46 Amendments of Lídia PEREIRA related to 2020/0006(COD)
Amendment 36 #
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. 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 absorptionsile avoiding environmental degradation and not causing significant harm to any ecosystem, where any remaining greenhouse gas emissions are compensated by equivalent absorptions, where there is closed loop on resources and emissions, where resource efficiency is factored to ten times from the current level, and where waste is designed out from products and the economy. _________________ 11 COM(2019) 640 final, 11.12.2019. 12 COM(2020) 21, 14.1.2020.
Amendment 42 #
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. 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 absorptionsile avoiding environmental degradation and not causing significant harm to any ecosystem, where any remaining greenhouse gas emissions are compensated by equivalent absorptions, where there is closed loop on resources and emissions, where resource efficiency is factored to ten times from the current level, and where waste is designed out from products and the economy. _________________ 11 COM(2019) 640 final, 11.12.2019. 12 COM(2020) 21, 14.1.2020.
Amendment 51 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1 b (new)
Recital 1 b (new)
(1b) Just transition should be adopted and implemented in line with do no harm principle of the Green Deal and should not increase pressure on world’s, including European, forests. Investment shall only be eligible if a biomass sustainability report and feasibility study confirms availability of existing waste biomass streams to fuel the capacity of a respective operation and without negative impact on wood-working material industries, biodiversity, and carbon sink of the land use, land use change and forestry sector.
Amendment 57 #
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. Member States’ access to funding from the Just Transition Fund will be conditional on subscribing to this objective of a climate-neutral Union by 2050. 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 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.
Amendment 64 #
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. 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 energy 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 75 #
(3a) Transition to carbon neutral economy is also an opportunity to create more jobs. According to European Commission 2019 Employment and Social Developments in Europe (ESDE) review, the transition to a carbon-neutral economy will increase the number of jobs available. By 2030, the transition is expected to create an additional 1.2 million jobs in the EU, on top of the 12 million new jobs already expected. According to the Commission, the transition could mitigate the ongoing job polarisation resulting from automation and digitalisation by creating jobs also in the middle of the wage and skill distributions, particularly in construction and manufacturing.
Amendment 79 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) In order to be successful, the transition has to be fair and socially acceptable for all, taking into account economic efficiency, energy security and energy affordability.. 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. The Union budget has an important role in that regard.
Amendment 86 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) This Regulation establishes the Just Transition Fund (‘JTF’) which is one of the pillars of the Just Transition Mechanism implemented under cohesion policy. The aim of the JTF is to mitigate the adverse effects of the climate transition by supporting the most affected territories and workers concerned, by ensuring the take up of new and innovative sustainable public and private projects and other endeavours that can transform the local economy, worklife and private companies climate neutral, circular, non-toxic and sustainable in other environmental aspects. In line with the JTF specific objective, actions supported by the JTF should directly contribute to alleviate the impact of the transition by financing the diversification and modernisation of the local economy and by mitigating the negative repercussions on employment, through education, reskilling and financing of labour intensive projects that create new jobs, such as sustainable construction and green infrastructure projects. This is reflected in the JTF specific objective, which is established at the same level and listed together with the policy objectives set out in Article [4] of Regulation EU [new CPR].
Amendment 95 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) This Regulation establishes the Just Transition Fund (‘JTF’) which is one of the pillars of the Just Transition Mechanism implemented under cohesion policy. The aim of the JTF is to mitigate the adverse effects of the climate transition by supporting the most affected territories and workers concerned. In line with the JTF specific objective, actions supported by the JTF should directly contribute to alleviate the impact of the fair energy transition by financing the diversification and modernisation of the local economy and by mitigating the negative repercussions on employment, upskilling, or requalifying the local labour force. This is reflected in the JTF specific objective, which is established at the same level and listed together with the policy objectives set out in Article [4] of Regulation EU [new CPR].
Amendment 98 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5 a (new)
Recital 5 a (new)
(5a) The Just Transition Fund (JTF) is pursuing a specific goal of carbon neutrality by 2050 and this goal requires a commensurate level of financing. This financing should be separate to the EU structural and investment funds. The JTF should be financed as part of a strengthened Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027, with new own resources and the capacity to aid Europe’s economic recovery.
Amendment 100 #
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+ will contribute fully to the achievement of this target.
Amendment 109 #
(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 and the Climate law, 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+ will contribute fully to the achievement of this target.
Amendment 111 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) The resources from the JTF should complement the resources available under cohesion policy but should by no means replace such investments and in particular funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the European Social Fund (ESF+) or the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD).
