23 Amendments of Dan-Ştefan MOTREANU related to 2021/0206(COD)
Amendment 89 #
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 sustainable, fairer and more prosperous society, with a modern, resource-efficient and competitive economy, where there are no net emissions of greenhouse gases in 2050 and where economic growth is decoupled from resource use. The Commission proposes also to 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. _________________ Sustained efforts shall be provided in order to mitigate the possible negative effects of the current legislation on affected households, businesses and Member States. The overall ambitiousness of the EU climate engagement for the next decades demands univocal transparency in the efforts to lessen the burden on affected Europeans and businesses and a just transition is decisive for providing positive public perception and support for the successful implementation of the European Green Deal.1a _________________ 1a More than half of the respondents to the public consultation on updating the EU emissions and trading system judged that the increased transparency regarding benchmark values and process via mandatory publication of underlying data by industry (38% “very important”, 17% ”important”) as the most relevant aspect in relation to the benchmark based allocation. Cf. “Summary report on the public consultation on updating the EU emission trading system (ETS)” https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better- regulation/have-your- say/initiatives/12660-Climate-change- updating-the-EU-emissions-trading- system-ETS-/public-consultation_en (p.4). 29 COM(2019)640 final.
Amendment 104 #
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. These measures, in the short to medium term, might increase inequalities between Member States, regions and citizens, and severely affect low- and low to middle-income households and SMEs in countries and regions witless developed economy, lower levels of energy efficiency and lower market shares of green technology solutions. Therefore, any extension of the ETS should be gradual and covered by pre-emptive investment support. _________________ 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).
Amendment 116 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) However, rResources are needed to finance those investments. In addition, before they have taken plaSince, 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 the emission trading for buildings and road transport pass on costs on carbon to the consumerlready vulnerable households and businesses will be unable to bear the cost of the investment and will need adequate protection and assistance in order to become part of the reduction of fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
Amendment 129 #
(10) The increase in the price for fossil fuels maywill disproportionally affect vulnerable households, vulnerable micro- enterprises, SMEs and vulnerable transport users who spend a larger psharte of their incomes on energy and transport as well as energy- and transport – price sensitive commodities, such as food, who, in certain regions, do not have access to alternative, affordable mobility and transport solutions and who may lack the financial capacity to invest into the reduction of fossil fuel consumption.
Amendment 135 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10 a (new)
Recital 10 a (new)
(10a) Furthermore, a rapid increase in energy and transport prices without preventive and pre-emptive investment, might lead to increase of the number of households in energy poverty and effective downward transition from middle-income to low-income status, as well as bankruptcy of SMEs. Such a development should be considered a major risk to the EU climate related policies, especially in the light of the intensive hybrid and disinformation campaigns targeting the European efforts for decarbonisation.
Amendment 142 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) Therefore, a part of the revenues generated by carbon pricing should be used to pre-emptively address the social impacts from the initial phase of the new EU climate policies, and 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 inclusion, for thecompensate for those preventive investments and complement them, when necessary, assuring the ecological transition to be just and inclusive, leaving no one behind.
Amendment 153 #
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 heating. 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. 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. Therefore, a Union-level definition of energy-poverty, based on household budget statistics from all Member States, should be established to effectively address energy poverty and measure and monitor progress or deterioration across Member States. Additionally, such an approach will provide for full transparency of the efforts for a just transition. _________________ 32 Data from 2018. Eurostat, SILC [ilc_mdes01]).
Amendment 162 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12 a (new)
Recital 12 a (new)
(12a) Transport poverty has been underexposed and no clear definitions are available at Union or national level. However, the problem is becoming more pressing to address as a result of the increasing phase-out requirements for combustion engine vehicles, high fuel prices, or high dependencies on transport availability, accessibility and costs to go to work or for daily mobility needs due to living in rural, insular, mountainous, remote and less accessible areas or for less developed regions or territories, including less developed peri-urban areas. Therefore, a Union-level definition of energy-poverty, based on household budget statistics from all Member States, should be established to effectively address energy poverty and measure and monitor progress or deterioration across Member States. Additionally, such an approach will provide for full transparency of the efforts for a just transition.
Amendment 167 #
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 transportnew EU climate policies on vulnerable households, SMEs, vulnerable micro-enterprises and vulnerable transport users, as well as the impact of rising energy prices and energy sensitive prices on various commodities and especially on food prices. This should be achieved notably through temporary income support and measures andpre-emptive investments intended to reduce 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 more energy efficient mobility and transport, preferably zero- and low- emission mobility and transport, but as a temporary solution also any more efficient solution, to the benefit of vulnerable households, vulnerable micro-enterprises and vulnerable transport users . Temporary direct income support should also be included as a measure of last resort, only in cases where investment support is ineffective or impossible.
