Activities of Petros KOKKALIS related to 2020/2058(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Sustainable Europe Investment Plan - How to finance the Green Deal (debate)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the Sustainable Europe Investment Plan - How to finance the Green Deal
Opinions (1)
OPINION on the Sustainable Europe Investment Plan – How to finance the Green Deal
Amendments (112)
Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Calls on the Commission to introduce Environmental Protection and Environmental Education as the one of the key principles of the ESC programme;
Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the Commission communication on the Sustainable Europe Investment Plan (COM(2020)0021), which aims to enable a just and well- managed transition towards a resilient and, sustainable society; emphasises that it is imperative that the EU achieve the revised 2030 and 2050 climate, energy and biodiversity goals and reach its commitments under the Paris Agreement, based on the best available science;
Amendment 11 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1 b. Underlines the fact that the Green Deal requires a ''cultural wing'' that would foster the transition by utilizing art and culture to manifest its benefits as well as investing in culture and art as sustainable means of growth;
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 c (new)
Paragraph 1 c (new)
1 c. Highlights the importance of cultural diversity as necessary for humankind as biodiversity is for nature, whereas recognizes the diversity of cultural expressions as a driving force for financial development and welfare and the importance of a wide cultural ecosystem, with diversity of origins, actors and content for sustainable development;
Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 d (new)
Paragraph 1 d (new)
1 d. Reiterates the liaison among public spaces as cultural spaces and places of cultural expression and expressiveness as a basic dimension of human dignity and social inclusion without prejudice to gender, origin or any other form of discrimination and thus believes that investment should be fostered in upgrading cultural and traditional routes which can act as elements of protection and heritage management, as well as basis for solid transnational cooperation;
Amendment 18 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Points out that under the investment plan, funding can be dedicated to thematic projects in the fields of education, volunteering and cultureshould be allocated inter alia to thematic projects, at local, regional, national and European level, in the fields of education, volunteering and culture to raise awareness on climate- and environmental-related issues; calls on the Commission to step up the synergies between the Green Deal and Erasmus+, the European Solidarity Corps and Creative Europe in order to complement and cross- fertilise their specific methods of tackling environmental issues;
Amendment 18 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Stresses that substantial amounts of public and private investments are needed to set the Union firmly on the path to climate neutrality as well as to a sustainable, socially fair and resilient recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic;
Amendment 19 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital -A (new)
Recital -A (new)
-A. whereas the necessary climate change adaptation investments are not yet assessed and incorporated into the MFF climate figures,
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital -A (new)
Recital -A (new)
-A. whereas the path to climate neutrality by 2050, with a first milestone of 50 to 55% by 2030 emission reductions compared to 1990, will boost the competitiveness of the Union economy and result in a surplus of sustainable, high quality jobs,
Amendment 24 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2 b. Highlights the fact that Europe's cultural ecosystem is fragile, is characterized by precarious working conditions and uncertainty for the overwhelming majority of cultural workers, thus it is fundamental to ensure that all sustainability and greening measures mainstreamed through the cultural strand of Creative Europe will not negatively impact the underfunded cultural and creative sectors;
Amendment 26 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 d (new)
Paragraph 2 d (new)
2 d. Underlines that the transition towards a climate-neutral society requires new skills and competences; notes that funds should be allocated in this regard to the development and implementation of programmes for students and workers to provide for the specialised training, knowledge and skills required to adapt to and thrive in the new socio-economic context;
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital -A (new)
Recital -A (new)
-A. whereas the EU climate law will set in stone the EU’s commitment to climate neutrality by 2050, including ambitious intermediary steps necessary to achieve this objective,
Amendment 28 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 f (new)
Paragraph 2 f (new)
2 f. Expects an ambitious MFF and a Recovery Plan endowed with the financial, and enhanced and new genuine EU own resources system in order to successfully finance the Green Deal;
Amendment 29 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 g (new)
Paragraph 2 g (new)
2 g. Calls on the Commission to publish a ‘good environmental practice’ guide covering audiovisual and cultural production, dissemination and event organisation, with a particular focus on transport, energy, sport and waste management;
Amendment 29 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital -A (new)
Recital -A (new)
-A. whereas the European Green Deal is a growth strategy and should lead to sustainable and inclusive economic growth, job creation and ensure the strategic autonomy of the EU,
Amendment 31 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 i (new)
Paragraph 2 i (new)
2 i. Urges the Commission to make it possible for participants and beneficiaries of Erasmus+, Creative Europe and ESC to choose the least-polluting means of transport; calls on the Commission to revise the current financial rules so that the additional costs and journey times associated with the use of more environmentally friendly means of transport can be offset; insists that the additional costs be reimbursed in full;
Amendment 31 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital -A (new)
Recital -A (new)
-A. whereas public and private finance should adhere to the EU Taxonomy and to the Do Not Significantly Harm principle so that EU financial instruments, including the EU budget, including facilities financed through Next Generation EU, the EU Semester, the EU Investment Plan, the EIB, ECB and EU funding sources such as cohesion funds and structural and investment funds, should not go to objects, projects and activities that do significantly harm to social or environmental objectives,