Amendment 121 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) The resources from the JTF shouldmay complement the resources available under cohesion policy. The establishment of the JTF should not lead to cuts in or transfers from the funds covered by Regulation (EU) [new CPR].
Amendment 131 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) Transitioning to a climate-neutral economy is a challenge for all Member States. It will be particularly demanding for those Member States that rely heavily on fossil fuels or greenhouse gas intensive industrial activities which need to be phased out or which need to adapt due to the transition towards climate neutrality and that lack the financial means to do so. The JTF should therefore cover all Member States, but the distribution of its financial means should reflect the capacity of Member States to finance the necessary investments to cope with the transition towards climate neutrality. The negative social and economic impacts will be particularly felt in rural areas that depend on such fossil fuel reliant activities for employment.
Amendment 153 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) This Regulation identifies types of investments for which expenditure may be supported by the JTF. All supported activities should be pursued in full respect of the climate and environmental prioriobjectives of the Union and the EU Taxonomy for Sustainable Finance, including the do no significant harm principle. The list of investments should include those that support local economies and are sustainable in the long- term, taking into account all the objectives of the Green Deal. The projects financed should contribute to a transition to a climate- neutral and circular economy while not harming any other environmental objective set out in the EU Taxonomy Regulation and in line with the do no significant harm principle. For declining sectors, such as energy production based on coal, lignite, peat and oil shale or extraction activities for these solid fossil fuels, support should be linked to the phasing out of the activity and the corresponding reduction in the employment level. As regards transforming sectors with high greenhouse gas emission levels, support should promote new activities through the deployment of new technologies, new processes or products, leading to significant emission reduction, in line with the EU 2030 climate objectives and EU climate neutrality by 205013 while maintaining and enhancing employment and avoiding environmental degradation. Particular attention should also be given to activities enhancing innovation and research in advanced and sustainable technologies, as well as in the fields of digitalisation and connectivity, rail connectivity and high-speed trains, energy networks such as smart and super grids, provided that such measures help mitigate the negative side effects of a transition towards, and contribute to, a climate- neutral and circular economy. Technical support should be enhanced in the form of local and national level incubators and project nurseries bringing together financers and project promoters. These incubators should particularly facilitate different startups, public and private partnerships and disruptive technologies and service models, to help these project proposals to mature to receive finance at national and EU level. _________________ 13 As set out in “A Clean Planet for all European strategic long-term vision for a prosperous, modern, competitive and climate neutral economy”, Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the European Council, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions and the European Investment Bank - COM(2018) 773 final.
Amendment 157 #
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 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 162 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) The JTF support should be conditional on the effective implementation of a transition process in a specific territory in order to achieve a climate-neutral economy. In that regard, together with the regional and local authorities of the territories concerned at least at NUTS levels 2 and 3 and in close Member States should prepare, in cooperation with the relevant stakeholders and supported by the Commission, territorial just transition plans, detailing the transition process, consistently with their National Energy and Climate Plans. 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 178 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) To protect citizens who are most vulnerable to the climate transition, the JTF should also cover the up-skilling and reskilling of the affected workers, with the aim of helping themproviding them with the necessary qualifications and skills to adapt to new and better employment opportunities, as well as providing job-search assistance to jobseekers and their active inclusion into the labour market.
Amendment 179 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 18 a (new)
Recital 18 a (new)
(18a) Once this regulation has been adopted, the JTF should be operationalised as quickly as possible with a view to leveraging the investments needed to pursue its specific goal and to responding to the urgent need to support transitioning regions at a particularly difficult time regarding the European economy.
Amendment 180 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 18 b (new)
Recital 18 b (new)
(18b) Priority must be given to quickly and effectively implementing the JTF. To this end, with a view to cutting costs and maximising the use of the JTF in all its financial capacity for its specific goal, the Commission should ensure that the relevant administrative processes are quick and involve little red tape.
Amendment 186 #
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, energy security and energy affordability challenges deriving from the energy transition process towards a just climate-neutral economy of the Union by 2050.
Amendment 193 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12 a (new)
Recital 12 a (new)
(12a) EU state aid rules must be flexible if eligible regions in transition are to attract private investment. When drafting the new guidelines, the Commission should therefore also take into account the problems of structural change in the regions concerned, in order to ensure that these regions are given sufficient flexibility to carry out their projects in a socially and economically viable manner.