Amendment 219 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14 a (new)
Recital 14 a (new)
(14a) Particular attention should be also paid to the situation of owners of houses and apartments, living in energy poverty and those in risk to fall into energy poverty as a result of increasing prices, especially elderly owners in rural areas and owners in big residential buildings in poor condition. Vulnerable property owners should receive investment support well before their energy costs are effectively increased and thus shall be provided with enough time to adapt.
Amendment 244 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) Ensuring that the measures and investments are particularly targeted towards energy poor or vulnerable households and households in risk of energy poverty, vulnerable micro- enterprises and SMEs, especially those in risk of bankruptcy, 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 transport.
Amendment 392 #
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, SMEs and transport users, which are vulnerable and particularly affected by the inclusion of greenhouse gas emissions from buildings and road transport into the scope of Directive 2003/87/EC, especially households in energy poverty and citizens without public transportnew EU climate policies and increased levels of carbon pricing, especially households in energy poverty and citizens in transport poverty, especially those with no accessible and/or affordable alternative to individual internal combustion cars (in remote and rural areas), in Member States with low share of electric vehicles and/or unaffordable prices of such vehicles, compared to the median national income.
Amendment 407 #
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/ECreased EU climate ambitions, embedded in the new climate policies and the increased carbon pricing. The specific objective of the Fund is to support vulnerable households, vulnerable SMEs and micro-enterprises and vulnerable transport users through temporary direct income support and through measures and investments intended to increase 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 transmore efficient mobility and transport, and - as a measure of last resort - through temporary direct income support.
Amendment 463 #
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, that are significantly affected by the price impacts of the inclusion of buildings intocarbon pricing measures taken at Union and national level, respectively, or are at risk of energy poverty and to enable the scope of Directive 2003/87/ECllective achievement of the climate- neutrality objective set out in article 2, paragraph 1 of Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 (“European Climate Law”) and lack the means to renovate the building they occupy;.
Amendment 474 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 12
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 12
(12) ‘vulnerable micro-enterprises’ and SMEs means micro-enterprises that are significantly affected by the price impacts of the inclusion of buildings into the scope of Directive 2003/87/EC and lack the means to renovate the building they occupy, by virtue of their main business activities, heavily dependent on energy/fuel prices and energy/fuel constitutes a significant share of their production or service costs and for whom technologies for significant reduction of their energy/fuel consumption is either not accessible on the market or not affordable when taking into account their main indicators of business activity (production, turnover, gross operating surplus);
Amendment 493 #
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/EC andnew EU climate policies and increased levels of carbon pricing, and are at risk of transport poverty, 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 and remote areas and in Member States with low share of electric vehicles and/or unaffordable prices of such vehicles, compared to the median national income in the country.
Amendment 526 #
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 fromcarbon pricing measures taken at Union and national level respectively, providing exhaustive statistical information on the incevolustion of buildings and road transport into the scope of Directive 2003/87/EC.relative and absolute prices of energy, transport and food and their impact on the household budgets by income deciles in order to enable a just path for the achievement of the climate neutrality objective set out in article 2, paragraph 1 of Regulation (EU) 2021/1119;
Amendment 559 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point b
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point b
(b) finance measures and investments to increase the uptake of zero- and low- emission mobility and transport, or – in Member States with low share of electric vehicles and/or unaffordable prices of such vehicles, compared to the median national income support other forms of mobility and personal transport that contribute to the reduction of greenhouse emissions.
Amendment 596 #
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, market share of zero and low emission vehicles, and prices of electric vehicles compared to the median income, and identifying the areas mostly affected, particularly territories which are remote and rural;
Amendment 663 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point c
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point c
(c) zero- and low-emission mobility and transport or – in Member States with low share and/or unaffordable prices of electric vehicles, compared to the median national income, support other forms of mobility and personal transport that contribute to the reduction of greenhouse emissions;
Amendment 739 #
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, smart internal electricity installations or covering connection costs to smart grids and any other measures, that contribute univocally to the achievements of energy savings;
Amendment 750 #
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 in line with the social goals of the Fund, including personal, community-based or local smart grid solutions, allowing for energy independence, direct income from renewable energy production and/or reduction in energy costs;
Amendment 764 #
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 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; incentivizing access to second hand zero- and low-emission market, or in Member States with low share of electric vehicles and/or unaffordable prices of such vehicles, compared to the median income , support other forms of mobility and personal transport that contribute to the reduction of greenhouse emissions, including financial support or fiscal incentives for their purchase as well as for appropriate public and private infrastructure, including for recharging and refuelling, smart grids, allowing for low- cost or free of charge recharging and energy communities, allowing for peer-to- peer balancing of energy consumption; for support concerning low-emission vehicles, a timetable for gradually reducing the support shall be provided, varying between Member States and regions, depending on market share and affordability of electric vehicles and the relative importance of the second hand market;