Amendment 32 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 j (new)
Paragraph 2 j (new)
2 j. Calls on the Commission to include respect for the environment among the principles set out in the Erasmus+, the European Solidarity Corps and Creative Europe;
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital -A (new)
Recital -A (new)
-A. whereas the spending required to support European economies raise the question of how incurred debt will be repaid; whereas it is important to prevent the increase in inequalities suffered following the previous crisis, where the burden on citizens was increased to bail out banks,
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital -A (new)
Recital -A (new)
-A. whereas creating a sustainable economic system is central to developing long-term strategic autonomy of the European Union and to increase the EU’s resilience,
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital -A (new)
Recital -A (new)
-A. whereas tax exemptions for the aviation and maritime sectors may also distort competition between industrial sectors and may promote inefficient and polluting modes of transport,
Amendment 38 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Welcomes the revised proposal for the next MFF and the Recovery Plan for Europe with the European Green Deal at the core; regrets that the Commission’s ambition of climate spending under the revised proposal is not increased in line with the foreseen increases in the ambition of climate and energy targets and of environmental objectives; expects an increase commensurate with the targets to be set by the Climate Law;
Amendment 41 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Notes that the transition to an economy with net-zero emissions will have an increased impact on vulnerable and marginalised groups and individuals; emphasizes the importance of education in minimizing social differences and inequalities and in providing opportunities for students from disadvantaged backgrounds; calls on the Commission to ensure dedicated funding in this regard;
Amendment 42 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3 b. Underlines that improved energy efficiency of buildings will be one of the key enablers of the transition towards a carbon-neutral economy; emphasizes that increased investments are necessary for the renovation of energy-intensive buildings of schools, universities and of other educational and cultural institutions in order to improve their energy performance thus making them more sustainable and climate friendly;
Amendment 42 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2b. Notes that the financing of the European Green Deal should be complemented by a set of new EU own resources and calls on the Commission to come forward with a proposal for a new basket of adequate EU own resources that will enable the EU budget to achieve the transition to climate neutrality; recalls that the list of potential new EU own resources include a common consolidated corporate tax base, digital services taxation, a financial transaction tax, income from the emissions trading scheme, a plastics contribution and a carbon border adjustment mechanism;
Amendment 46 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 c (new)
Paragraph 2 c (new)
2c. Insists that any future introduction of new EU own resources based on a share of the revenues generated by the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), on a tax imposed on the amount of non- recycled plastic packaging waste or on a carbon adjustment mechanism should exclusively be directed to the financing of climate change mitigation and adaptation measures and to achieving the Union’s short- and long-term climate, energy and environmental goals, as set out in the European Green Deal and mandated by the commitments made under the Paris Agreement;
Amendment 50 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the Sustainable Europe Investment Plan (SEIP) as central in ensuring the success of the Green Deal and the transition towards a more sustainable and resilient economy; stresses that the plan should be at the heart of a coordinated and inclusive Union response to building a more resilient economy and society after the Covid-19 crisis;
Amendment 51 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Notes the tremendous impact that the COVID-19 had on the cultural and creative sectors; urges the Commission to offer financial aid to the cultural and creative sectors and the whole cultural ecosystem, including through the Corona Response Investment Initiative and construct supportive measures that would alleviate the impact; urges the Commission to propose the increase the budget of the Create Europe Programme 2021-2027 in order to alleviate the effects of the crisis in the long-term; stresses the need to include the cultural and creative sectors as priority sectors in the Recovery Fund as well as boosting the EU's investment tools, such as Invest EU, to open eligibility for the CCS; highlights the urgent need to ensure the availability of EU funds, specifically structural funds for the CCS as well as new support measures for creators, creative workers and freelancers in the EU;
Amendment 65 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Welcomes the Commission’s European Recovery Plan with the European Green Deal at its heart; endorses the underlying principle that public investments will respect the oath to ‘do no harm’; highlights that this oath applies to both social and environmental objectives; emphasises that national recovery and resilience plans should put the EU on the path to a 50 % to 55 % reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 1990 and climate neutrality by 2050 while providing sufficient guarantees to ensure social equity in the sustainable transition;
Amendment 67 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Amendment 70 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. Notes that, under the revised proposal for the next MFF and the European Union Recovery Instrument, several Union programmes are frontloaded; warns that this might result in a green investment gap at the end of the next MFF period and, thus, negatively impact the SEIP; underlines that for the Union to attain the 2030 targets and lay down the basis for the transition to climate neutrality by 2050, it is crucial to ensure green investments throughout the next MFF period and the decade leading to the milestone of 2030;