Amendment 195 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12 b (new)
Recital 12 b (new)
(12b) Support for productive investment in enterprises other than SMEs through the Just Transition Fund should not be limited to the areas eligible for State aid under the applicable State aid rules pursuant to Article 107(3)(a)and (c) TFEU. On the contrary, State aid rules should allow all regions receiving assistance through the JTF to effectively address the threat of job losses at an early stage. This should also be ensured by adapting the general block exemption Regulation accordingly;
Amendment 199 #
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, economic and environmental impacts of the energy transition towards a sustainable climate- neutral economy’.
Amendment 210 #
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 at least EUR 7.540 billion in 2018 prices, whichand shall not be transferred from the allocations of the funds covered by the Regulation (EU)[new CPR], particularly from funds such as the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the European Social Fund (ESF+) or the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD). This amount may be increased, as the case may be, by additional resources allocated in the Union budget, and by other resources in accordance with the applicable basic act.
Amendment 217 #
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. 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 do no significant harm principle of the EU Taxonomy for Sustainable Finance, and not hampering the low carbon transition or leading to lock in or stranded assets should receive financial support from the JTF. No activities or programmes supporting the continued use of fossil fuels should be eligible. 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 253 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point c
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point c
(c) sustainable investments in research and innovation activities and infrastructure and fostering the transfer of advanced market-ready technologies;
Amendment 268 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point d b (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point d b (new)
(d b) investments in cross-border electricity interconnection, with a view to achieving the target of 15 % by 2030;
Amendment 269 #
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, economic, public health and environmental impacts of the transition towards a climate- neutral economy’.
Amendment 312 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point a
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point a
(a) productive and sustainable investments in SMEs, including start-ups, leading to decent and sustainable job creation, economic diversification and reconversion;
Amendment 352 #
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 energy, in greenhouse gas emission reduction, energy efficiency and renewable energy, energy networks such as smart and super grids;
Amendment 368 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2
Article 6 – paragraph 2
2. The JTF priority or priorities shall comprise the JTF resources consisting of all or part of the JTF allocation for the Member States and the resources transferred in accordance with Article [21a] of Regulation (EU) [new CPR]. The total of the ERDF and ESF+ resources transferred to the JTF priority shall be at least equal to one and a half times the amount of support from the JTF to that priority but shall not exceed three times that amount.
Amendment 374 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 6 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Eligible projects financed under the Just Transition Fund contributing to the specific objective as set out in Article 2 can benefit from up to 75% of relevant costs.
Amendment 381 #
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; , particularly high speed broadband in rural areas;
Amendment 390 #
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 where regeneration of the site was not a precondition for the permit provided to an operator;
Amendment 393 #
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, including the social, economic, energy security and environmental impact of the energy 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;
Amendment 394 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point d
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point d
(d) a description of the expected contribution of the JTF support to addressing the social, economic, energy security and environmental impacts of the transition to a climate-neutral economy;
Amendment 398 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point f a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point f a (new)
(f a) investments and knowledge transfer mainstreaming the transition to sustainable land management, in particular in peatland-rich regions
Amendment 402 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point g
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point g
(g) a description of the type of operations envisaged and their expected contribution to alleviate the impact ofsocial, economic, energy security and environmental impact of and facilitate the transition;
Amendment 406 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point h
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point h
(h) where support is provided to productive investments to enterprises other than SMEs, an as exhaustive as possible list of such operations and enterprises and a justification of the necessity of such support through a gap analysis demonstrating that the expected job losses would exceed the expected number of jobs created in the absence of the investment;
Amendment 420 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 2 a (new)
Article 7 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 2 a (new)
The preparation and development of territorial transition plans shall be subject to public consultation.
Amendment 436 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point k a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point k a (new)
(ka) investments for transport and construction sector decarbonisation.
Amendment 546 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1
Article 7 – paragraph 1
1. Member States shall prepare, together with the relevant local authorities of the territories concerned, 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. _________________ 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 558 #
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 level towards a climate- neutral economy, including a timeline for key transition steps which are consistent with the latest versionobjectives of the National Energy and Climate Plan (‘NECP’) and with the EU Climate Law;
Amendment 614 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 1
Article 9 – paragraph 1
Where the Commission concludes, based on the examination of the final performance report of the programme, that there is a failure to achieve at least 65% of the target established for one or more output or result indicators for the JTF resources, it mayshall make financial corrections pursuant to Article [98] of Regulation (EU) [new CPR] by reducing the support from the JTF to the priority concerned in proportion to the achievements.