore play a crucial role as post-crisis recovery plans.
Amendment 79 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4 b (new)
Recital 4 b (new)
(4b) Just Transition Fund should tackle energy poverty as an issue of social justice, and should compensate incomes of most vulnerable groups in countries that do not have adequate financial reserves. In defining these measures, an active participations of trade unions, civil society organizations and relevant stakeholders complementing national and regional governments is essential.
Amendment 90 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5 a (new)
Recital 5 a (new)
(5a) A just transition fund cannot aggravate existing inequalities among Member States nor weaken the single market.
Amendment 97 #
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. 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+ willmay contribute fully to the achievement of this target according to Members States necessity.
Amendment 108 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7 a (new)
Recital 7 a (new)
(7a) The establishment of the JTF should not lead to cuts to, or transfers from cohesion policy effectively reducing the fund devoted to other cohesion policy program.
Amendment 180 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) The territorial just transition plans should identify the 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 whilst maintaining and expanding employment opportunities in the affected territories in order to avoid social exclusion. Those territories should be precisely defined and correspond to NUTS level 3 regions or should be parts thereof. The plans should detail the challenges and needs of those territories and identify the type of operations needed in a manner that ensures the coherent development of climate-resilient economic activities that are also consistent with the transition to climate-neutrality and the objectives of the Green Deal. Only investments in accordance with the transition plans should receive financial support from the JTF. The territorial just transition plans should be part of the programmes (supported by the ERDF, the ESF+, the Cohesion Fund or the JTF, as the case may be) which are approved by the Commission.
Amendment 184 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15 a (new)
Recital 15 a (new)
(15a) The JTF should ensure the active participation of relevant public authorities, economic and social partners, including trade unions and other relevant civil society stakeholders in the preparation and implementation of the territorial just transition plans;
Amendment 212 #
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 ‘achievement of the EU 2030 climate objectives, as set up in the article2 of the European climate law, enabling regions and people to address the social, economic and environmental impacts of the transition towards a climate- neutral economy’ by 2050.
Amendment 218 #
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 and regions facing subsequent decarbonisation challenge and requiring adequate financial support to ensure real just transition and avoiding negative socio-economic impacts on industries, SMEs, including start-ups, as well as workers who lose their jobs as consequence of the transition.
Amendment 271 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point d
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point d
(d) investments in the deployment of technology and infrastructures for affordable clean renewable energy, in greenhouse gas emission reduction, energy efficiency and renewable energincluding technologies that enable the integration of renewable energy, such as storage and green hydrogen and energy efficiency;
Amendment 313 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point f
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point f
(f) investments in regeneration and decontamination of sites, land restoration and repurposing projects, while ensuring respect for the “polluter pays” principle;
Amendment 323 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point g a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point g a (new)
(ga) investments in projects for fighting energy poverty and enhancing energy efficiency on most affected regions;
Amendment 328 #
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 worker, reskilling and out- skilling of workers and self-employed persons whose activity has been affected as a result of major structural changes;
Amendment 330 #
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 towards the green economy sector;
Amendment 334 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point i
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point i
(i) job-search assistance to jobseekers; and income support to workers who lost their job as consequence of the transition.
Amendment 338 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point j
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point j
(j) active inclusion of jobseekers including income support for transitioning workers and mobility grants for workers who need to move for a new job;
Amendment 398 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1
Article 7 – paragraph 1
1. Member States shall prepare, together with the relevant authorities of the territories concerned on both national and regional level, 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 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. Relevant authorities and stakeholders should be actively involved in all phases of the process: preparatory, selection and implementation. __________________ 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 408 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) a description of the transition process at national and regional level towards the achievement of the EU 2030 climate targets, as set up in the European climate law, and of a climate- neutral economy by 2050, including a timeline for key transition steps which are consistent with the latest version of the National Energy and Climate Plan (‘NECP’); and European Semester Report
Amendment 432 #
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 both on national and regional level;
Amendment 448 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 3
Article 7 – paragraph 3
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]. as well as representatives of industry, energy sector, social partners, national and regional authorities and relevant stakeholders
Amendment 452 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1
Article 7 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1
Territorial just transition plans shall be consistent with the territorial strategies referred to in Article [23] of Regulation (EU) [new CPR], with the 2030 climate targets and carbon neutrality objective by 2050 referred in Article 2 of the European Climate Law, with relevant smart specialisation strategies, the NECPs and the European Pillar of Social Rights.