Amendment 74 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Welcomes the Commission’s European Recovery Plan with the European Green Deal at its heart; endorses the underlying principle that public investments will respect the oath to ‘do no harm’; emphasises that national recovery and resilience plans should put the EU on the path to a 50 % tot least a 55 % reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 1990 and climate neutrality by 2050;
Amendment 76 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Insists that all EU-supported investments be subject to the EU tTaxonomy for sustainable activities andRegulation, the Paris- aligned and Climate Transition Benchmarks and the ‘do no significant harm’ principle; calls on the Commission to propose a ‘brown’ taxonomy and enhanced social sustainability criteria, to identify activities that are significantly harmful to environmental objectives, and enhanced social sustainability criteria to identify substantial contributions to social cohesion, in addition to the minimum social safeguards that are now in place;
Amendment 86 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Stresses that the success of the EU’s aim to achieve its short- and long- term climate, energy and environmental goals and in particular the objective of climate neutrality by 2050 will depend on the adequacy of the green financing; stresses that substantial amounts of public and private sustainable investments are needed to set the Union and the Member States firmly on the path to climate neutrality and ensure a just and resilient recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic;
Amendment 87 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Recalls that under the Taxonomy Regulation the Commission must adopt by the end of 2020 a delegated act containing technical screening criteria for activities which substantially contribute to climate change mitigation or adaptation;
Amendment 90 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4b. Stresses that under SEIP support should be explicitly ruled out for coal and fossil fuel exploration, extraction, storage and processing activities;
Amendment 93 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Welcomes the proposed increase in the InvestEU budget and the doubling of the financial envelope of the sustainable infrastructure window under the programme; emphasises the role of InvestEU in the implementation and functioning of the SEIP and considers that it should be at the heart of the Union’s green, fair and resilient Recovery; stresses that the InvestEU programme will be one of the key instruments in financing investments that will accelerate the green transition; Emphasises the European Parliament’s demand that at least 40 % of investments under the InvestEU programme should contribute to climate and environmental objectives; believes that the green finance gap is surmountable;
Amendment 103 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Emphasises the key role of improved energy efficiency of buildings in enabling the transition towards a carbon- neutral society; underlines that a significant amount of investments is necessary for the renovation of energy- intensive buildings in order to increase their energy performance and thus minimise their climate and environmental footprint; stresses in this regard that SEIP should mobilise the investments necessary for a massive renovation wave;
Amendment 104 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5b. Stresses that support for investments in infrastructure should be ruled out for projects that are very likely to result in carbon lock-in;
Amendment 105 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 c (new)
Paragraph 5 c (new)
5c. Welcomes the proposed increase in the Just Transition Fund; emphasises that, under SEIP, the Just Transition Mechanism will lead the Union’s efforts in substantiating the economic and social opportunities of the transition to climate neutrality on energy-intensive regions and sectors of the EU;
Amendment 111 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6b. Calls on the Commission to conduct by the end of 2024 an assessment to evaluate climate and environmental expenditure made under the Next Generation EU and the Union’s MFF to identify potential green financing gaps, and propose accordingly an amended MFF to ensure available resources for the Union’s climate and environmental action, in line with the increased ambition in the Union’s climate, energy and environmental targets;
Amendment 112 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6b. Suggests that increased monitoring, reporting and evaluation of climate- and environment-related expenditure is necessary to ensure that the EU is on track to meet its commitments; calls for improvements at all stages of the EU budgetary cycle to identify the progress on climate mainstreaming;
Amendment 113 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 c (new)
Paragraph 6 c (new)
6c. Invites the European Court of Auditors to regularly audit the implementation of the target for climate spending under the next MFF period as set out by the Commission;
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Questions whether the SEIP, as currently constituted, will enable the mobilisation of EUR 1 trillion by 2030, given the negative economic outlook following the COVID-19 crisis; requests the Commission to ensure full transparency on financing issues, such as the optimistic leverage effect or the lack of clarity over the extrapolations of certain amounts; furthermore questions how the new MFF as proposed by the Commission in its revised proposals of 27 and 28 May 2020 would enable the achievement of the SEIP targets; calls on the Commission to revise the SEIP's architecture and figures so as to incorporate the expected increases in the ambition of the climate, energy and environmental goals for 2030;
Amendment 120 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Urges the Commission to come forward with an proposal to extend the use of the EU taxonomy forto the public sector and alegally binding green public procurement regulationcriteria for Member States to minimise their environmental footprint;
Amendment 123 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Calls for the issuing of long-term common bonds to contribute to financing the recovery and the just and sustainable transition;
Amendment 124 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Calls for the issuing of common long-term EU Green Deal bonds;
Amendment 130 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls on the Commission to revise State aid rules to allow public support forrequire companies that receive support in high-carbon sectors to set and publish a climate science-based target and time-bound net-zero transition plan in order to align with the European Green Deal, and to reform the European Semester to deepen the inclusion of the Sustainable Development Goals and the European Pillar of Social Rights; notes that any revision of the state aid rules should be carefully designed so as to prevent distortions of competition in the internal market, thus ensuring a level- playing field among Member States;
Amendment 130 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Wishes to see it ensured that funding from the SEIP, at EU and national level, goes towards the policies and programmes with the highest potential to contribute to the fight against climate change, and looks forward to the Commission’s upcoming climate tracking methodology using appropriately the criteria established by the EU taxonomy; calls on the Commission to propose, after consultation of Parliament, and using similar criteria a framework laying down a methodology establishing eligibility criteria for climate-related expenditures, defining and tracking climate expenditure together with a proofing mechanism to identify harmful impacts in accordance with the “do not significantly harm” principle and the commitments under the Paris Agreement;
Amendment 145 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Stresses that environmental considerations and risks can be incorporated in the Member States’ annual budgets and mid-term plans through the benchmarking of their green budgeting practices;
Amendment 145 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Amendment 148 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5b. Highlights that the success of the Sustainable Europe Investment Plan depends on the coherence of EU policies, therefore underlines the need for harmonised sustainability indicators and a methodology for measuring impact, including LCA and natural capital accounting;
Amendment 150 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. BelieveInsists that public and private finance should adhere to the EU taxonomy and to the Do Not Significantly Harm (DNSH) principle, in order to ensure that EU policies and financing, including the EU budget, the programmes financed through Next Generation EU, the European Semester and EIB financing do not contribute to objectives, projects and activities that significantly harm social or environmental objectives; calls on the Commission to publish, at the latest by the end of this year, climate proofing guidelines for all the funds that will be raised under the European Union Recovery Instrument and channelled through the EU programmes; stresses that solvency and recovery support should be ruled out for activities which undermine the objectives of the European Green Deal; recalls that under the Taxonomy Regulation the Commission must adopt by the end of 2020 a delegated act containing technical screening criteria for activities which substantially contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation; recalls that by December 2021 the Commission should publish a report describing the provisions required for extending the scope of the Taxonomy to include economic activities that do significant harm to the environmental objectives as well as enhanced social safeguards;
Amendment 152 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Believes that public and private finance should adhere to the EU taxonomy and to the Do Not Significantly Harm (DNSH) principle, with particular emphasis on the Recovery and Resilience Facility, in order to ensure that EU policies and financing, including the EU budget, the programmes financed through Next Generation EU, the European Semester and EIB financing do not contribute to objectives, projects and activities that significantly harm social or environmental objectives; calls for an operationalisation of the ‘do not significantly harm’ principle by clear and targeted exclusions in relevant EU funding regulations, in particular for fossil fuels, and a delegated act on climate, environmental and social proofing before the end of the year, as planned for example in the InvestEU regulation;
Amendment 160 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Calls on the Commission to substantially increase funding for technical assistance in the European Investment Advisory Hub (EIAH) and in other relevant funds, to ensure that technical assistance reaches 1% of the total amount to be spent; calls on the Commission to focus technical assistance on projects and sectors with the highest environmental, social, resilience added value, in particular nature-based solutions that can deliver climate mitigation, climate adaptation and biodiversity benefits altogether.
Amendment 171 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 b (new)
Paragraph 9 b (new)
9b. Welcomes the European Investment Bank’s (EIB) efforts to revise its energy lending policy and to spend 50% of its operations on climate action and environmental sustainability; expects the remaining 50% of its portfolio to respect the Do no Harm principle
Amendment 176 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Calls for the phasing-out of public and private investments in highly polluting and harmful industries, using the EU taxonomy criteria, for which economically feasible alternatives are available, while fully respecting the rights of Member States to choose their energy mix;
Amendment 180 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Calls for the immediate phasing-out of public and privatedirect and indirect public subsidies and investments in highly polluting and harmful industries for which economically feasible alternatives are available, while fully respecting the rights of Member States to choose their energy mix;
Amendment 200 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Underlines the fact that, in order to meet its obligations under the Paris Agreement, the EU’s contribution to the climate objectives should be underpinned by an ambitious share of environmental and climate-related expenditure in the EU budget, going beyond the levels of targeted spending shares of at least 25 % over the MFF 2021- 2027 period and of 30% as soon as possible and at the latest by 2027 of at least 40% over the MFF 2021- 2027 period and of 50% as soon as possible and at the latest by 2027; regrets that the ambition of climate and environmental spending under the revised MFF proposal is not increased in line with the foreseen increases in the Union's climate, energy and environmental policy targets, currently under adoption or preparation; deplores the fact that the European Green Deal initiatives are not adequately addressed in the revised proposal; notes that the necessary climate change adaptation investments are not yet assed in the Commission's MFF climate figures;
Amendment 201 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Underlines the fact that, in order to meet its obligations under the Paris Agreement, the EU’s contribution to the climate objectives should be underpinned by an ambitious share of climate-related expenditure in the EU budget, going much beyond the levels of targeted spending shares of at least 25 % over the MFF 2021- 2027 period and of 30% as soon as possible and at the latest by 2027; considers the EU budget should follow the spending target of the European Investment Bank of 50% to climate and environmental spending so as to be in line with the ambitious objectives set by the Climate Law; highlights that all MFF and Next Generation EU funds should be consistent with National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) and territorial Just Transition Plans where they are set up;
Amendment 214 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Notes that climate change adaptation is not yet assessed and incorporated in the MFF climate figures1a; calls on the commission to revise without delay the climate spending figures to reflect the additional investment needs in climate change adaptation; underlines that this is important taking into consideration the EU's susceptibility to future climate shocks and the natural shocks arising from them; __________________ 1ahttps://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal- content/EN/TXT/?qid=1590742540196&u ri=SWD%3A2020%3A98%3AFIN
Amendment 218 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 b (new)
Paragraph 9 b (new)
9b. Notes that, under the revised proposal for the next MFF and the European Union Recovery Instrument, several Union programmes are frontloaded; warns that this might result in a green investment gap towards the end of the next MFF period and, thus, negatively impact the success of SEIP and the attainment of the Union's climate and environmental goals; calls for continuous cash flows and green investments throughout the next MFF period and the years leading to the milestone of 2030; calls on the Commission to assess whether a green investment gap at the end of the decade could jeopardise the Union's efforts for achieving the 2030 climate, energy and environmental targets and propose corrective adjustments to the allocation of the amounts;
Amendment 219 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 c (new)
Paragraph 9 c (new)
9c. Suggests that by the end of 2024, the Commission should come forward with a report to assess the implementation of the 'do no harm' principle under the Next Generation EU;
Amendment 220 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 d (new)
Paragraph 9 d (new)
9d. Calls for a comprehensive framework of monitoring, reporting and evaluation of climate- and environment- related expenditure under the EU budget to identify and fill potential green financing gaps and ensure the EU is on track to fulfil its commitments; suggests, in this regard, that a harmonised methodology for the transparent accounting of climate and environmental spending under the new MFF and the Next Generation EU is necessary; calls for improvements at all stages of the EU budgetary cycle to identify the progress on climate mainstreaming;
Amendment 221 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 e (new)
Paragraph 9 e (new)
9e. Invites the European Court of Auditors to audit the implementation of the ‘do no harm’ principle under the Next Generation EU;
Amendment 234 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Welcomes the proposal to top up the Just Transition Fund (JTF), including with additional funds from Next Generation EU, and the two additional pillars of the Just Transition Mechanism, namely a dedicated scheme under InvestEU and a public sector loan facility, which will contribute to alleviating the economic effects ofreate new economic opportunities in the transition to climate neutrality on the most vulnerablef carbon-dependent regions in the EU;
Amendment 246 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Calls for ensuring that third countries are eligible for cross- border projects that contribute to the objectives of the Paris Agreement;
Amendment 265 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Calls on the Commission to substantially increase funding for technical assistance so that it reaches 2% of the total amount to be spent;
Amendment 284 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Supports the Commission’s innovative approach in stating that the EU budget will contribute to achieving climate objectives also through its revenue side; recalls Parliament’s longstanding position in favour of generating added-value and policy co-benefits by introducing green new own resources;
Amendment 312 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Amendment 322 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 b (new)
Paragraph 14 b (new)
14b. Calls on all Member States to join the enhanced cooperation framework to implement a Financial Transaction Tax;
Amendment 326 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Welcomes the efforts of the European Investment Bank (EIB) to revise its energyclimate strategy and transport lending policy and to devote 50 % of its operations to climate action and environmental sustainability; calls on the EIB to commit to the sustainable transition towards climate neutrality while taking into account the different energy mixes of Member States and devoting particular attention to the sectors and regions most affected by the transition; calls on the EIB to end support to unsustainable transport projects including airports and motorways, and to make support to carbon-intensive companies conditional upon the publication of science-based climate targets and sustainable transition plans in line with the social and environmental transition; calls on the EIB to ensure financial intermediaries are not exposed to activities not supported by the EIB;
Amendment 331 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Welcomes the efforts of the European Investment Bank (EIB) to revise its energy lending policy and to devote 50 % of its operations to climate action and environmental sustainability; calls on the EIB to commit to the sustainable transition towards climate neutrality while taking into account the different energy mixes of Member States and devoting particular attention to the sectors and regions most affected by the transition; calls on the EIB to use the EU taxonomy to ensure that all projects financed respect the ‘do no harm’ principle and align its activities with the goals and principles of the Paris Agreement, as set out in its ‘Climate Bank Roadmap’;
Amendment 347 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Considers that for the EIB to play a successful role in financing the Green Deal, a bottom-up and participatory approach is crucial, and to better coordinate with various stakeholders, such as local and regional authorities and representatives from civil society;
Amendment 361 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Recognises the important role of the national promotional banks and institutions and of international financial institutions (IFIs), including the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the World Bank, in the financing of sustainable projects, thereby contributing to the achievement of the goals of the Paris Agreement;
Amendment 367 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Invites the Member States to set up independent Recovery and Resilience Supervising Authorities to monitor the implementation of the EU recovery funds;
Amendment 371 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Recalls the statement of the ECB President that the ECB is supporting the development of a taxonomy as a way of facilitating the incorporation of environmental considerations in central bank portfolios; calls on the ECB to evaluate the feasibility of including sustainability criteria in its collateral framework and its annual stress testing exercise, while assessing ways to guide lending towards energy transition investments and to rebuild a sustainable economy in the aftermath of the COVID- 19 crisis; encourages the ECB to move forward with its monetary policy review in order to evaluate the financing of economic activities causing significant harm to environmental and social objectives; calls on the ECB to disclose annually its degree of alignment with the Paris Agreement and its exposure to the EU taxonomy;
Amendment 378 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Recalls the statement of the ECB President that the ECB is supporting the development of a taxonomy as a way of facilitating the incorporation of environmental considerations in central bank portfolios; considers that such a taxonomy should be fully compatible with the EU Taxonomy Regulation; calls on the ECB to evaluate the feasibility of including sustainability criteria in its collateral framework and its annual stress testing exercise, while assessing ways to guide lending towards energy transition investments and to rebuild a sustainable economy in the aftermath of the COVID- 19 crisis;
Amendment 385 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17a. Supports the calls from the European Central Bank and the Central Banks and Regulators’ Network for Greening the Financial System (NGFS) to extend the EU taxonomy to unsustainable activities as soon as possible, enabling financial regulators to better assess sustainability-related financial risks;
Amendment 388 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 b (new)
Paragraph 17 b (new)
Amendment 391 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Supports a renewed sustainable finance strategy; underlines the need for an EU eco-label for financial products, for an EU Green Bond Standard (EU GBS), and for more reliable, comparable and accessible sustainability data obtained by harmonising sustainability indicators and creating a public sustainability data registerwith sector- specific Key Performance Indicators, an EU public sustainability data register and mainstreaming sustainability within all financial legislation through legislative reviews, enabling investors to better act upon their sustainability preferences;
Amendment 396 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Supports a renewed sustainable finance strategy; underlines the need for an EU eco-label for financial products, for an EU Green Bond Standard (EU GBS), and EU climate transition benchmark and a Paris-aligned benchmark, for more reliable, comparable and accessible sustainability data obtained by harmonising sustainability indicators and creating a public sustainability data register;
Amendment 398 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Amendment 403 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 b (new)
Paragraph 18 b (new)
18b. Calls on the Commission to swiftly follow the advice of the Technical Expert Group on Sustainable Finance and fully exclude nuclear energy generation as a sustainable activity as defined by the taxonomy framework, including as a transitional activity;
Amendment 407 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Insists on the integration of social objectives in the sustainability framework, including through an evaluation of extending the scope of taxonomy and the development of an EU Social Bond Standard; Calls for the “Do Not Significantly Harm” principle to look at concrete social objectives including employee absenteeism, percentage of full- time employees and employees on long- term contracts, the percentage of salaries above living-wage, gender and ethnic pay gap, ratio in salary and variable remuneration between CEOs and average employees, tax compliance and corruption practices; calls for the activities pursued by companies who fail to achieve a sufficient score on any one of the above parameters to not qualify as sustainable economic activities as defined by the Disclosure Regulation and the Taxonomy Regulation;
Amendment 408 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Insists on the integration of social objectives in the sustainability framework, including through an evaluation of extending the scope of taxonomy and the development of an EU Social Bond Standard; recalls that, by December 2021, the Commission should publish a report laying down the requirements for extending the scope of the Taxonomy Regulation to cover social objectives;
Amendment 420 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. ICalls for new measures, including tax incentives, to encourage long-termism in the benefit of people and planet; insists on the integration of governance objectives in the sustainability framework, including through additional voting rights for long- term shareholders, reform of remuneration structures and fiduciary duties for top-line management, and mandatory sustainability reporting and due diligence for financial institutions and large corporates; welcomes the preparation of a sustainable corporate governance initiative;
Amendment 423 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 b (new)
Paragraph 20 b (new)
Amendment 425 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Recalls that investments in unsustainable economic activities may lead to stranded assets with lock-in effects; considers this risk to be insufficiently integrated in credit ratings and prudential frameworks including the Basel framework; calls for a review of the Credit Ratings Regulation to promote transparency in sustainability rating and an assessment of the possibility of inclusion of sustainability factors in prudential legislation; calls for the development of a brown taxonomy indicating investments facing increased exposure to climate risks and for the use of this brown taxonomy in the prudential framework;
Amendment 430 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Recalls that investments in unsustainable economic activities may lead to stranded assets with lock-in effects; considers this risk to be insufficiently integrated in credit ratings and prudential frameworks; stresses that financial risks related to sustainability can be better addressed by extending the scope of the EU taxonomy to include unsustainable activities;
Amendment 449 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. CHighlights the risk of reduced public spending on the sustainable transition in the context of the covid-19 crisis; calls for the introduction of an enabling framework for public sustainable investments to achieve the goals set out in the European Green Deal, but stresses that whatever financing model is chosen must not undermine the sustainability of public finance in the EU; supports the commitment by EVP Dombrovskis to explore how taxonomy can be used in the public sector; calls for public support for airlines to be used in a sustainable and efficient manneradvocates for the creation of a Sustainable Green Golden Rule to exclude sustainable investments from the EU’s economic governance framework; calls for a sustainable development pact to survey the implementation of the sustainability objectives and the green investment gap in each Member State; welcomes that EU Taxonomy will guide investment in Europe’s recovery to ensure it is in line with the EU-long term ambitions ; calls for a greater transparency of the degree of sustainability of public investment at EU and Member State level; supports the commitment by EVP Dombrovskis to explore how taxonomy can be used in the public sector; calls for public support for airlines to be used in a sustainable and efficient manner; supports the pledge by the Commission to explore how the EU Green Bond Standard, as well as other enabling frameworks, can increase public and private finance for sustainable investments;
Amendment 457 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Calls for the introduction of an enabling framework for public sustainable investments to achieve the goals set out in the European Green Deal, but stresses that whatever financing model is chosen must not undermine the sustainability of public finance in the EU; supports the commitment by EVP Dombrovskis to explore how taxonomy can be used in the public sector, including public procurement; calls for public support for airlines to be used in a sustainable and efficient manner and be conditional on the publication of climate targets and green transition roadmaps;
Amendment 472 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22a. Insists that sustainable investments of Member States in climate change mitigation, adaptation and the just transition to climate neutrality should be excluded from the Stability and Growth Pact;
Amendment 477 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 b (new)
Paragraph 22 b (new)
Amendment 480 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Recalls that the European Semester is a framework for EU Member States to coordinate their budgetary and economic policies; bwelieves that it could facilitate the implementation of the European Green Deal, the European Pillar of Social Rights and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); believes that the SDGs should be at the heart of EU’s policy making processcomes the integration of environmental sustainability in the Semester process, in particular through the 2020 country reports; calls on the Commission to complement the current Semester framework with climate and environmental indicators to facilitate the monitoring of the Member States' progress towards the objectives of the European Green Deal, the European Pillar of Social Rights and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); believes that the SDGs should be at the heart of EU’s policy making process and welcomes in this regard their inclusion in the 2020 European Semester country reports; further calls on the Commission to develop and present without delay a set of key indicators to improve the analysis of the macroeconomic and social implications of the green transition in the next Semester cycle;
Amendment 496 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23a. Calls on the Commission and Eurostat to revise their set of indicators for the SDGs; stresses that the indicators should be linked to concrete and quantifiable targets to facilitate the tracking of progress towards the achievement of the SDGs;
Amendment 497 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Notes that recovery and resilience plans will be based on shared EU priorities; highlights in this context the European Green Deal and the European Pillar of Social Rights; seeks the inclusion of priorities in areas such as employment, skills, education, research and innovation and health, but also in areas related to the business environment, including public administration and the financial sector; considers that the sustainability provisions in the current Recovery and Resilience Facility Regulation are insufficient; deems essential the incorporation of the EU Taxonomy in recovery and resilience plans through an ambitious minimum spending target on environmentally sustainable economic activities and the application of the Do Not Significantly Harm principle to all spending through these plans; deems the Commission responsible for monitoring adherence to these plans and for re- appropriating funds not spent in accordance with the plans;
Amendment 502 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Notes that recovery and resilience plans will be based on shared EU priorities; highlights in this context the European Green Deal and the European Pillar of Social Rights; seeks the inclusion of priorities in areas such as employment, skills, education, community building capacities, common goods, research and innovation and health, but also in areas related to the business environment, including public administration and the financial sector; stresses that assessment criteria for recovery and resilience plans should include inter alia the EU Taxonomy;
Amendment 510 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24a. Calls for companies benefitting from public support to commit to public country-by-country reporting, to respect their non-financial reporting obligations and to guarantee jobs, and disclose any beneficial treatment received; urges that such companies should fairly contribute to the recovery efforts by paying their fair share of taxes; seeks in this context a new social contract for corporates, harmonizing aims for profit with considerations for people and planet;
Amendment 511 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 b (new)
Paragraph 24 b (new)
Amendment 512 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 c (new)
Paragraph 24 c (new)
24c. Calls on the Commission to revise State aid rules to set common minimum sustainability standards and to require large companies asking for support in high -carbon sectors to set and publish climate science-based targets and time- bound net-zero transition plans to align their operations with the Paris Agreement;
Amendment 517 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Supports the Solvency Support Instrument to level the playing field in the single market, and the introduction of ‘transition plans’ for certain companies to increase the sustainability of their activities; considers that society can ask for a quid pro quosomething in return when providing support to companies; sees transition plans including science-based and time- bound sustainability targets as a way of ensuring that public funding is spent in line with public interests; believes that transition plans should be obligatory for companies seeking state aid or EU-level support unless it is clear that they do not engage in environmentally or socially harmful activities; urges the Commission to only approve transition plans that set businesses on the path to the climate- neutral and circular economy without significantly harming any other environmental or social objectives;
Amendment 519 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Supports the Solvency Support Instrument to level the playing field in the single market, and the introduction of ‘transition plans’ for certain companies to increase the sustainability of their activities; considers that society can ask for a quid pro quois entitled to expect meaningful contributions when providing support to companies; believes that transition plans should be obligatory for companies seeking state aid or EU- level support unless it is clear that they do not engage in environmentally or socially harmful activities; urges the Commission to only approve transition plans that set businesses on the path to the climate- neutral and circular economy without significantly harming any other environmental or social objectives;
Amendment 523 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25a. Calls on the Commission to revise State aid rules to allow public support for green investments aligned with the European Green Deal objectives; stresses that the State support offered to companies for carbon intensive sectors should be conditional on the adoption and publication of climate transition plans; notes that any revision of the state aid rules should be carefully designed so as to prevent distortions of competition in the internal market, thus ensuring a level- playing field among Member States;
Amendment 529 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 b (new)
Paragraph 25 b (new)
Amendment 534 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Invites the Commission to revise the Energy Tax Directive to increase relevant minimum excise duties that lost their effect due to inflation, end current tax exemptions to kerosene and maritime fuels, and coordinate a kerosene tax that could also feed into the EU budget;
Amendment 545 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)
Paragraph 26 a (new)
26a. Recalls that tax evasion and tax avoidance cause potential lost resources for national and EU budgets quantified as ranging from €50-70 billion to€160-190 billion;1a therefore seeks an intensified fight against tax fraud, tax evasion and tax avoidance and aggressive tax planning ; calls on the Commission to establish criteria on which it assesses EU Member State that would result in a black-list of EU Member States facilitating tax avoidance and to draft binding tax compliance plans for these Member States; __________________ 1aEuropean Parliament, EPRS, Bringing transparency, coordination and convergence to corporate tax policies in the European Union: I - Assessment of the magnitude of aggressive corporate tax planning, Study, 2015
Amendment 546 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 b (new)
Paragraph 26 b (new)
26b. Calls on Member States that are accused of facilitating tax avoidance to implement a minimum effective tax rate of 18% on all profits generated at Member State level, including profits shifted to tax havens through passive income such as interests and royalties payments or other base erosion and profit shifting tools so as to fight tax avoidance and mobilise resources to finance the sustainable and just transition.
Amendment 547 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 c (new)
Paragraph 26 c (new)
26c. Recalls that Value Added Tax (VAT) can be used to incentivise moving from harmful to sustainable activities; therefore urges Member States to adopt the definitive package on VAT which would enable them to make use of targeted VAT rates for goods and services supporting the realisation of the European Green Deal;
Amendment 555 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Wishes it to be ensured that all contribute equitably to the post-corona recovery and the transition to a sustainable economy; considers that corporate profits and private wealth flow the lowest-taxed jurisdictions within the single market; seeks an intensified fight against tax fraud, tax evasion and tax avoidance and aggressive tax planning; calls on the Commission to create a blacklist of EU Member States facilitating tax avoidance; calls for EU-level coordination to avoid aggressive tax planning by individuals and corporates; seeks in this context an ambitious strategy for business taxation for the 21st century and calls for an EU- coordinated wealth tax;
Amendment 559 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Wishes it to be ensured that all contribute equitably to the post-corona recovery and the transition to a sustainable economy, while taking into consideration the different capacities of Member States; seeks an intensified fight against tax fraud, tax evasion and tax avoidance and aggressive tax planning; calls on the Commission to create a blacklist of EU Member States facilitating tax avoidance; calls for EU-level coordination to avoid aggressive tax planning by individuals and corporates; seeks in this context an ambitious strategy for business taxation for the 21st century;
Amendment 566 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 a (new)
Paragraph 27 a (new)
27a. Reiterates its call for phasing out of fossil fuel subsidies including in the form of a tax advantage, while fully respecting of the rights of Member State to choose their energy mix; supports, however, tax measures that would incentivise investment in cleaner energy and mode of transportation;